"Rebelde" is the debut single by Mexican pop group RBD. It was released on 30 September 2004, as the lead single from their debut album Rebelde in 2004. "Rebelde" became 2005's major hit in Mexico and was the song that started the band's successful career. The single is widely considered to be the group's signature song since RBD is short for Rebelde, and was performed in all of the group's tours. The song was used extensively in the soap opera Rebelde during its first season. A Portuguese version with the same name was released as the first single of the album's Brazilian edition on 1 November 2005.
| "Rebelde" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by RBD | ||||
| from the album Rebelde | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| English title | "Rebel" | |||
| Released |
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| Recorded | 2004 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:34 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| RBD singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Rebelde" on YouTube | ||||
Background and release
editIn 2004, production on the teen-oriented telenovela Rebelde began, with Pedro Damián serving as executive producer. Its six young lead actors, Anahí, Alfonso Herrera, Dulce María, Christopher von Uckermann, Maite Perroni, and Christian Chávez were put together to create RBD, as part of the contract with the company Televisa, to promote the show. They recorded their first album in two days, and "Rebelde" was released as the lead single on 30 September 2004.[1] The telenovela premiered on Televisa in Mexico on 4 October, and went on to achieve high ratings in the country. Their debut album Rebelde was released on 30 November, to commercial success.[2] After achieving significant success in Brazil, the group recorded a Portuguese-language version of the album, with "Rebelde - Versão Português" accompanying it as the lead single.[3] A Cumbia version was performed as the final song during the band's first concert series, Tour Generación RBD En Vivo.[4]
Composition and lyrics
editThe song was written by DJ Kakfa and Max di Carlo, and produced by both alongside Armando Ávila. It is a Latin pop, pop rock, and teen pop song that lasts for three minutes and 34 seconds. It uses the typical verse-pre-chorus-chorus-post-chorus structure. The chorus finds the band singing: "Y soy rebelde" (And I'm a rebel"), every two lines, and making statements in-between, such as: "Cuando te quiero hasta rabiar" ("When I love you until I rage"), and "Cuando me juego hasta la piel" ("When I play to the skin" or "When I dare to it all").
The first verse is sung by Anahí and Alfonso, saying that they think about each other while their fathers scold them for how they act: ("...Mi padre grita otra vez / Que me malgasto mi futuro y su paz/Con mi manera de ser" ("...My dad yells again / That I waste my future and his peace, with my way of being").
The second verse comes from Christian and Dulce María, where Christian promises to run away one day "...para jugarme todo por un sueño" ("...to bet everything for a dream"). Meanwhile, Dulce tells the listener that they have to bet on everything despite the two outcomes: "Todo en la vida es a perder o ganar/Hay que apostar, hay que apostar sin miedo" ("Everything in life is to lose or to win, we have to bet, we have to bet without fear").
The pre-choruses are done by both duets, with a difference in the first lines; the former sing "Aunque lo escucho ya estoy lejos de aquí" ("Even though I hear him, I'm already far from here"), while the latter say "No importa mucho lo que digan de mí" ("It doesn't matter much what they say about me"). Both end with "Cierro los ojos y ya estoy pensando en ti" ("I close my eyes and I'm already thinking of you").[5]
The post-choruses are sung by Chrisitan and Anahí. The instrumental bridge features an electric guitar solo, before going into the last chorus. One notable aspect is that Maite and Christopher do not sing, despite the latter having a more prominent role in the telenovela than Christian. However, in the music video and when doing shows, the second post-chorus was given to Maite, even when the band was required to use playback in some televised performances.
Music video
editThe music video was released alongside the song. It was directed by Damián and featured several cast members from the show. The band and actors from the telenovela arrive at a house for an exclusive party. Throughout the video, the teens and young adults party throughout the house. The group, dressed in black clothes with fake tattoos, is also seen singing on a stage while performing some choreographed dance moves. They keep rebelling throughout the video even though their parents are around. At the end of the video, they are led into the woods by a man to take away their sins.
With the re-release of the group's music in 2020, the song's music video has garnered over 14 million views on YouTube as of September 2023.
Commercial performance
editThe song gave the band recognition in Mexico, the United States, Spain, and the rest of Latin America.
In the group's home country, the song peaked at number 1 on the charts, and became the nation's biggest hit in 2005. In the U.S., it peaked at number 37 on theBillboard Hot Latin Songs chart and at number 21 in its Latin Pop Airplay chart. "Rebelde" reached number 1 on the charts in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Spain, while peaking at number 35 in Venezuela.
In 2008, "Rebelde" was certificated Gold in Brazil.
Charts
edit| Chart (2004–2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Brazil (Crowley)[6] | 63 |
| Chile (Lincoln Journal)[7] | 1 |
| El Salvador (Notimex)[8] | 1 |
| Guatemala (Notimex)[9] | 1 |
| Mexico (Hispanos Unidos)[10] | 1 |
| US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 21 |
| US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard) | 37 |
| Venezuela (Record Report)[11] | 35 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[12] | Gold | 20, 000[12] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Premios Juventud | La Más Pegajosa | Nominated | [13] |
| Premios Oye! | Video del Año | Nominated | ||
| Canción del Año | Nominated | |||
| 2006 | TVyNovelas Award | Mejor Tema de Telenovela | Won |
Track listings
editAll tracks are written by DJ Kafka[14] and Max Di Carlo, with additional writing where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rebelde" | 3:34 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rebelde - Versión Cumbia / En Directo" | 3:54 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rebelde - Versão Português" | Claudio Rabello | 3:34 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Medley Rebelde" (Medley with "Sólo Quédate En Silencio" and "Sálvame"[15]) |
| 8:31 |
References
edit- ^ "Rebelde". Spotify. 1 January 2004. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Rebelde". Spotify. 1 January 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Rebelde - Versão Português". Spotify. 1 January 2005. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Rebelde - Versión Cumbia / En Directo". Spotify. 1 January 2005. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "RBD – "Rebelde" Lyrics | Genius". Genius. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Top 100 – Semanal – Com Comparação – Internacional" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Crowley Broadcast Analysis. 9 October 2006. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- ^ "Las diez canciones más populares". Lincoln Journal Star (in Spanish). 7 September 2006. p. 50. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mexicanos conquistan Centroamérica" (in Spanish). El Siglo de Torreón. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Mexicanos conquistan Centroamérica" (in Spanish). El Siglo de Torreón. 21 March 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Las diez canciones más populares". Hispanos Unidos (in Spanish). 26 March 2005. p. 16. Retrieved 12 September 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Top 50 – General: Cierre de Año, 2005" (PDF) (in Spanish). Record Report. 24 December 2005. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Singles". Australian Record Industry Association. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
- ^ "2nd Annual "Premios Juventud" Awards: A Night of Stars and Premier Performances". Univision. 22 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ Carlos Lara billed as DJ Kafka
- ^ "Medley Rebelde - Live". Spotify. 1 January 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2023.