Esperanza (Enrique Iglesias song)
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Esperanza
| cover = Esperanza (song).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Enrique Iglesias
| album = Cosas del Amor
| released = {{Start date|1998|09|07|df=yes}}
| recorded = 1998
| studio = Ocean Way Recording
(Los Angeles, California)
| genre =
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=11}}
| label = Fonovisa
| writer =
- Enrique Iglesias
- Chein García-Alonso
| producer = Rafael Pérez-Botija
| prev_title = Al Despertar
| prev_year = 1998
| next_title = Nunca Te Olvidaré
| next_year = 1999
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Aw_uVY0xS8E|"Esperanza"}}
| type = single
}}}}
"Esperanza" (English: "Hope") is a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias for his third studio album Cosas del Amor (1998). It was co-written by Iglesias and Chein García-Alonso with Rafael Pérez-Botija handling its production. A power ballad, it is a confessional song of love and forgiveness. Upon "Esperanza"'s release, one reviewer lauded Iglesias's vocals and the song's arrangements while another found it too similar to his debut single "Si Tú Te Vas". Filmed in Malibu, California, the accompanying music video for "Esperanza" was directed by Emmanuel Lubezki, which won Video of the Year at the 11th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1999. "Esperanza" also won "Song of the Year" and an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Latin Award in the same year. Commercially, it reached number one in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama as well as the Billboard Hot Latin Songs and Latin Pop Airplay charts in the United States, while becoming a top-five hit in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador.
Background and composition
On 30 July 1998, Iglesias announced that he was recording his third studio album, Cosas del Amor, at Ocean Way Recording in Los Angeles, California. It was produced by Spanish producer Rafael Pérez-Botija, who had previously worked with Iglesias on his past records.{{cite news |title=Enrique Iglesias regresa feliz a Miami |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/641728627/ |access-date=16 November 2021 |work=El Nuevo Heraldo |date=30 July 1998 |language=es|url-access=subscription|trans-title=Enrique Iglesias happily returns to Miami}} Cosas del Amor, which was released on 22 September 1998,{{cite web |title=Cosas del Amor Enrique Iglesias {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/cosas-del-amor-mw0000044625 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=16 November 2021}} features a collection of power ballads. One of the ballads from the album, "Esperanza", was written by Iglesias and Chein Alonso Garcia and is a "confessional song of forgiveness and love".{{cite news |last1=Guerra |first1=Joey |title=The 'I's Have It: Iglesias, Isaak Produce Standouts |work=Houston Chronicle |date=4 October 1998 |page=6|quote=It's a confessional song of forgiveness and love, highlighted by Iglesias' nuanced vocal style and a winsome arrangement.}} The song was later included on Iglesias's compilation albums The Best Hits (1999) and the deluxe edition of Enrique Iglesias: 95/08 Éxitos (2008).{{cite web |title=The Best Hits – Enrique Iglesias {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-hits-mw0000603749 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-date=14 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414214013/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-hits-mw0000603749 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Farias |first1=Andree |title=UNO: 95/08 – Enrique Iglesias {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/uno-95-08-mw0002407652 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-date=15 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015001104/https://www.allmusic.com/album/uno-95-08-mw0002407652 |url-status=live }}
Promotion and reception
"Esperanza" was released as the lead single from the album on 7 September 1998 by Fonovisa Records.{{cite news |title=Compases de esperanza |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/641725670/ |access-date=24 October 2021 |work=El Nuevo Herald |date=4 September 1998 |page=2A |language=es |quote=El cantante Enrique Iglesias hará el estreno mundial de su nueva canción, Esperanza, el próximo lunes..|url-access=subscription|trans-title=Compass of Hope}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Esperanza|others=Enrique Iglesias |date=1998 |type=CD single liner notes |publisher=Fonovisa| location=United States}} Its music video was filmed in Malibu, California and directed by Emmanuel Lubezki.{{cite news |title=Enrique Iglesias lanza espectacularmente su tercer álbum 'Cosas del amor' |url=http://h.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToSaveGifMSIE_ELSIGLO&Type=text/html&Locale=spanish-skin-custom&Path=EDT/1998/09/20&ChunkNum=-1&ID=Ar05915&PageLabel=117 |access-date=16 November 2021 |work=El Siglo de Torreón |date=20 September 1998 |page=117 |language=es|trans-title=Enrique Iglesias spectacularly releases his third album 'Cosas del Amor'}}{{cite web |title=Enrique Iglesias presentará su nuevo disco en Acapulco |url=http://h.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:LowLevelEntityToSaveGifMSIE_ELSIGLO&Type=text/html&Locale=spanish-skin-custom&Path=EDT/1998/09/20&ChunkNum=-1&ID=Ar05600&PageLabel=111 |website=El Siglo de Torreón |access-date=16 November 2021 |page=20 September 1998 |language=es |date=111|trans-title=Enrique Iglesias will present his new album in Acapulco}} The video features Argentine model Inés Rivero, whom Iglesias is attempting to resuscitate after drowning while also reminiscing about the past with her.{{cite AV media |people=Iglesias, Enrique |date=1998 |title=Esperanza |type=online video|language=es |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_uVY0xS8E |access-date=16 November 2021 |location=Malibu, California |publisher=YouTube}} It won Video of the Year at the 11th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1999.{{cite web |url=http://i.univision.com/contentuvn/rinconlatino/plnuestro/images/index_historia.swf|title=Lo Nuestro – Historia |language=Spanish |work=Univision |publisher=Univision Communications|access-date=8 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626102925/http://i.univision.com/contentuvn/rinconlatino/plnuestro/images/index_historia.swf|archive-date=26 June 2015|trans-title=Lo Nuestro – History}} Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle praised Iglesias's "nuanced vocal" style and the song's "winsome" arrangement; however, Russell McCrory from The Monitor was less favorable towards the track, where he felt that "Esperanza" was too similar to his 1995 debut single "Si Tú Te Vas".{{cite news |last1=McCrory |first1=Russell |title=Enrique Iglesias Soars on 'Amor' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/330481724/ |access-date=16 November 2021 |work=The Monitor |date=16 October 1998 |page=7F|url-access=subscription}} The single received the Song of the Year award at the inaugural Ritmo Music Awards in 1999,{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74|title=Ritmo Winners Chosen Martin, Gabriel, Shakira Are Tops|last=Lannert|first=John|magazine=Billboard|date=October 30, 1999|access-date=August 25, 2013|issn=0006-2510|page=74}} and was recognized as one of the best-performing songs of the year on the Pop/Ballad field at the ASCAP Latin Awards.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55|title=Congratulations to the 1999 El Premio ASCAP Award Winners|magazine=Billboard|volume=111|issue=26|page=55|date=June 26, 1999|access-date=June 14, 2013|archive-date=June 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623231544/https://books.google.com/books?id=CQ0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA1&pg=PA55|url-status=live}} "Esperanza" was included on the set list of Iglesias's second world tour—the Cosas del Amor Tour, where he embarked on the same year.{{cite news |last1=Cabrera |first1=Cloe |title=Enrique Iglesias Romances Screaming, Swooning Crowd |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/340947491/ |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=Tampa Tribune |date=24 January 1999 |page=4|url-access=subscription}}{{cite web |title=Latin Music Stars Shine with McDonald's(R) at Fiesta Broadway |url=https://hispanicprwire.com/en/las-estrellas-de-la-musica-latina-brillan-con-mcdonaldsr-en-fiesta-broadway/ |publisher=Hispanic PR Wire |access-date=22 December 2021 |date=11 May 2004 |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720220411/https://hispanicprwire.com/en/las-estrellas-de-la-musica-latina-brillan-con-mcdonaldsr-en-fiesta-broadway/ |url-status=dead }}
Commercially in Latin America, it reached number one in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama, and was a top-five hit in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras. In the US, "Esperanza" debuted at number four on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart on the week of 26 September 1998.{{cite magazine|title=Hot Latin Songs: The Week of September 26, 1998|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/latin-songs/1998-09-26|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=24 October 2021|date=26 September 1998}} It reached the number one position on the chart in the week of 24 October 1998 following the chart's two week hiatus due to damage to the Broadcast Data Systems in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Georges.{{cite magazine|title=Hot Latin Songs: The Week of October 24, 1998|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/latin-songs/1998-10-24|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=24 October 2021|date=24 October 1998}}{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55|last1=Lannert|first1=John|title=Latin Notas|magazine=Billboard|date=October 24, 1998|volume=110|issue=43|page=55|issn=0006-2510|accessdate=June 15, 2021}} It spent four consecutive weeks in this position before being replaced by Shakira's song "Ciega, Sordomuda".{{cite magazine|title=Hot Latin Songs – 1998 Archive|url=http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1998/latin-songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=January 25, 2017|archive-date=January 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109184055/http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1998/latin-songs|url-status=live}} The track additionally peaked atop the Latin Pop Airplay chart for four consecutive weeks.{{cite magazine|title=Latin Pop Songs – 1998 Archive|url=http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1998/latin-pop-songs|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=27 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202100608/http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1998/latin-pop-songs|url-status=live}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders " style="text-align:center;"
|+1998 year-end chart performance for "Eserpanza" |
scope="col"|Chart (1998)
!scope="col"|Position |
---|
scope="row"|US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=1998: The Year in Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&q=romances|date=December 26, 1998|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 30, 2013|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-66|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921170117/https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw0EAAAAMBAJ&q=romances|url-status=live}}
|27 |
scope="row"|US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)
|15 |
{{col-end}}
Track listing
European CD single{{cite AV media notes |title=Esperanza|others=Enrique Iglesias |date=1998 |type=CD single liner notes |publisher=Universal Music Group| location=Europe}}
- "Esperanza" — 3:12
- "Viviré y Moriré" — 4:04
- "Revolución" — 3:55
- "Por Amarte" — 4:05
- "Esperanza" (Fernando's Club Mix) — 6:18
- "Esperanza" (Fernando's Dub Mix) — 5:19
- "Esperanza" (Fernando's radio edit) — 4:08
- "Esperanza" (album version) — 3:09
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Enrique Iglesias singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Enrique Iglesias songs
Category:Songs written by Enrique Iglesias