Background and Composition
In 1990, a thirteen-year-old Shakira signed a recording contract with Sony Music and released her debut studio album Magia in 1991, which largely consisted of tracks she had written since she was eight years old. Commercially, the project struggled, selling an underwhelming 1,200 copies in her native Colombia. Her follow-up record Peligro was released in 1993, and suffered a similar failure. Consequently, Shakira took a two-year hiatus, allowing her to complete her high school education.
Looking to revive her struggling career, Shakira released her first official studio album Pies Descalzos in 1996 by Sony Music and Columbia Records. Assuming a prominent position in its production, she co-wrote and co-produced each of the eleven tracks included on the record. Serviced as the fourth single from the project, "Un Poco de Amor" saw additional songwriting and production from Luis Fernando Ochoa. The track is heavily influenced by Latin pop elements, and additionally incorporates reggae styles. Lyrically, it states that Shakira is waiting to find someone who loves her. It became her first track to include phrases in English, performed by the uncredited Howard Glasford.
The accompanying music video for "Un Poco de Amor" was directed by Gustavo Garzón. The clip depicts a black-haired and red-haired Shakira dancing with Glasford, in addition to members of various ethnic groups. After attaining success with the original Spanish-language version, "Un Poco de Amor" was re-recorded in Portuguese as "Um Pouco de Amor" for Shakira's 1997 remix album The Remixes.
Read more about this topic: Un Poco De Amor (song)
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