"Quedate"

In class, we are currently studying the unit of Telenovela Production. Originally, I assumed that my favorite topic of our course would be the unit of Telenovela Cosumption of Love Stories, but of course, just as the assumption of my telenovela choice was incorrect, so was this one. The topic of production surprisingly intrigues me. In high school, I was the head of the broadcasting production program that my school offered. I loved working both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, but have had little to do with the field in college. Being able to view produced and aired scenes followed my Dr. A's personal backstage videos is so exciting. Looking at the same scene from two different angles really puts the telenovela industry in perspective for me. 

Next week, our class will discuss the music side to Telenovela Production. Before learning about the topic from Dr. A, I wanted to blog about what I think is important about the way that musical elements are produced for and consumed by telenovela audiences. I am no music-specialist, but I am loyal consumer and audience member of La Reina del Sur. Paola Vargas' Quedate is captivating in its use within this telenovela. Normally, I am the typical viewer of television that ignores the background noises and music to hone my focus in on the characters, but from my first listen, there was no escaping the power of this song. Quedate is the song used to elevate the love story of Teresa and Santiago. Every time the characters are happy together, the song plays. Every time the characters are remembering special moments together, the song plays. Every time the characters are making love, the song plays. As a viewer, I could not help being sucked into the romantic plot whenever the song played. It made me happy or nostalgic, mirroring the affect that it had on the characters. If Teresa and Santiago were fighting or separated, I would long for the song to play, indicating that everything was good and the world was right again. 

Quedate kept me hooked and wanting more, that is, until Santiago died. At the current point in my viewing, Teresa has been in the all-female jail for a while. The song has not played in recent episodes, and I am dying to hear it again. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, there have been a few times where I have looked the song up on YouTube just to listen to it and remember the happy times of Teresa and Santiago. Teresa and Guero had a song that represented their love story at the beginning of La Reina del Sur, but it was no where near as profound as Quedate. I find myself asking questions like, "Will Teresa have a flashback of memories with Santiago? Will Quedate play in the background of the flashback?" or "When Teresa meets the other love interest that is previewed in the credits, will they have a song to represent their love story? Will it have more of an impact than Quedate?" 

The musical element to Telenovela Production seems trivial at first glance, but I have learned that it is truly such an important part of the success of a telenovela. In addition, it affects Telenovela Consumption. As a consumer, the way that I perceived the love story of Teresa and Santiago was heightened because of the song and its placement. I am eager to learn more about music and its significance next week. I hope that you will enjoy Quedate as much as I do. Take a listen!