Musa (album)

Musa (English: Muse) is the eighth studio album by Puerto Rican reggaetón singer-songwriter Ivy Queen. It was released through Siente Music on August 21, 2012 in all formats. The tracks on the album were composed by Queen and various other songwriters, including: Victor Delgado, Hiram Cruz and Francisco Saldaña. The album was produced by Luny Tunes, Noriega, Predikador, and DJ Nelson among others. The album features a variety of musical styles prominent on her previous albums Sentimiento (2007) and Drama Queen (2010).

The recording produced four singles. "Peligro de Extinción" was released as the lead single on June 19, 2012. It peaked at number 18, 21, and 84 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay, Billboard Latin Rhythm Digital Songs, and Billboard Tropical Songs charts respectively. Musa debuted and peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and number four on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Albums chart. It was followed by "Cupido", "Cuando Las Mujeres" and later "No Hay".

Upon its release, the album remained within the top five best-selling albums of the urban genre, in the United States and Puerto Rico, according to SoundScan monitoring services of the recognized measurement firm Nielsen. The album was included at number six on Rhapsody's Top 15 Latin Albums of Late Summer 2012 and number nine on Rhapsody's Top 30 Latin Albums of 2012.

After the success of her 2007 effort Sentimiento, which spawned the Top 10 hit "Que Lloren" and was later certified Platinum by the United States Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a substantial live album, Ivy Queen 2008 World Tour LIVE! was distributed by Machete in 2008. Subsequently, Queen signed a new record deal with the label in April 2010 as it celebrated its fifth anniversary to release her next studio album Drama Queen. The signing, described as a 360 deal, includes profit sharing in tours, sponsorships and merchandising. Ivy Queen was previously signed to a distribution deal with Univision Records, which in turn was acquired by Machete's parent company Universal Music Latin Entertainment in 2008.

The president of Universal Music Latino and Machete, Walter Kolm, commented in a press release "It's a privilege to have Ivy Queen be a part of our artistic roster. Ivy is an extraordinary woman with incomparable talent, and she's number one in her genre. We're happy to be able to work with her on her new album as well as future projects". "I'm very proud to be a part of Machete Music. They are a young, vibrant company that has created a name for itself in Latin music in the United States and the world. They are a strong and important company that has been recognized for nurturing their artists’ creative talents," said Ivy Queen, regarding the partnership. However even with all this, it was reported that Queen had signed with Siente Music.

Ivy Queen told Efe that the composition process started while she was heartbroken at home. Her emotions then burst out in the recording studio. She wrote 26 songs for Drama Queen in which only 16 appear, the lasting ten are used for Musa. She explained that "The expectations I have with this album are quite realistic and can not be other than success and this is due to something that I did not think was possible without technology and the Internet". She says the two years away from the media has helped her, not just emotionally but mentally as well. "I like it, I think it is the best way to separate Ivelisse and Ivy Queen". She indicated that the album is "very mature and complete," because even though "her style is urban and the most predominant themes of reggaeton it also features fusions of rhythms and instruments that make their own style." "I did not want to lock in to the reggaeton genre or singing just one genre. I had to address more than just one 'target' or a musical style as such. I love music in general and this, when the album was born of my loins; I let the muse flow and there came my ten issues."

Musa was produced mainly by Keko Musik, with additional production by Luny Tunes, DJ Nelson, Noriega, Predikador, DJ Nelson and EZP Perez. Ivy Queen also co-produced one track on the album "Caminando Por La Vida". Queen was given a guitar and Keko Musik asked if she would like to learn how to play it. He informed her that she would have to cut her signature nails, and she did to play the guitar.

When recording sessions for Musa ended, Queen was finishing production for the album. She then realized that she was recording her album at the same place where Ñengo Flow was recording his respective album. Ñengo then asked Queen if she ever needed him that he was there and they then recorded "Real G4 Life".