"Abriendo Puertas" (English: "Opening Doors") is a song from Cuban American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan's sixth studio album, of the same name (1995). The song was written by Kike Santander, who handled production alongside Gloria's husband Emilio Estefan. It was released as the lead single from the album on September 19, 1995. The song is a vallenato and son cubano tune that metaphorically deals with opening doors and closing wounds. Its music video features Estefan performing the song while also showing scenes of farmers planting crops. The song received positive reactions from music critics, who mostly praised the instruments. Commercially, it topped both Billboard's Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Airplay charts in the United States and peaked at number three on the Dance Club Songs chart as well.
In 1995, Gloria released her second Spanish-language studio album, Abriendo Puertas, which was produced in its entirety by Colombian composer Kike Santander and her husband Emilio Estefan.[1]Abriendo Puertas is a holiday album with the tracks making references to Christmas and New Year's.[2] Santander penned all the songs on the album, including the opening title track.[3] The song is a vallenato track with a mix of Son cubano and according to Juan Fermin Cabrera of the New York Daily News conveys "positive message of freedom, encouragement and hope".[4][5] In the song, Estefan chants "Abriendo puertas, cerrando heridas" ("opening doors and closing wounds") which The Boston Globe editor Alisa Valdes noted it reflects a "growing desire among Cuban-American exiles to build bridges to the people of Cuba".[6]
Promotion and reception
"Abriendo Puertas" was released as the album's lead single on September 30, 1995, by Epic Records.[7] A re-recording of the song was included on her fourteenth studio album Brazil305 (2020) and this version incorporates Brazilian music.[8] The accompanying music video for the original version intersperses Estefan performing while farmers are growing their crops.[9] Estefan performed "Abriendo Puertas" live as part of a medley along with "Cuando Hay Amor" and "Magalenha" during the opening ceremony of the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2021.[10] Parry Gettelman called it a "charming title track".[11]Achy Obejas of the Chicago Tribune highlighted "Abriendo Puertas" for its "simple words about unity and its sweet vallenato rhythms".[12] An editor for El Tiempo felt that the blending of the two genres mixes well[13] Mario Tarradell of the Dallas Morning News noted that while Estefan's phrasings and instruments "evoke the sound of vallenato", its arrangements "also pays tribute to the light swing and brassy Cali salsa sound".[14]
^Estefan, Gloria (1995). Abriendo Puertas (online video) (in Spanish). YouTube. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^Lannert, John (May 4, 1996). "¡Que Viva La Música!". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 18. p. L-3. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
^Abriendo Puertas (Media notes). Estefan, Gloria. United States: Epic. 1995. 49K 77977.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Abriendo Puertas (Media notes). Estefan, Gloria. Europe: Epic. 1995. EPC 662414.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Gloria Estefan (1995). Abriendo Puertas (CD liner). United States: Epic Records. EK 67284.