La Chona (song)
1997 single by Los Tucanes de Tijuana
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"La Chona" is a song by Mexican norteño band Los Tucanes de Tijuana. It was first released on 19 June 1995, as part of the band's album Me Robaste el Corazón (1995), later being released as a single in 1997. Written by lead vocalist Mario Quintero Lara, the song attained virality in 2018 following its usage in Internet memes and "La Chona Challenge".
| "La Chona" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
![](#/media/File:Los_Tucanes_de_Tijuana_-_La_Chona_(7"_single).png) 1997 7-inch single cover | ||||
| Single by Los Tucanes de Tijuana | ||||
| from the album Me Robaste el Corazón | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| B-side | "El Centenario" | |||
| Released | 19 June 1995 1997 (single version) | |||
| Genre | Norteño | |||
| Length | 3:16 | |||
| Label | EMI Mexico | |||
| Songwriter | Mario Quintero Lara | |||
| Producer | Gustavo Felix | |||
| Los Tucanes de Tijuana singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "La Chona" on YouTube | ||||
Background and writing
Mario Quintero Lara, lead vocalist and songwriter for the band, wrote "La Chona" in five minutes after one of his friends, who was an announcer of a radio station in Ensenada, Baja California, requested that he should write it so that he could play it on the station.[1] Written about the friend's wife, he was not sure if he wanted to include the song on the band's album Me Robaste el Corazón, considering it an unimportant song.[2]
Release and reception
"La Chona" was first released on 19 June 1995 as the sixth track from the album Me Robaste el Corazón.[3] In 2018, the song went viral on social platforms through "La Chona Challenge"; similar to the "Kiki Challenge", a person exits a moving vehicle and dances on a road to the song.[4] "La Chona" was featured in the 2023 film Blue Beetle.[5]
Track listings
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[8] | 28 |
| US Regional Mexican Airplay (Billboard)[9] | 17 |
| Chart (2015–2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Mexico Airplay (Billboard)[10] "La Chona Challenge" |
21 |
| US Latin Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[11] | 16 |
| US Latin Streaming Songs (Billboard)[12] | 22 |
| US Regional Mexican Airplay (Billboard)[9] "La Chona Challenge" | 24 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[13] | 2× Platinum (Latin) | 120,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||