Early life
Luis Miguel was born in Puerto Rico during a brief stay of his parents. He is the son of the late Spanish singer Luisito Rey and Italian actress Marcela Basteri.[4] His mother disappeared mysteriously when he was a teenager and his father died in 1992.[4] During his child years, Luis Miguel's father, who was also his manager, encouraged him to watch and analyze nearly every movie, recording, and concert performance of Elvis Presley.[4]
Career
In 1981, at the age of 11, Luis Miguel released his first album, Un Sol, by the Mexican branch of EMI Records.[5] Two years later, he started touring Latin American countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina.
In 1985, at age of 15, he took part at the Sanremo Music Festival, where he won the second place award with his song "Noi Ragazzi Di Oggi".[4] That same year, he was also presented with the "Antorcha de Plata" Award in the Viña del Mar Music Festival for his duet single "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" with Scottish singer Sheena Easton.[2] In 1984, he co-starred in the film Ya Nunca Más and in 1985, Fiebre de Amor with singer Lucero as his co-star.[4]
In 1986, Luis Miguel gave his career a brief break, as his relationship with his father was souring due to mismanagement, poor financial decisions and risking his earnings of his career. Shortly after signing with Warner Records, in 1987, Luis Miguel fired his father and started to work with Juan Carlos Calderón.[4] Calderón gave his career a remarkable boost as his album Soy Como Quiero Ser in May 1987 sold well.[4] The album featured hits such as "Cuando Calienta El Sol", "Ahora Te Puedes Marchar", and "Yo Que No Vivo Sin Ti."
On November 25, 1988, Luis Miguel's second album Busca Una Mujer was released. The first single La Incondicional became a top-ten hit throughout Latin America in the first half of 1989,[4] thanks in part to the music video. The video was shocking to many fans as Luis Miguel cut his signature long hair which he had since his beginnings. This cemented his transition from a child star into an adult superstar. By the end of 1989, the second single Fría Como El Viento reached #1 on the Hot Latin Tracks.[6] He also had a top-ten single Separados in early 1990, peaking at #8.
In 1990, he made a successful transition from a child singer to an adult showman with the album 20 Años and an ensuing string of sold-out shows first in Mexico then throughout Latin America and elsewhere in the world. 20 Años which sold 600,000 copies in its first week of release[4], resulted in release of three singles Tengo Todo Excepto A Ti, Entrégate, Amante Del Amor with the two former hitting number 1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks in 1990.[6]
In 1991, Luis Miguel's career went to even greater heights and earned him the respect of a wider audience with the release of Romance, an album of romantic boleros, most of them from the 40's and 50's. Despite singing boleros from years past, Luis Miguel was recognized for reinventing the bolero for modern audiences. The album Romance, which became his most successful material ever eventually sold 15 million units worldwide.[4]
In 1993, his fifth studio album Aries was released with which Luis Miguel won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album.[2] That same year, Luis Miguel was personally invited by Frank Sinatra to join him on his Duets II album and to perform live in a nationally televised special in honor of Sinatra's 80th birthday; along with other stars such as Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole.[4]
In 1994, he released a sequel to Romance, Segundo Romance, featuring Luis Miguel as a convincing pop singer with mastery over timeless Latin classics such as "Solamente Una Vez" and "Sin Ti". The album went on to earn a Grammy Award[2] as well as reaching a Platinum status in the United States.[7]
In 1996, Luis became one of the few Latin artist to receive a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[2] Soon after, Luis Miguel quickly returned to the studios and released Nada Es Igual, a pop album featuring "Sueña", the main theme for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.[2]
In 1997, Luis Miguel released his third album of the bolero series Romances. Romances earned Luis Miguel a World Music Award and another Grammy Award.[4]
In 1999, Luis Miguel released his ninth studio album Amarte Es Un Placer which, in 2000, earned him two Latin Grammys for being Best Album of the Year and Best Pop Album of the Year.[2] The single "O Tú, O Ninguna" of Amarte Es Un Placer became number 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and perched at the top position for eight consecutive weeks.[6]
Following the success of Amarte Es Un Placer, Luis Miguel released Mis Romances in 2001, his fourth album in the bolero series. The album, which sold over two million copies worldwide was followed by the launch of Mis Romances Tour which took place throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
In 2003, Luis Miguel released his first pop album in over four years entitled 33, indicative of his age. The album, which featured a collection of ballads and uptempo songs climbed to number 1 on Billboard's Latin Charts earning Luis Miguel two Billboard Awards as well as nominations in Latin Grammy and Grammy.[5] On the 33 Tour, Luis Miguel filled the largest halls in the U.S., toured throughout Latin America and in Chile where his album 33 sold 2.5 million copies (more records than any other artist in the history of Chile).[5] Also performed at Mexico's sold-out National Auditorium, and various sold-out shows at Buenos Aires, as well as other prestigious international venues such as Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Spain.
That same year, Prince Felipe of Spain presented him with a special award for being the best-selling foreign artist in his country's history, and hosted a special party in his honor in Madrid.[4]
In 2004, Luis Miguel released his Mexico En La Piel. The album, which was a collection of traditional Mexican mariachi songs went on to sell three million copies worldwide.[1] He launched his Mexico En La Piel Tour in 2005. In 2006, Luis Miguel made a chain of completely sold out 30-shows between January 18 and February 27 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City.[4] The 123-date tour started in September 2005 in Mexico which then stretched to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
In 2005, Luis Miguel released Grandes Exitos, his first greatest hits album, that featured his greatest songs he recorded during all his career, including two never-released singles: "Misterios Del Amor" and "Si Te Perdiera".
That same year, he released a Christmas album called Navidades. The playlist includes many Christmas standards in Spanish. The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart during the first week of its release.[8] The album released two singles "Santa Claus Llegó A La Ciudad" ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), and "Mi Humilde Oración" ("My Grown-up Christmas List").
On May 6, 2008, Luis Miguel released Cómplices, produced by him and written by Spanish composer Manuel Alejandro. It sold almost 350,000 copies in the first 24 hours.[9] The first single, "Si Tú Te Atreves" was released on April 7, 2008, the second single of the album was "Te Desean". His Complices Tour began in Seattle, Washington on September 3, 2008.
Personal life
He rarely gives interviews and rarely attends award ceremonies. He prefers to keep his personal life private, so he has become the most wanted singer by the Latin American and Spanish press. He is always escorted by a tight security team and he is transported in several trucks to distract paparazzis and reporters.[10] He is recognized for his taste of high cuisine and for being a self-taught sommelier. He released his own wine named "Unico. Luis Miguel", a Cabernet Sauvignon.[11][12]
Miguel has been described as the "Latin Frank Sinatra".[3]
Awards and recognitions
|
|
148
