Carolina la O

Biography

Carolina Ovalle Arango, known to fans as "Carolina La O" (born April 12, 1975 Manizales, Colombia), is a Colombian salsa and tropical music singer. Carolina la O made her live debut at the age of six, singing a traditional song called "Campesina Santandereana" at her elementary school. She later graduated from a local university with a degree in management.

Early years

In the late 1990s, Carolina joined the Colombian tropical salsa/cumbia group Alquimia la Sonora del XXI. This Sonora Matancera tribute band were popular in Latin America with their version of the earlier Cuban group's hits. Carolina la O demonstrated her considerable vocal abilities, which took her around the world and earned her popularity and critical respect. On February 14, 1998, the young artist had the opportunity to play at New York's Copacabana, performing along with salsa star Celia Cruz.

Carolina la O

In 1999, she ventured out as a solo artist with her album El Son de Ahora×El son de ahora21 September 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Yo soy la rumba4:062El son de ahora4:083Locas por el mambo4:084A baillar bembé4:095Yo sé que me engañas4:226Agúzala4:077Rumbeando Laó (medley)4:238Viene el carnaval3:569El guava3:4310Me voy a Pinar del Río3:38, with a rhythm similar to the work she did while in Alquimia and a style of her own.
In 2001 la O returned with the release of her second solo album. Dulce Veneno×Dulce veneno27 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Dulce veneno (versión salsa)4:172Candela pura3:473Sabe a chocolate4:134Dime que sí (versión salsa)4:385Dile que por mí no tema4:256No me controles4:247Dulce veneno (versión balada)4:458Quiero perderme3:599Dime que sí (versión pop)4:3810Cenizas5:0211Dulve veneno (versión ranchera)4:00's titular first single attempts to prove her among the best in her genre. The album was filled out by remixes of the same song in ranchera, ballad, and the original salsa romantica format. Though not as strong as her first solo effort, it also contains the stand-out song "Sabe a Chocolate."
In 2002, she released her third album, Carolina×Carolina15 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Desesperadamente4:282Una loca enamorada4:123Y caigo de nuevo4:074Ya te olvidó mi corazón3:345Prefiero estar sola3:576La herida de un adiós3:597Vivir sin tu amor4:178Soy de ley3:559Rumba en mi corazón3:4210A donde vas3:19, produced by Kike Santander. That same year, Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) picked Carolina as their Latin spokesperson. In 2004, Carolina continued her success when asked to join a popular Latin American reality TV series, Telemundo's Protagonistas de la Fama VIP.
In 2006, Carolina la O returned with a fresh sensual look to complement her new album De Mi Fuego×De mi fuego15 November 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Contigo3:342La candela de tu fuego4:003Rózame3:484Volando3:575Enterito el corazón3:046Quiero3:297Bailándome4:138Dime dime3:499Yo te busqué3:0710A mi tierra: Yo me llamo cumbia / Colombia tierra querida / Soy colombiano4:4511Contigo (remix)3:34. The album contains 11 songs, and is a fusion of the Caribbean, Colombian, and tropical music sounds. "Contigo" was the first promo single, a mix of Colombian cumbia and modern tropical rhythms.
In 2009, she came out with Reencuentro con los Gemelos. The resurgence of salsa has been credited to a few great albums by such groups as Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Bobby Valentín, and Oscar D'León. These albums showcased the avant-garde aspect of this music prevalent in the '70s. Reencuentro focused on that other side of '70s salsa, salsa matancera, in what was hoped would bring modern dancers back to the era of Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Tipica ’73, and Ismael Rivera and his Cachimbos. After ten years of developing solo careers, the three soneros from Alquimia, Carolina la O and the twins Jorge and Sady Ramirez, reunited. Rencuentro was meant not to rehash old material, but to create a new sound without losing the essence of their peak period together. With eclectic material ranging from songs once performed by Trio Matamoros, Celia Cruz, Oscar D’Leon, Héctor Lavoe, and even Marc Anthony, the album attempts to bring everything together with a cohesive group sound. Among the album's songs are "Llegó el Sabor," "Cúcala," "Hueso Na Ma," "Azucar Negra," and the album's first single, "El Último Beso×El último beso2009 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1El último beso (salsa)3:232El último beso (bolero)3:403El último beso (popular)4:00".
With two nominations for Female Tropical Artist of the Year 2010 at the Premio Lo Nuestro and Billboard Awards for Latin Music, Carolina la O marked another return and the 15 years of her career with the live album Carolina la O En Vivo×En vivo4 May 2010 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 35 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Yo soy la rumba5:242Juancito Trucupey3:213Dile que por mí no tema4:454Qué queda de este amor4:265Yo me llamo cumbia4:386Sopita en botella2:597Dime la verdad4:348Pollera colorá4:149Dulce veneno4:2710Colombia tierra querida4:3111Carmen de Bolívar3:3712El último beso3:3613Azúcar negra4:4414Caramelo a kilo2:3915Burundanga3:2216Outro0:5017El último beso (salsa version)3:2518Qué queda de este amor4:0719Dime la verdad4:02Disc 21Yo soy la rumba5:242Juancito Trucupey3:213Dile que por mí no tema4:454Yo me llamo cumbia4:385Qué queda de este amor4:266Sopita en botella2:597Dime la verdad4:348Pollera colorá4:149Dulce veneno4:2710Colombia tierra querida4:3111Carmen de Bolívar3:3712El último beso3:3613Azúcar negra4:4414Caramelo a kilo2:3915Burundanga3:2216Outro0:50. It was recorded during her performance at the Metropol Theater in Bogotá, Colombia, at the end of the year prior to its release. The album attempts to collect the best of her music in a dual CD/DVD package that features her playing the most representative songs of her artistic career.

Premio Lo Nuestro

La O was nominated for two Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, aired on Univisión in 2002 and 2010. In 2002, she was nominated for Female Artist of the Year in the tropical genre. In 2010, she was again nominated for Tropical Female Artist of the Year.

Billboard Latin Music Awards

Carolina la O received two Billboard Latin Music Award nominations for Tropical Female Artist of the Year for her album Dulce Veneno×Dulce veneno27 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Dulce veneno (versión salsa)4:172Candela pura3:473Sabe a chocolate4:134Dime que sí (versión salsa)4:385Dile que por mí no tema4:256No me controles4:247Dulce veneno (versión balada)4:458Quiero perderme3:599Dime que sí (versión pop)4:3810Cenizas5:0211Dulve veneno (versión ranchera)4:00 in 2002. In 2010, she was again nominated for Tropical Female Artist of the Year. The awards aired on Telemundo.
In 2010, the Colombian singer remained a leader at or near the top of pop charts, ranking #5 in the U.S. overall, #1 in Puerto Rico, and #1 in Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru for "Qué Queda de Este Amor×Qué queda de este amor13 April 2010 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Qué queda de este amor (grupero version)3:152Qué queda de este amor (salsa version)4:053Qué queda de este amor (pop version)3:154Qué queda de este amor (radio edit)3:155Qué queda de este amor4:21" and "El Último Beso×El último beso2009 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1El último beso (salsa)3:232El último beso (bolero)3:403El último beso (popular)4:00," songs that also appear on her album Carolina×Carolina15 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Desesperadamente4:282Una loca enamorada4:123Y caigo de nuevo4:074Ya te olvidó mi corazón3:345Prefiero estar sola3:576La herida de un adiós3:597Vivir sin tu amor4:178Soy de ley3:559Rumba en mi corazón3:4210A donde vas3:19 la O En Vivo×En vivo4 May 2010 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 35 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Yo soy la rumba5:242Juancito Trucupey3:213Dile que por mí no tema4:454Qué queda de este amor4:265Yo me llamo cumbia4:386Sopita en botella2:597Dime la verdad4:348Pollera colorá4:149Dulce veneno4:2710Colombia tierra querida4:3111Carmen de Bolívar3:3712El último beso3:3613Azúcar negra4:4414Caramelo a kilo2:3915Burundanga3:2216Outro0:5017El último beso (salsa version)3:2518Qué queda de este amor4:0719Dime la verdad4:02Disc 21Yo soy la rumba5:242Juancito Trucupey3:213Dile que por mí no tema4:454Yo me llamo cumbia4:385Qué queda de este amor4:266Sopita en botella2:597Dime la verdad4:348Pollera colorá4:149Dulce veneno4:2710Colombia tierra querida4:3111Carmen de Bolívar3:3712El último beso3:3613Azúcar negra4:4414Caramelo a kilo2:3915Burundanga3:2216Outro0:50. She returned to her native Colombia on the hospital ship Comfort as a member of the humanitarian mission an American squadron held in the town of Coveñas and surrounding communities in August of that same year. She performed on board the ship for its crew of nearly 900, and in the main square of the town, both times accompanied by the U.S. Air Force Band and some of her group's original members, for over 5,000 attendees.
In October 2010, Carolina la O was part of the tribute album Salsa: A Tribute to El Gran Combo, recorded in commemoration of the nearly 50-year career of El Gran Combo, a band that is effectively an institution in salsa music. For the album, she recorded the song "El Menú" with Edgar Daniel and NG-2, accompanied by Roselyn Pabón, the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music's Symphony Orchestra, and its musical director Isidro Infante on piano.
La O concluded the year with her second consecutive nomination as Tropical Female Artist of the Year at the Premios Lo Nuestro 2011.