Ana Bárbara facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ana Bárbara
Ana Bárbara in 2007
Born	Altagracia Ugalde Motta (1971-01-10) January 10, 1971 (age 54) El Pitayo, Sanciro De Acosta, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	José María Fernández «Pirru» ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2010)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Regional Mexican Latin pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Fonovisa AB Productions Lo Busqué Productions Sony Music Latin

Altagracia Ugalde Motta (born January 10, 1971), known as Ana Bárbara, is a famous Mexican singer. She started her professional music career in 1994. Since then, she has become a very important artist in Latin entertainment. She is one of the top female singers in regional Mexican music.

Ana Bárbara is known for her amazing singing voice and her talent for writing and producing songs. She helped define the modern Grupero music style. She is also one of the few regional Mexican artists who became popular outside of Mexico and the United States.

Over the past two decades, Ana Bárbara has released many albums and music videos. She has sold over 6 million records in Mexico, Central America, South America, and the United States. She has also won many important awards in Latin music.

Ana Bárbara's Music Journey

Starting Her Career

In 1988, Ana Bárbara entered the local Miss Mexico beauty pageant. She won the state competition for San Luis Potosí. After this, she looked for every chance to sing at local talent shows. She also performed professionally at music events and festivals. In the 1990s, she even toured in Colombia, sharing Mexico's mariachi music.

In 1993, Ana Bárbara was named the "Ambassador of Ranchera Music." She also won an award called "The Heraldo's Beautiful Face." Because of this, she was invited to sing for Pope John Paul II at a Mass in The Vatican. When it seemed she might not get to sing, she bravely sang anyway. After the Mass, the Pope blessed her and wished her good luck.

In 1994, record executives from Fonovisa noticed her. Fonovisa is a top label for regional Mexican music. After signing with them, she chose her stage name "Ana Bárbara." She then released her first album, Ana Bárbara. Songs like Sacúdeme and Nada helped her become a Grupero music star.

Her second album, La Trampa, came out in July 1995. This album made her even more popular and was a big hit on the radio. Ana Bárbara received awards and was invited to tour with famous regional Mexican artists. These included Vicente Fernandez and Los Tigres del Norte. She appeared on major Latin American TV shows like Sabado Gigante and Siempre en Domingo. Her hit songs and music videos, such as Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta and La Trampa, topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks. This made her known as La Reina Grupera (The Queen of Grupero Music).

Becoming an International Star

By the summer of 1996, Ana Bárbara became famous internationally with her third album, Ay, Amor. This album confirmed her as a successful Latin artist. It also became her best album debut on the Latin Billboard charts. Ay, Amor made her music appeal to more people. It included different styles of Grupero and some ranchero ballads. Songs like No Lloraré and Ya No Te Creo Nada became popular hits.

In 1998, she released her fourth studio album. This album, Los Besos No Se Dan En La Camisa, mostly featured ballads. It included a duet with Mexican singer-songwriter Marco Antonio Solís. A cover of "Como Me Haces Falta" quickly became a popular hit. The song was played a lot on the radio in Latin America, Mexico, and the United States. Ana Bárbara's popularity continued to grow.

In 1999, she released her fifth album, Tu Decisión. This album was special because it was the first time Ana Bárbara wrote some of her own songs. One of her songs, "Engañada," became a very popular hit. In the same year, she also started acting in a TV movie called Todo Contigo. The movie's song "Todo Contigo" was on her album. Music videos like "Quise Olvidar" became popular on TV. The next year, Ana Bárbara was recognized by The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. Her album Tu Decisión was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.

In 2000, Ana Bárbara took a short break when her first child, Emiliano, was born. She returned in 2001 with her sixth album, Te Regalo La Lluvia. This album featured Mariachi-style ballads, which was a change from her usual Grupero style. Critics began to take her music more seriously. In the fall, she received her second Latin Grammy nomination. She also sang in "El Último Adiós (The Last Goodbye)," a song written to remember the events of 9/11. Many other artists, like Alejandro Fernández and Ricky Martin, were also part of this song.

After several years, Ana Bárbara started to produce her own music. She began to write, arrange, and choose her own lyrics and melodies. In September 2003, Te Atraparé...Bandido was released. It became one of her most successful albums. In May 2005, she produced and released Loca de Amar. She continued to have success with popular songs like Bandido, Deja, Loca, and Lo Busqué. These songs were very popular on the radio in South America, Mexico, and the United States.

Selena Tribute Concert

In 2005, Ana Bárbara took part in Selena ¡VIVE!. This was a special concert to honor the Latin music icon Selena. The event took place on April 7, 2005, in Houston, Texas. Many famous artists, including Thalía and Ricky Martin, performed. The concert was shown on Univision and became the most watched Spanish-language TV special in the US. Ana Bárbara produced and helped write a new version of "La Carcacha". This version mixed Selena's original song with her own Grupero style.

Latin Grammy Award

Ana Bárbara in Puebla's Plaza de la Concordia (2005)

In 2005, Ana Bárbara won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Grupero Album for her album, Loca de Amar. This was at the 6th Annual Latin Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles. She also performed a mix of her songs Lo Busqué and Loca at the ceremony.

At the peak of her career, she took a break for several years. She wanted to spend time with her new family. She moved to Cancún, Mexico, with her husband and three children. Her second child, José María, was born in 2006. During her break, she also opened a nightclub called Bandido in Cancún in 2008. She sold it a year later.

New Music and Changes

In 2008, Ana Bárbara performed in a concert honoring José José. In April 2009, she was featured on the cover of People en Español as one of the "50 Most Beautiful" people.

After almost five years away from recording, Ana Bárbara was still a favorite in the music industry. She started to change her music style from Grupero to Latin Pop. This change was clear in the fall of 2009 with her album Rompiendo Cadenas. This album featured an upbeat Urban/Pop song produced by Dominican duo Luny Tunes. The music video for Rompiendo Cadenas was filmed in La Habana, Cuba. It quickly got over four million views on YouTube.

Ana Bárbara released her Latin pop album Rompiendo Cadenas in January 2010. She explained that she had left her record label, Fonovisa Records. This album was different because it was Latin pop, and she wrote all 10 songs herself. She launched Rompiendo Cadenas on her own record label, AB Productions.

In 2010, she hosted events for Univision and TeleFutura. She co-hosted the 2010 Lo Nuestro Awards in Miami, Florida. She also took part in a Spanish remake of Michael Jackson's We Are the World, called Somos El Mundo. Many other stars, like Juanes and Shakira, were in it. She also hosted a TV special honoring Selena and was a judge for a Selena look-alike contest.

The second song from Rompiendo Cadenas was "Que Ironía." Ana Bárbara later said she originally wrote this song for Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi. But her eldest son encouraged her to record it herself. A music video for "Que Ironía" was released and got over a million views. Even though Rompiendo Cadenas did not sell as much as her earlier albums, fans and critics liked it. In May 2010, she announced two new Latin pop songs. One was "Ahora Tengo," a duet with Mexican singer-songwriter Reyli. The other was "Alma Perdida," a ballad for Univision's mini-series Mujeres Asesinas 3.

In 2011, Ana Bárbara appeared in Univision's soap opera Una Familia Con Suerte. This was her first time acting in a soap opera. She also sang "Suerte" for the show's soundtrack. In the fall, she released another Latin pop song and music video called "Refugio Para el Amor."

New Beginnings in Los Angeles

After a less successful period, Ana Bárbara started writing and producing songs for a new regional Mexican album. This album was recorded in the banda style for the first time. In 2012, she moved to Los Angeles, California, with her three children. She released a banda song called "Tu Ingratitud," a cover of a 1993 song by Los Bukis. A music video for it was released in July 2012 and quickly got over three million views on YouTube. "Tu Ingratitud" became very popular in Mexico and reached the top 20 in the United States and South America. This song marked her return to music charts and touring.

In July 2012, she became a judge on Estrella TV's music and reality show Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento. She replaced fellow regional Mexican singer Jenni Rivera. In October 2012, her song "Dos Abrazos" was featured in the Hollywood movie, Border Run. A banda version of "Dos Abrazos" was later released on her eleventh studio album. On December 8, 2012, Ana Bárbara sang Mexico's national anthem at the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez IV fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Television and Music in 2013

In April 2013, Ana Bárbara hosted the 2013 Latin Billboard Music Awards in Miami, Florida. A memorable moment was when she sang for Latin music icon Jose Jose. In July, she returned to TV soap operas. She had a singing role in the grand finale of the Televisa and Univision soap opera Amores verdaderos. She sang "Tu De Que Vas." In August, she became the voice of "Yo Soy la Mujer," the theme song for Telemundo's soap opera Marido En Alquiler. She performed the banda version of "Yo Soy la Mujer" at the La Voz Kids grand finale.

She also took part in a tribute to Mexican singer Jenni Rivera at the 2013 Premios de la Radio. She sang one of Rivera's popular hits, "Inolvidable." She continued filming for Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento. In November, she released the song "Yo Ya No Estoy." After focusing on family and TV, she released "Yo Soy La Mujer" on December 3, 2013. This was her first full banda album. The album included songs written by other Mexican artists like Joan Sebastian and Marco Antonio Solís. The album reached No. 11 on Top Latin Albums in the United States. A music video for the main song "Ahora Me Toca A Mí" was released.

2014: Celebrating 20 Years

Yo Soy La Mujer was released in Mexico in February 2014. A special edition included two new songs. In January 2014, Ana Bárbara announced the "Yo Soy La Mujer: Celebrando 20 Años de Trayectoria" tour. This tour celebrated her 20 years in music. She said the tour marked the end of one chapter and the start of a new one. The tour began in Bolivia and traveled through Peru, Chile, other South and Central American countries, and major cities in the United States. In April, she released her second song "A Donde Crees Que Vas." Her music videos and outfits showed a stronger image. She also announced a duet with K'ala Marka for "Niña de mis Ojos."

Ana Bárbara celebrated two decades in music on April 12, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. She sang her popular songs, mixes from her early career, and classics from icons like Juan Gabriel. Marco Antonio Solís made a surprise appearance to congratulate her and sing a duet. Other singers like Pepe Aguilar and Enrique Iglesias sent messages of support. The two-hour special was shown on Estrella TV in October 2014. She finished the Yo Soy La Mujer tour in Guatemala, performing for over eighteen thousand people.

2015 Tour and Album

Ana Bárbara went on an eleven-city tour across America, starting in San Francisco on New Year's Eve 2015. The tour included cities like Seattle, Las Vegas, and Chicago. She also worked with Toy Selectah & Camilo Lara on their album Compass.

Personal Life

Ana Bárbara got engaged to José Maria Fernández in 2005. In June 2010, there were rumors about her divorce from José Maria. On July 2, 2010, Ana Bárbara confirmed that her five-year marriage had ended.

In 2006, Ana Bárbara released the official 2006 FIFA World Cup soccer song Arriba Arriba. She also released her ninth studio album, No Es Brujería.

Health and Family

After some difficult public events, Ana Bárbara experienced depression and anorexia. In March 2011, she confirmed on Twitter that she was getting treatment in Spain to improve her health. In July 2011, Ana Bárbara confirmed she was moving from Mexico to the United States. She moved to Los Angeles, California.

In August 2011, after her divorce, Ana Bárbara announced she was pregnant through artificial insemination. She decided to have another child because her children wanted a bigger family. She said she expected criticism but would not let it bother her. Her third child was born in December 2011 in Mexico City. In March 2012, Ana Bárbara revealed that the father of her son, Jeronimo, was her longtime friend, singer-songwriter Reyli.

Awards and Recognition

Ana Bárbara has received many awards, including Latin Grammy's, Lo Nuestro Awards, Juventud Awards, and Oye Awards.

Her former record label, Fonovisa, stated that these awards are important achievements in her career. Her success has continued for over a decade in the United States, Mexico, and Latin America.

She has won four Lo Nuestro Awards for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year. She won in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2006.

She has also received seven Premio Furia Musical Awards. She won three Premio El Heraldo trophies: Best New Artist in 1994 and Best Female Singer in 1997 and 2000.

In 2002, Ana Bárbara won a Casandra Award for Most Outstanding International Artist. In 2005, she won My Favorite Regional Mexican Artist at Univision's Juventud Awards. She also received a singer-songwriter award at the Latin Grammy Awards.

She was named Best Female Performer at Mexico's Oye! Awards in 2006.

In September 2012, she was honored as queen of the LGBT community in Los Angeles, California. She also received this honor in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2014, and in San Francisco on January 1, 2015.

By the fall of 2012, she was honored for her 20-year music career at the Premios de la Radio award show. She has sold over 8 million albums, singles, and videos worldwide. This makes her one of the few female regional Mexican music artists to have fans all over the world. To celebrate this recognition, Bárbara performed a mix of her famous songs. She also sang a duet of "Te Voy Olvidar" with Jenni Rivera.

In 2013, she was nominated for Female Artist of the Year at Premios de la Radio and the Mexican Billboard Music Awards. In 2014, she was nominated for Female Artist of the Year at Lo Nuestro Awards, Premios de la Radio, and People En Español's Entertainment Awards. In 2015, Ana Bárbara was nominated for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year at Univision's Lo Nuestro Awards.

By 2015, Ana Bárbara's music videos and TV performances had over 75 million views on YouTube. She was also scheduled to be honored by the Las Vegas Walk of Stars in 2015.

Film and Television Appearances

Music Albums

• Ana Bárbara (1994)
• La Trampa (1995)
• Ay, amor (1996)
• Los besos no se dan en la camisa (1997)
• Tu decisión (1999)
• Te regalo la lluvia (2001)
• Te atraparé... Bandido (2003)
• Loca de amar (2004)
• No es brujería (2006)
• Rompiendo cadenas (2009)
• Yo soy la mujer (2014)
• Bordado A Mano (2023)

See also

In Spanish: Ana Bárbara para niños