Monchy y Alexandra
Encyclopedia
Monchy y Alexandra were a bachata musical group from the Dominican Republic
. They sang together as a duo beginning in 1999. Their first big hit was "Hoja en Blanco
", which they released in 1999. Since then, they had many other hits, such as "Hasta El Fin" and "Perdidos", both from their 2004 album "Hasta El Fin", as well as "No Es Una Novela" from their 2006 "Éxitos y Más" album. They have been often credited with being instrumental in popularizing bachata music outside of the Dominican Republic.
Alexandra (full name Alexandra Cabrera de la Cruz, born 19 October 1978 in Saint Domingue) was attending a university in 1998, but her studies were put on hold when the opportunity arose to audition for arranger/producer Martires De Leon and executive producer Victor Reyes, who were looking for someone to pair with Monchy. Alexandra won and began the duo that would become Monchy & Alexandra.
in April 2001, after their single "Hoja en Blanco" began to finally climb the Billboard charts in the US.
According to Monchy, the duo waited two years before releasing their next album in order to "put out something superior to Hoja en Blanco". Label executives from J&N worked to improve the odds for commercial success for the second album. Their marketing efforts included a $300,000 national TV advertising campaign for Puerto Rico and the U.S. (consisting of 30 and 60second spots) and a $17,000 video filmed in Miami. This marketing campaign was the first such for a bachata group, prior to that all marketing had concentrated on compilation albums. The album was released on March 5, 2002. The album's lead single "Te Quiero Igual que Ayer" was written by the same composer, Wilfran Castillo, that penned "Hoja en Blanco." The song peaked at number 23 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks, and reached number four on Billboard's Tropical/Salsa Airplay chart.
In 2005, the duo performed with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres
, He Venido A Pedirte Perdon, on an album contributing to Mexican singer, Juan Gabriel
.
, Premios Cassandra, Premios Lo Nuestro and a Latin Grammy
. The duo has achieved a large amount of success in a relatively short amount of time.
In 2003, the duo received its first major awards, "Tropical Album of the Year, Duo or Group" (for Confesiones) and "Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group" (for "Te Quiero Igual Que Ayer") from the Billboard Latin Music Awards. The pair also won the Tropical Album of the Year award for Éxitos y Más (Hits and More) and the Tropical Song of the Year prize for "No Es Una Novela" (It's Not a Novela
) at the 2007 Premios Lo Nuestro ceremony.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. They sang together as a duo beginning in 1999. Their first big hit was "Hoja en Blanco
Hoja en Blanco
Hoja en Blanco is Monchy and Alexandra's first full length album. The album contains the hit single, 'Hoja en Blanco'.-Track listing:#Hoja En Blanco#Pasión#En El Muelle de San Blas#Llorando Penas#No Hice Nada#De Olvidarla Me Olvidé#No Puedo Vivir Así...
", which they released in 1999. Since then, they had many other hits, such as "Hasta El Fin" and "Perdidos", both from their 2004 album "Hasta El Fin", as well as "No Es Una Novela" from their 2006 "Éxitos y Más" album. They have been often credited with being instrumental in popularizing bachata music outside of the Dominican Republic.
Formation
Monchy (real name Ramón Rijo , born 19 September 1977 in La Romana) first performed in a group in the Dominican Republic, which earned him a place in the recording of the Bachatazos series of releases.Alexandra (full name Alexandra Cabrera de la Cruz, born 19 October 1978 in Saint Domingue) was attending a university in 1998, but her studies were put on hold when the opportunity arose to audition for arranger/producer Martires De Leon and executive producer Victor Reyes, who were looking for someone to pair with Monchy. Alexandra won and began the duo that would become Monchy & Alexandra.
Success
Monchy y Alexandra released the album "Hoja en Blanco" in 2000. Promotion of the album was slowed by visa problems and unauthorized cover versions. Even so, slowly, requests for the song began to flood into Miami, leading tropical radio stations WXDJ and WRTO to launch Sunday-afternoon bachata programs and to incorporate the music style into their regular programming. Miami station WXDJ even added the word "bachata" to its slogan. They were the first bachata act to perform on the show Sabado GiganteSábado Gigante
Sábado Gigante is a Spanish-language television show that is Univision's longest-running program and the longest-running variety TV show in the world. Sábado Gigante is an eclectic and frenetic mix of various contests, human-interest stories, and live entertainment...
in April 2001, after their single "Hoja en Blanco" began to finally climb the Billboard charts in the US.
According to Monchy, the duo waited two years before releasing their next album in order to "put out something superior to Hoja en Blanco". Label executives from J&N worked to improve the odds for commercial success for the second album. Their marketing efforts included a $300,000 national TV advertising campaign for Puerto Rico and the U.S. (consisting of 30 and 60second spots) and a $17,000 video filmed in Miami. This marketing campaign was the first such for a bachata group, prior to that all marketing had concentrated on compilation albums. The album was released on March 5, 2002. The album's lead single "Te Quiero Igual que Ayer" was written by the same composer, Wilfran Castillo, that penned "Hoja en Blanco." The song peaked at number 23 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks, and reached number four on Billboard's Tropical/Salsa Airplay chart.
In 2005, the duo performed with Salvadoran singer Álvaro Torres
Álvaro Torres
Álvaro Torres is a Salvadoran singer and songwriter. His current Record Label is Big Dream Christian Music located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.-Biography:...
, He Venido A Pedirte Perdon, on an album contributing to Mexican singer, Juan Gabriel
Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez , better known by his stage name Juan Gabriel , is a Mexican singer and songwriter who is one of the most famous living representatives of the Mexican ranchera, ballad, mariachi, and pop music....
.
Critical reception
Monchy & Alexandra have been recognized by some of the most prestigious organizations of the Hispanic music business. They have been nominated for the Billboard Latin Music AwardsBillboard Latin Music Awards
The Billboard Latin Music Awards grew out of the Billboard Music Awards program from Billboard Magazine, an industry publication charting the sales and radio airplay success of musical recordings. The awards began in 1990...
, Premios Cassandra, Premios Lo Nuestro and a Latin Grammy
Latin Grammy Awards
A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Unlike the regular Grammy Award which primarily honors music produced in the United States, the Latin Grammy honors works produced anywhere around the...
. The duo has achieved a large amount of success in a relatively short amount of time.
In 2003, the duo received its first major awards, "Tropical Album of the Year, Duo or Group" (for Confesiones) and "Tropical Airplay Song of the Year, Duo or Group" (for "Te Quiero Igual Que Ayer") from the Billboard Latin Music Awards. The pair also won the Tropical Album of the Year award for Éxitos y Más (Hits and More) and the Tropical Song of the Year prize for "No Es Una Novela" (It's Not a Novela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
) at the 2007 Premios Lo Nuestro ceremony.
Break up
On September 15, 2008 Monchy announced that the group would be breaking up. He attributed the decision to split solely to Alexandra saying "The decision was Alexandra's. I still don't know the reasons why, only that when I was informed about this, the reasons were not explained to me and that this occurred while we were on a European tour, specifically, in Milan, Italy." He disputed rumors that the split was over money.Albums
- Hoja en BlancoHoja en BlancoHoja en Blanco is Monchy and Alexandra's first full length album. The album contains the hit single, 'Hoja en Blanco'.-Track listing:#Hoja En Blanco#Pasión#En El Muelle de San Blas#Llorando Penas#No Hice Nada#De Olvidarla Me Olvidé#No Puedo Vivir Así...
(Blank Paper) (1999) - Unplugged (2000)
- Confesiones (Confessions) (2002)
- The MixThe Mix (Monchy & Alexandra album)The Mix is Monchy & Alexandra's third studio released album under the Sony International label. The album was released on June 10, 2003. The album contains music previously released by the artistic duo...
(2003) - Hasta El FinHasta El FinHasta el Fin is Monchy & Alexandra's fourth studio released album under the Sony International Label, which was released on October 19, 2004.-Track listing:#Perdidos#No Me Pidas Más#Hasta El Fin#Esperando Estar Juntos#No Te Prometo Que Sí...
(Till the End)(2004) - En Vivo Desde Bellas Artes (Live from Bellas Artes) (2008)
Collaborations
- Dame Una Noche, Mujer with Don MigueloDon MigueloDon Miguelo is a Dominican rapper in the Reggaeton genre. He became famous with his smash hit "La Cola De Motora" and "Ay Que Tu Quiere". He has recently traveled to the United States in hopes that his new album will be an even better seller than before. But that never happened.-Biography:Don...
- La Otra with IlegalesIlegalesIlegales is a Grammy-nominated Dominican merenhouse trio, founded in 1995 The group is led by singer-songwriter Vladimir Dotel and comprises Dotel, Juan Carlos Campos, and Lumy Pimentel. In addition to reaching the Billboard Tropical charts on their own, the group also had a hit with Alexandra...
- He Venido A Pedirte Perdón with Álvaro TorresÁlvaro TorresÁlvaro Torres is a Salvadoran singer and songwriter. His current Record Label is Big Dream Christian Music located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.-Biography:...