Vega (singer)

Vega
Vega at the photocall of Alice in Wonderland in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Mercedes Mígel Carpio
Also known as	Vega
Born	18 February 1979 Córdoba, Province of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
Genres	Pop-Rock, Acoustic, Alternative Pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, Songwriter, Actress
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Universal Music Group
Website

Mercedes Mígel Carpio (Córdoba, Province of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain, 18 February 1979), alias Vega, is a Spanish singer-songwriter.

Her interest in music started when she was a child. She studied Advertising and Public Relations in Segovia, where she also worked as a waitress. She left her university career to be a contestant in Operación Triunfo 2002, her springboard to fame. Her musical style can be defined as the classical Spanish canción de autor or singer-songwriter, but it shows influences of Frank Sinatra, K's Choice and Los Planetas.

Career

Vega did reasonably well in Operacion Triunfo, but was not one of the finalists. At the end of the series, each contestant not in the final was asked to release their own original 'single'. This was a smart move by the programme makers, as it introduced a further element of competition: contestants who sold more than 200,000 copies of their single won a recording contract for a debut album. Vega's single was "Quiero Ser Tú" (I want to be you) - a bewitching, unusual and sophisticated track which she wrote herself - and it sold well enough to allow her to win her recording contract. The result, India, featured 11 self-written tracks, including covers of Frank Sinatra (That's life) and K's Choice's (Believe). "Grita!" ('Shout!') was the first single and was followed by "La verdad" ('The Truth'), which was a duet with Elena Gadel, also a contestant from Operacion Triunfo. Grita! reached number 1 in Spain, receiving airplay also in Belgium, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The last single was "Directo al Sol" ('Straight to the Sun'). The album contained a hidden track, "Mi Habitacion" (My room). India was one of the best-selling albums of 2004, and went Gold, largely due to its daring and original approach to songwriting and production: for instance, the title track is a 6 and a half minute piano and voice only; and the album's final track ends with Vega stringing lines from all the earlier tracks on the album into one exhilarating, extended riff.

In 2006, after various wrangles with unsympathetic A&R in her new record company Universal Spain, Vega released her second album : Circular, with the first single being 'Una Vida Contigo' (A Life With You). All but one of the tracks ("Solo Quiero Amanecer" written by Dani from El Canto Del Loco) were written by Vega. The album stalled at #40 in the Spanish charts, although the single received huge radio play. After a period of little activity, things began to pick up. 'Una Vida Contigo' earned Vega an "Autora Revelación a Los Premios de la Musica" nomination. Her recording company then decided to re-release Circular with the subtitle "Como Girar Sin Dar La Vuelta" (How to go round without going back). The release included two new songs, including the second single "Y Llueve.." (And it's raining) and the song "Clave De Sol" (Key of G). The album also featured different artwork/graphics. Songs from the album are featured regularly on the Spanish TV version of Ugly Betty (Yo Soy Bea). Vega spent the first months of 2007 on a nationwide tour to support the new album.

Her new Album, Metamorfosis will be released any time soon, according to her official website.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Peak	Sales	Certification PROMUSICAE
		Spain
2003	India	3	+110,000	1x Platinum
2006	Circular	25	+20,000	-
2009	Metamorfosis	11	+25,000	-
2011	La Cuenta Atrás	6	-	-

Singles

Year	Song	SPA	EñE	Certification PROMUSICAE	Album
2003	"Quiero Ser Tú"	1	1	10x Platinum (+200.000)	Non-album single
	"Grita!"	1	1	--	India
2004	"La Verdad" (dúo con Elena Gadel)	--	1	--
	"Directo Al Sol"	--	4	--
2006	"Una Vida Contigo"	--	2	--	Circular
2007	"Y Llueve"	--	24	--	Circular: Cómo Girar Sin Dar La Vuelta
2009	"Mejor Mañana"	31	6	--	Metamorfosis
	"Cuánta Decepción"	--	--	--
2010	"Lolita"	--	--	--
	"Nueva York"	--	--	--
2011	"Como Yo No Hay Dos"	17	2	--	La Cuenta Atrás
2012	"Réquiem"	--	--	--

Other songs

• 2002 La Fuerza De La Vida (La Razón Para Luchar) (ft. OT2)
• 2002 A Forza Desta Vida (ft. OT2)
• 2002 Un Segundo En El Camino (ft. OT2)
• 2002 Let The Sunshine (ft. Profesores & OT2)

External links

• vegamusic.es, official site
• Vega on Twitter
• Vega on Facebook
• Vega Music, YuppTVBazaar