Olga Tañón

Olga Tañón
Background information
Birth name	Olga Teresa Tañón Ortíz
Also known as	La Mujer de Fuego
Born	April 13, 1967 (1967-04-13) (age 44) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Origin	Puerto Rican
Genres	Merengue, Latin pop
Occupations	Singer, Composer
Instruments	Voice
Years active	1987–present
Labels	WEA Latina (1992–2004) Sony BMG (2005-2006) Univision Music (2006-present)
Website	Official Website

Olga Tañón (born April 13, 1967) is a two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist. Tañón has earned 5 Latin Grammy Awards and 19 Premios Lo Nuestro awards during her career.

Early years

Tañón (birth name: "Olga Teresa Tañón Ortíz") is the youngest of four children born to José Tañón and Carmen Gloria Ortíz born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. She was raised in Levittown, Puerto Rico, Toa Baja, where she received her primary and secondary education.

Singing career

Tañón's singing career began when she joined a group called "Las Nenas de Ringo y Jossie" (Ringo and Jossie's Girls) in the 1980s. A short time later a very popular group in Puerto Rico called "Chantelle" noticed her mezzo soprano voice and recruited her. They saw in her what they needed for their merengue style of music. When Tañón was a member of Chantelle, they scored their biggest hit, "Aunque Tú no Quieras" (Even If You Don't Want It). The song was popular in Latin America.^[1]

1990s

In 1992, Tañón signed a contract with the WEA Latina record label to record a solo album. Her first recorded album was titled, "Sola" (Alone). Among the songs in the album were, "Me Cambio por Ella" (I'll Trade Myself For Her), and "Quiero estar Contigo" (I Want To Be With You). In 1993, she recorded her second album for WEA Latina, "Mujer de Fuego" (Woman of Fire). Tañón also debuted as a composer with the song, "Presencié tu Amor" (I Witnessed Your Love).^[1]

In 1994, Tañón earned her first double platinum record and in 1995, she earned three more platinum records with her album, "Siente el Amor" (Feel the Love). This album also included another of her compositions, "Unicornio" (Unicorn), which was written to the rhythm of Salsa and also included the Unforgettable Merengue song, "Es Mentiroso" (He's a Liar). Tañón had gained fame and recognition throughout Latin America.

Tañón recorded a Tex-Mex CD with Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solís called "Nuevos Senderos". She was now being heard internationally, and with that recording she became the first Puerto Rican musician to be certified by the RIAA to sell over half a million records. The album lead single, the ballad, "Basta Ya!" topped the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Tracks for several weeks, and became Tañón's first #1.^[1]

In 1997, Tañón debuted as an actress in the Puerto Rican version of the popular production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", produced by Rafo Muñiz. She played the part of Mary Magdalene. This version had a tropical feel to it and included some of Tañón's songs. In 1998, Tañón married Juan González a Puerto Rican major league baseball star. In 1999, the marriage ended in divorce. The couple had a daughter, Gabriella Marie.^[1]

2000s

In 2000, Tañón, who was now known as the "Woman of Fire" or "Mujer de Fuego" by her fans, recorded her first concert, titled, "Olga Viva...Viva Olga" in the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. This production was named by the National Foundation of Popular Culture as one the top 20 productions of the year. The record went platinum and Tañón earned her first Grammy Award. On August 2000, Tañón sold out 12 shows in the Antonio Paoli Hall at the Luis A. Ferre Center of the Fine Arts in San Juan. Later that same month, she debuted in the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. Her performances received rave reviews in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and the Dallas Morning News. At the end of 2000, Tañón presented her musical spectacular at the Anayansi Theater in Panama, and toured the southeastern United States with Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández.^[1]

In 2001, Tañón recorded a CD titled, "Yo por Ti" (Me for You), which won both American and Latin Grammys. The first single, Como Olvidar, topped the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Tracks. The CD became a best-seller in Puerto Rico, Latin America, and among the Hispanic population in the United States. In 2002, Tañón toured many countries, including Venezuela, Panama and the United States. That year she became the first merengue artist to successfully score a chart topper in the Middle East when her partnership with Egyptian music singer Hakim yielded the highly successful Arabian hit, Ah Ya Albi. In 2003, Tañón toured Europe and made a total of ten recordings for WEA Latina. In 2003 she released Sobrevivir and won her fourth Grammy. She also married Billy Denizard, with whom she had two sons, Indiana Noa and Ian Nahir.^[1]

As part of a international tour called, "Evolution Tour 2008", Tañón traveled to Italy where she made a presentation at the Festival Latinoamericano on July 5, 2008.^[2] In 2005, Tañón released her hit album, "Una Nueva Mujer", which won Best Contemporary Tropical Album at the 2006 Latin Grammys.

In support of Latin American immigrants in the U.S., in 2006 Tañón recorded, "Nuestro Himno" in collaboration with Pitbull, Carlos Ponce, and Wyclef Jean. On May 2, 2010, Tañón first performed in Iquitos a concert where presented her classic songs. The concert was part of her tour, which started in Peru.^[3][4]

Premio lo Nuestro

On February 22, 2007, Tañón won three awards at the 19th edition of Premio Lo Nuestro.^[5] During the 2006 show, she won in the categories: "Album of the Year", "Female Artist" and "Song of the Year". She holds the record as the artist who has won the most "Premio Lo Nuestro Awards", with a total of 26.

On June 2009, Tañón released a new hit single called "Amor Entre Tres" which is the theme song for the new soap opera in Venezuela called "La Vida Entera." That same month, WEA Latina will be releasing "25 Exitos de Fuego Vol. 1 & Vol. 2." Each CD has a set of greatest hits through her entire career of merengue and Latin pop. In September 2009 participated, next to Juanes and other internationally acclaimed artists, in "Concierto por la Paz" at Plaza de la Revolucion in La Habana, Cuba.^[1]

Discography

External audio
	You may listen to Olga Tañón's "Bandolero " here.

Main article: Olga Tañón discography

Studio Albums 1992: Sola 1993: Mujer de Fuego 1994: Siente el Amor... 1996: Nuevos Senderos 1997: Llévame Contigo 1998: Te Acordarás de Mí 2001: Yo por Ti 2002: Sobrevivir 2005: Una Nueva Mujer 2006: Soy Como Tú 2007: Exitos en 2 Tiempos 2011: Ni Una Lagrima Más EPs 2009: 4/13 Compilations 1995: Éxitos y Más 2003: Puro Fuego 2005: Como Olvidar: Lo Mejor de Olga 2006: 100% Merengue 2006: 25 Exitos de Fuego / Vol. 1 2006: 25 Exitos de Fuego / Vol. 2

Live albums 1999: Olga Viva, Viva Olga (Live) 2008: Fuego En Vivo / Vol.1 "Solo Exitos" (Live) 2008: Fuego En Vivo / Vol.2 "Solo Exitos" (Live) DVDs 2002: Olga Viva, Viva Olga 2005: Como Olvidar: Lo Mejor de Olga (CD+DVD) 2005: Exitos en Video 2009: 4/13 (CD+DVD) Concerts 2010: Incomparable Tour Singles Year Title Hot Latin Songs 1993 Contigo O Sin Ti 20 1994 Vendrás Llorando 27 Receta De Amor 30 Presencié Tu Amor 9 No Me Puedes Pedir 25 Muchacho Malo 24 Es Mentiroso 23 1995 Ya Me Cansé 21 Una Noche Más 31 Entre La Noche Y El Día 9 Aún Pienso En Ti 28 1996 Mi Eterno Amor Secreto 21 Me Subes, Me Bajas, Me Subes 3 Éxitos Y Más 13 Basta Ya 1 1997 Serpiente Mala 9 Porque No Te Encontré 35 Llegó El Amor 22 En Ti 34 1998 Tu Amor 4 El Frío De Tu Adiós 4 Así Es El Amor 34 1999 Hielo Y Fuego 23 Escondidos 4 Engáñame 35 Te Acordaras de Mi 28 El Niño 17 La Magia Del Ritmo 37 2001 Cómo Olvidar 1 2002 Miénteme 18 2003 No Podrás 10 Cuando Tú No Estás 34 Así Es La Vida 1 2005 Vete Vete 15 Bandolero 6 2006 Desilusióname 4 2007 Flaca O Gordita 34 Maria 15 2008 Hoy Quiero Confesarme 35 Cosas Del Amor 48 See also Puerto Rico portal List of famous Puerto Ricans References ^ a b c d e f g Tañón ^ "Olga Tañón arriba a Italia para concierto". Primera Hora. 2008-07-01. http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/farandula/espectaculosasi/olga_tanon_arriba_a_italia_para_concierto/206088. Retrieved 2008-07-06. [dead link] ^ Olga Tañon cantará en Iquitos LaRepublica. Retrieved 2010-05-23 ^ Olga Tañón iniciará su gira 2010 en el Perú en mayo RPP. Retrieved 2010-05-23 ^ Intocable, Mana, RBD, Olga Tanon, Joan Sebastian, Wisin y Yandel, Monchy Y Alexandra and Aventura Biggest Winners at Premio Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards last accessed February 23, 2007. External links Olga Tañón Persondata Name Tañón, Olga Alternative names Ortíz, Olga Teresa Tañón Short description Singer, Composer Date of birth 1967-4-13 Place of birth San Juan, Puerto Rico Date of death Place of death