Para Siempre (English: Forever) is the 79th studio album released by Mexican singer Vicente Fernández on September 18, 2007 by Sony BMG Norte. Written and produced by Joan Sebastian, and co-produced by Jesús Rincón, the album is a successful mariachi record. It has sold two million copies worldwide, and is one of the biggest-selling albums by Fernández. It spawned five singles: "Estos Celos", "La Derrota", "Un Millón de Primaveras", and the title track, the latter of which was used as the main theme to the Mexican telenovela Fuego En La Sangre, which brought the album wider exposure and helped it to stay in the charts for over two years. It was named the best-selling Regional Mexican Album of the decade by Billboard magazine.
Originally conceived as a banda music project, the album earned Fernández a Latin Grammy Award for Best Ranchero Album, four Premios Oye! and a Grammy nomination. Para Siempre is considered responsible for bringing Mexican traditional music to a younger audience that had never listened to the singer before. Fernández released music videos for the twelve tracks and recorded a TV special on his ranch in Guadalajara, Jalisco. A sold-out promotional tour led to the recording of the live album Primera Fila, Fernández' follow up album.
Background
Two recognized artists worked together for the first time on Para Siempre: Vicente Fernández, the "king" of Mexico's traditional ranchera music and one of that country's most recognizable and influential cultural icons, and singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian. Since Fernández's emergence in the mid-1960s, his popularity among Mexicans and Mexican-Americans has been likened to that of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley in the United States. His concerts both in Mexico and the United States routinely sell out and his 100-plus albums (including compilations) have reportedly sold 50 million copies. Sebastian has been celebrated by critics for his contribution to Mexican culture, thanks to his successful singer career and his work producing artists such as Antonio Aguilar, Pepe Aguilar, Lucero and Rocío Dúrcal; he is also a three time Grammy winner. Para Siempre, the 79th studio album by Fernández, was released in September 2007 in several countries. It was recorded to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his singing career, and is, according to Fernández's record label, one of his most important albums. Nevertheless, Sebastian said that the label did not have high expectations for the album.
Recording
Fernández has stated that the album was conceived as a banda album with original music by Sebastian, a first for the singer; before this, in 1993, he included a cover of a song written by Sebastian titled "Verdad Que Duele" ("It Hurts") on his album Lástima Que Seas Ajena (A Shame You Belong to Another). Fernández' fans kept asking to record banda songs and written by Sebastian, prompting him to record the album. Fernández was not pleased with the idea of trading his classic mariachi style for banda, but agreed to record with Sebastian as a "thank you" to his fans. In the album liner notes the singer dedicated the album to his wife and included a message for this fans: "As long as you keep applauding, I will be singing 'forever'."
In late 2006, on Fernández' ranch in Guadalajara, Jalisco, he asked Sebastian for songs to record on his next album and they agreed that his next project would be to work with Fernández on the album. Sebastian began preparing the demos along with Beto Jiménez, and in early 2007 he told Fernández that the songs were ready. The singer flew to the producer's studio and recorded them. Fernández has said of working with Sebastian: "He is more than a friend, he is my brother, he writes excellent songs and has a great sensibility."
The album was recorded in Cuernavaca, Morelos at the JS Studios. "I went to one of his houses for a day and in less than seven hours my part of the album was ready, he put everything on the table, it's very good and romantic." Fernández kept his mariachi style on the album and the producer only added more tamboras; the singer was confident that this album was going to be a success, since his audience was demanding his union with Sebastian.
Composition
From the 12 tracks included, only the title track presents a successful love relationship; while Sebastian's lyrics contain popular slang. Guitars, trumpets, violins and an accordion create the mariachi sound. The last track, "El Chofer" ("The Driver"), is a resembles José Alfredo Jiménez lyrical style, since Fernández travels "through Laredo to Michoacán." Some inspiration for the tracks came from the writer's crush on the Mexican actress Salma Hayek.