Thalía

Template:Infobox musical artist 2 Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda Mottola (born 26 August, 1971 in Mexico City, Mexico), commonly known as Thalía, is a Mexican singer and actress with multiple Latin Grammy and Latin Billboard nominations. In Latin America, she is regarded as the “Queen of Telenovelas” because her telenovelas were highly successful all around the world or as due to her crossover as a singer. She has won numerous awards in Mexico as a singer and actress. She is also a businesswoman, fashion designer, record producer and writer. Her husband is the American music executive Tommy Mottola. Thalía has sold over 20 million albums worldwide.

Biography

TV y Novelas Magazine 1998 and 2005 Thalía's complete name is Thalía Ariadna Sodi y Miranda. She was born on the 26th of August in the Spanish Hospital in Mexico City, to a happy and well-to-do Mexican family, being the fifth and last child. Thalía is the daughter of Ernesto Sodi Pallares; a scientist, doctor of pathology, criminologist and writer, and Yolanda Miranda Mange, a painter and Thalía's manager from 1980 to 1999. She has four sisters: the oldest is Laura Zapata a popular theater, TV and movie actress in Mexico, and a singer; Federica, an anthropologist; Gabriela, a historian, and Ernestina, a doctor of Literature and Arts and writer, she is also named Miss Mexico 1977. Thalía is of Spanish ancestry. Only a year old, she already appeared on television in a soft drink advertisement. Thalia lost her father when she was only five years old. That signified a hard blow for the child, who spoke hardly a word for an entire year.

As a youth, Thalía was a good student throughout her school years and studied at the prestigious Liceo Franco Mexicano (Elycio Francée Mexican) whose half-Spanish and half-French curriculum made her bilingual at an early age. Thalia said that if she were not in show business, she would have become a biologist or psychologist. She participated in different children programs, and drawing contests. She also studied classical ballet and gymnastics.

Artistic career

Her artistic career really began in 1980 when she attended a song festival with the children's group "Pac-Man". Then the group changed its name to Din-Din and they recorded a total of four records. In 1984 she joined the musical play Vaselina (the Spanish version of Grease), first as a backup singer, then realizing Sandy's role, with the group Timbiriche, which later became one of the most popular youth groups in Mexico.

Timbiriche (1986-1989)

In 1986 she became a member of the successful band Timbiriche, occupying the vacant space of a girl who left the group. In 1987 she achieved tremendous success with Timbiriche, recording four albums, among which are found some of her greatest hits, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra. She appeared more and more in magazines, she was also winner of a contest for the best body. Then she left the group "Timbiriche" in order to follow a career as solo artist.

Her first albums ["Thalia", "Mundo de Cristal" and "Love"]

In January, 1990 she traveled to the United States for a year. At the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) she learned the English language, took classes in singing, piano, bass, physical culture, jazz and modern dance, acting, diction, aesthetics and dance. She also learned to play the saxophone and piano. With a renovated image and criticized by many, she returned to Mexico, launching her first record carrying her name, "Thalía", which she accomplished with Alfredo Díaz Ordaz, who was her first and greatest love. Her introductory album, which received much criticism following the tradition of Timbiriche, represented the pop-rock style."Un Pacto Entre Los Dos" was her first single.

In 1991, she traveled to Spain and starred in different television programs like Vip de Noche and also released her second album "Mundo de Cristal", which also went gold.

In 1992, her third album "Love" which went platinum including hits like "Sangre", El Bronceador" and "Love" established her as a singer in Mexico. Thalia was ready to step into a another level.

En Éxtasis (1995)

All of this began to change in 1995, after a three-year pause, when she moved from Fonovisa to EMI Latin and released her label debut, En Éxtasis, her first record for EMI, featured her first major international hit, "Piel Morena". With the aid of celebrated producers such as Emilio Estefan (husband of the famous Cuban singer Gloria Estefan) and Óscar López, she prepared her fourth record, En éxtasis, her first record for EMI, which opened the way toward the true international. The album has been sold in every country of Latin America and even in the United States, in total more than a million copies, then arriving also to some parts of Europe, and has been recognized with multiple gold and platinum records.

Nandito Ako (1997)

Thalia's telenovelas Marimar became a phenomenal success in the Philippines in 1996 and so, she was invited to visit the country in that year. Being a singer, she had a major concert at both the Folk Arts Theater which filled up the SRO total seat capacity and at the Araneta Coliseum or a.k.a. The Big Dome which also filled up to its SRO 25,000 thousand seat capacity. In 1997, Thalía came back to the Philippines to release her only Philippine album entitled Nandito Ako, also the carrier single. She also had 2 major concerts in that year, both at the Araneta Coliseum. She also did the Tagalog version of Wilfrido Vargas' popular merengue song called "El Venao" whose title in Tagalog was "Chika Lang". She recorded that particular album mostly in Tagalog and English language.

Anastasia (soundtrack) (1997)

In 1997 Atlantic Records released the soundtrack for the animated feature film Anastasia, which included as a bonus track the Spanish version of "Journey to the Past", performed by Thalía. Also in that year, she traveled back to the Philippines and had a major concert at the Araneta Coliseum.

Amor a la Mexicana (1997)

Latin pop producer Emilio Estefan, Jr. produced her next album, "Amor a la Mexicana" in which returning to her Latin roots, there are hot rhythms with a Mexican-Cuban flavor in the lead role. "Amor a la Mexicana" too met international success and was a much stronger album, her first great one, which featured hits such as "Amor A La Mexicana", "Por Amor" or "Mujer Latina". The album is like a tribute by Thalía to the love, which she receives from her fans.This album established her as a Latin Pop diva around the world. In the Wax Museum of Mexico City, they unveiled her statue in life size.

From 1997, the 21st of April has been declared "Day of Thalía" in Los Angeles. She has a broad fan base around the world and has allegedly accessed people's houses in over one hundred and eighty countries, thanks to her famous "telenovelas". Her face is familiar among millions, and has been named one of the "25 most beautiful people" by reputable magazine People en Español many times.She has been a guest on television programs like Hard Copy, Entertainment Tonight, El Show de Cristina and The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

She also starred in Mambo Café, a modest Hollywood production in which she played a young Puerto Rican girl alongside Danny Aiello and Rosanna de Soto with Paul Rodriguez as her father.

On December 2, 2000, Thalía married the former Sony Music president, Tommy Mottola (ex-husband of the American superstar singer Mariah Carey) who is 22 years her senior, at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, in a three-million dollar ceremony and reception. They currently live in New York City.

Arrasando (2000)

Emilio Estefan also produced her follow-up, "Arrasando", which was quite successful. Thalía was nominated in two Latin Grammy categories - "Best Female Pop Artist of the Year" and "Best Sound Engineered album", and she won the last one. The singles of this album ("Arrasando/It's My Party", "Entre El Mar Y Una Estrella", " Regresa a Mi" and "Reencarnación") were great hits too. In 2001 she was nominated for her record Arrasando and won a Lo Nuestro award in the category of People's Prize, and was the first artist to whom an innovative award from Billboard Awards for Latin Music was given, the "Star Award". Sales of the album have exceeded three million copies on the international level.

On May 5th — a Mexican National Holiday — the President of the United States, George W. Bush, invited her to a party organized at the White House, and she interpreted a potpourri of popular Mexican songs with a Mexican mariachi orchestra.

Con Banda: Grandes Éxitos (2001)

On August 28, 2001,expressing her love for her country Mexico she released her album "Con Banda: Grandes Éxitos".A "greatest hits" album, but recorded with the typical Mexican "banda" sound. "Amor a la Mexicana" banda version released as a single. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Banda Album at the 3rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2002.

"Thalia" (2002)

Two years later, Thalía's next album, "Thalía", was largely written and produced by Estéfano. Buoyed by a pair of chart-topping singles ("No Me Enseñaste" and "Tú y Yo") and a top-ten hit ("¿A Quién Le Importa?") this album hit number one for 6 consecutive weeks on the Top Latin Albums chart, reaching number 22 on the overall Billboard 200 chart, which itself was a supreme feat for a Spanish-language artist. It was nominated in one Latin Grammy category - "Female Pop Vocal Album", and in four Latin Billboard categories - "Pop Track Female" and "Tropical Track Female" for No me enseñaste, "Your World Award", and "Female Pop Album", for Thalía (2002 album), winning the last two awards. No me enseñaste is probably her biggest hit to date, receiving many Latin Billboard nominations, many other awards, as well as chart-topping success. It was #1 in Billboard'sHot Latin Tracks. It also topped Latin airplays and was #1.

On February 25, 2003 released a remix-album "Thalia's Hits Remixed".

"Thalía" (English album) (2003)

In 2003 Thalía released her first self-titled English language album "Thalía (English)", featuring the rapper Fat Joe in "I Want You/Me Pones Sexy", "Baby, I'm in Love/Alguien Real" and "Don't Look Back" were singles too. Even though it wasn't the crossover everybody hoped it would be, it sold over 150,000 within the first weeks in the United States and certified Gold in the US. This album also introduced her to the music market of Japan, where she sold more than 200,000 copies and became a huge celebrity.She also won an International Dance Music Award for her club-hit "Dance Dance (The Mexican)".

Greatest Hits (2004)

On February 10, 2004 she released her first official "Greatest Hits" album, and "Cerca De Ti" and "Acción y Reacción" were the singles from this album. In April and May, she toured USA and Mexico with her "High Voltage Tour". It was the first time she was touring in United states.

El Sexto Sentido (2005)

Her next album El Sexto Sentido was released July 19, 2005 and was recorded mostly in the Spanish, but with a few of the cuts sung in English as well. It was the most expensive CD produced in Latin America in 2005. It has mild success so far, mostly because of lack of enough promotion. Though the sound and the overall result is one of her most integrated projects. "Amar Sin Ser Amada" (and its English version "You Know He Never Loved You") was the first single of the album (featuring Héctor "El Bambino" only in the Reggaeton version). It is an infectious rock-edged tango-based song. "Un Alma Sentenciada", the second single, is a feverish and, at points, hyper dramatic ballad.The explosive "Seducción" ("Seduction") was the third single. El Sexto Sentido sold nearly 85,000 copies during the first week in Mexico.

El Sexto Sentido Re+Loaded! (2006)

In 2006, Thalía was the 'godmother' of "Cantando Por Un Sueño" , a Mexican TV reality show. It was rumored she got paid 1 million dollars to perform. Once again she proved to be the favorite and "Cantando Por Un Sueño" was viewed by 45% of all the Mexican Audience during the entire day. Thalía recorded the title song of the show, and it was included in El Sexto Sentido Re+Loaded (a re-released version of Thalia's current album). It was released in Mexico on February 13, 2006 (U.S. June 6, Spain May 29) and features four new songs, including a duet with the group Aventura "No, No, No" which become a massive hit. This is Thalía's new single in USA, while the ballad "Olvídame" is the fourth single in the rest of the world. El Sexto Sentido was nominated in one Latin Billboard category - "Pop Female Album" and in eight Premios Juventud categories.

In 2006, Thalía officially became a U.S. citizen at a swearing-in ceremony in New York, where she resides with her husband. Under Mexican law she is allowed to retain her Mexican citizenship. Thalia also joined ABC Radio to start "The Conexión Thalía Radio Show," where she talks about music, fashion, news and political issues.

On June 12, 2007, according to news released on the website of Hello! magazine, in an exclusive interview for the Mexican edition of ¡Hola!, she announced that she was pregnant, The issue was a top seller where it dethroned Luis Miguel's son's picture (The best seller) moving to #2 after Thalia's issue managed to be Hola's Top selling issue of its history selling over 2.1 million units in just 4 days in Mexico and Spain alone.

Afterwards, she was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People on People en Español 2008 for a record-breaking seventh time where they called her their "Queen".

Lunada (2008)

In May 2008, Thalía's single "Ten paciencia" from her 12th studio album Lunada (released on June 24) premiered on the internet. The lead single hasn't received a luke warm and didn't perfrom well in the U.S charts and was a Top 20 hit in Mexico, but it was #1 in several countries around the world including the music video where it debuted at #1 in the Top 30 countdown making her the "First Female Artist" ever to debut at #1 at the MTV TR3S channel. The album however debuted at #8 in Mexico, peaked at #6 in the Billboard Top Latin Albums (U.S). Despite the poor promotions even in these countries the album was #1 in countries such as Brazil, Turkey and Japan. The reason for the low sales of the album in the U.S in particular comes as a result from the lack of promotions the album has received from the artist and the record company EMI Latin itself since it's her last album with them, In fact Thalia hasn't even appeared in a signing event in any of the countries where the album has been released including both the U.S and her hometown Mexico not to forget that the album was leaked through the internet four days before its official release and the head single Ten Paciencia's music video was released just about a week from the album. She later appeared on El Show De Cristina aired in late July by the Univision's spanish network to promote her album where this episode received huge ratings reaching #1 in both Chicago and Miami ahead of huge worldwide networks as CBS, NBC and ABC according to Univision the show was viewed by over 87 million people as a result from showing in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Antonio, without even considering her home town Mexico which proves that the public still haven't lost interest in her to people who doubts in her abilities as an artist.

At 2008 Premios Juventud (Youth Awards), Thalia was given A "Diva Award" from her enormous achievements during her 18-year career . She also won the award of "Trayectoria Latina" at "Premios Orgullosamente Latino" 2008, chosen 100% by her fans beating huge latin artists like Olga Tanon, Chayanne, Mana and Ricky Martin. She also will receive her third lifetime award in this year and her fifth in her career in October.

"Será Porque Te Amo", the second single, already a radio-hit, is a Spanish language cover version of Italian hit "Sará perché ti amo", performed originally by the group Ricchi e Poveri.

Telenovelas

In 1986 Thalia debuted as an actress, playing the part of Dina in the telenovela La Pobre Señorita Limantour (The Poor Miss Limantour). At the end of 1987 to the beginning of 1988 she acted in the series Quinceañera (The 15-Year Old Girl), sharing the leading role with Adela Noriega. In 1989 she obtained her first starring role in the telenovela "Luz y Sombra" (Light and Shadow).

In 1992 she starred in Televisa's telenovela María Mercedes, following a series of others like Marimar and María La Del Barrio. It was the first time in Televisa's history a trilogy was made. These became a huge success, not only in Mexico, but also in countries like USA, Lebanon, Indonesia, Poland, Spain, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Peru, Senegal, China, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, The Philippines, Brazil and have been sold in over 180 countries where the Trilogy itself was seen by over one billion people around the globe. Thalia for this success is regarded as the "Queen Of Telenovelas" at the age of barely reaching 24 and she is the "Highest paid actress in Mexico" where she was paid an estimated of US$30 million for her appearance in her Marias alone. It was later said that she was paid $75,000 per episode in Rosalinda, By 2000 according to Televisa Thalia said on the Cristin Show that the Rosalinda soap was seen by over 67 million people before even showing entirely around the world where it was sold to 110 countries around the world (her seventh and last telenovela) and was named as "Most Recognized, known face in the world". Her telenovelas are simple stories and all are based on adaptations to the well-known Cinderella story, the main character is born in poverty and then meets a wealthy young man and later they get married. Thalia's telenovelas Marimar became a phenomenal success in the Philippines in 1996 and so, she was invited to visit the country. Being a singer, she had a major concert at both the Folk Arts Theater which filled up the SRO total seat capacity and at the Araneta Coliseum or a.k.a. The Big Dome which also filled up to its SRO 25,000 thousand seat capacity. From 1997, the 21st of April has been declared "Day of Thalía" in Los Angeles. She has a broad fan base around the world and has allegedly accessed people's houses in over one hundred and eighty countries, thanks to her famous "telenovelas". Her face is familiar among millions.

In 1999 Thalia starred in another Televisa's telenovela Rosalinda which also became successful around the world. It was one of the biggest and most expensive productions in Televisa's history. Rosalinda was Thalía's last telenovela before moving to New York City with her husband Tommy Mottola.

In the summer of 2005, Thalía's multi-million dollar contract with Televisa was canceled, due to her not wanting to star in a soap opera or a show with the company. After several notices the head of Televisa, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, decided to cancel her contract after several attempts to make her go back into telenovelas. The contract was made for three telenovelas and only one was made, Rosalinda (1999). Thalía was paid US$75,000 a month for the contract.

Her telenovalas are constanly repeated and still are having high audience viewing ratings. Maybe this is one of the reasons that Thalia hasn't filmed a new telenovela yet.

Business

Since the beginning of her career, Thalia was the face of many successful companies. Labels like Vicky Form , Dr Pepper, AT & T and Ice Breakers collaborated with her in order to promote their products.

In 2003 launched a successful clothing line, exclusively available in Kmart, under the name "Thalía Sodi Collection". With huge success, her clothing line went from 300 Kmart stores to 1,500. On August 13, 2003, an amazing fashion show, "La Gran Noche de Thalia", marked the launch of the new Latin flavored collection at Capitale restaurant in New York City. The Thalia Sodi Collection was a total hot from the start, and her success has been so imminent that newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, The New York Post and Fortune Magazine positively compared her to brand powerhouses Oprah and Martha Stewart. In addition, magazines such as Bazaar en español, Cosmopolitan en español, Shape en español and Latina, amongst others, adorned their covers with the beautiful singer, while People en Español chose her as the most beautiful Latin person for 2003.Her success as well as her beauty turned Thalia into a fashion icon around the world.

Thalia and Kmart also released a successful eyewear collection "Thalia eyewear". Kenmark group is thrilled to have sold over 1 million units in its Thalía Eyewear collection, said John Justice, VP of International Sales ("Designing an eyewear collection with Thalía has been amazing. Only Thalía could bring such fun and unique styles to eyewear with her festive Latina flair and passion for life"). Building on the success of Thalía Eyewear, Kenmark launched an extension of the collection named "Thalía Girls" in March 2004. Thalía Girls features trendy shapes, colorful accents and sparkling rhinestone frames for girls ages 7-14 who love fashion and fun. Both collections have achieved phenomenal success in the optical industry by filling a void for the Hispanic market in women's eyewear.

In 2004, Thalía later signed a contract with the American chocolate company, Hershey's. She appears in the company's Spanish-language advertisements and sells her own branch of Hershey's products called "La Dulcería Thalía" (The Thalía Candy Shop).. Hershey is also sponsored Thalía's "High Voltage" concert tour. The variety of sweets inspired by Thalía for the Latin community has been so well-received by the public, that Hershey's sales in the United States have notably gone up, especially in relation to the products promoted by Thalía.

On November 2004, Thalia Signed on as the First Face of Jeweler Jacob & Co.

In 2006, Thalia was the Face of "Carol's Daughter" Beauty Products. She and her husband Tommy Mottola are partners/investors at the natural beauty products company Carol's Daughter. Thalia, who has always been at the forefront of beauty, represented Latin women as one of the faces of "Carol's Daughter" products. Thalia and her husband Tommy Mottola, along with personalities such as Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jay-Z, Beyonce and Steve Stoute, presented natural beauty products "Carol's Daughter - Beauty by Nature" at a press conference in New York City.

In 2007, Thalía, who became a US citizen in January 2006, joined ABC Radio to start "The Conexión Thalía Radio Show", where she talks about music, fashion, news and political issues. The Conexión Thalía Radio Show, a two-hour weekly radio program starring superstar Thalía premiered on March 17, 2007.

On March 23 2007, Thalía made a special appearance at the International "Vision Expo" in "New York City today" which was a total success! Photographers and journalists from different print publications and TV shows had the opportunity to ask Thalía about her 2007 Kenmark Eyewear and Sunwear collections.

On September 2007, Thalia also released "Thalia: ¡Belleza!-Lessons in Lipgloss and Happiness". In this, her first book, she delivers the ultimate guide to Latin beauty.The book became a best-seller. A new book is planned to be released on "Mother's Day" 2009 which will be pregnancy guide.

In 2008, Thalia signed a new contract with cosmetics company "Fuller" and launched her second perfume giving her name to it once again as well as a serie of cosmetics.

Discography

Main article: Thalía discography

Albums

• 1990: Thalía
• 1991: Mundo de Cristal
• 1992: Love
• 1995: En éxtasis
• 1997: Nandito Ako
• 1997: Amor a la Mexicana
• 2000: Arrasando
• 2001: Thalía con banda: Grandes éxitos
• 2002: Thalía
• 2003: Thalía (English)
• 2005: El sexto sentido
• 2008: Lunada

Compilations

• 2001: Thalía con banda: Grandes éxitos
• 2003: Hits Remixed
• 2004: Greatest Hits

Timbiriche discography

• 1987: Timbiriche VII
• 1988: Timbiriche VIII-IX
• 1989: Los Clásicos de Timbiriche

Soundtracks

• 1997: Anastasia Soundtrack [Viaje Tiempo Atrás] (Journey to the Past)-Thalía- (Lynn Ahrens; Stephen Flaherty)
• 1998: Dance With Me Soundtrack [Echa Pa' Lante] (Spanglish Cha-Cha Mix)-Thalía- (Emilio Estefan, Jr.; Javier Garza; Pablo Flores; Roberto Blades)

DVD's

• 2000: Mambo Café
• 2004: Greatest Hits
• 2005: Rosalinda
• 2006: Legado Musical
• 2006: Selena Vive
• 2008: María la del Barrio
• 2008: MariMar
• 2008: María Mercedes

• ¹ Only in these albums Thalía was featured.

Filmography

• 1999: Mambo Café
• TBA: Selena

Telenovelas

• 1987: La pobre señorita Limantour
• 1987: Quinceañera
• 1989: Luz y Sombra
• 1992: María Mercedes
• 1994: Marimar
• 1995: María la del Barrio
• 1999: Rosalinda

Books

• 2007: Thalia: ¡Belleza! Lessons in Lipgloss and Happiness

Fan club

Thalía's first official fan club, Mundo de Cristal (MDC), was named after her song and record of the same title. Thalia announced in her website that she is looking for a new name for her fanclub. "ThaliaConnect" is the name chosen but no updates yet was confirmed.

Biography Source

• TV y Novelas Magazine August 2005

Artistic Career Source

• TV y Novelas Magazine Aug. 2005
• Furia Musical Magazine Mexico edition Sept. 2001
• İQué Pegue! Especial Magazine Oct. 2000
• TV y Novelas Magazine 1998
• Mundo De Cristal-Biography

Folk Arts Theater and Araneta Coliseum SRO attendance

• Philippine Star Newspaper Aug. 1996
• Manila Bulletin Newspaper Aug. 1996
• Philippine Daily Inquirer Newspaper 1996
• RPN 9 TV News 1996 and 1997

See also

• Latin Pop
• List of Thalía awards
• White Latin American

External links

• Official Website
• Official International Fan Club
• Official Fan Community
• Official The Connection Thalia Radio Show Website
• Thalía at IMDb
• Mundo De Cristal-The Official Fan Club-Biography
• Thalia Eyewear