Blogamole › Thalía

By Michael Lopez

Sure people are all hyped up about the prospects of 2012. But it's important every New Year's Eve to reflect on those who are no longer with us. This year Blogamole said goodbye to quite a few íconos, all of whom will never be forgotten.

Though he wasn’t a household name to many of today's Tweeters and bloggers, Argentine writer Ernesto Sábato influenced generations with his mighty use of the pen. He passed away in April at the ripe old age of 99 and continued publishing works for the past 60 years. Sábato's masterpiece, Sobre Héroes y Tumbas, revolutionized surrealist literature and won him respect from top authors around the world.

Genaro Hernandez came from a very different world, but broke Latino boundaries in much the same way. A Mexican-American from South Central, he gained international recognition in the boxing community for his fast reflexes and powerhouse punches. Throughout his professional career, Genaro nabbed the WBC and WBA super featherweight belts and became a KO superstar in the late 1980's. Sadly, he succumbed to cancer back in June at the age of 45.

In July, the Latino world lost another incredible talent, but in a much more violent way. Argentine musician Facundo Cabral was viciously gunned down after a Guatemalan concert. Known for his positive songs and upbeat attitude, Cabral's murder left the music world stunned. Since the attack three suspects were arrested, which can at least provide some closure to this tragic story.

Mexican movie fans found themselves in deep mourning this past September. That's when the news broke that legendary comic Gaspar “Capulina” Henaine had passed away. Thankfully, Capulina was able to live a very full (and very funny) life in his 85 years. Throughout his career, Henaine made over 80 movies and appeared on dozens of TV shows. Stars like Carlos Ponce and Chespirito sent heartfelt condolences via the Twitterverse.

Just this past week, the drama world lost another Latino powerhouse. Pedro Armendariz Jr. passed away on Monday after a long bout with cancer. Embraced by both Mexican and American audiences, Pedro acted in dozens of box office hits throughout the years (including a few with Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas). His larger-than-life talent will certainly be missed.

And though she wasn't necessarily famous herself, Thalía's manager mother Yolanda Miranda passed away very unexpectedly in 2011. Far from just a gloating parent, Yolanda helped guide Thalía's career and deserves a lot of the credit for her daughter's success. Clearly devastated by her death, Thalía wrote several touching memories on her Twitter feed and will more than likely be dedicating her next album to madre's memory.

Did you lose anyone you loved in 2011? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Capulina, Celebrities, Cultura, Ernesto Sabato, Facundo Cabral, Genaro Hernandez, Pedro Armendariz, RIP, Thalía, Yolanda Miranda

By Michael Lopez

What fun are the holidays without a little "Feliz Navidad?" The seasonal Español song got a fresh twist last night when crooner Michael Buble joined Thalía for a spirited duet on his NBC Christmas special.

Though it didn’t win the coveted 8pm timeslot, A Michael Buble Christmas did pull in over seven million viewers. Throughout the show, Michael shared the stage with Kellie Pickler, Oscar the Grouch, and fellow Canadian, Justin Bieber.

"The Biebs" joined Buble for a performance of his new holiday track, "Under the Mistletoe." The two definitely shared some strong chemistry on stage and Justin even joked about it to his Twitter followers.

"It's a Canadian Christmas Bromance," Bieber posted.

But we were much more impressed with Thalía's impassioned "Navidad" performance. And funny enough, she even got Michael to test out his Spanish skills on TV (for comic effect of course). Their holiday duet is now available on iTunes and on Buble's new album, Christmas.

What's your favorite holiday song? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags A Michael Buble Christmas, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Holidays, Justin Bieber, Kellie Pickler, Música, Michael Buble, Television, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

Thalía has had an incredibly full life in her 40 years. From her career as a child singer, to her novela superstardom, to her life as a music mogul wife, we can only imagine the amazing stories she has to tell. And in her new book, Growing Stronger, she's opening up about everything.

One of the chapters getting the most attention concerns the 2002 kidnapping of her sisters Laura and Ernestina. Thalía spoke very candidly about the incident and hoped her recollections could help inspire others.

"That experience was very tough for my family," she told the Huffington Post. "That's why I include this story [in Growing Stronger] because I want readers to be inspired. Everybody has their own story, everybody has their own journey. In this book, I'm portraying a journey of perseverance and empowerment and everybody can grow stronger from a bad moment in their life."

Thalía also happily opens up about "the love of her life" Tommy Mottola. She even recounts their first date, which was set up by Gloria Estefan's husband Emilio. Other revelations include her battle with Lyme disease and the fertility issues she dealt with before getting pregnant.

It all makes for a very interesting read and a great holiday gift for the die-hard Thalía fan in the family.

Are you planning on picking up Thalía's book? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Books, Celebrities, Growing Stronger, Hot Stuff, popnews, Thalía, tommy Mottola

By Michael Lopez

Celebrity parents seem to vary drastically these days. On the one hand, there are stars like Penélope Cruz, who go ballistic when paparazzi cams zoom in on their babies. And then there's Thalía, who seemed more than happy to show off her new son, Matthew Alejandro, to Hola! Magazine.

Posing with him pressed firmly against her chest, Thalía was all smiles on the Hola! cover shot. The little guy definitely takes after mama in the looks department, with gushing big brown eyes and a cute button nose.

Thalía raved about motherhood in her Hola! interview and even opened up about the recent death of her mother.

"I have never been so crazy in love with a man," she said, when referring to Matthew. "I know my son was born a gladiator because his first battle against pain, distress and loss was something he lived through in my belly during the last month of my pregnancy with the death of my mother."

She also expressed quite a bit of love for the rest of her tight-knit family, which includes music exec hubby Tommy Mottola and 3-year-old daughter, Sabrina.

Would you feel comfortable putting your baby on the cover of a magazine? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Baby Chisme, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Hola!, Matthew Alejandro Mottola, Thalía, tommy Mottola

By Michael Lopez

It's hard to imagine an infant in the defendant's seat, but that may be happening in the case of Thalía vs. Genomma Labs! Apparently the Mexican singer's pregnancy caused quite an uproar at the beauty products company, primarily because it breached a contract she had signed back in 2009.

Genomma had wanted to Thalía to be its spokeswoman for a particular line of creams and initially she seemed happy to do it. That is, until she started sporting that baby bump. Apparently after her pregnancy, Thalía decided to back out of the deal.

The company is seeking an undisclosed sum as well as interest for profits lost. But seeing how Thalía is married to one of the most successful men in the music biz, we're sure she'll get a good lawyer to help with the fight.

Our thought is, why not make peace and extend the cream line to infants? That way Thalía and her newborn son Matthew can advertise the products (and keep their skin wrinkle-free).

Do you think there are too many unnecessary lawsuits these days? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Celebrities, Chisme, Genomma Labs, Lawsuits, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

It looks like Thalía has overcome her "postpartum depression." According to reports, the Mexican songstress is back in the studio recording a duet with Canadian crooner Michael Buble.

The track will supposedly be included on Thalía's next album, which she's been recording over the past few months. Buble's built a major reputation for belting out soft operatic hits, so you've got to wonder what an amalgamation of their voices will sound like.

Could Thalía be making a move towards "inspirational" music? Or could Michael be leaning towards a Latin pop direction? We're hoping it's a little bit of both. The fact that these two artists come from such different worlds makes the combo that much more interesting.

Unfortunately, we'll probably be waiting at least a year until Thalía releases her next set of songs. And with the recent birth of her son and the passing of her mom, we bet there will be some very deep lyrics sprinkled within.

Are you looking forward to Thalía's next album? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Hot Stuff, Música, Michael Buble, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

There are certain artists that just seem to transcend cultural barriers. Enrique Iglesias is an example, as is Shakira. And though he's been gone for over three decades, you can add Elvis Presley to that list too. Believe it or not, the "King of Rock n' Roll" has a massive international fan base, particularly in Latin America.

This week marks the 34th anniversary of Elvis' passing. And just like every year, it creates for a huge influx of Presley devotees to the singer's legendary Memphis estate. Thousands showed up for a memorial at his  Graceland home with flowers, candles, and well wishes for the fallen star. And not surprisingly, several of those fans happened to be Latino.

"Elvis' music keeps the family together," said Paula Penna, a fan who had traveled from Brazil. "I promised to come every year to pay tribute to Elvis because he is very important to the family life."

The King had a particularly important role in Penna's family life. She met her husband at an annual Elvis vigil.

And don't think that Latino celebrities aren't included in the Presley fan club. Thalía has been very open about her devotion to the King and even recorded a simulated duet with him for the popular Viva Elvis tribute album.

Another well-known follower happens to be Edison Peña, one of the more colorful "Los 33" miners. After being rescued last summer, Peña literally sung Presley's praises on the David Letterman show, breaking out into "Suspicious Minds" during the middle of his interview.

And in case you didn't know, Bruno Mars started his career as a pint-sized Elvis impersonator. He even posted a YouTube clip of the King on his Twitter account this week.

But of course, none of these tributes will even begin to compare with what the fans have in store next year. 2012 marks the 35th anniversary of Presley's death and you can bet there will be a massive amount of Blue Suede Shoe wearers making their way to Graceland.

What's your favorite Elvis Presley song? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bruno Mars, Cultura, Edison Pena, Elvis Presley, Los 33, Música, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

Ever wonder why you haven't seen Thalía in the public eye much these days? According to Mexican outlet Radio Formula, it's because she's suffering from a severe case of postpartum depression.

For the record, depression after childbirth is not that uncommon. Studies claim that postpartum can effect up to 25% of new mothers and is actually a clinical disorder. Symptoms can include fatigue, irritability, and a constant stream of sadness.

But is that what Thalía is going through? There is no denying that she experienced an incredible loss in the past few months with the unexpected death of her mother. But on her Twitter and in the media, the Mexican songstress still seems to have kept an upbeat attitude.

And just because she's skipped out on recent awards shows and premieres doesn't mean that Thalía's hidden away crying. We imagine she's just having too much fun staying at home and playing with Matthew Alejandro.

Do you know anyone who's suffered from postpartum depression? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Chisme, Matthew Alejandro Mottola, Postpartum Depression, Thalía

By Michael Lopez

Which songs do you think are best suited to help a newborn sleep? "Rock-A-Bye Baby?" "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?" Or perhaps Lady Gaga's "Alejandro?!" That's exactly the tune that Thalía's been belting out to her week-old son Matthew, and it seems to be working wonders.

"Llevo todo el día cantando ♫♬Alejandro,Alejandro..Ale,Alejandro,Ale,Alejandro♪♬♫Lo aaaamooooo!!! Buen día a todos," she recently tweeted.

For the record, Alejandro happens to be Matthew's middle name. But who would have thought the little newborn would be going goo-goo for Gaga? Thalía seems to be very happy with the song, which is a good thing considering all that she's been through lately.

Sadly, the Mexican pop star lost her mother a few weeks ago and has been dealing with some incredible grief. Obviously the birth of Matthew helped lift her spirits and it's nice to know there are some musical tracks that can lighten her mood as well.

So now we've got to wonder, could there be any other great pop songs to help with the infant set? Maybe Justin Bieber's "Baby?" Or perhaps Jennifer Lopez’ "On The Floor" for all those newborns learning to crawl? It sounds to us like it may be time for Kidz Bop to put out a new toddler mixed tape.

Which hit songs do you think would make a great lullaby? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags alejandro, Babies, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Lady Gaga, Matthew Alejandro Mottola, Música, Thalía, twitter

By Maria Corina Marrero

Hundreds of thousands of adoring fans and fellow celebrities have sent heart-warming messages to Mexican singer Thalía for the loss of her mother Yolanda Miranda. But this past Saturday, Twitter was invaded with other type of messages :thousands of tweets expressing disbelief and even rage over what must have been one of the weirdest  and most grotesque moments in entertainment history: a real life wedding in a funeral!

The background is as follows: It turns out Thalia's sister, Ernestina Sodi (mother of actress Camila Sodi) was supposed to get married on Saturday with her fiancé, Mauricio Camps.  One day prior to the wedding, Ernestina and Thalia’s mother died unexpectedly.  What would any bride do in a situation like this? Postpone the wedding, right?... Wrong!

Not Ernestina. Although she did call off the actual party, Ernestina decided it would be cute to go ahead with the wedding, right there in the funeral chapel, where her mother was being mourned. In fact, she married in front of her mother's open casket surrounded by mourning family members who served as witnesses of the wedding. Some reports go as far as to say that Ernestina even left the funeral chapel in a car with "Just Married" cans hanging on each side.

By the end of the ceremony, as Thalía left the church, she declared to paparazzi outside the venue "Today, love triumphed over death". As soon as the famous quote hit Twitter-ville, thousands of fans became enraged calling Ernestina “Crazy B**h” “Idiot” and “Crazy old lunatic” among many other insults we could not possibly publish here!

As reports came in that Thalía was distraught and almost fainted during the funeral, infuriated fans tweeted accusing Ernestina of being above all, incredibly disrespectful towards the singer and towards the family’s pain. One of the firsts to criticize the wedding was Thalía and Ernestina's half sister, Laura Zapata, who declared:

“Imagine, they got married right there, with my mother dead in front of them… “

Thalía has not given further comments to the press since she returned to New York to prepare for the birth of her second child, expected to happen at any given moment. Fans from all over the world keep showering their beloved star with messages of love and support.

Was it proper to celebrate a wedding and a funeral at the same time?

Tags Camila Sodi, Ernestina sodi, Thalía, Wedding, Yolanda Miranda