Maps of Music

Sale el Sol (2010)

Where the lyrics of Sale el Sol take you, and where it was really made.

Sale el Sol was recorded in studios spread across the Bahamas, Uruguay, the United States, London and Barcelona.

Key places

Recording in Nassau (2010)

Recording site Sanctuary (Nassau) — The source lists a recording location in Nassau, The Bahamas. The point marks the city centre, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Punta del Este (2010)

Recording site El Granero — The source lists a recording location in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The point marks the city centre, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Electric Lady (2010)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — The source credits the album's recording to Electric Lady in New York City. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Quad (2010)

Recording site Quad — The source credits the album's recording to Quad in New York City, a separate studio from Electric Lady. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Los Angeles (2010)

Recording site Serenity West Recording — The source lists Serenity West Recording in Los Angeles as a recording location for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Miami (2010)

Recording site The Hit Factory Criteria — The source lists Circle House in Miami as a recording location. The point marks the city centre, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at RAK Studios (2010)

Recording site RAK Studios — The source lists RAK Studios in London as a recording location for the album. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Barcelona (2010)

Recording site Olympic Stadium (Barcelona) — The source lists Aurha in Barcelona as a recording location. The point marks the city centre, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Sale el Sol is the ninth studio album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira
• Released 19 October 2010 by Epic Records
• Marks a return to Shakira's signature Latin pop sound after the electropop record She Wolf (2009)
• Split into three musical directions: romantic, rock and roll, and Latino tropical
• Rock and merengue experiments make up the second and third directions

Background

• She Wolf (October 2009) was mainly an electropop album, a shift from her traditional Latin pop and pop rock styles
• In May 2010 Shakira wrote and recorded Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the 2010 FIFA World Cup official song, which became a worldwide hit
• After that success, she decided to experiment with merengue on the new album

Recording

• Recording took place at locations such as The Bahamas, London, Barcelona and the Dominican Republic
• Engineered by Andros Rodriguez
• Shakira co-wrote and co-produced every track except Islands
• Collaborators include Pitbull, Residente Calle 13, El Cata, Gustavo Cerati, John Hill and Lester Mendez

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, born 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia.
• Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer and record producer, known as the "Queen of Latin Music".
• Signed to Sony Music Colombia at age 13; debut album Magia (1991) was not a commercial success.
• Breakthrough with Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998).
• English crossover album Laundry Service (2001) sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
• Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005) and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005) followed, with "Hips Don't Lie" becoming her first Billboard Hot 100 number one.
• Has written or co-written virtually all the music she has recorded.
• Holds four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards.
• Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (2024) topped Billboard Top Latin Albums, making her the first woman with number-one albums across four decades.
• Known for blending Latin, Western and Middle Eastern influences in her music and dance.

Philanthropy

• Founded Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation) in 1997 to build schools for underprivileged children in Colombia.
• Became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2003.
• Appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in 2011.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic gave the album a very positive review
• Erlewine praised Shakira's versatility in her pan-global approach and the album's breezy, sunny nature
• The Billboard review was also extremely positive, calling the album more memorable and unique than She Wolf
• Michelle Morgante at Boston.com picked the merengue-influenced songs as some of the album's strongest moments
• Mikael Good at Entertainment Weekly awarded the album an A grade
• Carlos Macias at Terra USA gave a mixed review, saying the album delivers half the goods

Reappraisal

• AllMusic included the album in its Favorite Albums of 2010 and Favorite Latin Albums of 2010 year-end lists
• In December 2019 AllMusic included the album in its list of the decade's 200 best albums
• Billboard included the album among the 50 best Latin albums of the 2010s

Records

• Reached number one in Belgium (Wallonia), France, Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Spain
• Debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts
• Won Best Female Pop Vocal Album at the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards and was nominated for Album of the Year
• Certified diamond in France (500,000 units), Colombia and Brazil
• Certified multi-platinum in Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland and Poland
• Certified diamond in the Latin field in the United States in 2018 (600,000 album-equivalent units)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The English-titled version, The Sun Comes Out, has the same track list; only the running order differs, with the Spanish Loca and Rabiosa as bonus tracks
• The album was made available for digital downloading on the iTunes Store on the release day
• Islands is a cover of the song by English indie pop band The xx, with a few house music elements added
• The Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy concert was released as the live album Live from Paris on 5 December 2011
• Lead single Loca peaked atop the charts of France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact