The singer Aranza was on the verge of giving up her career when Armando Manzanero offered her an opportunity that shaped her destiny. (Photo by Jaime Nogales/Medios y Media/Getty Images)
Just as Aranza was about to throw in the towel and abandon his career in the music world forever, he received a phone call that would change the course of his life.
It was 1997 and by that time the Mexican singer had already recorded two albums as a soloist and had previously had relative success with her group “Zarabanda”, with which she even recorded the theme song for the soap opera Alcanzar una Estrella II, in which he was the cast took him on tour through several cities in the country.
But his career went nowhere. The record label she worked with left her frozen, with no promotion or future plans.
“I felt very bad, I was very disappointed,” she admitted in a recent interview for the Cora Nelda Rodríguez channel. “One day I literally started talking to God and I told him, 'Let's see, if you want me to continue dedicating myself to this topic, give me a sign because I can't do it anymore am tired.”
That same day, as he returned home after recording some choruses for another singer's album, he heard the phone ringing.
“It turned out that he was the head of Sony studios (…) He said to me: 'Hey, note that Maestro Armando Manzanero is here with me and wants to meet you. I told him, 'Oh, stop bothering you,' he was in a bad mood.”
But it was true. On the other end of the line, Maestro Manzanero asked him to meet because he had heard “Mentiras y Tears,” the single from his first album that hit the popularity charts in Mexico and other Central American countries.
“I want to suggest something to you,” the singer-songwriter told him, “I want you to come over and listen to a song I wrote for a soap opera to see if you would be interested in singing it. “
Apparently Aranza accepted the invitation without even imagining the magnitude of the project ahead of her.
This song was “Dime”, the main theme of Mirada de Mujer, one of the most important soap operas in the history of Televisión Azteca.
“You have to sing this song”
“I arrived, I met him and we recognized each other immediately, I think we knew each other from other lives, from other adventures, because we sat down at the piano, he started humming 'Dime' and he said to me 'You sing '.” “like an older woman, I like it.” a lot and we recorded a small test.
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Manzanero didn't hesitate and assured him: “You have to sing the theme of this soap opera.” But he couldn't make the decision alone, so he asked for a week-long consultation with the label's executives.
Hours later, however, the teacher returned to the studio the same day. He returned and they recorded “Dime.”
But there was a problem. Although his record company had made it clear that he was no longer part of their plans, they had not yet granted him his retirement letter. Woman's Gaze would be airing in less than a week and she had to get this letter at any cost.
“I was signed but I knew the record company didn't want me anymore, I made it very clear, the problem was getting the cancellation letter. I was already fired because they were not interested in working with me, but from then on.” “When I asked for the letter, I had to lie, I told them that I would no longer devote myself to this issue, that I very disappointed (…) I think they felt sorry for them and gave me the letter.
“I was about to miss this opportunity. Eventually the soap opera premiered and the next day I went out on the street and my life was different,” he admitted.
When Aranza talks about Manzanero – with whom he later toured the world and even recorded and produced an album called Solo Manzanero – his eyes fill with tears.
“I don't know how I feel when I remember him because he changed my life. In that moment he changed my life.”