"María" is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his third studio album, A Medio Vivir (1995).

Local DJ Pablo Flores remixed the song, turning it into an up-tempo samba tune in a house bassline.

It topped the charts in 20 countries and has sold over five million physical copies worldwide, earning the Guinness World Record for the biggest Latin hit.

The first accompanying music videos for the original song and Pablo Flores remix were filmed in La Boca, and aired in 1995.

In the beginning of Ricky Martin's career as a solo artist, Latin pop music was mainly made up of romantic ballads.

[3]Although Martin was satisfied with the track and he describes it as a song that he is "extremely proud of", the first time he played it for a record label executive, the man said: "Are you crazy?

He thought with himself: "This guy is not even a musician, so I'm sure he didn't have the slightest clue about what it takes to lock yourself up in a studio and make music, everything you go through, emotionally speaking."

[15] On the remix, Flores upped the tempo and the sex appeal of the song, turning the slow-burn flamenco laced track into an up-tempo samba tune in a house bassline.

Upon release, there were rumors that the song is an ode to cocaine, with lyrics including, "Así es María / Blanca como el día / Pero es veneno si te quieres enamorar / Así es María / Tan caliente y fría / Que si te la bebes de seguro te va a matar" (This is Maria / White like the day / But it is poison, if you fall in love / This is Maria / So hot and cold / That if you drink it, it will surely kill you).

He continued: "Latin women are capable of bringing any man who is seduced by her to their knees, but that has nothing to do with drugs and any comment made in that sense is, at least, malicious.

"[22][23][24] Sony Music Mexico released "María" on CD on November 21, 1995, as the second single from Martin's third studio album, A Medio Vivir.

[16] In 1996 and 1997, a CD single, titled "(Un, Dos, Tres) Maria", which includes both album version and Pablo Flores remix, was released in several European countries such as France,[26] Germany,[27] Italy,[28] Spain,[29] and the United Kingdom.

Larry Flick from Billboard labeled the song "[a] rousing tribal anthem", and praised it for working "extremely well within the confines of a house bassline, which is iced, contrasting with the original cut's flashy horns and rave-ish synths".

"[16] Suzy Exposito from Rolling Stone noted that although Martin's American fans may remember him since his English-language crossover, "he had the rest of the world swooning upon the 1995 release of 'María'".

[36][37] Luca Mastinu from Optimagazine ranked it as one of Martin's five greatest hits and wrote: "'Un, dos, tres, un pasito pa'lante Maria' is the verse that we have all sung at least once in our life.

"[38] At Zeleb, an author labeled the track "a great song with capital letters" and stated: "If to a hit like this, we add a Latin hottie such as [...] Martin, with half hair and hips with impossible movements, it was clear that the world was going to dance that of 'Un pasito p'alante, María'.

[40] Toby Rose from Evening Standard wrote that it is "the summer holiday smash hit, the one that every bar and Eurodisco from Mykonos to Tenerife plays non-stop - the one that, however much you try you cannot stop yourself from humming".

[41] An author of Music & Media called the song an "excellent flamenco flavoured pop tune" and credited it as "a large step towards attaining the same status" as what Martin had in Latin America "in other parts of the world".

[47] Writing for O, The Oprah Magazine, Amanda Mitchell ranked the track as Martin's tenth best song on her 2019 list and complimented it as "undeniably catchy".

[49] In 2022, Noelia Bertol from Cadena Dial listed oy among the "10 Ricky Martin songs that brighten up summers", labeling it "the jewel in the crown".

[35] It topped the country's year-end chart in 1998,[62] and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of over 70,000 copies in the region.

[63] The song topped the Ultratop Wallonia chart of Belgium for 10 consecutive weeks and was certified double platinum by the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA),[64] denoting sales of over 100,000 copies in the country.

[65] "María" spent nine weeks at number one in France, where it became Martin's first number-one hit,[66] and was certified diamond by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP), denoting shipments of over 750,000 copies in the country.

[47] The track also peaked at number three in Germany,[68] where it was certified gold by Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), denoting shipments of over 250,000 copies in the country.

[70] In the United Kingdom, "(Un, Dos, Tres) María" debuted at number six, giving Martin his first top 10 hit in the region.

[71][72] Additionally, "María" peaked at number one in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela,[73][74][75] as well as the top 10 in Austria,[76] Denmark,[77] Finland,[78] Italy,[77] the Netherlands,[79] New Zealand,[80] Sweden,[25] and Switzerland.

[91] The first accompanying music videos for the original song and Pablo Flores remix were filmed in La Boca, a barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[22][92] Following "(Un, Dos, Tres) María"'s success in France, a re-made version of the video for the Pablo Flores remix was filmed in Paris and directed by Memo del Bosque.

[124] In 2015, Junior New System performed a multi-track dance using a medley composed of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan, "María", "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez, and "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé on the first season of Asia's Got Talent.

[131] "María (Pablo Flores Spanglish Radio Edit)" was featured in the American animated comedy film Despicable Me 3 (2017).