When kink finds its way to popular culture, it doesn't have to be something as overt as the Velvet Underground's "Venus in Furs"; it could be something as cute as Mexican singer/telenovela star Mariana's "Me Equivoqué," one of the most infectious Latin pop smashes of 2004. "Me Equivoqué" -- the gem that inspired many people to acquire Mariana's debut album, Seré una Niña Buena (I'll Be a Good Girl) -- doesn't mention S&M/bondage specifically; there aren't actually any references to whips, chains, nipple clamps, or ballgags. Rather, the tune is very radio-friendly, high-gloss ear candy about a woman who has screwed up a romantic relationship and is pleading with her lover to forgive her (in other words, basic Top 40 subject matter). But when you read between the lines, "Me Equivoqué" ("I Made a Mistake") does use mildly kinky imagery to get its point across. When Mariana sang the español lyrics "Me equivoqué, me equivoqué/Castigame, castigame/Seré una niña buena" (translation: I made a mistake, I made a mistake/Punish me, punish me/I'll be a good girl) and gave herself a light smack on the derriere, she gave Spanish-speaking kinksters una sonrisa (a smile). Not that Seré una Niña Buena is a graphic manifesto on hardcore S&M; again, this 44-minute CD is, for Latino audiences, very middle-of-the-road, Top 40 stuff -- and Mariana is enjoyably good at it. Stylistically, Seré una Niña Buena mines the same waters as Pilar Montenegro and the group Aroma, often combining cumbia with Latin pop. And while "Me Equivoqué" is the album's most famous offering, tracks like "Propiedad Privada" ("Private Property") and "Mi Gran Noche" ("My Big Night") are also likable and above-average (if less than challenging) examples of cumbia-friendly Latin pop. Anyone who has spent a lot of time listening to Montenegro, Aroma, and Ana Bárbara will find Seré una Nina Buena to be a promising and memorable debut.
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