Mikaila

Now that we are in a new decade, it seems like the 2000s are chock full of artists to write about. Yay for this blog! Born in 1986 Mikaila Dominique Enriquez is of French, Spanish and Aztec Indian descent from Edmond, OK. After moving to Dallas, TX she became a regular at sporting events and sang at many Texas Rangers games. It was at this time that Leann Rimes's former manager Marty Rendleman began guiding her career. After heading to New York one day, she had meetings w/ several labels. It was that same day that Island Records signed her. Mikaila's debut single So In Love With Two peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January of 2001. It was standard teen pop, and then 14-year old Mikaila was torn between two teen lovahs. This song was featured on her self-titled debut album. Produced by Andy Goldmark (Jessica Simpson, Lina Santiago), Stargate and Carl Sturken/Evan Rogers (Christina Aguilera) it came and went. Another single It's All Up To You failed to chart. An opening slot for Britney Spears couldn't even help her album chart on the Billboard 200. Lost in a sea of teen queens of the day, it's no wonder. You can check out a defunct fan site if you like. Where is she now? I leave you with her video for So In Love With Two:

Richard Lugo

Today's feature is early 2000s teen pop singer Richard Lugo. Turns out he only had one single in the US (which I find hard to believe) and that was Boom. From what little I can find, the song didn't even chart. He was launched during the Latin Explosion of the late 90s/early 00s via Elektra/WEA Records. Touted as the next Ricky Martin, Richard came and went. Born in New York and raised in Southern Florida (explains the boy band thing), his family is of Dominican ancestry. He got his start via a boy band that never took off but was then offered a deal w/ Dallas Austin. His debut album, also called Boom, was released that same year. Opening slots for 'NSync, BBMak, and O-Town followed and gave him the teen rag audience he was made for. A second single was released in Canada Ven, Ven, Ven and had success in Brazil. I found a fan site that hasn't been updated since 2001, that's worth checking out. So what's become of then 15 year old Richard Lugo? Milk readers, can you help us out? In the meantime I leave you with the video for Boom:

Mario Vazquez

I really don't care too much about American Idol or any of it's contestants (well except for Fantasia...and I have a soft spot for Kimberley Locke and Katharine McPhee...oh and don't get me started on my lust for Chris Daughtry...I digress). I honestly don't even watch the show. Yet I was always intrigued by former contestant Mario Vazquez. Born Mario Adrián Vázquez on June 15, 1977. He hails from the Bronx, New York. He was a front runner for fourth season of American Idol (which would later be won by Carrie Underwood). He mysteriously dropped out early on in the competition. Guess he thought he didn't need the AI machine to make it, huh? Girl think again! He claimed his early departure was due to personal issues. Many speculated he didn't want to be tied down to 19 Entertainment, AI's co-producers. After hiring the same lawyer who got Clay Aiken out of his contract, he wound up signing with Arista Records (the same label that wound up releasing Underwood's winning album). Released September 26, 2006, Mario's self-titled debut album made a brief appearance on the Billboard charts. It peaked at #80 and sold a paltry 23, 116 copies (source). The album's first single entitled Gallery faired a little better peaking at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100. A subsequent single, One Shot, failed to chart. It seems Mario couldn't do much without the AI machine after all. While he has a nice voice (my better half calls him a JC Chasez clone) and worked w/ some hip producers of the moment, it wasn't enough to make his album the hit it could have been.

But this wasn't the last we heard from Mario. Scandal followed in 2007 when the Advocate and sites such as TMZ ran stories that a gay scandal had brewed behind the scenes on, well, the gayest program on American television! All scandal aside his music career was pretty dried up at this point. He did however deny rumors that he is gay in an interview w/ arjanwrites.com he is quoted:

I'm not gay. But I want people to know I'm very tolerant of [gays]. I grew up with gay people. Growing up in New York City and growing up in the world of arts, it is something that’s there and I don’t even have a second thought about it.

Something tells me he's gayer than me and Mike over at Pop Trash Addicts put together. But that's just my opinion.

In 2008 he did team up with Sharam and sang guest vocals on the dance track Get Wild:

While his myspace hasn't been updated since 2007, I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard of Miss Mario. I leave you with her video for Gallery:

Got to tell me something

Ana Rodrí­guez was born in Cuba in 1974 and came to the US at an early age w/ her family. Ana (as she is known) released her self-titled debut album in 1987 on Parc/Epic Records. That same year, 80s teen queens Tiffany and Debbie Gibson also debuted. Unlike the afore mentioned, Ana didn't become a household name.

She did, however, score a minor hit with Shy Boys (#94 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the Billboard Dance Chart). The album did go on to enjoy success in Japan even resulting in it being released w/ a different cover and alternate title, Shy Boys.



In 1988 a single entitled Before I Jump was also released inbetween albums (Thanks to Justin for this info).



In 1990 at age 16 Ana released her second full length album, and probably her most known. Entitled Body Language (yes kiddies Ana did it before Kylie), Ana worked w/ a few different producers on this release and it was with this album that I became a fan.



With her trademark booming voice (if you've never heard her sing, you're missing out! think a Toni Braxton-esque voice) and w/ the help of the man behind NKOTB, Maurice Starr, one would have thought this album would have been a smash! But by the early 90s teen pop was already beginning to fade away. The music world's loss if you ask me.



Got To Tell Me Something, the albums only charting single peaked at #66.

Subsequent singles were released and failed to chart. A duet w/ then NKOTB hearthrob Jordan Knight entitled Angel Of Love received some airplay, as the record company was trying to repeat the success of Donnie Wahlberg's duet w/ Japanese pop singer Seiko. Deborah 'Debbie' Gibson wrote and produced 2 songs for this album including fan favorite Everytime We Say Goodbye. Several tracks were also produced by Hector Almaguer and Kiki Garcí­a, former members of Miami Sound Machine.

After this album failed to make a splash it seemed that Ana was destined to fade into pop obscurity...or so we thought.

Let me share a little story w/ you all now (the shortned version). My family used to own a Spanish language record store and back in early 2004 I was browsing through some promo cd's. I came across a single by a singer named Mia entitled Convencete. I popped it in because I was immediately drawn to the trampy girl on the cover.

I immediately liked it and said to my bf, God doesn't she sound like Ana?

So after some extensive research it turns out Mia is Ana!



Why the name change? I have no idea. With a new name, new sound and a new label, Ana/Mia returned! Released on Univision in the fall of 2003 Ana/Mia brought us Tentación:



During the time she was away Ana/Mia got married, had a child and then divorced. She felt she shouldn't give up her dream (thank god) and called long time friend Rudy Pérez to help her get back into music. While it wasn't a blockbuster success, it did garner Mia a nomination for Best New Artist at Premio Lo Nuestro.

It's been almost 2 years since Mia's Spanish language debut, and again she's missing! There is no sign of her on her labels website, and Tentación has since gone out of print. I think there still may be hope as lately Univision has been including Mia on many compilations. So while we wait for Mia/Ana to reemerge (again) let's check out her über hot video for Convencete (thanks to Chicago_Sexbox for ripping it from DVD to mpg)...