MUSIC… IN ENGLISH
Latin Pop
Here are three Latin pop stars who’ve become internationally famous after crossing over into the English-speaking market.
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin (born December 1971) started off his musical career at the age of 12 in the all-boy pop band Menudo. After five years with the group, Ricky launched a solo career, releasing his first album, Ricky Martin, in 1991. Since then, he’s become one of the most successful Latin stars of all time, especially after the release in 1999 of his single Livin’ La Vida Loca. The song helped with Ricky’s success in the USA and the world. It’s also said to have helped other Latin artists (including Enrique Iglesias and Shakira) cross over into the English-speaking market. His Grammy-award winning track, The Cup of Life (La Copa de Vida) was the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Livin’ La Vida Loca
She’s into superstitions,
Black cats and voodoo dolls.
Well, I feel a premonition,
That girl’s gonna make me fall.
Enrique Iglesias
Known as “The King of Latin Pop,” Enrique Iglesias (born May 1975) is a Spanish singer-songwriter, model, actor and record producer. With songs such as Away, Be With You, Don’t Turn Off the Lights and Hero, he’s become an international sensation. Recently, he’s collaborated with American artists such as Usher, Akon, and Pitbull. His collaboration with Pitbull I Like It has become a club favourite. Enrique is the son of famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias.
Hero
Would you swear that you’ll always be mine?
Or would you lie? Would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?
I don’t care… you’re here tonight.
Shakira
Columbian superstar Shakira (born February 1972) is a singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer and model. She first entered the English-speaking market in 2001 with her fifth album, Laundry Service. Her lead single of the album, Whenever, Wherever became the best-selling single of 2002. Shakira’s song Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) was the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and was the best-selling World Cup song of all time. One of her most famous songs is Hips Don’t Lie, which featured rapper Wyclef Jean.
Hips Don’t Lie
Shakira, Shakira, I never really knew that she could dance like this,
She makes a man want to speak Spanish,
¿Cómo se llama? (si), Bonita (si); Mi casa (Shakira, Shakira); Su casa.*
Oh, baby when you talk like that,
You make a woman go mad,
So be wise and keep on,
Reading the signs of my body.
GLOSSARY
to cross over phr vb
if you “cross over” from one area to another, you move to that new area. In this case, the Latin stars start creating songs in English (rather than just Spanish) for the English-speaking market.
a career
someone’s music “career” is the part of their life that they spend creating music, etc.
to launch vb
if you “launch” a career as a musician, you start being a musician.
a solo career
if a musician in a band starts a “solo career”, they leave the band and start singing/playing, etc. on their own.
to release vb
when a song is “released”, it appears in shops and you can buy it.
a single n
a song from an album. You can also refer to the main song from an album as a single.
a track n
a song.
into exp
if you’re “into” something, you like that thing.
a superstition
a belief in things that aren’t real or possible (magic, for example).
a voodoo doll
a religion involving magic that’s practised in some Caribbean countries, especially Haiti. A “voodoo doll” is an object used to get revenge on someone.
a premonition
if you have a “premonition”, you have a feeling that something is going to happen.
to fall vb
if someone “falls”, they fail.
a sensation
a very popular singer, actor, etc.
in too deep exp
if you’re “in too deep”, you’re involved in a situation more than you’d like to be.
to lose your mind exp
to go crazy / to become insane.
a lead single n
the most important song in an album.
to go mad vb
if something makes you “go mad”, it makes you very angry.
to be wise exp
be very clever; be intelligent; make a good decision.
to keep on phr vb
if you “keep on” doing something, you continue doing it.
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