Spanish singer drafts Stipe for duets album

Band members of ''R.E.M.'' Michael Stipe (C), Paul Buck (L), Bill Berry (2nd L) and Michael Mills address the audience during their induction at the 22nd annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York March 12, 2007. Spanish singer/songwriter Miguel Bose has drafted 15 fellow Latin artists as well as Stipe for an ambitious duets album celebrating his 30-year career.

MADRID (Billboard) - Spanish singer/songwriter Miguel Bose has drafted 15 fellow Latin artists as well as R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe for an ambitious duets album celebrating his 30-year career.

"Papito," which reworks Bose's old hits, came out last month in Spain and the Americas. It shot to No. 6 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart, and topped the charts in Spain and Mexico.

Warner Music Spain executive Adriana Gonzalez says Bose traveled 50,000 miles while recording "Papito" in four countries with partners including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Laura Pausini and Alejandro Sanz. Stipe partnered on the tune "Lo que hay es lo que ves."

In Spain Bose is regularly compared to David Bowie -- albeit more because of a sexually ambiguous image than because of any shared musical style.

He begins a Spanish tour May 5, running through September. Latin American and U.S. dates will follow in October.

Reuters/Billboard