Jennifer Peña Archives

Firewowrk

2011-08-08T14:59:00.001-07:00

I'm really late...Here is a video of Jennifer performing at the Glo conference in 2011. I didn't even know she performed. I thought she disappeared from the public eye. I miss her so much. :(

I'm glad to see her performing again. JENNIFER WE MISS & LOVE YOU.

Besos.

Amexicano articles

2009-01-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

‘Amexicano’ touches on tough topic

Playing an undocumented immigrant was a role that singer Jennifer Peña felt a responsibility to do.

“I thought it was an important topic to touch on,” Peña says of playing Gabriela in the feature film “Amexicano,” a drama about the unlikely friendship between an Italian American blue-collar worker and an undocumented Mexican couple in Queens.

“Amexicano,” which had a limited theatrical run last year, premiered on DVD on Jan. 13.

Peña, who has one other feature film to her credit, the 2006 MTV film “All You’ve Got,” says playing Gabriela in “Amexicano” was “a great opportunity to show support” for immigrants and their struggles.

“A lot of people have supported me in my career,” says the Grammy-nominated singer, who first read the script for “Amexicano” in 2006, shortly before filming began in New York.

“I fell in love with the story, with the way the relationships develop between the characters,” Peña says.

Although “Amexicano” is a drama that touches on the bigotry shown to many Spanish-speaking immigrants, the film has its comedic moments.

“He (screenwriter Carmine Famiglietti) did it in such a clever way,” Peña says, adding that most films about immigration are heavy dramas, making “Amexicano” a refreshingly different film.

Although Peña enjoyed her time in front of the camera and would like to do more acting, she’s not about to abandon her singing career. The San Antonio-born entertainer whose last album, 2007’s “Dicen Que el Tiempo,” sold more than 100,000 copies, is “in talks” for her next album.

For now, Peña is busy being a mother to 14-month-old Jobien, her son with husband Obie Bermudez, a Puerto Rican singer she married in 2007.

“I think acting and singing go hand in hand,” she says. “I like the challenge of acting. I’m able to go much deeper as an actress, becoming another person.”

source

Jennifer Peña se adentra en el cine
Jennifer Peña es conocida por muchos como cantante de pop, pero más allá de presentarse en tarima esta talentosa joven también ha tomado la actuación como otra faceta en su vida.

Desde el 13 de enero se encuentra a la venta en DVD la película Amexicano, en la cual Peña comparte junto a Manny Pérez, Carmine Famiglieti y Alex Aronov y donde tiene uno de los papeles estelares con su personaje Gabriela.

"Tengo el papel de Gabriela, quien es la esposa de Ignacio. Somos inmigrantes mexicanos viviendo en Nueva York y la película tiene que ver con la amistad que se forma entre mi esposo Ignacio y Bruno, un italiano americano de Queens, cuando empiezan a trabajar juntos y a Bruno le encanta la idea de que este inmigrante (Ignacio) tenga ganas de trabajar. Sabe lo que está haciendo, tiene mucha experiencia y le gusta trabajar", describió Peña.

Para Peña esta es la segunda oportunidad que se adentra en la actuación. Su primera vez fue en la película "All You've Got" transmitida por el canal de televisión MTV. Peña dijo a La Prensa que se sintió muy cómoda con todo el elenco, especialmente con el productor y director del filme.

"Lo que más me gustó fue que siempre me sentí como si estuviera en casa, como si estuviera con amigos. Todos me trataban como una hermanita con mucho respeto y al mismo tiempo aprendí tanto y escuchaba las historias de los otros actores. Nos ayudábamos los unos a los otros y fue muy divertido y no se sintió como mucho trabajo".

Esta manifestó que el papel de Gabriela se le hizo fácil de interpretar porque existen aspectos similares entre ambas.

"Al igual que Gabriela soy una mujer tranquila pero fuerte, amigable y abierta a las amistades igual como ella fue en la película con Bruno (Carmine Famiglieti) que le tuvo confianza pero siempre siendo cuidadosa".

La audiencia después de ver "Amexicano", según Peña, se llevará un mensaje muy importante. "Esta historia es una historia de seres humanos, no solamente de inmigrantes mexicanos o de inmigrantes en general; sino que hay que pensar que lo que se muestra en la película es lo que alguien está viviendo en estos momentos por lo que están pasando en algún lugar de los Estados Unidos", destacó.

Con Amexicano y otras recientes películas como "August Evening", la actriz dijo que finalmente se le están abriendo las puertas a la comunidad latina en Hollywood, en Broadway y los diferentes aspectos del mundo artístico y del entretenimiento.

Culminó por mencionar que le encantaría actuar nuevamente cuando surja la oportunidad.

source

Aunque es más conocida como cantante, Jennifer Peña también se quiere desenvolver en el mundo de la actuación.

La recién estrenada mamá está promocionando su segunda película, que salió este mes en video, a pesar de estar un poco alejada de las cámaras por el nacimiento de su primogénito.

Originaria de Texas y actual residente de Corpus Christi, en el mismo estado, la intérprete de El dolor de tu presencia espera regresar a los escenarios muy pronto.

¿De qué se trata el filme ‘Amexicano’?

Es un proyecto muy completo del cual me siento muy orgullosa. [Es] una historia buenísima que habla de una amistad muy linda que se forma entre un inmigrante mexicano, su esposa Gabriela y Bruno, que es un italiano americano que vive en Queens. Hice este proyecto con mucho corazón y ojalá que le guste al público que lo compre.

¿Qué fue lo más que te gustó de esta película?

Una de las cosas que más me gustó fue la manera que Carmine [Femiglietti, escritor del filme] incluyó la comedia en el guión; cómo encontró una manera tan positiva de enviar estos mensajes buenos y positivos de la comunidad latina y otras comunidades también.

¿Cómo describirías tu personaje?

Gabriela es una mujer medio tranquila pero también fuerte, muy amigable; quiere muchísimo a su familia. Su familia es todo para ella. Esta es una de las cosas con las que la gente se puede identificar. La familia para los latinos es lo más importante. Yo también me identifico con el personaje. Ella llegó a Estados Unidos y quiso hablar inglés y siempre pensó en cómo mejorar como persona.

¿Cómo llegó el proyecto a tus manos?

[more]

interview

2009-01-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Peña estrena filme independiente

Luego de cantante, ahora es actriz…

Muy buenas críticas recibió el recién lanzado largometraje de cine independiente, “Americano”; filme que llegó a ser un favorito en los festivales de cine, al punto de hacerse acreedora del “Premio del Jurado” en el Festival de Sonoma.

Como parte de esta mega película, que representa a un italiano-americano de Nueva York que acepta construir un muro, tras haberse quedado sin empleo; se destaca la actuación de Jennifer Peña, una tejana de Corpus Christi y con quien tuvimos el placer de conversar.

Jennifer, ¿es esta tu primera obra de actuación en una película?

No. La primera fue el largometraje ‘All You’ve Got’ que fue lanzada nacionalmente por los estudios de Hollywood. El director, Matthew Bonifacio, fue el que la vio y me pidió que participara en su cinta independiente. Entonces, sí es mi primera cinta independiente, la cual sí es diferente ya que representa una gran experiencia.

¿Cuál es la diferencia más significativa con el cine independiente?

En la independiente el ambiente es más relajado, incluso en el rodaje. El director, Carmine Famiglietti, me cuidó como un hermano mayor. Como es un proyecto más pequeño que el primer largometraje, el elenco se une más y uno se siente como estar entre familia.

¿Qué sigue en tu carrera?

Me estoy enfocando en un nuevo álbum con mi compañía disquera (My label). Estoy abierta a las ofertas de actuación, pero todas mis decisiones tienen que funcionar con mi agenda. Mi familia es un factor enorme en lo que yo hago.

Translation of last answer:
She is focusing on a new record but her #1 priority is her family. (good news!)

Amexicano!

2009-01-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

Amexicano is out on DVD for buying and renting. I just saw it. It is fabulous. Jen, no hay nadie igual como tú. She's magnificent in this film. Carmine Famiglietti (the writer and actor)- amazing. I could go on and on.

2008-11-16T11:34:00.001-08:00

updated sections

2008-10-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

The photo gallery and the downloads (------->sidebar) will be sporadically updated. Added the cumbia version of Tuya today.

last post

2008-10-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent clip of Jen @ The Latin Pride Awards

This site will stay up but it will not be updated. The photo gallery will be randomly updated. I'll add a link later.

Amexicano review

2008-09-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

From The New York Times:

Relationships Beyond Borders By LAURA KERN

Realistic performances and genuine emotions make Matthew Bonifacio’s quiet charmer “Amexicano” much more than just another preachy treatise on illegal immigration.

Carmine Famiglietti, who also wrote the script, carries the film as Bruno, a lonely Italian-American slouch living in a dreary basement apartment in Queens. When his landlord throws some construction work his way to help him pay the back rent, Bruno turns to the Mexican laborers who wait on a street corner each day.

He’s soon building a fence with Ignacio (Raúl Castillo), a man he had no problem calling a “fence-jumper” hours before. Despite Ignacio’s limited grasp of English, he and his wife, Gabriela (Jennifer Peña), welcome Bruno into their lives. Bruno looks forward to going to work and even faces some of his prejudices. Previously a believer that English should be the only accepted language in the country, he begins studying Spanish alone at night.

Yet there are persistent dark undercurrents, stemming mostly from Diego (Manny Perez), a bully with a serious chip on his shoulder. The characters in this fairy-tale-in-the-making probably can’t live happily ever after, no matter how badly we want them to.

“Amexicano” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned) for some harsh language and violence.

AMEXICANO Opens on Friday in Manhattan.

From the director & writer of Amexicano

2008-09-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

INTERVIEW | "Amexicano" Director Matthew Bonifacio and Writer Carmine Famiglietti -- by indieWIRE (September 19, 2008)

Director Matthew Bonifacio and writer Carmine Famiglietti's "Amexicano" is the story of an Italian-American and a Mexican illegal immigrant form an unlikely friendship in Queens, New York. Bruno (Carmine Famiglietti), is lazy, out of work and late with his rent. When an opportunity for work comes along Bruno is hesitant because it involves hiring undocumented day laborers on street corners. He is convinced it is not safe and sure enough the first guy he hires is Diego (Manny Perez), a fast talking hustler who could be dangerous. It's not until Bruno hires Ignacio (Raul Castillo) and meets his wife Gabriela (Jennifer Pena) that his attitude changes despite language barriers and racial prejudices. The film opens at New York's Quad Friday, September 19 and with other cities to follow.

What initially attracted you to filmmaking, and how has that interest evolved during your career?

Matthew Bonifacio: I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. In 1972, my mother was pregnant with me when she went to see "The Godfather." I'm guessing that's where it all started. At a young age, I was fascinated with movies ("Closing Encounters of the Third Kind," "Rocky," "E.T.," Stand By Me," etc.), and it wasn't until after high school when I became interested in acting. I took acting classes and performed in numerous plays in Manhattan for many years. Along the way, something else was brewing inside me; I was bit hard by the filmmaking bug. I've always believed in hard work and dedication. So I got hold of the required reading lists from NYU and Columbia University Film Schools and started self-educating myself. I had developed a strong passion for directing, writing and producing.

Carmine Famiglietti: I was born and raised in Flushing, Queens. A Met fan and a movie fan. Without question the first thing that attracted me to filmmaking was "Star Wars." I was only four years old at the time but after I saw "Star Wars" I wanted the toys. Before you know it I was tying string up all over the house and had The Millennium Falcon flying over my mother's head. From there the creative energy started flowing and it hasn't stopped since.

Over the years I've learned to accept that getting the chance to make movies like "Star Wars" or "Jaws" will be a long shot. But that doesn't mean I can't make films that can be just as influential to a different group of audiences albeit smaller. Don't get me wrong I would love to make a big Hollywood Sci-Fi film someday but if I don't it wouldn't be the end of the world. Making independent films is one of the greatest callings in life if you ask me. We get to tell the stories that people don't get to see in mainstream movies. We may be broke as independent filmmakers but we're free and there's nothing better than being free.

How did the idea for "Amexicano" came about?

MB: Carmine pitched it to me in 2006 and I was instantly hooked. His story focused on an unlikely friendship between two different cultures. It was very human and universal. I was very enthusiastic. Day laborers on street corners are a common sight in Brooklyn as well as in every borough. Carmine's story put a face on the 'faceless' undocumented day laborers that we walk or drive by everyday. I couldn't wait to read his first draft. He was able to tackle a draft pretty quickly because his personal experiences throughout the years -- he actually hired day laborers -- and he was conscious of how Mexican characters in certain films were portrayed very stereotypically. He also had a dream that befriended an undocumented Mexican Immigrant. Within a couple of weeks after his dream, he had a first draft and after reading it, it clear that "Amexicano" would be next.

CF: I dreamt it. No shit, that's the truth. I had a dream that I befriended an illegal immigrant from Mexico and fell in love with his wife. It's like Sting and "Every Breath You Take." He dreamt the lyrics. Me and Sting, that's how we do it. Once I woke up the next day I started writing and within a couple of weeks I had a draft and sent if over to Matthew. He gave me great notes and then I went and did some more research to make it as relevant as possible. Not to mention I had some experience to draw on. When I was younger and unemployed, as opposed to being older and unemployed, I worked side jobs and would have to pick up day laborers on street corners. I would go and pick up a complete stranger and by the end of the day we would have built up a bond by working together. There was one laborer who I worked with for a couple of months. He was half my size but did twice the amount of work. Then one day he was gone. I definitely based some of the character of Ignacio (Raul Castillo) on him.

Please elaborate a bit on your approach to making the film...

MB: With "Lbs.," it was my first feature and the fact that I didn't go to film school, I wanted to tackle the film without being influenced by other movies. Just go for it. But I did read a lot of film books and director interviews. With "Amexicano," I wised up and did both. I wanted to continue to grow visually and as a storyteller. I went out and bought a bunch of films, "La Ciudad," "The Border" (starring Jack Nicholson) and many others. I revisited two of my favorite films, "Amores Perros" and "City of God." My conclusion after watching all of the films, I noticed they were well crafted, impressive and unassuming. I realized they all had a common thread in the way they were captured: confidently, naturalistically and organically. Keep it real. Keep it simple. I picked up a few books on Mexican journeys, color and design. I wanted to get a deeper understanding on the culture and way of life. My imagination and creative ideas were pumping. Carmine and I went out in the Latino communities and we spoke with legal and undocumented immigrants. In Columbus, a border town in New Mexico where we filmed, we spoke with coyotes, the US Border Patrol and community activists. From the very beginning, one of our executive producers, Cesar A. Baez was incredibly helpful during our research...

CF: Matthew and I are strong believers in having smaller crews. Which I'm sure pisses off our crews sometimes but at the end of the day I don't think you should hire 25 people for a job that 17 people can do. And I feel that philosophy can translate into the distribution of the films as well. Our goal with "Amexicano" was to put a face on the faceless. We met a number of great people while making this movie and I know for a fact that they are contributing to positively to America in many different ways. This issue is an issue because our government let it get this way. Of course there is a bad element coming over the borders (Mexico and Canada) and we should do everything we can to stop it but I don't think we should be ripping families apart. No way. What we wanted to show with "Amexicano" is that a vast number of the people living here albeit illegally are good people who still believe in the America dream. Which is something I can't say for a lot of Americans these days.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in either developing the project or making and securing distribution?

MB: It's always money no matter kind of budget you have, though, it forces you to be creative and not take anything for granted. You have to look at it this way and say to yourself. "I'm very lucky, I have a rare opportunity to make a feature film that someone is funding and believes in." You embrace that notion and set out to make a dynamite film. Bigger budgets will come but so will headaches with lots of hands in the cookie jar. Securing distribution is always a battle. And to get a film released is a pretty special accomplishment. The Tribeca Film Festival did an excellent job with attracting industry attention and getting behind Carmine and me...

CF: Lack of money, money, money. Hey, it's the nature of the beast when it comes to making independent films. But in reality with recouping the money being next to impossible I agree with the idea that we should spend as little as possible. Some of the creative challenges we faced were learning and having to understand the real challenges that immigrants deal with. We had to educate ourselves and make sure we captured images that are a part of their everyday lives. As for making the film it's the normal stuff with a new catastrophic problem every 15 minutes on set.

How did the financing and casting for the film come together?

MB: I Iove the casting process, it reminds me of my acting days but now I'm on the other side. It's stimulating going through headshots, reading resumes, searching for talent in plays, movies and thinking out of the box. I'm rooting for every actor that walks through the door. We didn't have a casting director for "Lbs.," the majority of the cast were actors that I've acted with in theater. With "Amexicano" we wanted a casting director this time out. I met Heather Hurley through Neil Jain, an actor friend of mine, for another project. Heather introduced us to so many talented actors. With Jennifer Pena, we found her on imdb when researching another actress. You know imdb, a few clicks in and you're off to the races, clicking this film and that actor, etc. I love that site. Michael Aronov played Carmine's buddy in "Lbs." and we wanted to work with him again.

CF: We were lucky to have built in relationships with some investors. One of our Executive Producers, Cesar Baez helped us secure the financing from various investors and a couple of old friends of mine chipped in as well. Plus our other Executive Producer, Stephen Ashkinos once again helped us when it came to our postproduction. He stepped up on "Lbs." and he did again on "Amexicano."

What other genres or stories would you like to explore as a filmmaker?

MB: I'm passionate about stories that have humanity, compassion and humor. Character driven stories engage me and when an audience gets to know a character in an unforced way and finds themselves rooting for him or her, those are the kind of movies that get me excited. That said, I'm interested in exploring different genres like a psychological thriller; horror, comedy and foreign films. I'd also really love to make a baseball movie and one day remake "West Side Story."

CF: Horror, family film, romantic comedy, sci-fi (something like "Signs" or "E.T.") where something big is going on but it's told in a couple of locations with only a few characters. It'd be great to come up with the next Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees too. You do something like that and you can make movies for the rest of your life.

What is your next project?

MB: It may be one of these. "Bloom," which is script of mine that I'm currently rewriting. "Brickhead," written by Bill Gullo. It's based on a true event that happened to me when I was a kid. And "Shake." Carmine pitched it to me and I can't wait to read it.

CF: Don't know yet for sure. I'm waiting for my next Sting moment. But I do have something in mind. Ask yourself this question, take away the entertainment business, the weather and beaches, and now give me one reason why someone would move to LA. "Shake" that's a script I'm working on. I thought of the idea while sitting on Santa Monica Beach in May. I asked myself that question. Answered it and I think found a movie.

What general advice would you impart to emerging filmmakers?

MB: If you pitch your movie to someone and they say, "Oh, please, don't make that. No one would see it." Do it! Because that means you may have something that's not the norm. Countless people told us we were freaking out of our minds that we wanted to make a film on food addiction (Lbs.). Create your own path. Cultivate it. It'll take time. It doesn't happen overnight. I was an actor for many years before I got behind the camera. Take acting classes. Read film books. See movies. Go out and make it happen yourself. Become the engine of the project. My advice on-set is to make every day better than last one. Change is good. Embrace it. Improvise when obstacles present themselves. Happy accidents are magic! Have an open mind. Always get enough camera coverage and try to 'edit' in your head take by take so you know what you've captured and what you need to still get. Stay lighthearted, calm and have fun! You're making a movie!

CF: Swing away! No fear, just go and do it. Don't be afraid to make mistakes or success. I've seen people self-destruct just when it's starting to get good. No one is ever, ever, ever going to care about your film as much as you. And learn how to self distribute.

soucre

Happy Birthday Jennifer!

2008-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

We miss and love you!

besos!
xoxo

hate to mention this here but the latin grammys suck

random pics and nice MTV bio

2008-08-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Jen's MTV bio

More Amexicano info

2008-08-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

‘Amexicano’ Acquired by Xenon

Xenon Pictures has acquired the North American rights to the film Amexicano in a mid-six-figure deal.

The film, starring 2008 Grammy nominee Jennifer Peña, takes a look at the immigration issue by putting a face on undocumented day laborers in America. It also stars Manny Perez, Raul Castillo and Carmine Famiglietti. Famiglietti also wrote the film and co- produced with Matthew Bonifacio through their production company, The Brooklyn-Queens Experiment, in association with Madison Park Pictures.
Amexicano recently won the Grand Jury Prize for best narrative feature at the 2008 Sonoma Valley Film Festival. Xenon Pictures is looking to a spring or summer release.

message from Jennifer

2008-07-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Jennifer on 19/Jul/2008

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing great! I'm so sorry its been so long! I had been meaning to get on and at least let you guys know the news about Amexicano! I knew y'all would find it out before me anyway though! Why? Because y'all rock! The trailer came out really nice... (in case you haven't seen it, it's on youtube!) Just wanted to drop a line and let you know that all is well on my end! Family life is beautiful and I am enjoying every second of it! I love y'all! Just wanted to let you know! I send all my love and lots of kisses! Thank you all for everything! Muah!

Trailer on Youtube...

Amexicano coming this fall

2008-07-19T16:15:00.001-07:00

Amexicano will be released in theaters! Check out the official website for trailers, pictures and Jennifer's bio.

Jennifer singing the US National Anthem

2008-07-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a Mp3 of Jen singing the National Anthem at a Dodger's game in CA in 2004. I will also add this to the downloads sidebar.

Enjoy!

Nice to hear from Jen

2008-06-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Jennifer on 13/Jun/2008
Message:

Hey everyone! Just wanted to send a little note and thank you all for everything. Thank you for standing by me, for understanding the delays with the merchandise, gifts, the return, for always defending me, and just for how loved you always make me feel. It truly makes me realize how blessed I am. I wish that I could be more open with you and not have to worry about the bad people out there with bad intentions. At the same time, I know y'all understand. Just wanted to let you guys know a little of what's on my mind and heart, and let you know that I still think about y'all all the time!!! And I really miss you! On another note, I'm excited about the "Amexicano" release coming up! That's gonna be really cool! I know you guys have been looking forward to it for quite a while now too, and I want to thank you for your support. So, just a quick hello and thanks to let you know I love you! Muah!

Amexicano

2008-05-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

Xenon Pictures Acquires 'Amexicano'

Xenon Pictures has acquired North American rights to "Amexicano", starring 2008 Grammy(TM) Nominee Jennifer Pena, in a mid-six figure deal.

"Amexicano", helmed by Matthew Bonifacio, made its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and most recently won the Grand Jury Prize (THX Award) for Best Narrative Feature at the 2008 Sonoma Valley Film Festival. The award jury was comprised of Kirk Honeycutt (Chief Film Critic, Hollywood Reporter), Michael Jones (Managing Editor, Film Festivals, Variety) and Chris Gore (Founder, Film Threat).

The film also stars Manny Perez ("Bella", "El Cantante"), newcomer Raul Castillo, and Carmine Famiglietti, who also wrote the film. Famiglietti and Bonifacio also served as producers through their production company, The Brooklyn-Queens Experiment, in association with Madison Park Pictures. "Amexicano" was executive produced by Cesar A. Baez and Stephen Ashkinos. Xenon Pictures is eyeing a spring/summer release.

"We wanted to put a face on the undocumented day laborers in America," said Bonifacio. "With the coming presidential election, immigration is obviously going to be a major issue. We feel 'Amexicano' allows audiences to look at the face of an illegal alien and decide for themselves if our nation is making the right choices," said Famiglietti.

"The political aspects of the film are certainly intriguing and mirror (in a very different way) those that made 'A Day Without a Mexican' such a success for us," said Xenon's Chief Operating Officer Steve Housden, "but just like with 'A Day Without a Mexican', 'Amexicano' is enjoyable entertainment, rather than bare political discourse."

Bonifacio and Famiglietti's first feature, "Lbs.", made its world premiere at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. The Shutter Speed Group negotiated on behalf of the production company.

Sounds good. I hope we will be able to see it soon.

More info on the Latin Grammy's

2008-04-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Latin Recording Academy® President Gabriel Abaroa, Univision Network news anchor Barbara Bermudo, and Houston Mayor Bill White today announced that the 9th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards will be broadcast live from the Toyota Center in Houston on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008. This marks the first time Houston will host the premier international showcase of Latin music.

Nominations for this year's Latin GRAMMYs will be announced Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008

Good Luck, Jen!

Jen pics from 2003

Jennifer's performance from Texas

2008-04-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Muchos gracias to Armando Barraza for a clip of Jennifer performing in Texas:

Armando also has pictures from the concert on his site. Wonderful pictures!

Also a message from Jen's mom:

Hey guys! First of all...I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH! I just saw a short video on YouTube posted by Armando Barraza:

http://www.youtube.com/user/armandotx

Make sure and post your comments. Jen needs to hear how much everybody misses her shows! It's a short video but it is so great to finally see our girl on that stage where she belongs and once again-giving to the people. What an honor to sing to our heroes! Show your support guys so she can come back to your stage and hopefully sing to you next time! God Bless All of You and again, THANK YOU for your support and loyalty & THANKS to Armando for being there and sharing this with us and writing a awesome review on our girl. PLEASE POST your comments. I'm sure it would mean the world to Jennifer and to Armando as well! God Bless! Abrazos....and God Bless America! Welcome Home Heroes & Welcome Back Jennifer! I just wish Armando would post LOTS more for us! LOL WE WANT MORE!

It is our Jennifer!

2008-04-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

EDIT: Sorry, Jennifer will be performing in Fort Hood, Texas. It is only open to all Soldiers, Family members, retirees, Gold Star Families and DoD Civilians. Read more about it here. She will be performing at 2:30.

Well the Latin Grammy's will occur in November. I'm sure Jen will get a couple of noms. She better.

And Amexicano (the movie) finally has a website. Check it out.

Jen to appear at Fort Hood Festival

2008-04-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

Jen performing in Fort Hood Texas on April 11

"Salute to Our Heroes" is a special musical event bringing together the men and women who serve for our country, their families here at home and music fans everywhere. The free webcast; which will feature performances, attractions and activities, is being put on to show we want our troops to come home.

The celebration starts at 11:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. ET on April 11. There will be music, ranging from cowboy country to soulful R&B. Some of the bands involved are FOSTERCHILD, Framing Hanley, Grupo Mania, Lyfe Jennings, Maren Morris, Jennifer Pena, Kritickill, Mark Chesnutt, Mylin, Rissi Palmer, Tantric, and Wild Horses.

Some of the special guests will be Metal Sanaz, Metal & Rock Celebrity and Sirius radio show hosts, with local radio personalities Jack and Trippin' Dawn Hammer.

The show can be viewed at this site for free.

More pics

2008-03-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Since there isn't any Jennifer news that I know of, I thought I would post some more pictures.

Hopefully more updates later.

Good news for Jennifer?

2008-02-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

This could mean nothing or it could be great for latin music.

Univision buy makes UMG top Latin player

Here is the part that mentions Jennifer:

Univision Music Group was founded in 2001 by Jose Behar, the former head of EMI Latin. Behar started the label from scratch and turned it into the leading U.S. Latin label following its acquisition of indie Fonovisa. Univision's roster includes such top-selling acts as Marco Antonio Solis, Los Tigres del Norte and Los Temerarios. Although a large bulk of the music group's catalog falls under regional Mexican music, Behar made a concerted effort to diversify his roster, recently bringing in artists including Ivy Queen and Olga Tanon and such developing acts as Xtreme and Jennifer Pena.

Univision's marriage with Universal will unify Univision's strong regional Mexican roster with a major roster of pop and reggaeton acts signed to Universal and Machete, including Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, Paulina Rubio and Wisin & Yandel

Sounds like this will help the regional artists (like Jen, I guess) but have they given up on Dicen Que El Tiempo?

Pictures 2005-08

2008-02-25T19:16:00.000-08:00

Jen and Obie arriving @ 2008 Grammy's

Jen on Mi TRL in 2007

Jennifer @ The Alma Awards in 2006

Jen performing at El Premio Awards in 05

Grammys and interview

2008-02-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Peña & Obie Bermudez on the Red Carpet @ The Grammys

Jen didn't win the Grammy. She lost to Alejandro Sanz. Tough competition, I'm glad she was recognized for her great work on DQET.

Here are vids of Jen and Obie on Telemundo recently

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

part 4

Jennifer's mom speaks

2008-02-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

First here is a screen capture of Jen and Obie's baby boy - Jobien!

And here is a great pic of the whole family:

submitted by Mom Mary on 09/Feb/2008

I just wanted to send all of you hugs and to thank you for still being here for Jennifer. You all are true champs. It means so much to her and of course to me. In honor of Jennifer's nomination, I have played her CD "Dicen Que El Tiempo" all night and cried and laughed. She's just an amazing girl and I can't believe she's even a perfect little Mommy now! Guys you should see my Jobien! The LOVE of my life! That child is constantly smiling and looks like I'm looking at Jennifer all over again! OMG I'm gonna cry! sniff sniff...okay he does have the gorgeous green eyes like Obie so the Lord blessed him over abundantly! lol I think he's gonna like to sing, don't you???? lol You guys turn that CD up and play it over the weekend to show our girl some love!
A Note To MY BABY GIRL: You're Our Winner Already! You make us proud Jen! Congratulations on your nomination. Good Luck and May God continue to bless you. We all love you! Kisses and Hugs, Mom

A Note to All of Mine and Jen's favorite people-Everybody on This Forum: You guys are what has kept Jen going for sooo many years and for that I am forever grateful. I miss you guys and hope to see you all again someday. Hopefully soon...before I get any older! lol

Abrazos, Mary

That's sweet. We love Jen and appreciate her for all the happiness she provides us through her songs. Besos and abrazos! I hope Jen wins the Grammy tommorrow night!

Jennifer did attend the Grammy event in California. Here are some photos from the event:

Here is an a pic of Jen and Obie at the ASCAP El Premio awards in 2006

Don't forget to buy Dicen Que El Tempoif you haven't already...or buy it again. :) Amazon.Com now has a way to buy individual MP3s. Great feature. I'll be buying some older Jen songs today.

Here is a great review of Dicen from Joey Guerra

Jennifer Peña made a name for herself in the now-languishing Tejano genre, but Dicen Que el Tiempo finds her far removed from that localized sound. If anything, her '90s discs were a mere setup for the more polished, accomplished work she's released since signing with the Univision label five years ago. Peña seems comfortable in her role as a burgeoning pop diva, and her sprightly personality is what brings most of Dicen Que el Tiempo's best tracks to life. It's the fullest realization of her pop potential to date. Opener "Soy Asi (The Tequila Song)" is a pivotal kickoff point, celebrating Peña's diverse identity."Ladron" packs a fiery pop punch, and "Marzo 17" is a sun-kissed ode to love. Peña wrote most of the tracks with boyfriend Obie Bermudez, and the couple's chemistry translates well to disc. "Tu Mejor Amiga" brims with electro-tinged optimism, and sweeping first single "Como Entender" is in line with her best ballands. But it's the blaring ska groove of "Tus Besos" that will surprise fans. Peña's vocals are slinky, assured and light years away from her giggly, girlish beginnings

Grammy event

2008-02-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

According to this Jennifer is supposed to attend a Grammy event/career day in Southern Cal on February 7. If it is true, I'm sure there will be an official announcement from Jen.

old pic of Jen from the Tribeca film festival:

I can't wait to find out more about the release of Amexicano!

promo pics

2008-02-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

I tried to post these pictures from oldest to newest. I think I failed.

Jen speaks!

2008-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Jennifer on 26/Jan/2008

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that I haven't been around lately but don't think I have forgotten about y'all! I've just really had my hands full with the little one and planning for the future! Just wanted to check in with you guys real quick though, and let you know that everything is beautiful on my end! Little Jobien is in perfect condition, getting big fast, and is such a happy baby! He smiles and laughs so much and all the time! I should be hearing some good news pretty soon about the movie, and we are preparing for the upcoming Grammy pre-telecast where DQET is nominated for Best Latin Pop Album!!! What a blessing! Thank you all for supporting the album, the movie and me and my family! I'll have more info on plans for the future for y'all soon-just wanted to let you all know that so far, so good! I am truly enjoying every second of motherhood and my baby boy is an angel! I will check back in very soon! Love y'all! Muchos besos y abrazos!

Good to know that everything is going well. I hope she wins the Grammy. The other nominees are Miguel Bosé & Varios Artistas, Jorge Drexler, Luis Miguel, & Alejandro Sanz.

I'll be posting some promo pics of Jennifer through the years soon.

More pictures

2008-01-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

I am hoping to post some messages from Jennifer (from her official site) soon but I know she's busy with her new baby boy. So for now here are some pics:

Jennifer & Obie

Jen and her dad

Jen and her mom

Jen, Obie and talk show host, Christina

Jen and her sister, Jackie

Jen and Obie at their wedding

Random pics of Jen

2008-01-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

Jennifer on her songs

2008-01-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Como Entender

This song is so special to me because of the magical way that it came together. The freedom of it is something I have wanted to experience with a song for the longest time. I've always wanted to sing a song that talks about that feeling that I know we have all felt. I like that everybody can have a different and distinct interpretation of it as well.

Soy Asi (The Tequila Song)

This is my shout out song! I always express my pride in being fortunate enough to feel a part of two cultures. I dedicate this song to the people of Corpus Christi, of Texas, of Mexico, of California, of the USA....basically the places that I feel have made me the person I am! It's a fun, personal song that I feel really describes me.

Ladron

I knew when we started the album that I wanted to include mariachi sounds in some way, because I love to represent. Ladron was the perfect song because we already had the trumpet sound in the intro and something about it gave me that feeling that mariachi gives. I remembered traveling with Campanas de America a lot when I first started touring and I knew they were perfect! It came out great! Definitely something I am very proud of!

Marzo 17

This song is special to me, not only because of all the songs on the album, this was one of the first ones that we picked, and one of the first ones we wrote, but also because I have a personal interpretation of it that is close to my hear. On Marzo 17 2005, my puppy, Blu-J disappeared from my back yard and I was never able to find him. We wrote this song after having spent all day knocking on doors and putting up posters for him. Blu-J was my best friend, and a part of me still feels that I might have him again one day.

awwwww :(

some of my favorite Jen pictures

2008-01-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Peña and Obie Bermudez

@ at a Dicen signing

Jen & Obie

Jen & Obie wedding photos

Selena and Jennifer

Jen on You Tube

2008-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Tuya video:

Como Entender video

Jennifer interview

Jennifer performing Hasta el Fin del Mundo