Mexican Pop Diva Paulina Rubio turns 50 - a look back at her career

[PokemonSpears]

Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes, better known as Paulina Rubio or La Chica Dorada (the Golden Girl) was born on June 17, 1971 in Mexico City, daughter of legendary actress Susana Dosamantes.

She started her career in 1982 as one of the original members of pop band Timbiriche, the teen sensation which would become one of the biggest groups of Latin Pop's history.

 

Despite not having the greatest voice ( ) she always stood out for her image and confident attitude, and her mythical rivalry with bandmate Thalia was key for the success of the band.

 

She left the group in 1991, becoming one of original members that lasted the longest. After this she launched her solo career, releasing her first studio album La Chica Dorada, with a lead single that became one of the most iconic songs of her career, Mío. The single was a response to Alejandra Guzmán's Hey Güera. Turns out this was all about a love triangle between them and fellow Timbiriche member Erik Rubín (they all claim to be in good terms now that he married another woman that's neither of them ). Other singles from that album were Abriendo las Puertas al Amor, Amor de Mujer and Sabor a Miel.

 

That same year she participated on the soap opera Baila Conmigo

 

In 1993, she released her second album 24 Kilates, with the singles Nieva, Nieva, Él Me Engañó, Vuelve Junto a Mí and Asunto de Dos.

 

El Tiempo es Oro would come in 1995, and just like the title says, she didn't waste time this year. Besides releasing this third studio effort, she also starred in the film Bésame en la Boca as well as the soap opera Pobre Niña Rica. 

Te Daría Mi Vida, Nada de Ti, Hoy te Dejé de Amar and Bésame en la Boca were some of the hits from this era.

 

 

 

 

By 1996, she took us to her planet with a more mature sound incorporating dance and euro rhythms on what was her fourth studio album Planeta Paulina, the first one to be co-produced by Paulina herself.

Siempre Tuya Desde la Raíz, Solo por Ti, Miedo and Enamorada were the singles released in order to promote this album.

 

The Enamorada music video caused a bit of controversy, since it insinuates that her partner is cheating on her with another man, a topic which was rarely addressed at the time on tv or music in Latin America.

 

A new era was coming for Paulina in the late 90's. A legal battle with her former record label EMI and a reunion with Timbiriche in 1998.

 

And in 1999 she hosted in Spain the summer variety TV show Vive el Verano, for which she also sang the opening theme.

 

The year was 2000, and a new record deal with Universal Music would make possible her fifth studio album titled Paulina. To this day, it's Paulina's most successful album ever, with over 3 million copies sold worldwide. Hit after hit, it managed to position seven singles on the popularity charts: Lo Haré por Ti, El Último Adiós, Y Yo Sigo Aquí, Yo No Soy Esa Mujer, Vive el Verano, ***i Dance and Tal Vez, Quizá.

 

 

 

While she was readying her sixth studio album, her former record label couldn't move on with her departure and kept releasing compilation albums featuring her hits from the 90's, they went even as far as to release some English versions of her songs that she had recorded for what was supposed to be her first crossover album, that the label itself decided to scrap back then.

Her real crossover album, Border Girl, was released in the summer of 2002. It peaked at #11 in the US Billboard 200 chart and it was certified Gold for over 500,000 copies. It included English versions of some of the tracks from the previous album, such as I'll Be Right Here (Y Yo Sigo Aquí) and Fire (**** Dance), but the most successful song was Don't Say Goodbye (also released in Spanish as Si Tú Te Vas). Don't Say Goodbye peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Other singles were The One You Love (Todo Mi Amor), Casanova (Baila Casanova) and Libre.

In 2002 she also toured with Enrique Iglesias.

 

2004, and she was unstoppable. Pau-Latina, her seventh studio album was released that year, and though it didn't get the same success on the charts, peaking at #102 on the Billboard 200, it peaked at #6 and #3 on the Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts respectively, and it was certified 2x platinum by the RIAA.

Te Quise Tanto, Algo Tienes, Dame Otro Tequila were the biggest singles, becoming instant classics that to this day are still played on the radio. To a lesser extent, Mía was also a moderate hit.

 

In 2005 she collaborated with fellow Mexican singer Julieta Venegas and the Argentinian Coti on Nada Fue un Error, a massive radio hit.

In 2006 she was still going strong with Ananda, her eighth studio album, which topped the Mexican chart as well as the US Latin charts, while peaking at #31 on the Billboard 200. Ni Una Sola Palabra would become one of her signature hits for the following years. Nada Puede Cambiarme and Ayúdame were other singles from the album.

 

Nada Puede Cambiarme featured Slash, Guns N' Roses' guitarist, playing the guitar.

It was in 2007 that she collaborated with the legendary singer from Spain Miguel Bosé, on a new version of his hit Nena.

 

and if you thought her former label EMI had given up by now, well, it hadn't. In fact, after yet another compilation released in 2006, they released a new remix album in 2007.

 

If you're still reading this, bear with me 'cause we're only on her ninth studio album, Gran City Pop, released in 2009. Peaking at #44, it closed the 00's era in pop music with hits such as Causa y Efecto, Ni Rosas Ni Juguetes and Algo de Ti.

 

This would really be the end not only of a streak of success in Paulina's career, but the Latin music scene really changed after this. The following years, EDM took over, and the change didn't suit Paulina very well. Then, at some point along the way in the 2010's decade, reggaeton and urban genres took over, and the kind of pop music Paulina was known for has never gained back its position again, for now.

Despite this, she still released Brava! in 2011, her tenth studio album.  Me Gustas Tanto and Me Voy were the initial singles, but later she would re-release the album promoting it with the English hit Boys Will Be Boys. She had become the mom of a baby boy in 2010.

 

In 2012 she joined the judge panel of he Mexican edition of The Voice

And in 2013, she replaced Britney Spears on the third season of the US' The X Factor, joining Kelly Rowland, Demi Lovato and Simon Cowell.

Since then, she's appeared on other TV competitions, and she wouldn't release her next album until 2018, titled Deseo, which included singles she had released between 2015 and 2016, plus new songs. She had her second baby in 2016.

 

 

 

Although she went back to her pop roots after exploring a little bit with the urban sounds, as I said, the new music scene doesn't really have a space for classic pop music anymore, so she only saw a moderate success on radio.

After this, in 2019, she parted ways with Universal Music after 20 years, after her contract ended. According to the reports, it was her decision to go by herself, probably after there were some issues with an unreleased video that she intended to put out and that still hasn't seen the light.

Some stand-alone singles have come out in the past few years. Si Supieran, a diss track that talks about her exes getting together after she dumped them, was the reason for a lawsuit from her ex-husband and father of her first son.

In what seemed like a comedy sketch, the judge and the lawyers had to go through the lyrics of the song and question Paulina about the true meaning behind the track.

 

Another track she released independently was De Qué Sirve

 

In 2020 she had plans to do a joint tour with no other than Alejandra Guzmán, her former love rival to whom she dedicated her first single, remember? They even recorded a duet together and filmed the videoclip, a cover from the 80's Ni Tú Ni Nadie, but the whole project was scrapped before it was even announced, supposedly because of Alejandra getting fed up with Paulina's diva attitudes, such as arriving late to the set of the music video lol

A low quality clip leaked, however, teasing fans of both artists what could've been but never will.

the tour would've been scrapped anyways due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

So that's a summary of Paulina Rubio's career, who celebrated yesterday her 50th birthday. She's done a few live performances here and there, and she's teased new music, so we'll have to wait and see what she has in store.

 

Happy birthday Paulina Rubio!!

 

Related:

 

[Adriannn]

She's 50 now?!?!? 

Well, what can I say... she is truly an icon... as successful as criticized.

Paulina, Border Girl, Pau-latina, Ananda... she was on a roll. 

My fave songs by her are Yo No Soy Esa Mujer, Ni Una Sola Palabra, Lo Haré Por Ti, Tal Vez Quizás, Hoy te Dejé de Amar, S.exy Dance, and of course... Todo Mi Amor and Te Quise Tanto... All Around the World is that banger, too. I sorta lost track of her, but her songs will always be a part of my life. Felicidades, Pau... léase en su acento 

[Midnight]

38 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

Despite not having the greatest voice ( )

The overt shade 

Love her, Happy Birthday to Pau.

I have to admit I love Guera just as much as Mio, they're both such great songs 

I need to check out some of the Timbirche stuff I've never heard any of their music except for Somos Uno Mismo.

Paulina 2000 is a all time fave album, I love every single song on that album.

 

My top fave songs.

1, Ni Una Sola Palabra

2, Secsi Dance

3, Mio

4, Dame Otro Tequila

5, Talvez Quiza

6, Sin Final

7, Tu y Yo

8, Si Tu Te Vas

9, Si Te Vas

10, Sera Entre Tu y Yo

That last picture is stunning, she looks beautiful.

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Midnight

[Midnight]

off topic but I love this Alejandra song

 

[Adriannn]

4 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Secsi

[Adriannn]

Also... this music video 

 

 

 

My mom would scold me if she caught me watching it 

[Midnight]

Just now, Adriannn said:

 I know, I know, I get creative with the censoring 

[Midnight]

1 minute ago, Adriannn said:

Also... this music video 

 

 

 

My mom would scold me if she caught me watching it 

el modelo   drill me daddy

[Spicechinodiva]

The first time I came across Paulina Rubio was the Latin Madonna, she even said she dreams of having s** with Madonna.

 

Which was why I love her, then people also said a girl named Gloria Trevi says hi as the Latin Madonna. 

 

But Paulina does dance, the other does rock Music. 

[Tingle2mingle86]

WHATTTTTT? SHE IS 50 YEARS OLD?

I had no idea.  She's an absolute goddess and a beautiful one at that!  Happy Bday :D 

[PokemonSpears]

 

[PokemonSpears]

On 6/17/2021 at 8:18 PM, Midnight said:

I need to check out some of the Timbirche stuff I've never heard any of their music except for Somos Uno Mismo.

I recommend checking from Timbiriche 7 onward. Also, mostly the singles (aka, whatever you find on Youtube that has a videoclip or live performance)

Album tracks are ok, but there really aren't a lot of "hidden gems", they really put out the best to promote the albums.

The first six albums are when they were kids. There are some classic hits of course, but if any, it's better to listen to the versions they sang as adults in their multiple reunions.

Also don't fall for the trick that the last Timbiriche lineup sucked, they were very different since only one of the original members remained, but the new 90's style they were going for was actually really good. It was also on this last album, Timbiriche 12 that they said goodbye with one of their biggest hits, Muriendo Lento.

Paulina wasn't part of the last two albums though. Thalia was only part of Timbiriche 7, 8 and 9. Actually she carried on the promotion of Timbiriche 6 if I'm not mistaken.

[danduni]

I love her. She’s so extroverted!

My favorite song has to be: Ni Una Sola Palabra, Si Tu Te Vas, Yo No Soy Esa Mujer and Mi nuevo Vicio.

And yes, I also believe that since reggaeton and urban music took over the Latin landscape, there hasn’t been a space for this kind of pop/rock Latin music which we all loved. Bit lame.

[ObsessedBritFan1]

Don’t say goodbye!

[corpsetranger]

On 6/18/2021 at 7:48 AM, danduni said:

reggaeton and urban music 

Any signs of it finally dying down anytime soon??? 

[Mexwero]

Paulina... Ive always had a love/hate relationship with this woman. (As if I know her lol) 

She definitely serves bop after bop. But she urgently needs to reinvent herself. Literally all of her career has been the same look. The blonde hair and same moves. She has the potential, but I feel like she thinks she doesn’t have to try anymore because of her legacy. 
 

Definitely believe she has a lot more to show, and I’m rooting for her. 

[Spicechinodiva]

17 hours ago, corpsetranger said:

Any signs of it finally dying down anytime soon??? 

No, the kids **** with Reggaeton, I feel the classic pop sound in any genre worldwide is dead. 

 

I don't think it's up for revival.