Amiga Mía

"Amiga Mía" (transl. "My Friend") is a song by Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz from his fifth studio album, Más (1997). WEA Latina released it as the album's fourth single in the same year. The song was written by Sanz and produced by Miguel Angel Arenas and Emanuele Ruffinengo. The rock ballad carries a message of unrequited love and was inspired by a close friend of Sanz. The song received positive reactions from music critics who regarded it as one of his best songs. A music video for "Amiga Mía" features the artist performing on top of a building while the townspeople watch and his love interest leaves with her fiancé.

For the song by Yuri, see Nueva era (Yuri album).

"Amiga Mía"
Single by Alejandro Sanz
from the album Más
Released1997
StudioExcalibur, Milan, Italy
Plastic, Rome, Italy
Sintonia, Madrid, Spain
Red Led, Madrid, Spain
GenreRock
Length4:46
LabelWEA Latina
Songwriter(s)Alejandro Sanz
Producer(s)
  • Miguel Angel Arenas
  • Emanuele Ruffinengo
Alejandro Sanz singles chronology
"Corazón Partío"
(1997)		 "Amiga Mía"
(1997)		 "Aquello Que Me Diste"
(1998)
Music video
"Amiga Mía" on YouTube

The song was a recipient of an Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Latin Award in 1999. Commercially, the track at peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States, while also topping the Latin Pop Airplay chart in the US. "Amiga Mía" was included on the set list for the Más Tour and all subsequent tours. It has been covered by Natalia Jiménez and Joe King, with live renditions being performed by India Martínez and Luis Fonsi.

Background and composition

Since the release of his first album with WEA Latina, Viviendo Deprisa (1991), Alejandro Sanz has a maintained popular following in his native Spain.[2] The album, along with its follow-ups, Si Tú Me Miras (1993), Básico (1994), and 3 (1995), were successful in the country having been certified multi-platinum.[2] The tracks in the records are characterized as romantic ballads.[2][3] On 12 July 1997, Sanz announced that he had finished recording his next project, Más, which was recorded and mixed in Italy under the direction of Emanuelle Ruffinengo and Miguel Angel Arenas, who handled its production.[4][5] The album was recorded at Excalibur in Milan, Plastic in Rome, Sintonia and Red Led in Madrid, Spain and was released on 9 September 1997.[6] Sanz penned over 30 compositions, of which ten made it to the final release including "Amiga Mía".[7]

"Amiga Mía" is a rock ballad that "treatises on loneliness, regrets and misery."[8][9] The song narrates "the sad story of a person who was fixed on someone who did not correspond to his love". The composition was inspired by the experience of his close friend, Irene Chamorro, who was in love with Spanish musician Antonio Flores.[10] Musically, it is accompanied by a flamenco guitar riff and "percussive beats".[1] In the lyrics, he chants: "Amiga mía, lo sé, sólo vives por él que lo sabe también, pero él no te ve como yo" ("My friend, I know you only live for him, and he knows it too, but he doesn't see you like I do").[10]

Promotion and reception

"Amiga Mía" was released as the fourth single from Más in 1997.[11][12] The music video for the song has Sanz singing on top of a building to a woman he loves as the townspeople watch and ends with the woman walking away with her fiancé.[13] "Amiga Mía" was included on the artist's compilation albums Grandes Éxitos 1991–2004 (2004) and Colección Definitiva (2011).[14][15] El Norte critic Devorah Davis regarded it as one of the album's two "sweeping ballads" along with "Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella?".[9] Tarradell praised Sanz's "powderkeg" vocals and felt the instruments gave it an "exotic feel".[1] The track was listed as one of the best Sanz's song by Esquire and Los 40.[16][17]

The track was recognized as one of the best-performing songs of the year at the 1999 BMI Latin Awards.[18] Commercially, "Amiga Mía" became the singer's first number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart and peaked at number two on the Hot Latin Songs chart in the US.[19][20]

Live performances and covers

"Amiga Mía" was included on the set list for the Más (1998-99),[21] El Alma Al Aire (2001-02),[22] No Es Lo Mismo (2004),[23] El Tren De Los Momentos (2007-08),[24] Paraiso (2009-11),[25] La Música No Se Toca (2012-14),[26] and #LaGira (2019) tours.[27] An acoustic rendition of the song was performed for a live audience and recorded for the album, MTV Unplugged (2001).[28] To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Más, Sanz held a concert at the Vicente Calderón Stadium in Madrid, Spain on 24 June 2017,[29] where he presented the songs from the album live with musical guests, including "Amiga Mía" with Spanish musician India Martínez.[30]

Spanish singer Natalia Jiménez covered "Amiga Mía" on the album, ¿Y Si Fueran Ellas? (2013),[31] a collection of Sanz's songs recorded by female artists.[32] Puerto Rican artist Joe King recorded a salsa version of the track on his disc, Corazón Partío (1999),[33] which AllMusic's Eugene Chadbourne described as "friendly if possessive".[34] King's rendition peaked at number 33 and 16 on the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Airplay charts, respectively.[35][36] As part of the Latin Recording Academy tribute to Sanz, who was presented with the Person of the Year accolade in 2017, Puerto Rican musician Luis Fonsi performed "Amiga Mía" live where he was accompanied by a violin section.[37]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the Más liner notes.[38]

Charts
Chart (1998) Peak
position
Chart performance for "Amiga Mía"
US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[19] 2
US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[20] 1
Chart performance for Joe King's version
Chart (1998) Peak
position
US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[35] 33
US Tropical Airplay (Billboard)[36] 16

See also

References
  1. Tarradell, Mario (19 July 1998). "Spanish Singer Sees His Star Rise". The Dallas Morning News. DallasNews Corporation. p. G5. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Birchmeier, Jason. "Alejandro Sanz Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. "Cantara Sanz por Greenpeace". Reforma (in Spanish). Grupo Reforma. 30 July 1998. p. 5. ProQuest 310059611. Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  4. Rosell, Carlos Rubio (12 July 1997). "Hay mas de Alejandro Sanz". El Norte (in Spanish). Grupo Reforma. p. 1. ProQuest 316131247. Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  5. "Más - Alejandro Sanz | Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  6. "Da 'Mas' voz Alejandro Sanz". El Norte (in Spanish). Grupo Reforma. 9 August 1997. p. 12. ProQuest 316121792. Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  7. López-Varela, Ana (23 June 2017). "La historia completa detrás del disco español más vendido". Vanity Fair (in European Spanish). Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  8. Burr, Ramiro (3 January 1999). "Sanz, Nek New Faces on Scene". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications. p. 4H. Though he leans toward power pop ballads with occasional loads of heavy guitars, Sanz also is at home in the screecher rock mode, especially on 'Corazon Partio' and 'Amiga Mia', treatises on loneliness, regrets and misery.
  9. Davis, Deborah (21 September 1997). "Alejandro Sanz: Supera a todos". El Norte (in Spanish). Grupo Reforma. p. 27. ProQuest 316097574. Retrieved 12 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  10. "Amiga mía de Alejandro Sanz: la verdadera historia de amor detrás de la canción". El Comercio (in Spanish). El Comercio Group. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  11. Amiga Mía (CD Single) (Media notes). Alejandro Sanz. Spain: WEA. 1997. PR CD 954.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. "Canciones de Alejandro Sanz que han marcado época". Pronto (in Spanish). Grupo Heres. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  13. "Amiga mía (1997)" (in Spanish). Los 40. 6 February 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  14. Adaime, Iván. "Grandes Exitos, 1991-2004 – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  15. Prunes, Mariano. "Colección Definitiva - Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  16. Coscarón, Jorge (24 October 2021). "Las mejores canciones de Alejandro Sanz". Esquire (in European Spanish). Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  17. Fernández, Naomí (17 June 2020). "Alejandro Sanz: sus 10 mejores canciones" (in Spanish). Los 40. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  18. "Los Premios Latinos de BMI Latin 1999". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 26. Prometheus Global Media. 26 June 1999. p. 33. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  19. "Alejandro Sanz Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  20. "Alejandro Sanz Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  21. El Concierto Tour Más 98 (Media notes). Alejandro Sanz. Spain: Warner Music Vision. 1998. 3984 24605 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Castillo, Alberto (5 March 2001). "Regala su 'corazon' en el DF". El Norte (in Spanish). p. 8. ProQuest 315846960. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  23. "En Concierto: Gira No Es lo Mismo 2004 – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  24. Gutierrez, Evan C. "El Tren de los Momentos: En Vivo Desde Buenos Aires – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  25. Prunes, Mariano. "Canciones Para un Paraíso en Vivo – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  26. "Alejandro Sanz Opens Mexico Tour: Mexico Music". EFE. 2 October 2013. ProQuest 1438732986. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  27. "#LaGira de #ElDisco – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  28. "MTV Unplugged – Alejandro Sanz | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  29. Flores, Griselda (19 January 2017). "Alejandro Sanz to Celebrate 'Mas' Album Anniversary With Special Concert". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  30. "Alejandro Sanz hizo historia con el concierto 'Más es Más'". Popelera (in Spanish). 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  31. "¿Y Si Fueran Ellas? – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  32. "Se unen voces femeninas para homenajear a Alejandro Sanz con un disco" (in Spanish). Notimex. 24 April 2013. ProQuest 1345877446. Retrieved 14 May 2022 – via ProQuest.
  33. Corazón Partío (Media notes). Joe King. United States: Musart. 1999. CDEI-2173.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. Chadbourne, Eugene. "Joe King Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  35. "Joe King Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  36. "Joe King Chart History (Tropical Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  37. Aguila, Justino (16 November 2017). "Alejandro Sanz Honored by His Peers During Person of the Year Ceremony: 'Don't Forget That We Are What We Dream'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  38. Sanz, Alejandro (1997). Más (Media notes). WEA Latina.
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