Mexico was represented at the OTI Festival 1990 with the song "Un bolero", written by Francisco Curiel and Pedro Alberto Cárdenas, and performed by Carlos Cuevas. The Mexican participating broadcaster, Televisa, selected its entry through a national televised competition with several phases. The song, that was performed in position 18, placed first out of 21 competing entries, winning the festival. This was the fifth entry from Mexico that won the OTI Festival, after winning in 1973, in 1975, in 1985, and in 1989.
National stage
Televisa held a national competition with two televised qualifying rounds and a final to select its entry for the 19th edition of the OTI Festival. This nineteenth edition of the National OTI Festival featured eighteen songs in the qualifying rounds and ten in the final. The top-three entries were awarded. In addition to the general competition, awards were also given for Best Male Performer, Best Female Performer, and Best Musical Arrangement.
The shows were held at Teatro de la Ciudad in Mexico City, with Yolanda de la Cruz presenting the second qualifying round and Raúl Velasco the final, and were broadcast on Canal 2. The musical director was Chucho Ferrrer, who conducted the orchestra when required.[1]
| Song | Artist | Songwriter(s) | Conductor |
|---|---|---|---|
| "16 diciembres" | Cristian Castro | Sergio Esquivel | Pedro Alberto Cárdenas |
| "Adelante y buena suerte" | José Cantoral | José Cantoral | |
| "Enhorabuena" | Sergio Esquivel | Sergio Esquivel | |
| "Enséñame a vivir sin ti" | Francisco Xavier | Francisco Xavier | |
| "Guitarra por un día" | Flor Yvone Quezada | ||
| "Hacerte amor" | Magdalena Zárate | José Manuel Fernández | Eduardo Magallanes |
| "Mujeres" | Carlos Lara | Carlos Lara | |
| "Nacerá" | Aída Cuevas | Juan Francisco Rodríguez · Marco Antonio González | Pedro Alberto Cárdenas |
| "No te cambio" | Alejandro Filio | Alejandro Filio | Jesús Medel |
| "Olvídalo" | Antonio de Jesús | ||
| "Por cantar" | Pedro Fernández | Miguel Alfonso Luna · José María Frías | Jesús Medel |
| "Porque tú no estás" | Crystal | ||
| "Puede ser" | José María Napoleón | José María Napoleón | |
| "Sálvalo" | Mario Pintor | ||
| "Sofía está bien" | Gil Rivera | ||
| "Tócame" | Óscar Athié | ||
| "Un bolero" | Carlos Cuevas | Francisco Curiel · Pedro Alberto Cárdenas | Pedro Alberto Cárdenas |
| "Viernes primero" | Alejandra Ávalos | Pedro Alberto Cárdenas | Pedro Alberto Cárdenas |
Qualifying rounds
The two qualifying rounds were held on Saturdays 20 and 27 October 1990. Each round featured nine entries, of which the five highest-scoring advanced to the final.
| R/O | Song | Artist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "No te cambio" | Alejandro Filio | Qualified |
| 2 | "Guitarra por un día" | Flor Yvone Quezada | |
| 3 | "Adelante y buena suerte" | José Cantoral | Qualified |
| 4 | "16 diciembres" | Cristian Castro | |
| 5 | "Nacerá" | Aída Cuevas | |
| 6 | "Porque tú no estás" | Crystal | |
| 7 | "Por cantar" | Pedro Fernández | Qualified |
| 8 | "Puede ser" | José María Napoleón | Qualified |
| 9 | "Enséñame a vivir sin ti" | Francisco Xavier | Qualified |
| R/O | Song | Artist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sálvalo" | Mario Pintor | |
| 2 | "Sofía está bien" | Gil Rivera | |
| 3 | "Un bolero" | Carlos Cuevas | Qualified |
| 4 | "Olvídalo" | Antonio de Jesús | |
| 5 | "Hacerte amor" | Magdalena Zárate | Qualified |
| 6 | "Mujeres" | Carlos Lara | Qualified |
| 7 | "Enhorabuena" | Sergio Esquivel | Qualified |
| 8 | "Tócame" | Óscar Athié | |
| 9 | "Viernes primero" | Alejandra Ávalos | Qualified |
Final
The ten-song final was held on Saturday 3 November 1990.
| R/O | Song | Artist | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Enhorabuena" | Sergio Esquivel | ||
| 2 | "Hacerte amor" | Magdalena Zárate | ||
| 3 | "Mujeres" | Carlos Lara | ||
| 4 | "Por cantar" | Pedro Fernández | ||
| 5 | "Viernes primero" | Alejandra Ávalos | ||
| 6 | "Adelante y buena suerte" | José Cantoral | 4 | 3 |
| 7 | "Enséñame a vivir sin ti" | Francisco Xavier | ||
| 8 | "Puede ser" | José María Napoleón | ||
| 9 | "Un bolero" | Carlos Cuevas | 9 | 1 |
| 10 | "No te cambio" | Alejandro Filio | 8 | 2 |
Merit awards
In the final, the jurors voted for the Best Male and Female Performer, and Best Best Musical Arrangement among the shortlisted artist in each category. Carlos Cuevas received the Best Male Performer Award; Aída Cuevas the Best Female Performer Award; and Pedro Alberto Cárdenas the Best Musical Arrangement Award for "Viernes primero".[1]
At the OTI Festival
On 1 December 1990, the OTI Festival was held at the Circus Maximus of the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, United States, hosted by Univision, and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Carlos Cuevas performed "Un bolero" in position 18, with Pedro Alberto Cárdenas conducting the event's orchestra, placing first out of 21 competing entries, winning the festival. This was the fifth entry from Mexico that won the OTI Festival, after winning in 1973, in 1975, in 1985, and in 1989.[5]
References
- ^ Liza Luna (19 April 2025). "Desangelado y con inconformidades, así terminó el Festival OTI" (in Spanish). El Universal
- ^ Primera eliminatoria del XIX Festival OTI Nacional Mexico 1990 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Televisa. 20 October 1990.
- ^ Segunda eliminatoria del XIX Festival OTI Nacional Mexico 1990 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Televisa. 27 October 1990.
- ^ Final del XIX Festival OTI Nacional Mexico 1990 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Televisa. 3 November 1990.
- ^ XIX Festival de la canción OTI 1990 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Las Vegas, United States: Univision. 1 December 1990.