 = Independiente ( Ricardo Arjona album ) = 
 
 Independiente is the thirteenth Spanish @-@ language studio album by Guatemalan singer @-@ songwriter Ricardo Arjona , released on 23 September 2011 . Recorded in the United States and Mexico , it was produced by Arjona with Dan Warner , Lee Levin and Puerto Rican singer @-@ songwriter Tommy Torres . The album — the first independent release by Arjona after he was signed by Sony Music in 1993 and Warner Music in 2008 — was issued by his own label , Metamorfosis . 
 Composed and written in a year , the record marks Arjona and Torres ' fourth collaboration . For Independiente , Arjona returns to his trademark sound after his stylistic departure for Poquita Ropa ( 2010 ) . While producing the latter , he had used fewer instruments to simplify his sound , having introduced what had been called a " stripped @-@ down acoustic effort " in his music . Independiente has been compared to his earlier recordings , Historias ( 1994 ) and Animal Nocturno ( 1993 ) . 
 Independiente became Arjona 's fourth number @-@ one album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums where it debuted for the week ending 22 October 2011 . For thirteen non @-@ consecutive weeks it topped the Latin Pop Albums chart , and reached number one on the Mexican Albums Chart . It is his fifth consecutive album to chart on the Billboard 200 ( reaching number sixty @-@ five ) , and his fourth album to chart in Spain ( peaking at number sixty @-@ eight ) . Within one week after its release Independiente was certified gold in Chile , the United States and Mexico and certified platinum in Venezuela and Argentina . 
 Five singles have been released from the album . The lead single , " El Amor " , became a commercial success in several Latin American countries and was number one on the Billboard Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs charts . It was followed by " Fuiste Tú " ( featuring Gaby Moreno ) , which reached number one on the Latin Pop Songs , number two on the Latin Songs charts and topped several other national charts . " Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja " was released in May 2012 ; " Te Quiero " in July 2012 , and " Si Tu No Existieras " in November 2012 . To promote Independiente , Arjona embarked on his Metamorfosis World Tour . 
 
 = = Background = = 
 
 In 2010 , Arjona wanted to change his musical style ; after experimenting with using as few instruments as possible , he obtained a sound similar to an a capella performance ( simplifying his sound ) and introduced what he called a " stripped @-@ down acoustic effort " to his music . This was heard on his twelfth studio album , Poquita Ropa . Arjona produced the album with Dan Warner , who has worked with Shakira , Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera . When promoting the album Arjona said , " [ songs ] are like women ; they get things up and are so concerned about this that they forget that the less clothes , more beauty . The songs are often overwhelmed by ourselves , because we saturate them with arrangements looking to exalt their qualities and we end up hiding them " . Poquita Ropa became the first album since Adentro which Arjona recorded without Torres . 
 Weeks before the release of Independiente , Arjona issued a letter raising the issue of his past relationships with recording companies . He revealed the circumstances of his first contract : " a producer , friend of mine , told them [ the record label ] that if they did not sign me in , they won 't sign two artists he had [ at that time ] " . Arjona further explained that he received the " minimum royalty percentage " from his most successful albums . Independiente is Arjona 's first independent release through his own label : Metamorfosis , a company he created to refocus his career . The company is presided by Arjona and several friends ( including photographer @-@ director Ricardo Calderón , Universal Music México executive Humberto Calderon and BMG 's Miriam Sommerz ) , and is based in Miami and Mexico City . Arjona commented that his independence represented compromise more than freedom , stating that " Inside the word ' Independent ' , even when it sounds like extreme freedom , there 's a big amount of compromise and the responsibility of being able to administrate , in the best way possible , such independence " . Billboard notes that , although other groups have released independent albums following contracts with major labels , Arjona is the most important Latin pop artist to do so . Although the album is marketed within the new label , distribution was handled by Warner Music . 
 
 = = Production and recording = = 
 
 Independiente marked Arjona 's fourth collaboration with Torres . The latter was a composer and producer , also receiving background @-@ vocal credit . The musicians first worked together in 2005 , when Arjona released his tenth studio album ( Adentro ) . He stated that he first " tested " Torres by sending him the " hookiest and darkest tracks " on the album : " Acompañame A Estar Solo " and " Iluso " . Torres then " went all out on the first demo , hiring a full band that included a string orchestra " . In Quién Dijo Ayer ( 2007 ) , Torres produced the singles " Quién " and " Quiero " and provided background vocals on the remastered versions of Arjona 's past hits . In 5to Piso ( 2008 ) , Torres produced several tracks ; one was the lead single " Como Duele " , considered Arjona 's " biggest hit in years " by Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic . 
 The album was composed over a one @-@ year period . Most of its production was handled by three producers familiar with Arjona 's work : Dan Warner , Lee Levin and Dan Rudin . Tommy Torres also produced three tracks : the lead single " El Amor " , second single " Fuiste Tú " and " Hay Amores " . Victor Patrón produced two songs , ( " Caudillo " and the piano version of " Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja " ) and Julio Chávez aided in the production of " Reconciliación " . Arjona wrote all the songs except " El Amor " ( which was co @-@ written with Torres ) . The album was recorded and produced in several cities in the United States and Mexico . Independiente was mixed at the Blue Grotto in Nashville , Tennessee , and mastered by Tom Coyne and Aya Merrill at Sterling Sound in New York City . With Torres ' return to producing Arjona regained the classic , trademark sound which Torres helped develop since 2005 . 
 
 = = Composition = = 
 
 Independiente opens with " Lo Que Está Bien Está Mal " , a Latin pop song and the only track composed by Dan Warner instead of Arjona ( who wrote the lyrics ) . " El Amor " was motivated by Arjona 's desire to examine " those big , dark events within love that nobody talks about " ; he continued , " [ the ] dark sides of love are extremely fundamental to understand its great value . " Arjona added , " So many good things abould love has been shown that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones " . In a February 2012 interview , Arjona stated that " El Amor " was the " most tawdry " song he had released to date , explaining that their choice of the song was a " contradiction " because it was not " the song which could better represent the entire album " . He described it as " very strong " and " a bit dark " . The single marked Arjona 's return to his signature , mainstream sound after the Cuban music influenced Poquita Ropa 's lead single " Puente " , a mixture of salsa and merengue which failed to make an impact in the United States . 
 The album includes " Fuiste Tú " , a duet with Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno . Its instrumentation consists of piano , violin , guitars , drums and other percussion . Although Arjona stated that he " had the possibilities to record this song with very well known people " he expressed his happiness with Moreno , revealing that " the possibilities of doing it with her , for me , are a celebration " . He described Moreno as " incredibly talented " , a " countrywoman " and a " fantastic human being " . Arjona named " Fuiste Tú " as one of the most important songs on the album . " Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja " took two years to complete and Arjona dedicated it to his mother , Noemí Morales . He stated that he wrote it " as a gift for my mom on Mother 's Day " and that he thought " the idea of including it on the album was very good " . As with his single " Señora De Las Cuatro Decadas " ( on 1994 's Historias ) , at first he never thought to include the song on an album . " Caudillo " evokes " the image of some friends " Arjona had at college ; he asserted that he " appears constantly there because sometimes we transform ourselves into a contradiction of all those things we fought in those moments . It 's the history of a student leader that becomes a president " . Arjona dedicated the album to his father , who died in 2011 . 
 
 = = Release and promotion = = 
 
 Independiente was first digitally released in some South American countries on 23 September 2011 as a special edition , dubbed the Cono Sur Edition . This version included a different mix of " Reconciliación " . On 30 September , the digital download for the standard edition of the album was released in several Latin American and European countries . On 4 October , the album was officially released as a digital download and compact disc in most of these same markets as well as North America ; an iTunes edition was released as a digital download on the iTunes music store . This version included an album @-@ only video , entitled " Independiente " . In Germany , the album was first available on the Kiwi label on 4 October and on 11 October through Warner Music . In Canada and Spain , the compact @-@ disc version of the album was available on 25 October . 
 Arjona appeared on a television special in 2011 to promote Independiente . The special featured guest appearances by Gaby Moreno , Ricky Muñoz ( of the Mexican band Intocable ) and Paquita la del Barrio . Broadcast by Televisa , the program showcased the fourteen songs on Independiente . Muñoz said that he was " happy to do things for Ricardo [ Arjona ] " , elaborating that they met each other " some time ago " and it was " a very special situation " . The show was later rebroadcast on 5 November by Canal de las Estrellas . 
 
 = = Singles = = 
 
 The first single from Independiente is " El Amor " , released on 23 August 2011 . In the United States it reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart ( Arjona 's fourth number one on that chart , following " Desnuda " , " Cuando " and " El Problema " ) and number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart . It was also a hit in Latin America , reaching number one in Argentina , Mexico , Colombia , Venezuela , Chile , Costa Rica , Panama and Guatemala . The music video for " El Amor " , filmed in black @-@ and @-@ white , was released on 8 September 2011 . It was directed by Ricardo Calderón ( who also directed Arjona 's music video for " Como Duele " ) and filmed in Mexico City . The second single from the album is " Fuiste Tú " , a duet with Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno . The music video for the song was shot in Guatemala ( around the tropical areas of Antigua Guatemala , Río Dulce , the Atitlán lake , Semuc Champey and the Tikal ruins ) and directed by Argentine director Joaquín Cambre . Arjona commented that " this video recreates the battle on the couple when someone starts to talk ' is the beginning of the end ' " . " Fuiste Tú " reached number two on the Billboard Top Latin Songs and number one on the Latin Pop Songs charts . 
 " Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja " was released as the third single . Arjona wrote the song for his mother , Noemí Morales . The music video for the song , released in April 2012 , was filmed at Universal Studios in Los Angeles . It features Arjona and his son , Ricardo Arjona Jr . , and was directed by Robert García . The song was used by American telecommunications corporation AT & T for a Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone commercial featuring Arjona and was released in music stores in May 2012 . The fourth single from the album , " Te Quiero " , was released in July 2012 . The music video for the song was filmed during Arjona 's concerts at Vélez Stadium in Buenos Aires , Argentina during his Metamorfosis World Tour . It marks Arjona 's first music video taken from a live performance . The song reached number ten in Mexico and number one on both the Billboard Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs chart . " Si Tu No Existieras " was released in November 2012 as the set 's fifth and final single , and was intended to promote the re @-@ release of the album . The song , which music video was similar to that of " Te Quiero " , managed to peak at number 14 in Mexico . 
 
 = = Tour = = 
 
 Beginning on 27 January 2012 in Toluca , Mexico , Arjona embarked on a world tour to promote the album . The Metamorfosis World Tour was announced in December 2011 , and visited the Americas . The show consisted of four theatrical sets on a revolving stage ; Arjona performed on each in turn , as it relateed to each song . Fellow Guatemalan singer @-@ songwriter Gaby Moreno appeared in several performances , joining Arjona for " Fuiste Tú " . The tour was praised by critics and fans . Natalie Torres of Dia a Dia reported , " Arjona knows how to handle his ' girls ' , with a mix of attitudes from a ' rough ' male and seductive lyrics " . 
 Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that " Arjona is one of Latin pop ’ s finest lyricists : observant , nuanced , sometimes wry , sometimes melancholy and especially fond of the play of opposites " . He added , " unlike some of his fellow Latin pop stars , Mr. Arjona is no saccharine lover boy " . The tour broke records for ticket sales , commercial gross and attendance . In Buenos Aires it was the most popular show at Velez Stadium , with a total attendance of more than 160 @,@ 000 for four consecutive sold @-@ out concerts . In Guatemala City Arjona was the first artist with two consecutive sold @-@ out concerts at Mateo Flores Stadium , with a combined attendance of more than 50 @,@ 000 . As of October 2012 , the tour has been performed for close to one million people in more than eight countries . 
 
 = = Commercial performance = = 
 
 Independiente debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Latin Albums for the week ending 22 October 2011 , and remained at that position the following week . It was the third album by Arjona to remain for more than a week at number one , after Galería Caribe ( 2000 ) and 5to Piso . Independiente became his fourth chart @-@ topper , following Poquita Ropa ( 2010 ) . For its third week it fell to number two , replaced by Chino & Nacho 's Supremo . The album also debuted at number one on the Latin Pop Albums chart for the week ending 22 October , becoming Arjona 's fifth album to do so . It remained at number one the following week ; for its third week , it was replaced by Supremo . The album reached number one again for the week ending 12 November , and later for the week ending 11 February 2012 . For its second run it remained three weeks at the top before being replaced by Maná 's Drama y Luz for a week ; for its third run at number one , it remained at the top spot for five weeks . For the week ending 2 June 2012 , Independiente returned again to number one . 
 For the week it debuted atop both the Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts , Independiente also appeared as number 65 on the Billboard 200 . It is Arjona 's fifth consecutive album to chart on that list ( following Adentro , Quién Dijo Ayer , 5to Piso and Poquita Ropa ) , although it has only charted higher than Adentro . In Mexico , Independiente debuted at number one for the week ending 9 October 2011 . The following week it fell to number two , replaced at the top by Espinoza Paz ' Canciones Que Duelen . For its third week , the album fell to number three . In Argentina , Independiente debuted at number one for the week ending 9 October 2011 ; it remained at the top position for a single week , dropping to number five the following week . The album also charted on Spain , reaching number 76 . The following week it fell off the chart but later re @-@ entered , reaching its peak at number 68 . Independiente is Arjona 's fourth album to chart in Spain , following Adentro , 5to Piso and Poquita Ropa . On the 2011 year @-@ end charts , Independiente was the 50th best @-@ selling album on the Latin Albums chart and the 15th best @-@ seller on the Latin Pop Albums chart . In Mexico , it was the 19th best @-@ selling album of 2011 . 
 Independiente was certified platinum by the Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers in recognition of 40 @,@ 000 copies sold . It was also certified gold and platinum by the Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms for 90 @,@ 000 copies shipped . In the United States , Independiente was certified Latin platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for 100 @,@ 000 copies shipped . In Venezuela , the album was certified double platinum for more than 40 @,@ 000 copies sold . It was certified gold in Chile for 5 @,@ 000 copies shipped , and in Colombia for 10 @,@ 000 copies sold . As of November 2012 , Independiente has sold 75 @,@ 000 copies in the United States . 
 
 = = Critical reaction and awards = = 
 
 David Jeffries of Allmusic gave the album a mildly positive review , citing Arjona 's return to his more mainstream style after the " stripped @-@ down acoustic effort " Poquita Ropa . He compared ( as did Arjona and other critics ) the production values and musical style of Independiente with past albums Animal Nocturno and Historias . Finally , he stated that " Returning fans will revel in this combination of freedom and growth , and appreciate the return of producer Tommy Torres , the man who has been behind the boards for quite a few of Arjona 's most popular releases " ( referring to Torres ' absence from the production of Poquita Ropa ) . 
 A contributor to the Colombian website CMI commented that " listening to Independiente is a labyrinth to go through , each song is a huge path that seems to have no end , because it involves imagination , it invites you to dream , to charm , to bewitch . But neither leaves behind the problematic requirements of love , its loopholes , hideouts and concerns , as well as its bad times in this joke that 's life " . Independiente was nominated at the Premios Juventud of 2012 for the " Lo Toco Todo ( I Play It All ) " award . On 25 September 2012 , the album received two nominations at the 13th Annual Latin Grammy Awards : Album of the Year and Best Singer @-@ songwriter album . On 3 December 2012 , Independiente received a nomination for " Pop Album of the Year " at the 2013 Premios Lo Nuestro awards . It also received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammy Awards of 2013 . Arjona does not win the latter award since 2005 with Adentro in a shared win with Mexican singer Julieta Venegas . In February 2013 , Independiente received a nomination for " Latin Pop Album of the Year " at the Billboard Latin Music Awards of 2013 . 
 
 = = Track listing = = 
 
 All songs written and composed by Ricardo Arjona , except where noted . 
 
 = = Personnel = = 
 
 Credits are taken from Independiente liner notes . 
 
 = = Chart performance = = 
 
 
 = = Certifications = = 
 
 
 = = Release history = = 
 
 
 