“Come with me and live in South Beach,” coos Mexican diva Pilar Montenegro on the lush title track of her fifth album, South Beach. “It’s a place with bright sun and without prejudices.”

It’s a call that should resonate strongly with gay fans of the sexy singer and actress, whose reggaeton-fueled South Beach disc was released late last year.

Montenegro is supporting the project with a gay club tour sponsored by Club Papi and the Granda Group of Companies, who have produced similar events with Latin divas Lucia Mendez, Fey, La India and Mariana Seoane. The recent Gloria Trevi gay club tour played to sold-out houses all over the country, and attracted widespread media attention.

Stops on Montenegro’s trek include Circuit in Chicago (March 23), Circus Disco in Los Angeles (March 24), Space 550 in San Francisco (March 25), Heat in San Antonio (March 30), Rich’s in Houston (March 31) and Rich’s in San Diego (April 1). More information is available at www.clubpapi.com.)

“The gay community is a super-loyal audience, super-affectionate. When they have an artist that they like, they follow her and support her until the end,” Montenegro says during a recent phone chat. She lives in Mexico but spends much of her time working in Miami.

Gay fans will likely warm to South Beach’s urban grooves and suggestive lyrics. The album is filled with hip-swiveling reggaeton rhythms, anchored by slinky vocals and a host of guest vocalists. The first single, “Noche de Adrenalina,” features genre superstar Don Omar and is also included in pop and cumbia versions.

“The record company [EMI Latin] contacted them, and they accepted to work with me,” Montenegro says of her collaborators on South Beach. The list also includes Voltio, Maestro, Machito Ponce, GQ, Joselito and Big Mann.

“They are such important people in the world of reggaeton, so I felt very pleased, very happy.”

For the uninitiated, reggaeton is a hybrid of reggae, dancehall, tropical music and American hip-hop. The genre’s most consistent feature is a driving drum-machine beat that is nearly identical in every song.

South Beach’s star power makes for a provocative, credible mix. Juan Gabriel’s “Hasta Que te Conoci” becomes a tick-tock soul treat, sprinkled with tropical flavor. And “Como te Extrano” blends slick vocal effects with a beat reminiscent of Missy Elliott’s biggest hits. Even the synth-heavy “Adicta” is a pleasing pop treat.

The disc was recorded in Miami and produced by Adrian Posse (and Montenegro’s ex-husband, Jorge Reynoso), whose high-wattage credits include projects with Celine Dion, Luis Miguel, Christina Aguilera, Thalia, Cristian Castro, Paulina Rubio, Lucero, Alejandra Guzman and Rocio Durcal.

South Beach is Montenegro’s second disc of reggaeton tunes, following 2004’s EuroReggaeton, a bilingual collaboration with Gizelle D’Cole.

“I really like reggaeton. It’s based in a very sensual rhythm,” Montenegro says. “South Beach [the city] is very associated with music – reggaeton – and with many nationalities. That’s why we called the album South Beach.”

Not surprisingly, there have been grumblings in the reggaeton world about Montenegro’s genuine interest in the genre. The singer first made her mark as an interpreter of ballads and norteno music, so some see this artistic avenue as a calculated career move.

Still, Montenegro is hardly the first artist to incorporate reggaeton into her music. Shakira, Ricky Martin, Rubio and Thalia have all incorporated it into their sounds. English-language artists Jasmine Trias and the Black Eyed Peas have dabbled in the genre, and reggaeton king Daddy Yankee has crossed over to heavy MTV play.

Montenegro recently competed on “Bailando Por un Sueno,” Mexico’s answer to “Dancing with the Stars,” and she is debating the sound of her next disc.

It’s a hectic juggling act, but one the talented beauty seems to relish, despite its drawbacks.

“It’s a great satisfaction to be able to be working in what you like, but you have to pay a price,” Montenegro says. “There’s a sacrifice to make – a costly one, because your personal life stops being private. You don’t see your family. You’re traveling all the time. You have to pay a price, but the reward is worth it.”