August 10, 2010

By By Leila Cobo

Sony Music Latin is planning to release a deluxe edition of "Thalia En Primera Fila," the live recording by the Mexican pop star, on Sept. 28.

The deluxe CD/DVD edition, the label's only deluxe release between now and the end of the year, will include three new tracks on the CD and a never-released documentary in the DVD. A version for the Mexican market will, in addition, also include the full live concert. A Blue-ray version of the concert will be released throughout Latin America.

Taped before a live audience in Miami last summer, "Thal?a En Primera Fila" (Thalia First Row) became a comeback success story. Although Thal?a is a superstar known throughout Latin America (in part due to her long career in successful soaps), her past two albums, out on EMI Latin, had sold poorly, particularly here in the United States.

But "En Primera Fila," an acoustic recording that featured a simple version of Thal?a --barefoot, jean-clad and wearing little make-up -- was enthusiastically supported by Sony, her new label, and became a surprising success. This pared down Thalia struck a chord, and the CD, DVD and special CD/DVD edition for Walmart have together sold close to 90,000 copies in the United States alone since the late 2009 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Throughout Latin America, the project in its different formats has shipped 450,000 copies, according to Sony.

"It's really our great story of the year," says Paula Kaminsky, VP of marketing for Sony Music U.S. Latin. "And it shows that a good artist always has a chance with the right project."

Thal?a's sales were particularly strong in her native Mexico, where "En Primera Fila" has been on the top 5 of the Amprofon charts since March. There, the album has gone quadruple platinum, shipping 240,000 copies, according to Amprofon.

Thal?a also benefited from a campaign from Dutch clothing company C&A, for whom Thalia is a spokesperson for the Mexican market. The singer is featured prominently in C&A's website, and the company's fall campaign will feature the single "Ens??ame a Vivir."

Stateside, Thal?a's music was also part of an AT&T campaign during the World Cup.

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