The year was 1995, a time of change and transition for salsa. In the midst of this panorama, two titans of the genre, Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, announced the launch of their latest studio recording collaboration: After the storm. From this production, ten songs emerge, but television talent It would become the emblematic success of the ‘Bad Guy from the Bronx’ as a solo artist.
The Latin music industry was undergoing major changes. Salsa, which once dominated the charts in the 70s and early 80s, had lost ground to the proposals of new labels and transnational companies that were betting on different Latin genres.
Sony Music, aware of the potential that the collaboration between Colón and Blades meant, managed to bring them together for the recording of the album. However, there is a myth that the studio sessions were individual; the egos and differences between the two salsa icons would have made it impossible for them both to see each other.
The truth is Ruben Blades He had already consolidated a successful career as a soloist with productions such as Searching for America either Sceneswhile Willie Colon had conquered the dial with hits like Idyll, Gypsy either The Great Man.
Sony Music executives had high expectations for After the stormhoping to repeat the success of previous collaborations such as Putting hand, Sowing either teacher life. Although this time, both Rubén and Willie would have greater participation in the selection of the songs that they had to print with their vocal label.
However, despite the company’s promotional efforts, the release of the self-titled single fell short of expectations. The song failed to generate the expected interest and, as a result, the label decided to abandon promotional work for the album.
The phenomenon of television talent
Despite this setback, After the storm has become a salsa classic over time, especially due to the great impact it achieved. television talent, a song that – beyond all predictions – continues to generate great profits for its composer, the Venezuelan artist, Amílcar Boscán.
The history of the song begins in the mid-nineties, when Willie Colon saw the need to record a hit for the new album with Ruben Blades.
“At that time, Willie Colón called me and told me that he had a very important album with Rubén Blades – that they were doing it together, but not mixed together – and that he needed a hit. With all my heart, I gave him (Willie) such a hit. song,” reveals the composer on his YouTube channel.
Who is it inspired by? television talent?
Hamilcar Boscan He says that he observed the daily phenomena that were broadcast on television in his country. Inspired by the frequent appearance of an Argentine star on the popular television show Sensational Saturdaythe composer saw the opportunity to capture the essence of this experience in a song.
“I saw that the Argentine model named ‘Yuyito’ was a woman with many physical attributes, but with little ear for salsa. She, according to my considerations, had a lot of talent for other dance disciplines, but for tropical music, especially For the sauce, I saw it as quite lacking,” he comments.
Although television talent entered into popular taste, it was not without controversy. She recently came under fire for being considered sexist and misogynistic. However, from new platforms, the song has found a new audience among salsa fans.
“This song not only has an implicit merit in its lyrics, but the person who recorded it turned out to be the living legend of salsa, the maestro Willie Colongenius and figure until the grave,” highlights Boscán.
television talent continues to generate great profits for the Venezuelan author.
“This song still generates income through the association of composers to which I belong and through the digital rights that Willie Colón music, the publisher to whom I signed the work, declares semiannually and quarterly,” he said.
In the song you can also hear Ruben Blades doing the catchy choruses: ‘She has no talent, but she is a very good girl, she has a good body and she is something else. Very powerful on television, she has a butt that causes a sensation’…
In the following video you can see one of the presentations of ‘Yuyito‘ in the program Sensational Saturday.
