It’s Lucky No. 7 for Gerardo Ortiz…
The 26-year-old Mexican American singer-songwriter’s latest single “Fuiste Mia” jumps 5-1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Songs airplay chart (dated September 10), earning him his seventh chart-topper.
The crowning rise ties Ortiz with Mexican superstar Vicente Fernandez for most No. 1s on the airplay chart by a solo act. (The chart was launched in 1994.)
Among all artists, regional Mexican groups Conjunto Primavera and Intocable lead for most overall No. 1s on Regional Mexican Songs, with 16 each.
It’s the first time “Fuiste Mia” has topped any Billboard chart, and comes five months after the song’s controversial music video was released. The clip, issued in March, depicted images of murder and violence against women. At a press conference in April, Ortiz attempted to explain his artistic vision for the video saying, “It’s only a music video, pure fiction. People have to understand and learn how to distinguish fiction from reality.”
The clip was removed from the artist’s official YouTube and Vevo channels in April following an online petition demanding its take down. An arrest warrant was later issued by the Mexican government for “criminal exaltation.” On July 16, Ortiz was arrested at an airport in Mexico in connection with the video, and released the following day after posting bail.
“Fuiste Mia” vaults to No. 1 with a 42 percent gain in airplay audience at the format in the week ending August 28, according to Nielsen Music, rising to 10.63 million. A healthy chunk of that rise is owed to increased play at KLAX in Los Angeles, which doubled its plays of the song from 30 spins to 60 in the latest tracking week (growing it by 116 percent in audience, to 990,000). Among all regional Mexican radio stations that report to the chart, “Fuiste Mia’s” largest supporter, in terms of audience, is KLTN, with 1.1 million for the week.
Ortiz accumulated his first seven No. 1s in just four years, four months and 20 days (trumping the 11 years it took Fernandez to notch his seven leaders). Only two other acts claimed their first seven No. 1s as fast as Ortiz: Conjunto Primavera took two years, eight months and 22 days between their first seven No. 1s, while Los Tigres del Norte marks the shortest duration between that many chart-toppers, one year, eight months and 22 days.
The airplay increase for “Fuiste Mia” helps the track to soar 16-5 on the Latin Airplay chart, where it takes Greatest Gainer honors and reaches a new peak in its 13th charting frame. It marks the seventh top five for Ortiz on the all-Latin genre radio chart.
Over on the Hot Latin Songs chart, which blends airplay, sales, and streaming, the track matches its previous peak, hopping 15-11 (it first peaked at No. 11 on the Aug. 6-dated chart).
On August 14, Ortiz announced that his forthcoming album will be called Comeré Callado. The release date has not yet been revealed.
