2008

Oh 'Baby' Pathway To A Deal

Source: The New York Post - November 21, 2008
By: Peter Lauria
TW Correspondent: Luisa

Tommy Mottola's 14-month-old daughter is giving him investment advice. The ex-head of Sony Music said he inked a deal to acquire a majority stake in infant education and entertainment company Every Baby after watching his little girl's reaction to one of its videos. "She was jumping up and down and mimicking the video, and she never did that before with anything else we showed her," Mottola, 57, told The Post. "As soon as I saw that, I called [the owners of Every Baby] and asked for a meeting." That appeared to be music to the ears of Every Baby President Stephen Gass. "We were looking for additional cash, as well as brainpower, to take us from a boutique brand to a mass-market household-entertainment franchise," said Gass, a trained child psychologist who worked at "Sesame Street" and Nickelodeon.

Neither party would comment on the deal's terms, but a person familiar with the deal said Mottola invested $2 million and plans to raise an additional $25 million for a 50 percent stake. The market is now dominated by Baby Einstein, which Disney bought in 2001 for around $20 million. It's now valued at about $400 million, sources said. Mottola hopes to move from a few million bucks in annual sales to $200 million in the near term. Every Baby products are sold in 1,000 retail outlets including Macy's and Barnes & Noble.

Thalia Has Lyme Disease

Source: contactmusic.com - October 24, 2008
TW Correspondent: Luisa

Mexican singer Thalia has been diagnosed with Lyme disease after she was bitten by a tick. The 37-year-old star and her mother were both bitten in New York this summer (08). Both sought medical advice after feeling fatigued and noticing rashes on their skin. The disease can lead to nerve problems if not treated quickly enough. Thalia and her mother are both expected to make a full and speedy recovery, according to Telemundo.

Thalia Gets Gold Medal For Charity Work

Source: contactmusic.com - October 16, 2008
TW Correspondent: Luisa

Mexican singer THALIA has been honoured by the Hispanic community for her continued dedication to charity work. The star, wife of music mogul Tommy Mottola, was presented with the gold medal of honour in New York this week (begs13Oct08) by the Casita Maria organisation, a group dedicated to helping impoverished immigrant communities. During her Big Apple trip, Thalia also paid a visit to the New York Police Department (NYPD) to praise them for their efforts to keep criminals off the city's streets. The visit was part of the celebrations for Hispanic heritage month (Oct08), reports PeopleEnEspanol.com.

Tommy Mottola and Thalía Plan Playdates With Marc and Jennifer

Source: People for CBB - October 16, 2008
TW Correspondent: Luisa

Having celebrated their daughter Sabrina Sakaë's first birthday on October 7th, music producer Tommy Mottola and singer Thalía are thrilled with the course that their lives have taken. With Thalía managing to shed the baby weight within the year by combining a diet made up of "the boring stuff, broccoli, and vegetables...[and] lots of water" with a routine that has her doing "yoga [and] pilates two times a week," the couple are focusing their time together as a family. In fact, Tommy, 59, shares that Sabrina "completely occupies our lives. We try not to do anything without her, most of the day, every day." As a first-time parent, Thalía's baby interest has grown as the couple believe they have become "so suited to other people's kids," finding themselves stopping to admire other babies in public. "When we go out and we see a baby, we ask, 'My God, look at her. How old is she? What is she doing?,'" says the 37-year-old proud mama.

Recently, Tommy and Thalía spent the day with close friends Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, who are parents to 7 ½-month-old twins Max David and Emme Maribel. As parents to "beautiful" babies, the change in Jennifer and her newfound happiness did not go unnoticed, reveals Thalía. Proof that times have changed, Tommy -- who calls Jennifer a "great mother" -- admits that with Marc the two "always used to talk business," however, these days the topic of conversations tends to center around "what we did with the baby today and what we'll do tomorrow." The children of some of the industry's top musicians will soon be sharing their toys as Thalía says the families are already in talks for future play dates! "We're setting up a play date. Our daughter is six months older, so she will teach [the twins] some words."

Tocando Una Estrella Marks First National Hispanic Radio Talent Search
- Will Allow Show Listeners To Help Decide Who Gets Break In Launching Their Music Career

Source: La Voz Nueva - October 3, 2008
TW Correspondent: Luisa

DALLAS, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- ABC Radio Networks en Espanol in partnership with The Conexion Thalia Radio Show today announced the launch of a search for aspiring singers. Tocando Una Estrella (Touching a Star) will provide talented musicians the opportunity to have their own rendition of a Thalia song played on-air during the radio show and on the program's Web site. Listeners of the show as well as visitors to ThaliaRadio.com will be able to vote for their favorite singer from among 10 finalists chosen by the ABC Radio Networks en Espanol judges' panel. The grand prize winner will receive airfare and hotel accommodations in New York and be able to meet with Thalia to hear her advice on how to begin a career in music. The winner will also have the opportunity to record a demo.

"There are so many wonderful young artists out there who are fans of Thalia's show and this contest will provide them a unique opportunity to be heard by a national radio audience," said Elisa Torres, SVP Programming and Operations for ABC Radio Networks en Espanol. "One new singer will earn the break they are looking for and a have the chance to share their passion with our listeners. Our affiliates are excited to draw in local entries and create buzz for finalists from their own markets in a multi-platform promotion hosted by such a dynamic entertainer as Thalia."

The contest will be promoted on The Conexion Thalia Radio Show and ThaliaRadio.com with entries being accepted through Nov. 3. The 10 finalists selected by the panel of judges will be announced on Nov. 14 when online voting will begin. Voting will end on Dec. 1 and the grand prize winner will be announced on Thalia's program and Web site on Dec. 13.

Thalia A Red Hot Mama

Source: Miami Herald - July 21, 2008
By: Madeleine Marr
TW Corrspondent: Luisa

Thalía is in a great mood. With good reason.

The 36-year-old Latin pop star has a lot going on. Good things.

Last fall, she became a mother for the first time with hubby of eight years, record producer Tommy Mottola, the 59-year-old ex of Mariah Carey.

Baby No. 2: Her 14th album, Lunada, co-produced with old friend Emilio Estefan. It features 11 cuts, a mix of old (Insensible or Insensitive) and new (Bendita, Blessed), dedicated to 9-month-old Sabrina Sakae.

We caught up with the Mexican singer as she was landing in Miami, a town she's pretty familiar with -- she and Mottola used to own a mansion on Star Island, next door to the Estefans. They now call New York home.

The trip's not going to be all R&R.

Thursday was their big glad-handing night -- they first walked the red carpet at the Premios Juventud (Youth Awards) at BankUnited Center and then hopped over to Set nightclub in Miami Beach to celebrate her status as Ocean Drive Español's cover girl.

It's all good though. Baby's home with abuelita and the couple are taking advantage of some alone time.

How do you like being a mother?
``It's a blessing. This the best time of my life. She is so healthy, such a love -- wanting to walk, moving around constantly. She definitely knows what she wants -- the boss of the house!''

So Tommy isn't the boss?
``Ha! No. He's just a wonderful father, a padrazo [totally indulgent dad]. He sings to her, feeds her, talks to her, tells her stories.''

Have any secrets to a good marriage?
``Mutual respect is important. It's important to have things in common and plan things together like trips. Keep it interesting.''

Did Tommy congratulate Mariah after she got married?
``That's something you'd have to ask him.''

Any musts while in town?
``Well, I know it's been raining but I plan to enjoy myself. Miami is still riquisima, especially in the summer. We'll meet up with some old friends, probably grab a nice meal at Lario's or Casa Tua, and go to the beach. I have to go the beach.''

What is on your iPod right now?
``My tastes are really eclectic. I have Beethoven, Sinatra, Diana Krall, Sadé, Robbie Williams, Madonna. Music is magic -- it has the ability to make you feel so many different ways.''

Do you ever get back to Mexico?
``When I do, I go back incognito, to enjoy myself, to party. Not to work.''

How do you like living in New York?
``It's exciting -- all the little things. The fashion, entertainment, finance, the cultures from all over the world. At the same time, it can be a lonely, solitary place. Everyone is in their little corner, trying to survive. I have carved out a life for myself and found some Latina friends. I have my own little cafés I go to for taquitos and guacamole.''

Do you get mobbed wherever you go?
``People do recognize me and stop me in the street or ask me to sing a song. But it's OK. I feel part of them. To get this affection after all these years is very special.''

5Th Annual "Premios Juventud" Awards Show on Univision Rocks and "Saves the Planet"

Source: MarketWatch - July 17, 2008
By: Lara Migliassi - Univision Network PR
TW Correspondent: Luisa

"Saving the planet" while putting on a dazzlingly entertaining show were the dual objectives of the fifth edition of Univision's "Premios Juventud" youth awards show presented LIVE from the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central). The only awards show on Spanish-language television that celebrates the preferences of this country's young Hispanics, "Premios Juventud 2008" gave awards in 29 unconventional categories of music, sports, fashion, movies and pop culture.

With cutting-edge production numbers a hallmark of "Premios Juventud," this year's edition provided plenty of visual thrills and surprises. Among the highlights were a fully decked-out disco set as the backdrop for Tito el Bambino and Olga Tanon's electrifying number "En la Disco;" a honky-tonk cantina set for the Tucanes de Tijuana and Akwid number featuring the newly crowned 2008 Nuestra Belleza Latina, Melissa Marty; a spectacular beach party/luau scene for Thalia's "Ten Paciencia," complete with bonfire, Polynesian dancers, and even a fire-eater, after which, as a complete surprise to her, Thalia was presented with the "Premio Diva" award.

Motherhood, Summer Love Inspire Thalía’s New Album

Source: Extra - Chicago's Leading Bilingual Newspaper - July 11, 2008
By: Kiko Martinez
TW Correspondent: Luisa

It has been over two years since Latina pop singer Thalía released her last album, El Sexto Sentido (The Sixth Sense), a bilingual compellation produced by Colombian songwriter Estéfano, who had previously worked with artists including Gloria Estefan, Paulina Rubio and Chayanne.

With her new album Lunada (loosely translates to ‘celebration under the moonlight’), which was released on June 24, Thalía reconnects with music producer Emilio Estefan Jr., who she worked with during 1995’s En Éxtasis, 1997’s Amor a la Mexicana, 2000’s Arrasando and her 2002 self-titled album, Thalía.

During a phone interview with EXTRA from New York City, Thalía talked about what inspired her to record Lunada, how motherhood has affected her life and how she has been able to stay successful for almost 20 years.

EXTRA: It seems like you really want Lunada to be an album people can take with them to the beach to listen to while having fun.

Thalía: Yes, when people listen to this album, I want them to feel freedom, to feel easygoing. It’s an album about going to the beach with your friends, starting a fire, and playing the guitar and dancing. It’s about spending the day on the beach until nighttime and just having fun, enjoying the moment and laughing about everything.

E: Where did the idea for Lunada come from?

T: I started to think about the album when I was eight months pregnant last year and I couldn’t handle it anymore. [The baby] was so big and heavy and I was so hot and I was just thinking about the beach and bikinis and strawberry daiquiris and friends. I started getting obsessed by the thought of the beach.

E: So, the beach has always been an important part of your life?

T: Yes, my mother’s family is from Baja California near Cabos. When I was a baby I always went to the beach. To me, it’s organic. It’s part of me. This music has that feeling. The music has pop, reggae and calypso and a little ukulele guitar. The lyrics are fun and based on life experiences. It has a very positive feeling.

E: You’ve said Lunada is “the easiest album” you’ve ever recorded. What made is so effortless?

T: It was in a moment of my life that everything fit in place. Everything was in the place it had to be. I cannot explain it. Everything was simple. Everybody had a good time.

E: Did being a new mother also have something to do with it?

T: Yes, because when I became a mother, it changed my world, it changed everything. When you become a mother, you understand the human condition. You understand your parents. You understand life from a different angle and perspective. That definitely had a lot to do with the new music that I am doing.

E: The song “Bendita” on the album must be very special to you since you wrote it for your newborn daughter Sabrina Sakaë.

T: It was special. I told Emilio and the musicians that I needed a song that was pop reggae and middle-tempo. I wanted something that would make you move and bounce. One day, I was listening to the [instrumental] track they came up with while driving to the studio and immediately felt the melody and immediately had these lyrics I needed to write down. I pulled any piece of paper I could find and started writing. When I arrived at the studio I said, ‘We need to work on this song now.’

E: What do you want Sabrina to know when she gets older and can understand what the words you wrote to her mean?

T: I just want her to know that she is a blessing in my life. She is a blessing from God. She is a fresh breath. Just like the song says, she is my reason, my smile, my child of God.

E: What’s your idea of a perfect vacation in July?

T: Beautiful white sand, turquoise oceans, laying down with an umbrella over my head and feeling the sun on my legs and having a delicious Bahama Mama on my side and hearing music from a bar far, far away and hearing the ocean. Maybe it’s Tahiti or México or the Philippines. Wherever they have this place, I’m in.

E: You’ve been in the music industry for almost 20 years. What have you learned about yourself as a musician?

T: I’ve learned that everything is subject to change. You have to improve your game all the time and motivate yourself. You have to be open to changes in the industry and the world around. You have to evolve with everyone, keep the rhythm and reinvent yourself.

Bahama Mama

Source: Sun Antonio Current - July 9, 2008
By: Kiko Martinez
TW Correspondent: Luisa

While some soon-to-be mothers might react to raging hormones by strapping in their bellies for a bumpy ride on an emotional rollercoaster, Latin Grammy-award nominee and former telenovela superstar Thalía decided to take all of her pent-up frustration and exhaustion and use it more proactively during the final months of her pregnancy late last year. It had been over two years since the Latina pop singer born Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda released her last album, El sexto sentido (The Sixth Sense), a bilingual collection produced by Colombian songwriter Estéfano, who previously worked with such artists as Gloria Estefan,
Paulina Rubio, and Chayanne.

Although Sentido received a lukewarm reception in the U.S., Thalía still felt there was more inside her (metaphorically) that she wanted to let out. Anxious to determine how a life experience like giving birth would affect her as an artist, the Mexico City native began to focus on a pastime she always enjoyed but could not partake in while pregnant: going to the beach. “I started to think about a new album when I was eight months pregnant last year,” Thalía, 36, says during a phone interview from New York City. “I couldn’t handle [my pregnancy] anymore. [The baby] was so big and heavy and I was so hot and I just started thinking about the beach and bikinis and strawberry daiquiris and friends. I started getting obsessed by the thought of it.”

Lunada (loosely translated as a celebration under the moonlight) began to develop once Thalía reconnected with producer Emilio Estefan Jr., who she worked with during 1995’s En éxtasis, 1997’s Amor a la Mexicana, 2000’s Arrasando and her 2002 self-titled album. Her collaborations with Estefan have consistently provided her with her greatest successes. Of the 20-million albums she’s sold worldwide in her career, her four efforts with Estefan make up approximately 13 million of those sales. Thalía hopes her reunion with Estefan continues to generate hits, this time for an album which centers on a simple, core message: Live life to the fullest, especially during the summer months. “In Lunada, I wanted to invoke all my favorite summery songs of all time,” Thalía says. “I started to think about the time of my adolescence and the songs I would listen to during the summer. I was pulling together all my favorite songs and writing new songs in the process.” One of these songs is a non-traditional lullaby written for her daughter called “Bendita” (“Blessed”), an upbeat pop song that praises her newborn for being her “air, fresh breath, eternal life, and child of God.” (TW Note: The author makes some translation mistakes in terms of song titles)

“I told Emilio and the musicians that I needed a song that was pop reggae and middle-tempo,” she says. “I wanted something that would make you move and bounce. One day, I was listening to the [instrumental] track they came up with while driving to the studio and immediately felt the melody and immediately had these lyrics I needed to write down. I pulled any piece of paper I could find and started writing. When I arrived at the studio I said, ‘We need to work on this song now.’" Thalía lovingly acknowledges that the birth of Sabrina is the reason Lunada was “the easiest album” she has ever recorded. “When I became a mother it changed my world; it changed everything,” she says. “When you become a mother, you understand the human condition. You understand your parents. You understand life from a different angle and perspective. That definitely had a lot to do with the new music that I am doing.” Along with “Bendita,” Lunada hosts a number of multilayered songs, from the album’s first single, “Ten paciencia” (“Have Patience”), a catchy, rhythmic, and sexualized escapade, to “Sangre caliente” (“Hot Blood”), a marimba-driven tune with tropical flare, to “Será porque te amo” (“It’s Because I Love You”), which, unfortunately, sounds like the opening theme song to every stereotypical Spanish soap opera ever produced. “When people listen to this album, I want them to feel freedom, to feel easygoing,” Thalía says. “It’s an album about going to the beach with your friends, starting a fire, and playing the guitar and dancing. It’s about spending the day on the beach until nighttime and just having fun, enjoying the moment, and laughing about everything. That’s what Lunada is.”

This talk inevitably begs the question: What is Thalía’s idea of a perfect summer-vacation locale? “Beautiful white sand, turquoise oceans, laying down with an umbrella over my head and feeling the sun on my legs and having a delicious Bahama Mama on my side and hearing music from a bar far, far away and hearing the ocean. Maybe it’s Tahiti or Mexico or the Philippines. Wherever they have this place, I’m in.”

Thalia unveils new album 'Lunada'

Source: mercurynews.com - June 18, 2008
By: Sigal Ratner-Arias (AP Writer)
Photos: Jeff Christensen
TW: Correspondent: Luisa

NEW YORK—Thalia started to give birth to her new album while she was eight months' pregnant with her daughter. "I had had it," the singer told The Associated Press before a party Tuesday at a Manhattan nightclub to unveil her new work. "And the only thing I could think about were bikinis, suntan lotion, beer and the beach. "So I began to think to myself, 'Hey! What was that song I liked last summer in Argentina? "Sangre Caliente" ("Hot blood")!' And when I went with my friends to (the Mexican beach resort of) Ixtapa, which one was it? That's right! The one by Juan Gabriel!' ... That's how 'Lunada' was born."

"Lunada" features 11 cuts, most notably the single "Ten Paciencia," or "Have Patience." It includes both new songs such as "Bendita" ("Blessed")—which she composed for her now 8-month-old daughter Sabrina Sakae—and new versions of old classics: "Insensible" ("Insensitive") by Juan Gabriel and "Isla Para Dos" ("Island for Two") by Nano Cabrera. Co-produced by Emilio Estefan, it goes on sale next week. "Blessed" (TW Note: the original Spanish title is Bendita) came to her while she was in a car en route to the recording studio. "I started to feel in my heart the words and the melody that it had to have. I began to write it on a napkin—to write it and write it and write it—and I arrived at the studio and ... I began to sing it."

The 36-year-old singer—who has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and whose hits include "Amor a la Mexicana" ("Love Mexican Style") and "Piel Morena" ("Brown Skin")—said she has become a lot calmer since she became a mother."I think that, in general, I'm more relaxed. I'm less compulsive than I used to be, less of an obsessive worker. Now I enjoy myself and just try to relax and wait. What's gonna happen in life will happen. Don't chase it! Everything will come whenever it has to come." Thalia, who married 58-year-old music executive Tommy Mottola seven years ago, said balancing family and career is a question of priorities."You have to know which are your priorities, and it's so clear (to me): My family is No. 1," she said.Asked how she maintains her relationship with Mottola, she replied:"It is just like a relationship made in heaven, seriously. We are partners. We are very much the same. We like the same things, we do the same stuff, we like the same food, we just have a good time all the time. We respect each other, we respect our dreams, our careers, our things and we share life in a great way."

Thalia Tapped For Mobile Campaign

Source: Digital and Mobile Latin - June 6, 2008
By: Ayala Ben-Yehuda
TW Correspondent: Tonchi

AT&T is featuring pop star Thalia in a TV commercial directed by producer Emilio Estefan. The ad, which airs nationally on Spanish-language networks and cable, is part of the carrier's "Best Coverage" campaign. It features Thalia at a video shoot touting the wireless service while her new single "Ten Paciencia" is playing.

The AT&T campaign with Thalia also includes local radio spots in 10 markets and local television in 24 markets. The "Ten Paciencia" ringtone is the subject of a national online promotion.

Other elements of the campaign running through the fall include in-store Thalia posters at AT&T stores and specially-created TV spots for Telemundo's broadcasts of the Mexican national team's soccer games. Those will also air on big screens at the exhibition games played in the U.S.; they feature Thalia wearing a Mexico soccer jersey and a text code for downloading the "Ten Paciencia" ringtone.

Thalia's next album, "Lunada," is due on EMI Televisa June 24.

Thalia Wired To Motherhood

Source: Daily News / Latino - April 5, 2008
By: Angela Gonzalez
TW Correspondent: Luisa

Mexican pop star Thalia has successfully crossed over into the media world. Her Internet radio show, “Conexión Thalia,” on ABC Radio, just celebrated its first anniversary. But Thalia, 36, is understandably much more excited with another celebration: Her daughter Sabrina Sakae will turn 6 months next Monday. “If you see pictures of the baby, she looks just like me ... her cheeks, her eyes, her little nose,” said the proud mom. “Although, if you look closely, sometimes her eyes look like her father’s.” Sabrina Sakae is the firstborn of Thalia Sodi and music mogul Tommy Mottola’s seven-year marriage. “She’s very big for her age,” says the singer-actress. “She’s a very happy child. As soon as she wakes up, she starts laughing. She even laughs when she tries to stand on her feet and walk.”

Thanks to her Saturday morning two-hour radio program, Thalia has stayed connected to her fans through her pregnancy. “This project started before I got pregnant,” she says. “Afterwards, I decided to keep it going so I could stay in touch with people.” The show also has introduced her to the exclusive group of Latinas hosting shows in the ABC Radio Networks en Español, along with María Celeste Ararás’ “Celebrating the Healthy Life With María Celeste,” and María Marín’s “Tu Vida es Mi Vida.” “Since I’m not a journalist, I talk about issues that encourage an interchange of ideas through conversation, while also being entertaining,” says Thalia.

In June, the star of the novela “María la del Barrio” will release her new CD, produced by Emilio Estefan and Adrian Posse. “I call it a summer album,” she says. “It’s very danceable and totally great.” Also, she’s preparing the followup of her book on beauty care, “Thalia: Belleza!” which will focus on staying beautiful during pregnancy. “It will have lots of pictures that I took when I was pregnant. It will be a sort of guide for all future moms to stay pretty.” Her tips may come in handy for her niece, the actress Camila Sodi, who’s pregnant from her husband, Mexican actor Diego Luna. “I know she’s so happy,” says Thalia. “Honestly, those are the most beautiful moments in any women’s life.”