Ananda (Sanskrit: Bliss) is the eighth studio album by Mexican singer-songwriter Paulina Rubio, released on September 18, 2006, through Universal Latino.

Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Cachorro López, Rick Wake, Tricky Stewart, Áureo Baqueiro, TOY Hernández and Gustavo Santaolalla.

Among the songwriters and artist collaborators appear on the album are Xabi San Martín from La Oreja de Van Gogh, Slash from Guns N' Roses, Juanes, Julieta Venegas and Coti.

[7] In mid-2005, she participated in Coti's live album, Esta Mañana Y Otros Cuentos, performed the song "Otra Vez" in duet with him, and the smash-hit "Nada Fue Un Error", with the Argentine singer-songwriter, and her compatriot Julieta Venegas.

[8] Wanting to distract herself from the media frenzy surrounding this news, she concentrated on the development of her eighth studio album, recording new music for the first time in her house.

In her residence in Di Lido Island, Miami Beach, in Florida, Rubio met with different songwriters and music producers to make possible collaborations.

After receiving her first platinum certification in Spain for Ananda, Rubio said, "this circumstance gave us a lot of freedom, it allowed us not to have schedules and, if there was a good run, we did not have to stop; it has been a reflection of everything we did.

"[14] During those months, she meet with several top Latin and international writers and producers, including Xabier San Martín from La Oreja de Van Gogh, Fernando Montesinos, Coti, Eric Sanicola, Gustavo Celis, Julieta Venegas, Juanes, Cachorro López, Gustavo Santaolalla, Toy Hernández, Maria Christensen, Adrián Sosa, Áureo Baqueiro, Tricky Stewart, as well as featuring Guns N' Roses ex-guitarist Slash.

The vocal parts of the album, as well as most of its creative process and the final photo shoots took place at Rubio's Di Lido Island's (Miami Beach) home, which named Ananda, a word means 'bliss, joy' in Pāli and in Sanskrit, and can also refer to Ānanda, the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples.

[16] Rubio assured working with album's executive producer, Cachorro López, was tough, but "he has a great notion of every genre within Latin music.

"[19] She envisioned her eighth studio album as a statement of "young adult, in a period of realization" as woman and artist, and with a notorious cosmic consciousness that is reflected in her as a songwriter,[20] inspired mainly by Kabbalah, and her study of Hinduism and Buddhism.

"[24] Jason Birchmeier by AllMusic, opined that the album title is upon "a worldwide movement based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, a spiritual form of yoga"; while Professor M.J. Alonso Seoane affirmed in his sociological analysis, Buddhism and the Media, that the title and concept of the album "seems to return to the spirit of the 60's and the flower power", however, he was outraged, claiming that Rubio uses Buddhism "as a marketing product.

Features a close-up shot of Rubio positioned herself in a bold pose while wearing pale make up, with the blonde hair fur on her shoulders.

Ananda was written and produced by successful Latin artists such as Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Coti, Xabier San Martín from La Oreja de Van Gogh, Toy Selectah, Gustavo Santaolalla and Cachorro López, with additional writing credit of Rubio, on "Ayúdame", "Hoy", "Lo Que Pensamos", and "Tú Y Yo".

Music critic, Jason Birchmeier, reviewing for Allmusic, felt Ananda "was a stretch from the relatively straightforward Latin pop of Paulina", launching "fully embrace" pop-rock.

"[29] "Ni Una Sola Palabra", the opening track, is an uptempo[30] pop rock[31][deprecated source] tune driven by a "strength of tough guitar-pop",[32] and synth-pop accents with 70's vibes.

[32] Written by Xabi San Martín from La Oreja de Van Gogh, the song's nostalgic lyrics[34] captures the feelings that persist when love begins to disappear in a relationship, to the extent that nothing is said to each other either with actions or with words.

[32] The eighth track, "Retrato", is a drowsy Latin pop rock and cumbia song that documents the decision to get away from a narcissistic and vain lover, evoking her through lines "so empty you are, filling you, with your reflection."

The power-ballad[32] and alternative rock "Miénteme Una Vez Más" unfolds the emotional pain of a delusional narrator, and metaphorically, she highlights the measures that use her lover to keep her in a toxic relationship, from which she cannot escape.

[32] Rubio performed an English version of the song titled "Beautiful Lie" at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, played with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

"[17] The dance-cut sequel,[2] "Lo Que Pensamos", that opens with enthusiastic whistles and hand claps, lyrically "reveals the chaos that the world lives and we say that armies wear white and that, instead of killing people, make love and peace.

"[20] By transmit a pacifist and optimistic message, the song is considered the lyrical core of the album,[32] and it fits with the more spiritual concept Rubio wanted to show from Ananda.

The twelfth track, "Tú Y Yo", written by Rubio and Tricky Stewart, is a dance-rock song knitted in expressive gypsy guitar and electro beat.

The standard edition of the album closes with "Sin Final", a slow ballad with emotionally raw lyrics that detail a flawed but desireting relationship.

A music video, directed by Dago González, features Slash from Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, shows a glam-rock style wedding, with Rubio portrays a bride.

The music video, directed by Gabriel Coss and Israel Lugo, portrays Rubio as an alien on an Earth devastated by global warming.

"Me Siento Mucho Más Fuerte Sin Tu Amor" —a cover by the Byrds folk rock song, and the lyrics translated into Spanish by Charly García— was released as a digital promotional only single on March 20, 2007.

[46] A similar opinion did Jason Birchmeier from AllMusic in her review, saying she "has her career as one of Latin pop's biggest and brightest hitmakers on safe ground."

Joey Guerra from Amazon noted, "the flirty rock-chic vibe suits her and hopefully points to an exciting new direction for Rubio's next studio disc.

The album spent 19 weeks on the chart, ultimately earning double platinum (Latin) certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November, 2006, for shipments in excess of 200,000 copies.