2002

LENKA URBANOVA of the Slovak Republic

Hi! My name is Lenka Urbanova and I come from the heart of Europe - from the Slovak republic, which is situated in the Eastern Europe. I am really a BIG FAN of Thalia. Every time I look at this picture I feel joyful and when I am sad, I look at it and I feel better. At this picture Thalia smiles so nicely, so when I am looking at her, I also have to smile. When you are looking at it, you also smile, don"t you? It's so positive. So that's why this is my favourite picture.

Few years ago nobody in my country knew who Thalia was. The Slovak republic is a post-communistic country, so a lot of things and people were unknown to us for a long time. Because there was no democracy, we could, for example, read only books and listen to only music which we were allowed to read and listen to by the government. But after the year 1989 everything changed and the Slovak republic is a democratic country. Afer that year I heard for the first time another kind of music. I also heard Thalia and she and her music was something absolutely NEW for me. I began to learn Spanish and through her music I got to know and understand new culture and its music, which Thalia represents - a Latin-american and Mexican one. And I LIKE IT VERY MUCH. In my opinion, through the people and through the music it's easier to learn new language and understand new culture. Thalia and her music really inspired me to do it! This picture tells me a lot of things about how Thalia is: she is a very beautiful woman, she's temperament and looks very friendly, she's full of energy and in her eyes I see how happy she is. Thalia is REAL LATIN AMERICAN DIVA and really nice person!

LALAINE GARCIA of the Philippines

"I like this photo of her because...

this photo shows Thalia's potent combination of voice, beauty, charm, confidence and creativity which has found her a branch of success others had tried to reach yet failed. Whether it be telenovelas or music, Thalia makes you want for more as she makes her every performance as significantly enchanting, winning audiences from around the world.

I found this picture from one of Thalia's internet sites.  Here she is in one of her concerts, singing a hit tune in a glamorous outfit that definitely looks good on her. She definitely knows how to combine her music, her moves, her fashion together which makes us hold her showmanship in high esteem. 

And as an artist myself, I decided to add some of my touch on the background to express what I feel of what Thalia is to me. As one of Mexico's most treasured celebrity, her appeal significantly reverberates through her performances in whatever language. She shows ultimate sexiness yet with a touch of innocence that's hers alone. She's a gift to music, a pure Latin sensation. A star."

LIDA PETAVRATZI from Greece will get the Latina magazine also. Here is her winning entry:

As we can see in that photo, Thalia is smiling for the camera like in most of her pictures. In this one she is chatting with her fans in the site www.tierra.com. Well, she doesn't actually chat, but she answers willingly to her fans' questions and someone else is typing Thalia's words.

This is one of my favourite photos of her, because she seems very natural, innocent, honest and sweet in it. It uncovers a very caring and gentle person that shares her love for music with every one. To be more precise, it reveals the real Thalia, the cheerful girl with humour that enjoys every single moment of her life and also tries to make all the people around her to do so. It reveals a person which is beautiful not only outside, but also inside. Her beauty comes from the bottom of her heart and her soul. In my opinion the first things that can someone see in this photo is the sensitive side of her character and her kindness. All these characteristics with her enigmatic smile compose the great result which is pictured on this photo: the most talented woman in the world, Thalia!!!

Thalia nominated for Latin Grammy

Source: Latin Recording Academy News, July 24, 2002
Link: latingrammy.com
TW Correspondent: Tonchi

With her new album Thalia only released at the end of May 2002, our diva could not compete in the pop categories this year. Instead, she is nominated in the Best Banda Album category, for the Grandes Exitos album wherein she re-recorded some of her previous releases to Banda Music under the direction of the Valenzuela brothers, and added several original songs of her own composition.

But the field in which she is competing will be very rough, the other nominees being seasoned and professional banda groups with a history of hits before she even got into the genre. The qualifications read: Field 5 - Regional Mexican - Category 20 Best Banda Album. For solo artists, duos or groups performances; vocal or instrumental. Albums only.

Marco was nearly floored when he heard about his three nominations. "I was reading the nominations, and when I listened to my name for Best New Artist, I went, 'Oh my God.' And then I listened to my name a second time, and then the third time ... that was amazing. Please, a glass of water!"

Alejandro Lerner shared the sentiments of many other artists when he welcomed the return of the Latin GRAMMYs. The 2nd annual telecast, scheduled for Sept. 11, was cancelled. "What happened last year happened to the world, not just to the United States," he said. "And to keep [the Latin GRAMMYs] going is a way to show the world that there is another option to make this world better and it's to make our culture closer, to show them this is what we are, we are Latin people."

The creative range of the nominations is perhaps best exemplified by the Album Of The Year category where pop star Alejandro Sanz challenges the energetic salsa of Celia Cruz, the contemporary tropical sounds of Carlos Vives, the pop/rock material of Miguel Bosé, and the Brazilian pop of Ivan Lins. The geographical diversity of all nominees covers the globe, from Spain to Argentina — making it a truly international celebration.

Thalia will participate in the campaign to save illegal immigrants

Source: Notimex/El Universal, July 19, 2002
TW Correspondent: Tonchi

Phoenix, Arizona. The Immigration and Naturalization service (INS) of the United states requested the aid of Mexican singers Juan Gabriel and Thalía for a campaign intended to reduce the deaths of undocumented immigrants on the border between the two countries.

The spokesperson for the INS, Daniel Kane, said that in addition they are meeting with the soccer star Cuauhtémoc Blanco and singers Marco Antonio Solís, Vicente and Alejandro Fernández, among others, to participate in the project. The campaign seeks to convince the undocumented entries, in particular Mexicans, to avoid crossing the border due to the dangers of the journey, such as being swindled and abandoned in the desert by human smugglers, or "polleros".

"Many immigrants are perishing in the desert, especially in Arizona. The price of crossing the border (without documents) ought not to be death", stated Kane. He claimed that the INS also wants boxer Julio César Chávez, soccer players Oscar Conejo Pérez and Ramón Morales, the Norteño group Tigres del Norte, Luis Miguel, José José, and Emmanuel to participate in the campaign, among others.

"The INS will be in charge of producing the material in which the Mexican celebrities will appear warning the immigrants that they ought not to expose themselves to crossing without papers because it is too dangerous and they could die in the attempt", he stated. Kane explained that the support of the Mexican Embassy in Washington is being solicited in order to put them in contact with the luminaries of that country and the Spanish-speaking television media, in order to broadcast the commercials in Mexico, the USA, and South America.

He commented that the INS decided to seek the aid of Hispanic personalities and the government of Mexico, because the majority of the undocumented who die crossing the border are Mexicans. On his part, the man in charge of the press releases by the diplomatic body representing Mexico in Washington, Miguel Monterrubio, confirmed that the INS solicited aid in the campaign.