Univision and Fonovisa have their sites set on the future.
These are just a few of the artists you need to watch out for in the ’05. Every month I will give you the heads up on the artists that will make an impact in the music scene. This month I give you 3 up and coming artists on the Fonovisa and Univision Label.
Hailing from South Central L.A., David Rolas is a Mexican-American whose experience is similar to thousands of young Latinos with Mexican parents (mother from Durango, father from Jalisco), who grow up absorbing several cultures, the Mexican at home and the American in school. While simultaneously absorbing a hybrid culture in the streets of the Angeleno metropolis, in which the new urban sound of hip-hop was bred.
“While at home we listened to mariachi songs and “Banda” tunes, in the street we heard, fed and drank hip-hop.” David assures, as a witness to the birth of the hip-hop culture in his surroundings, which, influenced him to get involved in the scene. “In high school, I would get together with my “homies” and we began to break-dance, at first we learned by watching other dancers perform, but many times we made up our own steps”.
After finishing high school, David focused his attention to his other interest of becoming a DJ. “At the time there was only one station in L.A. that would play hip-hop, so I listened to it religiously, to learn about what was popular, I would also go to parties, talk to rap groups, thus I started increasing my collection, so I could be able to play the newest and the most underground jams”, says David.
“For me, hip-hop music was an inspiration to do something with my life, helping me avoid “el desmadre”, of being a gang banger, it helped me do something positive with my life”. At the same time, David was studying to obtain his license as a radio DJ. He quickly landed an on-the-air stint at a local popular station. During his stay at the station, they became the most influential hip-hop station in Los Angeles and David took a protagonist role during this phase.
Known as Dave Jams, he displayed an ability to work the crowds and hip-hop fans, regardless of their racial origin. As a Latino, he won over some hard-to-please African-American crowds. “In my beginnings as a DJ, a promoter hired me for a club whose clientele was mainly African-American, it was an interesting experience, since the crowd at the club were known to be very selective of their taste in music, they wanted 100% hip-hop, and they would see me, a Latino, they would stare, but when they started listening to the songs and my mix, they would accept me unconditionally”.
Now David Rolas presents his sophomore release titled “Tatuajes” (tattoos) an album that he describes as a reflection of his past, present and future.
“Tatuajes,” closely follows a personal approach to his life painting a mosaic of his “struggle as an artist and as a person in the quest for survival in the game called life.”
This album continues to follow his signature style of urban regional drenched in banda, song highlights on this work are: “Un Poema” a self portrait of the artist,“Cada Dia Mas” a special song dedicated to his wife and his appreciation towards her unconditional support, on a lighter note David Rolas also features party songs such as “Noche De Parranda” and “La Fiesta” are songs that speak of having a good time with friends and enjoying life.
David Rola’s musical quest lies in his pursuit for the purist incorporation of Latin and Urban music.
His hooks are catchy, yet playful, creative, memorable and most importantly true to their respective roots.
His flow is on point and his beats have enough energy and creativity to stand on their own.
Enemigo
Juan Antonio Matos Torres, es un hombre como cualquier otro, bueno, casi como cualquier otro. Por naturaleza este joven no puede ser catalogado como un rapero mas, o como un simple artista que busca formar parte de un movimiento musical, no asi Juan, mejor conocido como Enemigo. El prefiere navegar contra la corriente y andar el camino solo, asi, sin nadie que lo detenga ni nadie que le ponga parametros a su estilo, su musica o su creatividad.
En busca de un episodio nuevo en su vida que no replique ningun otro momento ya vivido o recorrido, Enemigo presenta su segundo album y su debut discografico con Univision Records titulado “Caminando”. El album echa a andar en la Union Americana y Puerto Rico el 8 de febrero del 2005. Su primer disco “?Quien es Enemigo?” tuvo una gran aceptacion y llego a vender de manera independiente mas de 30,000 unidades en Puerto Rico y el nordeste de la Union Americana.
El titulo del disco es propiamente adecuado, pues “Caminando” se refiere a los diferentes caminos que el ser humano toma en la vida, a los diferentes caminos musicales que se toman para ofrecer un album completo, versatil y unico. Compuesto por 19 cortes, todos escritos por Enemigo, el album brilla por su versatilidad musical, la cual fluctua entre los temas discotequeros “high energy”, los guerrilleros de conciencia social y los suaves y tiernos dedicados al amor en todas sus facetas.
Nacido en Nueva York y criado en Puerto Rico, el enigmatico y talentoso artista ahora reside en el Bronx (NY). Con una destreza intensa, una creatividad vanguardista y un deseo enorme de prosperar, es evidente que la buena apariencia y el carisma no son las unicas cualidades que heredo de su padre. La lealtad y la sinceridad tambien se pulsan en la sangre. Estas cualidades-- y un talento unico de rimas estilos y ‘flows’-- hacen de Enemigo uno de los raperos mas singulares y audaces del momento. ?Por algo la revista People En Espanol lo catalogo como uno de los raperos mas prometedores del 2004!
En este album se encuentran temas con fuerza, inteligencia y mucha sustancia y Enemigo no se muerde la lengua ni se toca el corazon para expresar lo que sus ojos han visto y lo que su corazon ha vivido a traves de los anos en las calles y los barrios del Bronx. Entre los cortes que comprenden el plato fuerte de la produccion figuran el tema titular “Caminando”, “Retratos”, “Enemigo Del Estado”, el cual habla del ‘payola’, del favoritismo y de la division que existe entre los raperos de Puerto Rico y Nueva York, y por ultimo “Habla De La Calle”... definitivamente musica inteligente para gente pensante y de amplio criterio.
“Si hago todo lo que todo mundo esta haciendo, entonces nunca voy a poder innovar. No soy artista de Reggaeton ni de musica regional urbana, solo estoy haciendo Hip-Hop en espanol, lo que me gusta y lo que siento que es autentico. Mientras todos doblan a la derecha yo prefiero doblar a la izquierda, ese soy yo”, concluye Enemigo a carcajadas.
En pocas palabras y como diria Enemigo, “Caminando” es como un album fotografico. Cuenta historias de familias, de relaciones y de cosas vividas. Es un album visual, lleno de colores y de anecdotas que tocan fondo, conmueven y hacen vibrar, porque son fotografias musicales reales de un hombre franco y directo que lucha a toda costa por ser autentico y punto.
Noelia
International Pop sensation Noelia presents “Melao,” an album that has broad and international appeal in the U.S. Latin America and beyond.
Since first embarking on her childhood dream of becoming a singer, Noelia has enjoyed popularity in the U.S., Mexico, Latin America, Spain, Italy and in her native Puerto Rico.
In a surprising move, Noelia expands her musical repertoire by recording “Melao”, a cutting edge album inspired by Puerto Rico’s love for urban musical hybrids, which she fuses with her signature pop style with the popular Reggaeton. On this new album Noelia works in conjunction with two of the islands’ premier Reggaeton masters DJ Eric and rapper Yamil.
Also, for the first time in her career, Noelia co-writes with Yamil eight of the nine tracks on the album. In expressing her thoughts on writing songs she states, “it gives me great joy and pleasure. I feel writing is part of my mission on earth as an artist.”
Standout tracks on “Melao” are: the infectious “Atrevete,” the groovy disco influenced “Baby, Baby,” the smooth/silky “Ella Te Espera,” the dancehall beat, acoustic guitar laced “Perdoname,” and a remake of her dance oriented “Enamorada Mix.” The title track and first single “Melao,” is already sizzling on the radio charts mixing a cocktail of tropical rhythms, spiced with Reggaeton beats.
In addition, the album includes a DVD with three videos featuring the highly provocative and sexy title track “Melao,” on which she shares the screen with rapper Yamil. The music videos for “Enamorada Mix,” and her all- time hit single “Candela” plus behind the scenes of her steamy video “Melao” and a magnificent photo gallery completes the DVD offering for fans to enjoy.
Since her debut in 1999, Noelia was characterized by her stunning voice and an innate versatility to easily move from sultry ballads to high-energy rhythmic tracks. As a result, she earned the admiration of millions of fans in the United States, Mexico, Latin America and Europe.
The sexy young sultry Puerto Rican recording artist has carved out an incredible music career in such a short time. Noelia’s previous musical efforts have received RIAA Gold certifications, garnered a top 10 smash hit and three other Top 40 hits. In addition, her album spent 44 weeks on Billboard’s ‘Top Latin Albums’ chart, and was voted the best international new artist at Festivalbar 2001 in Italy thanks to her dance hit “Candela.”
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Noelia’s music has reached groundbreaking success as her career evolved from youthful pop tunes to its’ current level of power dance tracks, melodic pop ballads and the musical hybrid of pop and the urban/tropical influences of reggaeton.
Overall Noelia once again proves in “Melao” that she is an artist with the gift of swiftly delving into other musical genres with perfection and without losing her musical identity or credibility as a performing and recording artist.
