The unsung heroine of Spanish pop - Marta Sanchez

Marta Sánchez would be the queen of Spanish pop were it not for the fact that she is often regarded as a mere second rate singer with well-produced songs. Obviously, this is an unfair judgment made by people who deliberately choose to overlook Marta's notable vocal abilities, her excellent work as a composer and her impeccable musical choices; simply put, Marta Sánchez should reign supreme in the world of Spanish pop. Few people can compare themselves to her in terms of quality and sheer charisma - I would even go so far as to say that only Mónica Naranjo can be considered her equal, and even though I would say that Mónica has an infinitely better voice (you can’t even compare), Marta has crafted the classier and more enduring image.

However, those who dismiss her do have a valid argument: at the beginning of her career, Marta's willingness to do anything as long as it made her the object of everyone's attention (which included less than impressive displays of Bimbo level imbecility and a sordid naked spread in Spain's most successful tabloid), almost destroyed her career and cast serious doubts over her credibility as an artist. But let me start properly :-)

Born to a celebrated operatic bass and a homemaker, Marta's childhood was pretty ordinary. At fourteen she dropped out of school and decided to devote all her efforts to become a successful singer, which she managed to do when she substituted the lead singer of Olé Olé, one of Spain's most successful pop groups ever. All of a sudden, Marta became the sex symbol of the eighties in Spain and her fame overshadowed the group's - to the point when everyone started tipping her for solo stardom. But things were not going to be so easy! No no no! Unfortunately for Marta, audiences are fickle: what seemed the beginning of the end for her, was a totally tacky trip to entertain the laughable military delegation that Spain sent to the Gulf War, for which she was generally ridiculed. To make matters worse, she then gave in to the pressure of showing off her, ehem, ‘lady bits’ in a horrid page three-styled photo spread and was criticized for her droopy bosom (yes, that’s how low things fell for her :-( ). All of a sudden, her fame seemed to have vanished into the air, and everyone assumed she was going to be forgotten. That was it for her...



Or maybe not! I suppose that, terrified at being given a kick in the arse and fall back to being a struggling starlet, Marta worked hard on improving her voice and making the best début solo album she possibly could. Her efforts paid off, and her début single Desesperada/Desperate (which has an English version called Desperate Lovers) not only was a massive success, but became a classic and turned her into a household name. Since then, Marta has gone from strength to strength and all of her albums have had enormous - and well-deserved - success. Never one to rest on her laurels, she's been extremely careful with every single one of her releases, looking for good quality material and a little class and originality that set her apart from everyone else... Which she has managed to do splendidly – even if these days she is in no condition to show off her lady charms. ;-p

So here's the selection I've made but, before, please go to buy her records here or here :-).

Amor Perdido/Lost Love

This is one of my favourite songs ever. Even though the arrangement is uneven and it obscures Marta’s voice with a faux-Gospel chorus at the end of the song, the melody is simply magical. It begins very slowly, delicately flows into a barely-there crescendo and suddenly opens into the chorus, which appears out of nowhere like a shot of light. Needless to say, this is a ballad! :-D The message that the lyrics convey is extremely sad, expressing at the same time hope in an uncertain future and the certainty of an almost lost happiness that could never be… Beautiful! Video of a 'live' performance.

Desconocida/The Unknown One

This is one of Marta’s greatest hits, from her fourth album in 1998, of the same name. Before everyone started exploiting... er, I mean, raving about Hindu culture and sitar-laced musical ornamentation, she released this very interesting track, which manages to be exotic without sounding alien in any way at all, and was far ahead of most by at least two years. It is also very danceable, of course! The chorus is particularly nice, and I can assure that you’ll feel the need to sing along. Video.

Soy Yo/It's Me

This is the title track for her latest proper album, from 2002. It has also been her penultimate great hit before a soporific ballad she dedicated to her deceased sister (I am not criticizing her for this - I am truly sorry for the loss of her sister, but that song was, strangely enough, her only shit single). This was written and produced by Paul Barry and Mark Taylor from Metro. Which explains why it was so big, I guess. It’s a very upbeat, cheerful song about re-asserting one’s independence after an unhappy relationship (it could be best described as Marta’s ‘Believe’, in short). Video.

Dime La Verdad/Tell Me The Truth

This was the most successful single of Marta’s second album, Mi Mundo/My World (1995). Which means it was enormous! It is reminiscent of Madonna’s Secret, even though the instrumentation is a bit more prominent and the tempo is considerably faster – it is also much more beautiful, with a sinuous, alluring melody and Marta showcasing a very polished lower range. Video. Enjoy!