Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm-fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast.^[1][2] The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste. Most ales contain hops, which help preserve the beer and impart a bitter herbal flavour that balances the sweetness of the malt.

History of ale[link]

The former Anchor Brewhouse in Bermondsey, South London, bought by John Courage in 1787.

The term "ale" was initially used to describe a drink brewed without hops, unlike "beer."^[3] It has often now come to mean a bitter-tasting barley beverage fermented at room temperature. In some British usage, however, in homage to the original distinction, it is not now used except in compounds (such as "pale ale" (see below)) or as "real ale", a term adopted in opposition to the pressurised beers developed by industrial brewers in the 1960s, and used of a warm-fermented unpasteurised beer served from the cask (though not stout or porter).

Ale typically has bittering agent(s) to balance the sweetness of the malt and to act as a preservative. Ale was originally bittered with gruit, a mixture of herbs (sometimes spices) which was boiled in the wort prior to fermentation. Later, hops replaced the gruit blend in common usage as the sole bittering agent.

Ale, along with bread, was an important source of nutrition in the medieval world, particularly small beer, also known as table beer or mild beer, which was highly nutritious, contained just enough alcohol to act as a preservative, and provided hydration without intoxicating effects. Small beer would have been consumed daily by almost everyone in the medieval world, with higher-alcohol ales served for recreational purposes. The lower cost for proprietors combined with the lower taxes levied on small beer led to the selling of beer labeled "strong beer" that had actually been diluted with small beer.^[4]

The word 'ale' is native English, in Old English alu or ealu, but aloth, ealoth in the genitive and dative. It is believed to stem from Proto-Indo-European root *alu-, through Proto-Germanic *aluth-.^[5] This is a cognate of Old Saxon alo, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic and Old Norse öl/øl, Old Bulgarian olu cider, Slovenian ol, Old Prussian alu, Lithuanian alus, Latvian alus (whence, Finnish olut).^[6]

Modern ale[link]

Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24 °C (60 and 75°F). At temperatures above 24 °C (75 °F) the yeast can produce significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling but not limited to apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum, cherry, or prune.

Varieties of ale[link]

Cask ale handpumps

Brown ale[link]

Brown ales tend to be lightly hopped, and fairly mildly flavoured, often with a nutty taste. In the south of England they are dark brown, around 3-3.5% alcohol and quite sweet; in the north they are red-brown, 4.5-5% and drier. English brown ales first appeared in the early 1900s, with Manns Brown Ale and Newcastle Brown Ale as the best-known examples. The style became popular with homebrewers in North America in the early 1980s; Pete's Wicked Ale is an example, similar to the English original but substantially hoppier.

Pale ale[link]

Pale ale was a term used for beers made from malt dried with coke. Coke had been first used for roasting malt in 1642, but it wasn't until around 1703 that the term pale ale was first used. By 1784 advertisements were appearing in the Calcutta Gazette for "light and excellent" pale ale. By 1830 onward the expressions bitter and pale ale were synonymous. Breweries would tend to designate beers as pale ale, though customers would commonly refer to the same beers as bitter. It is thought that customers used the term bitter to differentiate these pale ales from other less noticeably hopped beers such as porter and mild. By the mid to late 20th century, while brewers were still labelling bottled beers as pale ale, they had begun identifying cask beers as bitter, except those from Burton on Trent, which tend to be referred to as pale ales regardless of the method of dispatch.

Scotch ales[link]

While the full range of ales are produced in Scotland, the term "Scotch Ale" is used internationally to denote a malty, strong dark ale. The malt may be slightly caramelised to impart toffee notes; generally, Scottish beers tend to be rather sweeter than English ones.

Mild ale[link]

Mild ale originally meant unaged ale, the opposite of old ale. It can be any strength or colour, although most are dark brown and low in strength, typically between 3-3.5%. An example of a lighter coloured mild is Banks's Mild.

Burton Ale[link]

Burton Ale was a strong, dark, somewhat sweet ale brewed to good strength and vatted at the brewery for a year or more. Sometimes used as a 'stock ale' for blending into younger beers, these comparatively strong ales were also enjoyed on their own. Bass No.1 was a classic example of Burton Ale, and in modern times Fullers 1845 Celebration Ale is often considered by some to be a rare modern example of a Burton Ale.^[7]

Old ale[link]

In England, old ale was strong beer traditionally kept for about a year, gaining sharp, acetic flavours as it did so. The term is now applied to medium-strong dark beers, some of which are treated to resemble the traditional old ales. In Australia, the term is used even less discriminately, and is a general name for any dark beer.

Belgian ales[link]

Belgium produces a wide variety of speciality ales that elude easy classification. Virtually all Trappist beers and Abbey beers are high in alcoholic content but light in body due to the addition of large amounts of sucrose, which provides an alcohol boost with an essentially neutral flavour.

Trappist beers are brewed under direct control of the monks themselves. Of the 171 Trappist monasteries throughout the world, only seven brew beer, of which there are six in Belgium. The seventh is in the Netherlands. Abbey beer is brewed by commercial breweries in the style of a trappist beer, sometimes using the name of a monastery, often one that no longer exists or in some cases one that has licensed its name to a brewery.

See also[link]

Beer portal

• Stout
• Cask ale
• Beer style
• Lager
• Wheat beer

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Ale.

Maryla Rodowicz
Rodowicz in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Maria Antonina Rodowicz
Born	(1945-12-08) December 8, 1945 (age 66) Zielona Góra, Poland
Occupations	Singer, Actress
Years active	1967–present
Website	http://www.marylarodowicz.pl/

Maryla Rodowicz (born Maria Antonina Rodowicz, 8 December 1945 in Zielona Góra) is a Polish singer.

Early life[link]

She studied at Liceum Ziemi Kujawskiej (Kujawy region high school) in Włocławek and graduated from the Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego (Academy of Physical Education) in Gdansk. In her youth she participated in athletics among other things at Kujawiak Włocławek.

Personal life[link]

She has three children, Jan Jasinski (born in 1979) and Katarzyna Jasinska (born in 1982) with her first husband, Krzysztof Jasinski. She also has a son Andrzej Dluzynski (born in 1987) with her second (and present) husband Andrzej Dluzynski.

Career[link]

Her career began in 1967, after winning first prize at the Festiwal Piosenki i Piosenkarzy Studenckich (Student Songs and Singers' Festival) in Kraków. Two years later she recorded her first well-known song, "Mówiły mu" ("The girls told him", English version known as "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees"), and in 1970 - her first longplay. In 1973, she gained popularity with the song "Małgośka" with lyrics by Agnieszka Osiecka. A year later, during the World Cup Opening Ceremony in Munich, she performed a song "Futbol" ("Football").

The singer's body of work comprises over 600 recorded songs, with over 20 Polish albums as well as albums in English, Czech, German and Russian. Apart from "Małgośka", the artist's most famous songs are "Niech żyje bal" ("Long live the ball"), "To już było" ("Done that"), "Wielka Woda" ("Great water"), "Rozmowa przez ocean" ("Talk over the ocean"), "Bossanova do poduszki" ("Bedside bossa nova"), "Łatwopalni" ("Inflammables") and her latest album's hits such as "Wszyscy chcą kochać" ("Everybody wants to love") and "Będzie co ma być" ("What is to be, will be"). In 2005 she recorded an album Kochać (To love) with lyrics by Katarzyna Nosowska. On the occasion of World Cup 2006, she recorded a song "Za Janasa" ("For Janas") with Nosowska's lyrics.

Rodowicz has performed in concert worldwide: in Europe, America, Australia, and Asia. She has won awards for her singing. She has also participated in various festivals including outside the borders of Poland, for example in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Los Angeles, as well as in Poland including the Festiwal Piosenki i Piosenkarzy Studenckich (Student Songs and Singers' Festival) in Kraków and the Krajowy Festiwal Piosenki Polskiej (National Polish Song Festival) in Opole.

Rodowicz is also an actress who has performed in several movies and in musical entertainment. She regularly performs in a Polsat TV channel series Rodzina zastępcza (Foster Family).

In 1992 she released her autobiography under the title of Niech żyje bal.

Selected discography[link]

Rodowicz in Warsaw, 2007

• Żyj mój świecie (Live, my world), 1970
• Wyznanie (Confession), 1972
• Maryla Rodowiczova (CSRS) (a Czechoslovakian release), 1972
• Maryla Rodowicz (NRD) (an East German release), 1973
• Rok (A year), 1974
• Sing-Sing, 1976
• Wsiąść do pociągu (To enter a train), 1978
• Cyrk nocą (A circus at night/A night lark), 1979
• Święty spokój (The sacred peace), 1982
• Maryla Rodowicz (ZSRR) (a Soviet release), 1983
• Był sobie król (There once was a king), 1984
• Gejsza nocy (The geisha of a night), 1984
• Polska Madonna (Polish Madonna), 1987
• Full, 1991
• Absolutnie nic (Absolutely Nothing), 1992
• Marysia Biesiadna (Folklore Marysia), 1994
• Złota Maryla (Golden Maryla), 1995
• Tribute to Agnieszka Osiecka. Łatwopalni (... Inflammables), 1997
• Przed zakrętem (Before the turn), 1998
• Karnawał 2000 (The 2000 Carnaval), 1999
• Niebieska Maryla (Blue Maryla), 2000
• 12 Najpiękniejszych kolęd (The 12 most beautiful Christmas carols), 2001
• Życie ładna rzecz (The life, a nice thing), 2002
• Maryla i przyjaciele (Maryla and friends), 2003
• Nejvetsi hity (a Czech release), 2003
• Kochać (To love), (60,000 copies sold) 2005
• Jest Cudnie (It's wonderful), 2008
• 50 (50), 2010
• Buty 2 (Shoes 2), 2011

Songs[link]

The notable Polish Madonna written by Agnieszka Osiecka (an emotional portrait of an average Polish woman trying to make ends meet) contains clear Catholic symbolism and references to the social circumstances characteristic to Poland in the late eighties that marked the end of the communist era in Poland. In this song, the author questions whether the "Polish Madonna" (or, in other words, the Catholic Saint Mary, usually portrayed as holding baby Jesus in her arms) has enough money to pay for rent, promising her that the child will get a welcome allowance to the public kindergarten. The old communist promises are never fulfilled for her, and her dreams of having a lipstick "made in France" can only come true in her dreams. The song won the journalists' prize at the Opole festival in 1987.

External links[link]

• (Polish) Official website
• Biography
• Maryla Rodowicz in Vilnius (Lithuania)
• Maryla Rodowicz at the Internet Movie Database

Alejandro Sanz
Alejandro Sanz at the Tony Bennett Birthday Gala on September 17, 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro
Born	(1968-12-18) December 18, 1968 (age 43)
Origin	Madrid, Spain
Genres	Latin pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Warner Music Benelux
Associated acts	Juanes, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Calle 13
Website	AlejandroSanz.com

Alejandro Sanz (born Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro on December 18, 1968) is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. For his work, Sanz has won a total of fifteen Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. He has won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist. Throughout his career, he has released a total of ten studio albums and six DVDs. The singer is noted for his flamenco-influenced ballads, but he has also experimented with rock, salsa, and hip hop.

Born in Madrid, Sanz began playing guitar at age seven, taking influence from his family's flamenco roots. He released his debut album at age sixteen, although he did not gain commercial success until his second release, Viviendo Deprisa. His next two records, Si Tú Me Miras and 3 also fared well commercially, but it was his 1997 breakthrough album Más that garnered international success. El Alma al Aire followed in 2000, selling more than a million copies in its first week.

In 2002, he became the first Spanish artist to record an MTV Unplugged album. His collaboration with Shakira on the single "La Tortura" reached number one on several charts worldwide. His albums No Es lo Mismo (2003) and El Tren de los Momentos (2006) showed Sanz experimenting with more diverse styles of music, while his most recent release, Paraíso Express (2009) served as a return to form for the musician. He signed to Universal Music Group in 2011 and is reported to be working on his tenth studio album.

Early life[link]

Sanz was born in Madrid, Spain, on December 18, 1968, the youngest son of María Pizarro and Jesús Sánchez.^[1] He grew up in the high-crime neighborhood of Moratalaz in eastern Madrid.^[2] Sanz recalled that "Back then, kids grew up on the street...I was a bit like the group troubadour; the one who played the guitar and sang. That kept me out of a lot of trouble."^[2] Sanz's father, a door-to-door book salesman, played guitar professionally, which inspired seven-year-old Sanz to learn to play the instrument.^[1][3] He pursued the instrument with an intensity that eventually frustrated his mother, who broke his guitar one morning after his playing kept the family from sleeping.^[3]

He was exposed to traditional flamenco music as a child while vacationing each summer in his parents' native Andalucía in southern Spain.^[3] Originally, Sanz intended to become a flamenco performer, but he found the music teachers to be overly strict. Commenting on his early experiences, Sanz explained, "Flamenco can be very hard on beginners. If you lose the rhythm, they toss you out with, 'You're no good, boy!' They're very strict and very cruel. But it's also a marvelous education, because you either learn to play or else."^[3] He felt that he could not compete with his peers, and decided to focus on creating pop music with flamenco influences, viewing flamenco to be a "lifestyle" better suited to others.^[4]

Recording career[link]

1989–96: First four albums[link]

As a teenager, Sanz performed in various venues in his hometown. He became acquainted with Miguel Ángel Arenas, a music industry executive who had signed several popular Spanish groups such as Mecano.^[1] Arenas helped Sanz find work, eventually leading to a record deal with the Spanish label Hispavox.^[1] In 1989, sixteen-year-old Sanz released his debut album, Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos under the name of Alejandro Magno (Spanish for "Alexander the Great").^[4] The record, which fused techno and flamenco, was met with critical and commercial indifference, and today Sanz views the record to be "insignificant".^[3] However, the album is now considered to be a collector's item.^[1] In an attempt to promote Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos, he performed at strip clubs, playing short sets between acts.^[3] This proved to be unsuccessful and Sanz took a break from music, choosing to study business administration.^[3] He also took a job at a recording studio in which he wrote material for other artists. He persuaded Arenas to send demos of his songs to record companies, which led to being signed by Warner Music Latina.^[3] At this time, he began performing under his current name.^[1]

Sanz's rise to fame began in 1991, when he released his first album from Warner, Viviendo Deprisa. The record and the songs "Pisando Fuerte" and "Se le Apagó la Luz" helped him gain a dedicated fan base in Spain.^[5] In 1993, he released Si Tú Me Miras shortly followed by a live album, titled Básico. That same year, he recorded a song entitled "Mi Primera Canción" with flamenco pioneer Paco de Lucía, whom Sanz idolized as a child.^[6] He released his third studio album, 3, in 1995. In addition to Spanish, 3 was also released in Italian and Portuguese.^[7] "La Fuerza del Corazón", the first single released from 3, was his first song to chart internationally.^[1] All three albums proved to be successful, reaching multi-platinum status in Spain.^[1]

[edit] 1997–2002: Más, El Alma al Aire, and MTV Unplugged

Sanz spent two years in Milan, Italy to work on a follow-up for 3.^[8] For the album, he wished to create a "true fusion" of many different sounds, and began studying the saxophone and piano in addition to guitar.^[8] In 1997, Sanz released his fifth studio album, Más, a record containing ballads strongly influenced by flamenco, pop, and tropical rhythms.^[9]

	Alejandro Sanz "Corazón Partío" (1997) noicon The single "Corazón Partío", from Más, draws influence from flamenco music and has been described as a "powerhouse ballad".[10][11] It is considered to be Sanz' breakthrough song, and "changed the course" of the singer's career.[1][10]
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Driven by the singles "Corazón Partío", "Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella?", "Amiga Mía", "Aquello Que Me Diste", and "Siempre Es de Noche", Más sold more than two million copies in Spain and was certified 22× Platinum in the country, making it the best-selling album in Spanish history.^{[1][4][12][13]} The album remained on the Billboard Latin Albums chart for 74 weeks, and one year after the record's release, Sanz was granted an Ondas Award for Best Song for "Corazón Partío".^[14][15] According to David Cazares of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the album "made Sanz an international star on the strength of the pop-salsa hit 'Corazón Partío', a song on the lips of fans from Spain to Cuba and the United States."^[5] Following the success of the album, Sanz began touring in United States for the first time.^[4]

His fifth album, El Alma al Aire, released September 26, 2000, featured Sanz exploring diverse genres of music, including jazz, R&B, soul and tango.^[5] In Spain, the album sold more than one million copies in the first week, breaking the record of one million copies sold in four months, also set by Sanz with his previous album, Más.^[17][18] At the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards, Sanz walked away with four awards: Best Pop Male Vocal Album and Album of the Year for El Alma al Aire, and Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the title track from the album.^[19] Later that year, El Alma al Aire was released in a special edition including Sanz's duets with Irish band The Corrs. In October 2001, Sanz collaborated with Michael Jackson and various other artists on the Spanish version of the charity single "What More Can I Give", which benefited the victims of the September 11 attacks.^[17][20]

In 2002, Sanz recorded MTV Unplugged at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida.^[4] He was the first Spanish artist to record and release an MTV Unplugged album.^[21] For Sanz, the recording of the album "changed the way I do my music. It was a rediscovery of how to perform, and also how to record, music with live musicians. That was the spirit of the music in its pure form, though [it is ironic] that the more people who are playing, the more simple it is."^[4] With the MTV Unplugged, he garnered three Latin Grammy Awards (Album of the Year, Recording of the Year and Song of the Year for "Y Sólo Se Me Ocurre Amarte").^[22]

[edit] 2003–07: No Es lo Mismo and El Tren de los Momentos

On September 2, 2003, Sanz released his sixth studio album, No Es lo Mismo. On this record, Sanz took a more political approach than he had on previous releases. The song "Sandy a Orilla do Mundo" discusses oil spills on the Spanish coast, while "Labana" tells the story of people fleeing from Cuba on makeshift rafts.^[23] The album won four awards at the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.^[24] Sanz was unable to attend the event and his awards were accepted by presenters and colleagues.^[24] Also in 2004, he became the first Spanish musician to give a lecture at Harvard University, speaking about Hispanic culture at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.^[25]

Alejandro Sanz performing in Managua, Nicaragua on November 1, 2007.

In 2005, Sanz collaborated with Shakira on her song "La Tortura". Co-written by Sanz, the song became an international hit, breaking the record for the most weeks at the number one spot on the Hot Latin Songs chart.^[26] The song exposed Sanz to a more diverse audience, and helped build anticipation for his next release.^[1] The first single from the album El Tren de los Momentos, "A la Primera Persona", became his first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 100 on the chart.^[1][27] The record was also noted for its guest appearances, which featured Shakira, Juanes, Alex González of Maná, and Residente of Calle 13.^[1]

In the spring of 2007, Sanz suffered a mental breakdown and took two months off in the middle of a world tour at the request of his doctor. The breakdown was caused by several events in his personal life, including the death of his father in 2005, his separation with Mexican model and actress Jaydy Mitchel, and his announcement that he had a three-year-old son outside of his marriage with Mitchel.^[28] He commented on the situation, saying "You have to put things in perspective. It was stress, something that had never affected me, but this time, yes, it did. So I had to pay. A doctor told me to stop for a couple of months to recuperate completely."^[28] Sanz spent time in therapy, a time which "helped [him] a lot" and gave him "more power" to perform.^[28]

In a press conference in late 2007, he criticized Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, calling him "undemocratic" in the wake of a petition made by Venezuelan citizens to prevent Chávez from running for re-election.^[5][29] Sanz further stated "If they gave me 3 million signatures to stop singing, I would stop singing immediately."^[29] Supporters of Chávez subsequently gathered 230,000 signatures in response to Sanz' comments.^[29]

[edit] 2008–present: Paraíso Express

Sanz performing on May 28, 2008.

To promote his new record, Paraíso Express, Sanz started a campaign in which fans could create a video about their definition of paradise and upload it to his YouTube channel.^[30] Artists such as Shakira, Laura Pausini and Paulina Rubio also participated.^[30] On November 10, 2009, Sanz released Paraíso Express. This record was described as a return to form for Sanz, focusing more on melody as opposed to the experimentation he pursued on his previous two albums.^[31] He commented that "On this album, I first composed the melody and then the lyrics. It is more of a rock album than my past releases, with more elegant and positive lyrics and a happier and more rhythmic spirit."^[32]

The bilingual single "Looking for Paradise" featuring Alicia Keys reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.^[33] At the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards, the album was nominated Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Album, while the single "Desde Cuándo" received both Record and Song of the Year nominations.^[34] On February 15, 2011, Sanz announced that he would be signing with Universal Music Group after twenty years with Warner.^[35]

Musical style[link]

Sanz is known for his distinctive raspy vocals, which he attributes to his flamenco roots, crediting singer Camarón de la Isla as a major influence.^[36][37] His song "Sí, He Cantado Mal" (Yes, I Have Sung Badly) from No Es lo Mismo references this, with Sanz saying "I'm laughing a little at myself so that I can laugh at other things. Sometimes, I'm harder on myself than any music critic can be. I'm laughing at that."^[36] Throughout his youth, Sanz was heavily influenced by English-language heavy metal groups such as Iron Maiden and Dio, referring to himself as a "heavy metal radical".^[36] He also feels that living in the city of Cadiz had a major impact on his musical style, where "Any 7-year-old kid you find knows how to play guitar, play the cajón, knows how to sing. When the family comes together we start to sing. In a way it's not just music, it's culture."^[37]

Early in his career, his music generally consisted of romantic ballads. However, in the late 1990s, his collaborations with other artists greatly expanded his musical style.^[1] On No Es lo Mismo, he experimented with rock, salsa, and hip hop.^[4] While recording the album, he noted that he often entered the studio with a rough idea for a song and the guest artists would "contaminate it with their rhythms...in a good way."^[23] El Tren de los Momentos continued this pattern of musical experimentation, featuring diverse genres such as funk, jazz, and country.^[38] Despite this, Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic described his musical evolution by saying "Even as Sanz broadened his style over the years, he never ventured far from his strength: romantic songs, generally ballads, tinged with flamenco and sung wholeheartedly with his distinct voice."^[1]

Personal life[link]

Sanz with Shakira and King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Sanz married Mexican fashion model and actress Jaydy Michel in Bali on December 30, 1999, but this marriage was never legally recognized in either of their home countries. Sanz felt that having a legally recognized marriage was unnecessary: "My wife is my wife and I am her husband. For me, that has enough validity...I am married with the heart."^[39] The couple separated in 2005.^[28] Their daughter, Manuela Sánchez Michel, was born in 2001. Sanz later had a son named Alexander with Valeria Rivera, a Puerto Rican fashion designer.^[40]

Sanz welcomed his third child in New York, a boy named Dylan (b. July 2011), the first child from his relationship with girlfriend and former assistant, Raquel Perera.^[41] Sanz chose flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía to be the godfather to his son. Sanz and Perera are godparents to David Bisbal's daughter, Ella.^[42] On May 23, 2012, Sanz married Raquel Perera in a private ceremony in Barcelona.^[43]

In addition to music, Sanz enjoys painting, which he often does while trying to create ideas for new songs.^[44] He explains that painting "teaches you that taking risks rarely leads to failure. In fact, from the moment you assume a risk, you have succeeded."^[3]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 1989: Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos
• 1991: Viviendo Deprisa
• 1993: Si Tú Me Miras
• 1993: Básico
• 1995: 3
• 1997: Más
• 2000: El Alma al Aire
• 2003: No Es lo Mismo
• 2006: El Tren de los Momentos
• 2009: Paraíso Express

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alejandro Sanz

• Alejandro Sanz's Official Site (Spanish)
• Alejandro Sanz's Official Red (Spanish)
• Alejandro Sanz Biography (Spanish)

References[link]

Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin in the Casa Rosada, September 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Enrique Martín Morales
Born	(1971-12-24) December 24, 1971 (age 40) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Genres	Pop, Latin pop, dance-pop, world, reggae, urban pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actor
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Columbia, Sony Music Latin, Sony Music Mexico
Associated acts	Menudo
Website	rickymartinmusic.com

Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican^[1] pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991. Throughout his career, he has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.^[2] He is the founder of the Ricky Martin Foundation (in Spanish Fundación Ricky Martin), a non-profit charity organization aimed at human trafficking.

Martin got his start at age twelve with the all-boy pop group Menudo; after five years with the group, he released his Spanish-language solo album, Ricky Martin, in 1991. He also acted on stage and on TV in Mexico, becoming a modest star in the country. In 1994 he starred on the American TV soap opera General Hospital, playing a Puerto Rican singer. In 1999, after several albums in Spanish, he released his first English-language album (also titled Ricky Martin), which included "Livin' la Vida Loca". The album sold 22 million copies and brought Martin international fame.^[3] His other studio albums include: Me Amarás (1993), A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998), Sound Loaded (2000), Almas del Silencio (2003), Life (2005), and Música + Alma + Sexo (2011).

On the edge of the new millennium, Martin—almost by himself—gave Latino music an international face. An acclaimed performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards launched Martin into worldwide super-stardom. As Entertainment Weekly's Andrew Essex reported, "his leather-pants, electro-pelvis version of 'La Copa de la Vida' single-handedly goosed a very dull [Grammy] telecast, earning him a standing ovation." In 2010, Martin announced that he was a "fortunate homosexual man", ending years of fan speculation on the topic. His twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, were born via a surrogate mother in 2008. Martin also co-owns a Miami restaurant, Casa Salsa, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. On November 4, 2011, Ricky Martin was granted Spanish citizenship for his artistic merits and for his grandmother being Iberian born. Martin currently stars as Che in the Broadway revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita.

Early life[link]

Martin was born on December 24, 1971, in San Juan, Puerto Rico,^[4] the son of Nereida Morales, an accountant, and Enrique Martín Negroni, a psychologist. His parents divorced when he was two; his father remarried. Martin has two maternal half-brothers, Fernando and Ángel Fernández, and two paternal half-brothers, Eric and Daniel Martín, and a paternal half-sister Vanessa Martín.^[5] Martin grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar boy until he joined Menudo.^[6] Martin has Spanish ancestry through his grandmother who was born in Spain^[7] and some Corsican ancestry as his paternal fourth great-grandfathers were born in Rogliano, Cap Corse, Corsica, and Vilanova i la Geltrú, Catalonia (Spain).^[8][9]

Ricky Martin was a member of Puerto Rican boy band Menudo between 1984 and 1989. After completing high school, Martin left San Juan and moved to New York City. Later, Martin moved to Mexico City where he attended the national school of space. He played lead role in a 1989 musical-theatre release named Mis Tennis Rojos (My Red Tennis Shoes) next to Angélica Vale and then followed another theater production Mama Ama el Rock (Mom Loves Rock).

Career[link]

Early solo work: 1991–1994[link]

In 1991, Ricky Martin participated in a telenovela titled Alcanzar una estrella II next to Sasha Sokol. Out of this soap opera a musical group was formed named Muñecos de Papel in which he was one of the six members; they toured several cities in Mexico and recorded two albums. His main single was "Juego de Ajedrez". A film based on the TV series was also produced in which Martin played Pablo, earning a Heraldo Award in 1993.

While acting in Mexico, Martin was signed to Sony Discos, the Sony Music Entertainment's Latin imprint, in 1990. He released his first solo album, the Spanish-language Ricky Martin, in November 1991, which included the hit singles: "Fuego Contra Fuego" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". Later, Ricky Martin performed a string of sold-out concert dates across South America.

In May 1993, Martin released his second solo album, Me Amarás, which featured a Spanish-language cover of the Laura Branigan song "Self Control", titled "Que Dia Es Hoy".

Martin moved to Los Angeles, California in 1994 and landed a role as bartender and singer Miguel Morez in the American soap opera General Hospital.

Breakthrough: 1995–1998[link]

In 1995, Martin refocused on his music career, and his third album, A Medio Vivir, became an international breakthrough. With this album, Martin made a shift from formulaic hit ballads to a more risky fusion of music centered around traditional Latin sounds, epitomized by the hit "Maria". The song broke Martin into Europe via Spain.^[10] "Maria" went to number one in France, Belgium Wallonia and Australia, and reached the top ten in most European countries; it even charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number eighty-eight.^[11] With the ballad "Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo", Martin furthered his expansion from Latin American and Spanish-speaking audiences to the European and Asian markets.^[12] The album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

After the conclusion of a worldwide tour, Martin returned to New York to appear in a Broadway theatre production for the first time, joining the cast of the hit musical Les Misérables to play the romantic lead, Marius Pontmercy.

While on Broadway, Martin returned to the studio and recorded his fourth album, Vuelve (1998). The title track and the ballad "Perdido Sin Tí" both hit number one on the Hot Latin Songs. The album's pinnacle, however, was "La Copa de la Vida", which Martin made a major hit in an English version when he was chosen to sing the anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. "La Copa de la Vida" reached number one on the charts around the world and went gold and platinum in various countries. It was awarded Pop Song of the Year at the 1999 Lo Nuestro Awards.^[13] Further singles included: "La Bomba", "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" and "Corazonado". Vuelve spent twenty-six weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. It became Martin's first top forty album on the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album also went to number one in Spain and Norway, and sold over eight million copies worldwide.^[14]

Martin was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for Vuelve, and was booked to sing on the 41st Grammy Awards live TV broadcast. The now-legendary performance of "The Cup of Life" stopped the show, earning Martin an unexpected standing ovation and introducing the star to the mainstream American audience.^[15][16] Martin capped off the evening by winning the Grammy Award.

Crossover to English: 1999–2002[link]

After several years as a major star in Spanish-speaking countries, Martin prepared his first English album in 1999. The self-titled album contained material by writers and producers such as Desmond Child, Diane Warren, William Orbit, George Noriega and his longtime childhood friend Draco Rosa. The album also featured special guests: Madonna on the Spanish-English duet "Be Careful (Cuidado con mi Corazón)" and Meja on "Private Emotion".

The first and most prominent single was "Livin' la Vida Loca", which reached number one in many countries around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. It was followed by "She's All I Ever Had" which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Both tracks peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs. "Livin' la Vida Loca" is generally seen as the song that began the Latin pop explosion of 1999 and made the transition of other Latin artists (first Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias, then later Shakira) into the English-speaking market easier. Ricky Martin became one of the top-selling albums of 1999, and was certified 7× platinum in the United States, selling over 22 million copies worldwide. In October 1999, Martin embarked on a very successful year-long Livin' la Vida Loca Tour.

After this success, a new English-language album, Sound Loaded, was released in November 2000. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and was certified 2× platinum by the RIAA. "She Bangs" and "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" (duet with Christina Aguilera) peaked at number twelve and thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Both singles reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs. Sound Loaded has sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

In February 2001, Martin released a Spanish greatest hits album entitled La Historia, which went to number one for five weeks on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and debuted at number eighty-three on the Billboard 200. It also topped the chart in Sweden for three weeks. The album contained reworkings of two of his early songs "Fuego Contra Fuego" and "El Amor de Mi Vida". In November 2001, an English-language greatest hits album, The Best of Ricky Martin was released outside North America. It contained two new remixes of "Amor".

[edit] Almas del Silencio and Life: 2003–2006

Ricky Martin in 2005.

In May 2003, Martin released a new Spanish album Almas del Silencio. The first single, "Tal Vez", debuted at number one on the Hot Latin Songs and stayed there for eleven weeks. Martin said of the new album: "I really needed to go back to focus, to my center, to the beginning. I had the need to search within, and really dig deep, and find those emotions that, because of the adrenaline and the euphoria that I lived for a couple of years, were probably sabotaged."^[17] Almas del Silencio debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums where it stayed for six weeks. The album sold more than one million copies worldwide.^[18] The next singles, "Jaleo" and "Y Todo Queda en Nada", reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs. "Jaleo" also topped the chart in Spain for four weeks.

In October 2005, Martin released his first English-language album since 2000's Sound Loaded and the tenth album of his career. Most of the songs on the album, called Life, were co-written by Martin. He commented on the album: "I was really in touch with my emotions. I think this album is very multi-layered, just like life is. It's about feeling anger. It's about feeling joy. It's about feeling uncertainty. It's about feeling. And all my emotions are part of this production."^[19] The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. The first single from the album, "I Don't Care", featured guest appearances by Fat Joe and Amerie. It peaked at number three on the Hot Dance Club Songs and number sixty-five on the Billboard Hot 100. Another song from the album, "It's Alright" was re-recorded as a duet with French singer M. Pokora. It was successful in French-speaking countries, reaching number four in France.

Soon after, Martin announced his One Night Only with Ricky Martin tour. Starting in Mexico City, the tour premiered on November 15, 2005. After finishing the first leg which included Latin America and the United States, Martin performed at the 2006 Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Turin. A few days later, he announced the second leg of his world tour, which included Europe and Africa. The second leg started on April 21, 2006 in Manchester, UK, and ended on June 3, 2006 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

[edit] MTV Unplugged and a world tour: 2006–2007

On August 17, 2006, Ricky Martin taped his MTV Unplugged concert in Miami. It premiered on MTV Latin America, MTV Tr3s and MTV Puerto Rico in October 2006 and was released on CD and DVD in November 2006. The album was a critical and commercial success. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and number thirty-eight on the Billboard 200. At the Latin Grammy Awards of 2008, MTV Unplugged received Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Album and for Best Long Form Music Video. The first single, "Tu Recuerdo" which featured La Mari of Chambao, reached number one for three weeks on the Hot Latin Songs. The next single, "Pégate" peaked at number six on the Hot Dance Club Songs.

On February 19, 2007, Martin began his worldwide Black and White Tour^[20] which started with a performance at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico and concluded with a presentation at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 14, 2007.^[20] He also recorded a duet with Eros Ramazzotti, "Non siamo soli" which topped the Italian chart for eleven consecutive weeks.

Career break: 2007–2010[link]

After finishing his worldwide tour, Martin took a break from the music industry and focused on his private life. In November 2007, Sony BMG Norte released Ricky Martin Live: Black and White Tour on CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc. One year later, a Spanish-language greatest hits album was released, entitled 17. It was a summary of seventeen years of Martin's musical career, which included mostly Spanish-language songs.

Autobiography and a new album: 2010–present[link]

Martin performing in Chicago on April 19, 2011.

Ricky Martin's autobiography, Me, was published on November 2, 2010. The book became The New York Times Best Seller list,^[21] debuting at number five on the Hardcover Nonfiction list. A Spanish-language edition entitled Yo was published simultaneously.

Martin's single, "The Best Thing About Me Is You" featuring Joss Stone also premiered on November 2, 2010 and peaked at number seventy-four on the Billboard Hot 100. The Spanish version, "Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" topped the Hot Latin Songs for two weeks. It was followed by a new studio album, Música + Alma + Sexo released on January 31, 2011.^[22] It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and became the highest charting, primarily-Spanish language album in the United States, since Dreaming of You by Selena.^[23] Música + Alma + Sexo also represents the highest ever chart debut on the Billboard 200 for a Sony Music Latin release.^[24] It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. On March 25, 2011, Martin started his Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour, which ended on November 12, 2011. The second single from the album, "Más" was released on April 5, 2011 and peaked at number seven on the Hot Dance Club Songs. "Frío" featuring Wisin & Yandel was chosen as the third single.

17: Greatest Hits was released on July 11, 2011 exclusively in the United Kingdom. Ricky Martin will be playing Ché in the Broadway revival of the show Evita, scheduled to begin previews on Broadway in March 2012, ahead of an opening in April 2012.^[25] He received mixed reviews.

Ricky Martin guest-starred as a Spanish teacher on the FOX TV show Glee episode "The Spanish Teacher" on February 7, 2012.^[26] Martin premiered his "Ricky's Lip Conditionioner" lip balm in April 2012 as part of the M.A.C Cosmetics "Ricky and Nicki for Viva Glam" campaign. The advertisements for the range paired him with rapper Nicki Minaj. Martin's signature is featured on the lip balm packaging.^[27]

Personal life[link]

Ricky Martin at a Puerto Rican Day annual parade in New York City

In the past Martin stated he was in love with Mexican TV host Rebecca de Alba, with whom he had an on-again off-again relationship for over 14 years. They even talked of starting a family together,^[28][29][30] and at one point Martin planned on proposing.^[31] However with the release of Life in 2005, Martin confirmed he and De Alba had parted ways.^[32][33]

In August 2008, Martin became the father of twin boys, Matteo and Valentino. The babies were birthed by a surrogate mother.^[34]

After the success of "Livin' la Vida Loca", Martin's personal life became a subject of interest due to his large gay following, and he was questioned about his sexual orientation. In a December 2000 interview with The Mirror, Martin was asked to comment on the rumors surrounding his sexuality. He replied that "I don't think I should have to tell anyone if I am gay or not, or who I've slept with or not."^[35][36] On March 29, 2010, Martin publicly acknowledged his homosexuality in a post on his official website stating, "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."^[37][38] Martin said that "these years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within, and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed."^[39] In 2010, prior to Martin coming out, Barbara Walters expressed some regret for pushing Martin in a 2000 interview to admit if he was gay. The Toronto Star quoted her as saying, "When I think back on it now, I feel it was an inappropriate question."^[40][41]

Martin announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that he was in a relationship.^[42] In 2011, during his acceptance speech of the Vito Russo Award at the 22nd GLAAD Media Awards, Martin publicly thanked his boyfriend, Carlos González Abella, an economist.^[43][44] Martin has also expressed support for same-sex marriage in an interview on Larry King Live, and commented on his experience of being closeted and coming out. "Everything about saying that I am gay feels right...", Martin stated, adding "if I’d known how good it was going to feel, I would have done it ten years ago."^[45]

Martin was raised Catholic, but says he is open to all sorts of religious beliefs, especially the Buddhist philosophy, although he does not identify as a Buddhist.^[46]

On November 4, 2011, he acquired Spanish nationality in recognition of his artistic talents and for having roots in the country-Martin's grandmother is Spanish, and he owns a residence in Madrid. As a Spanish citizen he can now marry his boyfriend in Spain. Although he could also marry in some states of the United States, Martin wishes to marry in Spain to recognize the efforts of Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in defense of LGBT rights.^{[47] [48]} On September 9, 2011 he sold his home in Miami for $6.3 million that he had bought in 2007 for $16.5 million.^[49] He was married to his partner in a New York ceremony on January 28, 2012.^[50][51] In a public statement, written in Spanish, Martin explicitly stated that he has not abandoned his Puerto Ricaness: "I was born in Puerto Rico, I am a Puerto Rican, and that (Puerto Rico) is my country. Spain is a country that conjures up many sentiments for me due to my ancestral roots, and the strong love the country has given me since I first visited."^{[citation needed]}

Humanitarian work[link]

Martin is the founder of Fundación Ricky Martin (Ricky Martin Foundation), a non-profit organization. Among the events promoted by the foundation was a summer camp, which included Martin's personal participation.^[52]

Martin has been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts including: Leadership in the Arts Award, Billboard's Spirit of Hope Award, ALMA Award, Vanguard Award, International Humanitarian Award by the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, Hispanic Heritage Award for his humanitarian work through the Sabera Foundation in rescuing three orphan girls from the streets of Kolkata (September 2002).

Martin has also collaborated with the International Organization for Migration on the Llama y Vive (Call and Live), a campaign which is aimed to facilitate prevention of human trafficking, protection of the youngest victims of child trafficking, and prosecution of the traffickers. For his work against human trafficking, the United States Department of State named Martin one of its Heroes in Ending Modern-Day Slavery in 2005.

Politics[link]

Ricky Martin in Congress, with Luis Fortuño (far left), Tom Lantos (left) and Chris Smith (right).

Martin was a headliner in the 2001 inauguration ball for President George W. Bush; he even invited the newly elected president to join him on stage to dance. This image was captured by photographers and broadcast in various media throughout the world. Martin referred to it in a later song, "Asignatura Pendiente".

Martin has since changed his position on the former President. In a concert in Puerto Rico during the song Asignatura Pendiente Martin thrust his middle finger disapprovingly in the air while singing the line "photo with Bush". The gesture met with audience approval but caused a minor controversy with the media. Martin said in an e-mail statement sent to the Associated Press via a spokesman: "My convictions of peace and life go beyond any government and political agenda and as long as I have a voice onstage and offstage, I will always condemn war and those who promulgate it".^[53]

Discography[link]

• Ricky Martin (1991)
• Me Amarás (1993)
• A Medio Vivir (1995)
• Vuelve (1998)
• Ricky Martin (1999)
• Sound Loaded (2000)
• Almas del Silencio (2003)
• Life (2005)
• Música + Alma + Sexo (2011)

Filmography[link]

• 1987 : Por siempre amigos (TV series) as Ricky
• 1990 : Alcanzar una estrella (TV series) as Pablo Loredo
• 1991 : Alcanzar una estrella II (TV series) as Pablo Loredo
• 1992 : Más que alcanzar una estrella as Enrique
• 1993 : Getting By (TV series) as Martin
• 1994 : General Hospital (TV series) as Miguel Morez (1994–95)
• 1996 : Barefoot in Paradise (TV series) as Sandoval
• 1997 : Hercules (Spanish Language, Voice Only) as Hercules
• 2002 : Les Diables as Brian Rodriguez
• 2012 : Glee (TV series) as David Martinez

Theatre[link]

• Les Misérables (1996), Broadway – Marius
• Evita, (2012), Broadway – Ché

Tours[link]

• Ricky Martin Tour (1992)
• Me Amaras Tour (1993–1994)
• A Medio Vivir Tour (1995–1997)
• Vuelve World Tour (1998)
• Livin' la Vida Loca Tour (1999–2000)
• One Night Only with Ricky Martin (2005–2006)
• Black and White Tour (2007)
• Música + Alma + Sexo World Tour^[54] (2011)

Records and achievements[link]

• Martin was chosen along with Félix Trinidad in 1999, to lead Puerto Rico's worldwide tourism campaign, both exemplifying Puerto Rico's youthfulness, enthusiasm and indefatigable character.
• In February 2004, Martin received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lo Nuestro Awards in Miami.
• Martin was honored as the 2006 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year by the Latin Recording Academy on November 1, 2006. He was chosen for his accomplishments as a world renowned entertainer, consummate performer and passionate humanitarian. A portion of the proceeds from the evening's tribute dinner was used for benefitting Ricky Martin's charitable efforts.
• On October 16, 2007, Martin received the 2351st Hollywood Walk of Fame star,^[55] shortly after receiving the key to the city of Miami Beach, Florida on October 11. The star is located beside the Hollywood and Highland complex. Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Rita Moreno were invited to the unveiling ceremony.^[20]
• In 2008, Puerto Rico declared August 31 to be International Ricky Martin Day.
• In 2011, Martin was awarded Spanish citizenship to honor his contributions to the arts.^[1]

• In addition to the numerous awards received throughout his musical career, Martin has also been honored with many accolades for his humanitarian efforts.

See also[link]

	Puerto Rico portal
	Biography portal
	Latin American music portal

• List of best-selling music artists
• List of Puerto Ricans
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• White Latin American

References[link]