Spanish pop singer Alejandro Sanz won so many Latin Grammys for his last two albums of dreamy romantic tunes -- seven in all -- that he became a poster boy for the safe, conservative school of Latin music that historically dominated the industry.
And when he swept the top categories last year for his "MTV Unplugged" album, a live acoustic set of old songs, he seemed a bit embarrassed by the generosity of his colleagues in the Latin Recording Academy.
The unassuming singer-songwriter scooped up his trophies and temporarily dropped from sight. But behind the scenes, Sanz was feeling the pressure of success, which normally induces artists to produce more of the same.
So what could he do for an encore?
"I knew I would have to surprise people," says Sanz, relaxing recently with a glass of wine in a swank suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "Above all, I had to surprise myself. Because there comes a point where you get comfortable with all of that acclaim.
"Look, I've always thought that awards were not important and all that. But I realized that, like it or not, winning brings a responsibility that you must assume. The responsibility to not let people down, to keep growing and to show that you deserve all those awards."
Judging by the quality of his new album, Sanz took that challenge seriously. The low-key artist returns with a fresh and indeed surprising album, appropriately titled "No Es Lo Mismo" (It's Not the Same). The touching and provocative work marks a major step forward for Sanz, edgier and more intense, with a strong rhythm and emotional depth that reflects his return to his flamenco roots.
Sanz has cleared away the rococo excess that cluttered his music, though his new songs are paradoxically more complex. They are less meandering, advancing forcefully, sometimes with defiant commentary and brain-teasing wordplay that defies facile translation.
In the Dylanesque monologue of the title cut, Sanz rebelliously answers critics: "Read my lips, I'm not for sale." The singer successfully interlaces Spanish and English with guest rapper GQ in a hip-hop tune, "Try to Save Your Song," taut with sexual tension.
Even his love lyrics sound more real, like aching, intimate conversations. But Sanz sometimes delivers protest disguised as romance. "Sandy a Orilla do Mundo" (Sandy at the Edge of the Earth) is about a Spanish coastline spoiled by an oil spill, and the song seethes with heartbreak and anger against greed.
