Las Ketchup

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Las Ketchup


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Origin = Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
Genre = Flamenco, Pop, Chill out
Years_active = 2002–present
Label = Shaketown-SKT Music, Warner Music, Sony BMG
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Current_members = Rocío Muñoz
Lucía Muñoz
Lola Muñoz
Pilar Muñoz

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Las Ketchup is a Latin Grammy Award nominated 4-girl group composed of sisters Lola, Pilar, Lucía, and Rocío Muñoz from Córdoba in Andalucia, Spain. They are the daughters of Juan Muñoz, a flamenco guitarist known as "El Tomate" (The Tomato). Before Rocío's addition to the group in 2006, the other three girls had success with their worldwide hit "Aserejé", also known as "The Ketchup Song".

Career

In the summer of 2002 they had a major flamenco Europop fusion hit with "Aserejé" (released as "The Ketchup Song" in the UK and other countries), which reached or almost reached the top of the charts in many countries including Spain, UK, Italy, Greece, France, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Philippines, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Argentina, Poland, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, India, Australia and the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico. However, it failed to hit the Top 40 on the U.S. "Billboard Hot 100". Still worldwide, the trio became instant rivals to another Spanish female trio, Lunae, who released their debut single in Europe at the same time in 2003. The title and part of the lyrics were in Spanish. The hit also had an accompanying dance.

The group re-released the Ketchup Song, with a new video, as a Christmas song.

The name of the group is a reference to their father Juan Muñoz, a flamenco guitarist known as "El Tomate" (The Tomato). This also explains why their debut album carried the title "Las hijas del Tomate" (Tomato's daughters).

In 2006 they were joined by Rocío, their fourth sister, to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006.

The group sold over 12 million copies with the first album, but the second did not achieve the same

Cover version

The winners of Brazilian reality show "Popstars", who called themselves "Rouge", released their own version of "The Ketchup Song" called "Ragatanga", a duet with Las Ketchup translating the lyrics from Spanish to Portuguese. The song, the second single for Las Ketchup, was a big hit and went to number 1 in the Brazilian charts. The dance also became popular with preteens and teens in Brazil and the song was one of the main reason "Las hijas del Tomate" sold 1 million copies (Diamond Disc in Brazil).Fact|date=January 2008

Recent events

Las Ketchup are coming back as a 4-girl group, with a new album titled "Bloody Mary".Fact|date=January 2008 Their long absence was due to them writing the songs for the album and Pilar's pregnancy. The album release was delayed till the beginning of 2006. They are planning to release 1 million copies and their producer "Queco", who also produced and wrote their world-wide single "Asereje", promises that this album retains their original sound.Fact|date=January 2008 Their first single will be titled "Bloody Mary" like the name of the CD. This song was the Spanish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. The song did not perform as well as expected, ending 21st with only 18 points.Fact|date=January 2008

Discography

Albums

* 2004 "Las Hijas del Tomate" — #1 Spain
** World Certification: 12,000,000 units (12x Platinum)
* 2006 "Un Blodymary" - #250 Spain
** World Certification: ?

Awards

*2002 'Ondas awards'

- Best New Artist/group

*2004 Billboard Latinos awards

- Best pop album from new generation ("Las hijas del Tomate")

- Most tropical-salsa song played by Duo or Group ("The Ketchup Song" (Aserejé))

*2003 Latin Grammy Award

- Best Pop Album By a Duo or Group with Vocals "Las hijas del Tomate" (Nominated, lost to Bacilos "Caraluna".)

*2003 Record Fair MIDEM (Cannes)

- Best New Artist/group

*2003 Amigo Awards

- Best New Group

- Best New Artist

*2004 Record fair MIDEM (Cannes)

- Breakers of borders (Best-selling Album out of its country and inside of Europe with "Las hijas del Tomate")Song)

Parody

In 2002, the German comedian Elmar Brandt wrote (using the tune of Aserejé) a Gerhard Schröder parody called "Der Steuersong" (The Tax Song) [http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa021125b.htm] for the radio program "The Gerd Show".

In 2002, a satirical version to the tune of Aserejé by "El Groupo Mayonessa" circulated in Gibraltar prior to the referendum on a proposal of joint sovereignty, entitled 'Vota Que No, Que No, Que No No No' [ [http://www.gibinquirer.net/nono.htm Vota No] ]

See also

* Ketchup
* Son de Sol

References

External links

* [http://www.askmen.com/women/singer_150/171c_las_ketchup.html Las Ketchup at AskMen.com]
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/las-ketchup Las Ketchup at Answers.com]
* [http://www.rtve.es/eurovision06/fotos.html Image Gallery of Las Ketchup rehearsing for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006]
* [http://www.morkol.com/index.php/artistas/videos_letras_canciones/?nombre=Aserej%E9&id=80 Las Ketchup at Morkol.com] Listen the songs while you read the lyrics.