Thread: Shunning English, Latino singers hitting it big in U.S.

http://www.delawareonline.com

Shunning English, Latino singers hitting it big in U.S.
Associated Press
12/28/2005
Bucking conventional wisdom, Colombian singer Juanes and other top-selling Latino recording artists are making it big in the United States without singing in English.

According to his record company, Juanes has sold more than 850,000 copies of his latest record, "Mi Sangre" in the United States. Worldwide, the album has sold two million. In a clear indication of his global appeal, Juanes was chosen to perform -- in Spanish -- at both the World Cup 2006 selection ceremony and at the Nobel Peace prize ceremony in December.

Two factors apparently have spurred growth of the Spanish-language music market in the United States. The main one is the burgeoning Hispanic population, currently more than 42 million -- practically a country within a country.

Some in the music industry also say there is increased interest about Latin music on the part of Anglos, although that may just be wishful thinking.

Juanes is not the only Latin musician to forego efforts to make the so-called crossover -- singing in English to score significant sales in the United States.

Other performers making inroads in the U.S. market using their native tongue include Alejandro Fernandez, 250,000 copies of "A Corazon Abierto"; Sin Bandera, 300,000 records sold with "De Viaje"; and Julieta Venegas, 200,000 copies of "Si." In 2004, Mexican pop group Los Temerarios earned a platinum record (a million sold), as their fellow countrymen Los Tigres del Norte did this year with "Jefe de Jefes."

Colombian superstar Shakira, however, is the exception. She released two records in 2005, with different songs, one in Spanish, "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1," and the other in English: "Oral Fixation Vol. 2." The first garnered the highest sales for a record in Spanish in the U.S. in its first week and remained in the upper tier for months. Her second record entered the Top Five its first week, making her the first artist to hover near the top in both languages with two different records in the same week.

Another artist who sings only in Spanish and has become a world celebrity with his song "La Gasolina" is Daddy Yankee. He quickly became the king of reggaeton, the catchy form of music from the Caribbean that combines different genres and was all the rage this year.

I don't have a problem with this at all. In fact, much of the Latino music sounds better to me in Spanish. This is art and culture and makes the world more interesting.

Latinos in Latin America should definitely maintain their language, art, customs, traditions, and culture to every extent.

Americans should do the same.