Manos al Aire
Encyclopedia
"Manos al Aire" is a Latin pop
song recorded by Canadian
recording artist Nelly Furtado
. Written by Furtado, Alex Cuba
and James Bryan, it was produced by Furtado and Bryan for the former's fourth studio album
, Mi Plan
(2009). The song, which translates to "Hands in the Air" or "I surrender", is about "surrendering to love, and vulnerability", as Furtado put it. She felt that the song could only be sung in Spanish because it would be a "train-wreck" if it were sung in English because of the complexity of the lyrics.
It was released by Universal Music Latino
as the first single to worldwide radio on June 29, 2009. "Manos al Aire" reached number-one on the US Billboard
Latin Songs
chart, becoming Furtado's first number-one song on the chart as a lead artist. Furtado also became the first North American act to have an originally written Spanish song to reach number-one on the chart. It peaked at number two in Germany, Czech Republic and Italy. It also peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and Spain. The music video
of the song was filmed in Toronto
and it portrayed Furtado as an angry lover who, during the video, throws away personal belongings and items, and removing articles of clothing which symbolizes her letting her guard down and surrendering to love.
song with "a slice of pop/rock
with twangy guitars, tight drums and terrific breathy vocals" and has acoustic and dance
influences The song's title translates to "Hands in the Air" or "I Surrender". Furtado told MTV
that the song is about "surrendering to love, and vulnerability ... and it talks about the dynamic of a relationship and the everyday fight to be a couple". Furtado felt that the emotions that the lyrics portray could only be expressed in Spanish because, as she put it: "There's a complexity going on there that would be a bit of a train-wreck in English." In an interview with Mayor Nissim, of Digital Spy
, she further explained the conception of the song. She said that the song's protagonist feels angry but during the chorus says, as she put it, "My hands are in the air, let's work this out". Furtado also felt that if the song was performed in English, she would be labelled "furious or sappy" because of the content. It was recorded by Bryan at the Rumblecone Studios and The Orange Lounge in Toronto, Canada
, and mixed
by Demacio "Demo" Castellón.
said: "the fact that 'Manos' and several other songs feature rather Americanised production can prevent them from completely hitting the mark - sad to say, but Furtado's tunes don't always get the Spanish wallop her vocals deserve." Leila Cobo
stated that the song "doesn't set the tone for the album, which balances intimacy with commercial appeal."
Michael Cragg, of musicOMH
, called the song "a catchy blend of rock guitars and pattering beats". He also wrote that the chorus-line is "one of the few that genuinely stick in the mind".
Hot Latin Songs
chart, it ascended from number 30 to number 13. After two weeks at number two, "Manos al Aire" replaced Shakira
's "Loba
" at number-one the Billboard Latin Songs chart, during the week dated September 12, 2009. It became Furtado's first number one song as a lead artist, and her second since Juanes
' "Fotografía
" topped the chart in 2002. Shakira's "Loba" had regained its place at number-one, ending the song's four week stint at the top spot.
In Italy, "Manos al Aire" debuted at number two and remained at the spot for two consecutive weeks. After it fluctuated down the chart, it climbed up back into the top ten and remained for four week until it left the chart three weeks later. The song peaked at number nine for two consecutive weeks, after spending ten weeks on the chart in Spain.
for "Manos al Aire" was filmed in June 2009 in Toronto, Canada and premiered on July 29, 2009. It was released to Apple's iTunes Store
on August 3, 2009. In the beginning of the video, Furtado is shown driving an army jeep and sporting army gear, all of which she said represents her character's strong ego. As the video progresses, Furtado is shown throwing items and personal belongings out of the Army truck. These belongings are symbolized as her "emotional" weapons. In another scene, Furtado departs from the truck, and begins walking down a street. She also begins shedding her army gear and getting rid of her purse and other articles of clothing, all of which symbolizes letting her guard and defenses down. As the video comes to a conclusion, Furtado, who is vulnerable, shows up to her boyfriend's frontdoor, who greets her with the same defenseless attitude. Per Furtado's request, the video features English subtitles for viewers. The lyrics in the English subtitles for the video are not literal translations, they are an English interpretation of the song, which Furtado herself had written.
German 4-Track Single
}
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! scope="row"|Austria
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| Digital download, maxi-single
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! scope="row"|Italy
|
| Digital download
|-
! scope="row"|Germany
|
| CD single
|-
! scope="row"|Belgium
|
| rowspan="5"|Remixes EP
| rowspan="5"|Universal Music Latino
|-
! scope="row"|Canada
| rowspan="2"|
|-
! scope="row"|United States
|-
! scope="row"|United Kingdom
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|-
! scope="row"|Portugal
|
|}
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
song recorded by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
recording artist Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
. Written by Furtado, Alex Cuba
Alex Cuba
Alexis Puentes , better known by his stage name Alex Cuba, is a Cuban-Canadian singer-songwriter who sings in Spanish and English. He has won two Juno Awards for World Music Album of the Year: in 2006 for Humo De Tabaco, and in 2008 for his second album, Agua Del Pozo...
and James Bryan, it was produced by Furtado and Bryan for the former's fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Mi Plan
Mi Plan
Mi Plan is the fourth studio album by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado and the first she has released in Spanish. It was first released on September 11, 2009 by Furtado's own record label, Nelstar Entertainment...
(2009). The song, which translates to "Hands in the Air" or "I surrender", is about "surrendering to love, and vulnerability", as Furtado put it. She felt that the song could only be sung in Spanish because it would be a "train-wreck" if it were sung in English because of the complexity of the lyrics.
It was released by Universal Music Latino
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Universal Music Latin Entertainment is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. The music label was created with the acquisition of Univision Music Group and combining it with Universal's top Latin artists, along with much of the Latin back catalog of UMG.UMLE includes famous Latin music...
as the first single to worldwide radio on June 29, 2009. "Manos al Aire" reached number-one on the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
chart, becoming Furtado's first number-one song on the chart as a lead artist. Furtado also became the first North American act to have an originally written Spanish song to reach number-one on the chart. It peaked at number two in Germany, Czech Republic and Italy. It also peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and Spain. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of the song was filmed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and it portrayed Furtado as an angry lover who, during the video, throws away personal belongings and items, and removing articles of clothing which symbolizes her letting her guard down and surrendering to love.
Background and writing
"Manos al Aire" was co-written by Nelly Furtado, James Bryan and Alex Cuba, and produced by Furtado and Bryan. It is a Latin popLatin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
song with "a slice of pop/rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
with twangy guitars, tight drums and terrific breathy vocals" and has acoustic and dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
influences The song's title translates to "Hands in the Air" or "I Surrender". Furtado told MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
that the song is about "surrendering to love, and vulnerability ... and it talks about the dynamic of a relationship and the everyday fight to be a couple". Furtado felt that the emotions that the lyrics portray could only be expressed in Spanish because, as she put it: "There's a complexity going on there that would be a bit of a train-wreck in English." In an interview with Mayor Nissim, of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, she further explained the conception of the song. She said that the song's protagonist feels angry but during the chorus says, as she put it, "My hands are in the air, let's work this out". Furtado also felt that if the song was performed in English, she would be labelled "furious or sappy" because of the content. It was recorded by Bryan at the Rumblecone Studios and The Orange Lounge in Toronto, Canada
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and mixed
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Demacio "Demo" Castellón.
Critical reception
Mayer Nissim of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
said: "the fact that 'Manos' and several other songs feature rather Americanised production can prevent them from completely hitting the mark - sad to say, but Furtado's tunes don't always get the Spanish wallop her vocals deserve." Leila Cobo
Leila Cobo
Leila Cobo is a Colombian television show host, a novelist, a pianist, and a journalist. She is noted for her coverage of Latin American music scene in America for magazines like Billboard, newspapers like Miami Herald and TV shows like Estudio Billboard on V-me.-Personal Life:Cobo was born in...
stated that the song "doesn't set the tone for the album, which balances intimacy with commercial appeal."
Michael Cragg, of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
, called the song "a catchy blend of rock guitars and pattering beats". He also wrote that the chorus-line is "one of the few that genuinely stick in the mind".
Chart performance
The single was well-received in the United States. During its third week on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
chart, it ascended from number 30 to number 13. After two weeks at number two, "Manos al Aire" replaced Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
's "Loba
She Wolf (song)
She Wolf is a song by Colombian singer–songwriter Shakira taken from her third English-language studio album of the same name. Shakira wrote and produced the track with John Hill, and Sam Endicott...
" at number-one the Billboard Latin Songs chart, during the week dated September 12, 2009. It became Furtado's first number one song as a lead artist, and her second since Juanes
Juanes
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez , better known as Juanes is a Colombian musician who was a member of heavy metal band Ekhymosis and is now a solo artist. In 2000, his solo debut album Fíjate Bien won three Latin Grammy Awards.Juanes has sold more than 13 million albums...
' "Fotografía
Fotografía
"Fotografía" is a song recorded by Juanes and Nelly Furtado for Juanes' second studio album, Un Día Normal .The duet, which was followed by another , was extremely commercially successful: it reached number one on the U.S...
" topped the chart in 2002. Shakira's "Loba" had regained its place at number-one, ending the song's four week stint at the top spot.
In Italy, "Manos al Aire" debuted at number two and remained at the spot for two consecutive weeks. After it fluctuated down the chart, it climbed up back into the top ten and remained for four week until it left the chart three weeks later. The song peaked at number nine for two consecutive weeks, after spending ten weeks on the chart in Spain.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Manos al Aire" was filmed in June 2009 in Toronto, Canada and premiered on July 29, 2009. It was released to Apple's iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
on August 3, 2009. In the beginning of the video, Furtado is shown driving an army jeep and sporting army gear, all of which she said represents her character's strong ego. As the video progresses, Furtado is shown throwing items and personal belongings out of the Army truck. These belongings are symbolized as her "emotional" weapons. In another scene, Furtado departs from the truck, and begins walking down a street. She also begins shedding her army gear and getting rid of her purse and other articles of clothing, all of which symbolizes letting her guard and defenses down. As the video comes to a conclusion, Furtado, who is vulnerable, shows up to her boyfriend's frontdoor, who greets her with the same defenseless attitude. Per Furtado's request, the video features English subtitles for viewers. The lyrics in the English subtitles for the video are not literal translations, they are an English interpretation of the song, which Furtado herself had written.
Track listing
German 2-Track Single- "Manos al Aire" — 3:28
- "Manos al Aire" (Robbie Rivera Radio Mix) — 3:35
German 4-Track Single
- "Manos al Aire" — 3:28
- "Manos al Aire" (Robbie Rivera Radio Mix) — 3:35
- "Manos al Aire" (Robbie Rivera Juicy Mix) — 7:07
- "Manos al Aire" (Robbie Rivera Radio Mix Instrumental) — 3:33
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the Mi Plan liner notes.- Nelly Furtado – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- James Bryan – producer, recording engineer, drum programmingDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, keyboards - Demacio "Demo" Castellón – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Dan Warner – additional guitar, bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
- The Demolition Crew – co-producer
- Michael Anthony – additional drum programming
- Nick Banns – string arrangements
- Daniel Stone – percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Jason "Metal" Donkersgoed – assistant mixing
- Ron Taylor – digital editing
- Chris Gerhinger – mastering
Weekly charts
| Chart (2009–10) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Latin Tropical Songs Latin Tropical Airplay The Tropical Songs is a record chart published on Billboard magazine established in 1994 with the first number-one song to be published was "En Las Nubes" by Edgar Joel. It features Latin music information from tropical music such as salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, and vallenato... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
44 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
35 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 56 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 24 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
51 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks Hot Latin Songs Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song... |
15 |
Radio and release dates
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Universal Music Latino Universal Music Latin Entertainment Universal Music Latin Entertainment is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. The music label was created with the acquisition of Univision Music Group and combining it with Universal's top Latin artists, along with much of the Latin back catalog of UMG.UMLE includes famous Latin music... |
|
| Worldwide | Official radio premier | ||
| Belgium | Digital download | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
|
| France | |||
| Portugal | |||
| Switzerland | |||
| Spain |
|-
! scope="row"|Austria
|
| Digital download, maxi-single
|-
! scope="row"|Italy
|
| Digital download
|-
! scope="row"|Germany
|
| CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
|-
! scope="row"|Belgium
|
| rowspan="5"|Remixes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
| rowspan="5"|Universal Music Latino
|-
! scope="row"|Canada
| rowspan="2"|
|-
! scope="row"|United States
|-
! scope="row"|United Kingdom
|
|-
! scope="row"|Portugal
|
|}
External links
- "Manos al Aire" at VEVOVevoVevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...