Deseo (Paulina Rubio album)

Since 2012—in full promotion of her final studio album with long-term, entitled Bravísima! which was a re-packaging of the singer's original studio album a year prior— Paulina Rubio was coach in different versions of the competition television series La Voz and joined the panel of third and final season of the American music competition television show The X Factor, where she replaced Britney Spears. At the end of 2013 Universal Music released Rubio's first compilation album entitled Pau Factor, containing the most successful songs of the artist of her six studio albums under the record label.

Rubio first teased a new single on Valentine's Day in 2014, playing a "La Bomba"-esque song "Cuanto Te Quiero" with producers in the studio.[4] Even though she performed it live several times, the song's release as the album lead single was cancelled for unknown reasons.

A new single was released in January 2015, "Mi Nuevo Vicio", featuring Colombian group Morat, which was speculated would be the first single from Rubio's eleventh studio album. The song was a success in Spain and Latin America, specially in the first territorie, where reached number one Physical/Digital Songs, but the singer did not reveal the release of a new album. In a March 2020 interview with EFE, Rubio discussed that in these time she worked "more as a producer, businesswoman, and, above all, as a mentor [in differents music competition television show]."[5]

In December 2016, she confirmed that the new album will feature contributions by DJ Snake and Selena Gomez, stating: "My new album is like another member of the team, or the family. It will be a true warrior, has something from all genres, from banda to pop, collaborations with DJ Snake and Selena Gomez. I tried to keep a key element: that the music is danceable".[6] Gomez representatives later denied that she worked with Rubio.

Rubio then continued to release multiple singles "Si Te Vas (Paulina Rubio song)", "Me Quema" and "Desire (Me Tienes Loquita)" before finally revealing the title and release date of her new album, Deseo, announcing it will be released on September 14, 2018, a week after the release of another single titled "Suave Y Sutil" and released on September 7, 2018. The song features a return to her pop sound being a departure from the reggaeton oriented singles that preceded. The single was produced by Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo responsible for productions of Latin hits like "Despacito" and "Echame La Culpa" from Luis Fonsi.

Rubio explained that Deseo is about "a feeling that can resemble the way I am", also defined the album as "the wick that lights any fire as the desire to improve yourself, to get away from something you don't like, to change your life [or] simply having the strength to achieve what you want."[7] The album's artwork features Rubio is sitting, with bare legs and high heels, playing a guitar and on top, with big red letters the word: DESEO is read, which gives the album its title. The cover album was presented September 3, 2018 on singer social media.[8]

Spanish DJ and singer Juan Magán serves as a featuring artist and producer on the album.

Rubio commented that the content of Deseo "activate women's senses and capture who I am both on and off the stage"; the media call it an album where Rubio "empowered women". The album music genre is pop[9] with a foray into reggaeton[10] and "Latin rhythms abound with urban sounds."[11] Lyrically, the record contains lyrics about "female empowerment",[12][13] the love and the sexual desire.

Deseo opens with the lead single "Desire (Me Tienes Loquita)", a dance-pop EDM style and reggaeton hybrid song[14] that include a collaboration with Venezuelan singer Nacho. "Suave Y Sutil" includes a different sound to the album's title track, a pop-rock song with a self-empowerment anthem, was described as a "practically a revision" of Rubio's mid-2000's hit "Ni Una Sola Palabra". "Me Quema" is a Latin pop style was noted for its tropical and caribeñan sound. The fourth track, "Late Mi Corazón", includes a featured with the Spanish producer and singer Juan Magán. Sonically, is a "party" song[14] with urban and electro-dance influences. "Mi Nuevo Vicio" was deemed one of the album's highlights[14] due to its production to acoustic guitars and Colombian rumba style. The song includes a collaboration with the Colombian pop band Morat.

"Hoy Eres Ayer" is a light pop-rock ballad characterized for its "melodic" strings and drums hooks. The seventh track "Cuánto Te Quiero" was noted for "La Bamba" sampler, featuring guitar riffs, a pop rhythm and a "futuristic marimba" bridge.[11] Rubio's eldest son, Andrea Nicolás, participates in the choirs.[15] "Entre La luna Y El Sol", cited the Mexican folk story of sun and moon love, is a ranchera track with reggae arrangements.[14] "Bajo La Luna", one of the album's best tracks for utilizing her previous experimentation of gypsy style and flamenco music with a pop music, is a joy love song. The close album track, "Si Te Vas", it was compared to her 1990s work for its pop rock style.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Odi O'Malley	[14]

Upon its release, critical reception of Deseo was sharply divided. According to several media, the album "maintains the same energy" of Rubio's music "but is not afraid to incorporate new contemporary sounds, especially from the urban genre."[16] Odi O'Malley, writing from their website, listed the record as "a compilation: of its 10 songs, only 5 are new to the listener, and the rest are made up of singles released in the last three years". He favored the melodic pop-rock songs and "Mi Nuevo Vicio" as the album's best tracks, but also said, "Rubio try to catch up with trend music, use more urban bases, trying to include elements of dancehall or EDM to some tracks, although she did not come out well in any of them."[14]

The album peaked at #18 in the Spanish Promusicae album charts and #13 in the US Billboard Latin Pop Albums. The album eventually was certified gold in Chile.[3]

Rubio released a deluxe edition of the album titled Deseo Edicion Especial. It included four new songs, in addition to the original tracklist of the album. "Ya No Me Engañas" was released in April, 2019, as the first single from the special edition.[18]