Fonseca the latest export from vibrant Colombian scene

MIAMI (Billboard) - Given the international success of such artists as Shakira and Juanes, it is by now pretty much established that Colombian music -- even at its most regional -- has possibilities abroad.

The latest Colombian artist to get a heavy international push is singer/songwriter Fonseca, a native of Bogota, whose mix of vallenato and cumbia fused with pop, jazz and world beats alternates between sophisticated and eminently mainstream.

His breakthrough was "Te Mando Flores," the first single off "Corazon," his EMI Latin debut. (Fonseca had a previous album on independent label Lideres.) The song spent 22 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Colombia's radio charts last year, propelling sales of "Corazon" in that country and making Fonseca an exportable commodity.

Now, EMI is pushing Fonseca in the United States, following his success in Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru. Although single "Te Mando Flores" has yet to chart on Billboard's lists, it is probably only a matter of time before it does. Fonseca has a similar sound to that of countrymates Juanes, Carlos Vives and Jorge Villamizar (of Bacilos), coupled with a distinctive voice.

"Flores," which combines dance rhythms with a strong sense of yearning, centers on a far-away lover who can send flowers only in his dreams. Behind the song is a quirky story.

Fonseca wrote it between record deals while he was a contestant on a Colombian reality show called "La Granja" (The Farm).

"Wow, I've never told this story," he says with a laugh. "They told me I could take my guitar with me, and I spent all my free time with my guitar. When you're in a reality show, you're totally isolated. My girlfriend was in Spain, and I don't know what came over me, and I wrote that song."

"I've had an evolution toward vallenato," says Fonseca, whose sound was initially far more pop. "I always liked it, but it was a bit foreign to me. Then, I heard 'Clasicos de la Provincia' (Vives' breakthrough album) and my (thoughts) changed. I heard the music in a different way."

Although Fonseca says he would never dare call himself a vallenatero, he has received support from that musical community based on Colombia's Atlantic coast.

Perhaps more important, he sees a real Colombian movement developing, emboldened by the international success of Shakira and Juanes.

"I no longer see it as an unattainable goal," he says of worldwide acclaim, noting that these days merely being Colombian opens doors for radio and TV promotion.

However, he adds, "It's also a dangerous moment. We don't want to be repetitive, or else we'll bury ourselves. I'm confident in what I can do with this album. Here, I want to take my first, firm step. I don't want to be the guy who came, sang one little song and left."

Reuters/Billboard

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