Released 1998 Recorded 1997—1998 Length 4:37 | Format CD Genre Salsa | |
Writer(s) Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso de la Santísima Trinidad, [Arranged by: Isidro Infante. | ||
"La Vida Es Un Carnaval" ([la ˈβiða es uŋ karnaˈβal]) is a song performed by Cuban recording artist Celia Cruz. The song was written by Victor Daniel, produced by Isidro Infante and arranged by: Isidro Infante. released as the lead single from Cruz's studio album Mi Vida Es Cantar (1998). The song won the award for Tropical Song of the Year at the 2003 Lo Nuestro Awards.
It has become one of Cruz's most popular songs, leading to the song being covered by several artists, including salsa singers Victor Manuelle and La India as well as reggaetón singers Ivy Queen, Nicky Jam and Mikey Perfecto, among others.
This song was featured in the 2000 Mexican film, Amores perros.
Cover versions
It was covered by reggaetón singer Mikey Perfecto on his second studio album Evolución Arrestada in 2004. The song featured guest vocals performed by Joel Dando Tra. The song combines merengue and reggaetón music and has a duración of two minutes and fifty-three seconds. It contains a verse written by Perfecto himself. Perfecto chose to cover the song because he listed Cruz as one of his many musical influences on the preceding interlude track of the album. That same year, fellow reggaetón singer Nicky Jam also covered "La Vida Es Un Carnaval". Puerto Rican singer Víctor Manuelle performed a live version of the song which was included on the live album Victor Manuelle en Vivo: Desde el Carnegie Hall. This version peaked at number 14 on the Tropical Songs chart. The song was covered by the Queen of Reggaetón, Ivy Queen on her ninth studio album Vendetta in 2014. American entertainer Jennifer Lopez performed the song live as part the tribute to Cruz during the American Music Awards of 2013.