La Chica Dorada

After having been part of Timbiriche and recording ten studio albums, Rubio traveled to Europe in 1991 to study History of Art, but her greatest wish was to start her solo career. This is how Gian Pietro Felisatti, better known as "DiFelisatti", one of the most outstanding composers of the era, along with José Ramón Flórez, volunteered to work on the solo project of the young artist of 20 years. The well-known producers and she had a very good relationship, since both writers were responsible for great successes of the band Timbiriche. Added to the above, Rubio was established in Spain to start recordings of what would be his debut album. There she met Miguel Blasco, who began to guide her to establish her solo project.

Blasco, Spanish producer of the greatest discographic hits of Alejandra Guzmán, Yuri and Mijares would handle all the production of La Chica Dorada, achieving a breakthrough in just four months of work. In June 1992, Paulina Rubio officially signed a contract with the EMI Capitol label in Mexico[7] and the song "La Chica Dorada" was released exclusively to publicize her solo project. The song describes the moments Rubio lived in Spain while studying Art History and dreamed of becoming a Hispanic pop star.

La Chica Dorada is primarily a dance-pop record,[8] though it experiments with new wave, new jack swing and pop rock styles. The album's texture has been described as "light." The album opens with "Mío", a "dancefloor thumper"[9] song includes a flamboyant saxophone insert on the bridge and ends with electric guitar riffs. Lyrically, it "reflected the anxiety of owning everything."[10] The synth arrangements "Dime Si Soy Sexy" notes a girl who is desired because of her prominent beauty through a squeaky funny saxophone. "Sabor A Miel" is about a lost love. The romantic ballad song incorporates a waltzing tempo and refined violins.

The guitars-crying "El Primer Amor" explains the advantages of being the first love of a lover. The secuence pop-rock style, "Amor De Mujer" describe the feelings and mood of a woman in love. It is considered Rubio's first feminist anthem. "La Escoba" is a studio-live track originally sung by the Spanish rock group Los Sírex.

Beginning with a guitars riffs introduction, the album title track "La Chica Dorada" is a doo-wop-oriented song. It has harmonies beneath the main chorus, resembles the songs of early Sixties girl groups. The lyrics narrate Rubio's long and winding road to stardom to become "the golden girl". The emotional ballad "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor" explores Rubio vocal range with a chourus vocal harmonies. It starts like a piano ballad and culminates with light touches of drums. In the penultimate track "Sangre Latina" experiments with new jack swing style while Rubio rappers. The album closes with its tenth track "Amarte En Libertad", a dance-pop with new jack swing and new wave influences.

The promotion began in July 1992, when Rubio conducted a small advertising campaign by several Mexican media outlets, where she presented her new image as "golden girl" and promoted the song "La Chica Dorada" on some radio stations. The singer made several promotional appearances, including talk shows and live performances in the main cities of Mexico. Paulina Rubio made her debut as a solo singer on the legendary Mexican television program Siempre en Domingo, with Raúl Velasco on October 18, 1992,[11] 3 days before her album was released. With her mother and grandmother in the audience, she performed the song "Amor De Mujer" and her first single, "Mío". Rubio's wearing a gold, glitter mini skirt, cropped top and jacket, while a straight out of a rotating device to begin her performing.[12] The famous television host commented that "it was a great privilege to have presented Paulina as a solo singer". His presentation had a high audience rating that the next week was invited again.[13] In United States, for the Spanish-language television program Sábado Gigante, Rubio performed the track "Mío" in January, 1993 and that presentation opened the doors to the Hispanic market in that country.[14] She also appeared on the 1993 Calle Ocho Festival of Miami where performing "Abriendo Las Puertas Al Amor".

Rubio comeback to Mexico in March 1993 to performed at the Premios ERES where performed "Mío Extended Pop Mix", and also performed "Amor De Mujer The Wedding Dance Mix" in a medley with "Mío" at the 11th TVyNovelas Awards. She received the Female Singer Revelation of the Year award in that ceremony.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[16]
Apple Music	favourable[17]

La Chica Dorada had received mixed reviews from music critics. AllMusic rateit three of five stars, giving it a mixed review and considering the album energetic, exuberant, passionate and intense in the same way Rubio's aesthetic image and personality.[16] Due to the success of "Mío", in Mexico the journalists considered her solo debut as the new "Latin pop icon" and a great business for her label EMI/Capitol Latin.[18] In a retrospect review, Apple Music considers that [La Chica Dorada] "is an album with a risky musical proposal that transcends".[19]

El País newspaper's Elena Reina wrote in a article that "[Rubio] turn from adolescence to the age of majority to hit new record. If her image had already been important to her career as a child, now [with her debut] it becomes crucial", ultimately concluding that the album was her passage from girl to woman.[20] Catalan music critic and journalist Jordi Bianciotto categorized La Chica Dorada as "a light and danceable pop record" and expressed his "disconcerting version" of "La Escoba", which was originally sung by the Spanish rock group Los Sírex. Similarly to most critics, he highlighted Rubio's comercial success with his debut.[8]

La Chica Dorada debuted on the USA Latin Pop Albums Chart on January 1993. In its eighth week, it peaked at number two and stayed there for two consecutive weeks.[21] Rubio became the first Mexican female artist to have a success album with her debut as solo artist on Billboard charts; in doing so, She was also the first member of Timbiriche who managed to enter those lists. The album also peaked at number 42 on the Top Latin Albums chart where it stayed on the charts for 3 weeks.

In 1996, Paulina appeared on Verónica Castro's show where she showed the first gold record received for the album (100,000 sold), the platinum record when it reached 250,000 copies and then the triple gold after reached 300,000 copies sold in Mexico.[22] By the end of 1993, the album had sold over 450,000 copies in the country.[23] Worlwide, La Chica Dorada has sold over one million copies.[5]

The following people contributed to La Chica Dorada:[28]

• Paulina Rubio – lead vocals, backing vocals, main performer, songwriter

Additional personnel

• Miguel Blasco – music director, executive producer
• Luis Méndez – A&E
• Remy Causse – arrangements
• J.R. Florez – record producer, composer
• Cesar Valle – composer
• Gian Pietro Felisatti – composer
• Aleks Syntek – composer
• José Antonio Álvarez Alija – engineering
• Carlos Latapí L – photography

• 1992 in Latin music
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of artists influenced by Madonna

• La Chica Dorada at Discogs (list of releases)