The majority of Fonovisa's releases are aimed at the regional Mexican market, but occasionally, Fonovisa will put out a CD that isn't overtly Mexican-oriented -- something that is designed to appeal to Spanish speakers in general rather than focusing on regional Mexican audiences specifically. This self-titled debut album by
Betzaida is such a release. Although the Chicago-based singer is part Mexican -- she has a Mexican mother and a Puerto Rican father --
Betzaida's album isn't dominated by banda, mariachi, norteño, ranchera or even grupero. "Ahora Te Dejo Yo" does have a grupero flavor, and Fonovisa provides a Tex-Mex remix of the melancholy "Te Tengo Que Aprender a Olvidar" along with the main Latin pop version of that song. But
Betzaida isn't trying to be the next
Jenni Rivera; that isn't the sort of approach that she's going for. Produced by the well-known Rudy Perez,
Betzaida's debut is primarily an album of straight-up Latin pop; stylistically, she has a lot more in common with
Ana Gabriel,
Marisela,
Gloria Estefan and even
Madonna than she does with a hardcore banda singer like
Rivera. And while regional Mexican music is an occasional influence on
Betzaida, the Chicagoan has been influenced by other Latin styles as well. The infectious "El Moreno," for example, incorporates elements of Colombian-style cumbia (as opposed to the Tex-Mex interpretation) and Afro-Cuban salsa, as well as Spanish gypsy-flamenco.
Betzaida's first album isn't as consistent as it could have been; not all of the tracks are as memorable as "El Moreno" or "Te Tengo Que Aprender a Olvidar." But the disc has more ups than downs and indicates that
Betzaida is someone to keep an eye on. ~ Alex Henderson