Agustín Daniel Casanova Sommaruga (born December 14, 1993) is an Uruguayan singer, songwriter and actor. He rose to prominence as the vocalist of the
cumbia
Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans during colonial times, and Europeans. Examples include:
...
-
pop band ''
Márama
Márama (stylized as Marama) is an Uruguayan band formed in 2014 by Fer Vázquez of Rombai. The group is composed of Agustín Casanova, Pablo Arnoletti, Agustín Duarte, Matías Besson, Lautaro Moreno and Martín López. Former members Alejandro V ...
,'' which achieved international success and toured several Latin American countries and Spain.
The group's first album, ''Todo Comenzó Bailando'', reached number one on the charts in Uruguay and Argentina, received the
Graffiti Award for Best Latin Pop Music Album, and was certified double platinum by the
Uruguayan Record Chamber. In addition to music, he has dabbled in acting, being part of the cast of the telenovela ''
Simona'', for which he received a
Martín Fierro
''Martín Fierro'', also known as ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'', is a 2,316-line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'' (1872) and ''La Vuelta de Martín F ...
nomination for Best Newcomer and one for Favorite Actor at the
Nickelodeon Argentina Kids' Choice Awards
The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Argentina, also known as the KCAAs and/or Kids Choice Awards Argentina, was an annual awards show that airs on Nickelodeon in Latin America. Its first edition was held on 11 October 2011 at the Microestadio Malv ...
. He served as a judge on the television talent shows ''
Got Talent Uruguay'' (2020-2022), ''
La Voz Uruguay'' (2021–present) and
''La Voz Kids Uruguay'' (2023).
Early life
Agustín Daniel Casanova Sommaruga was born on 14 December 1993 in ''
barrio
''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city, usually delimited by functional (e.g. residenti ...
''
Cordón
Cordón is a central '' barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) of Montevideo, Uruguay, located East of the Centro. Its main avenue is 18 de Julio Avenue.
History
Cordón was the first neighborhood to be created outside the walls of the old Cit ...
,
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
, the third child and only son of Daniel Casanova and Lourdes Sommaruga, a nurse. He attended ''Colegio Nuestra Señora de Fátima'' and later the ''Technological School of the Buceo,'' where he studied computer science''.'' During his youth he worked in a locksmith and on weekends as an entertainer at children's parties.
Career
2014–2017: Márama
In 2014, Casanova accepted the proposal to be the vocalist of a new band, created by the producer and singer
Fer Vázquez.
Márama
Márama (stylized as Marama) is an Uruguayan band formed in 2014 by Fer Vázquez of Rombai. The group is composed of Agustín Casanova, Pablo Arnoletti, Agustín Duarte, Matías Besson, Lautaro Moreno and Martín López. Former members Alejandro V ...
was formed by Ignacio Rodríguez (Percussion), Agustín Duarte (Drums), Lautaro Moreno (Keyboard), Alejandro Vázquez (Keyboard), Matías Besson (Bass), Martín López (Guitar) and Pablo Arnoletti. The group's first singles, "Loquita", "Todo empezó bailando" and "No te vayas" quickly became hits in several Latin American countries.
The third single "Noche loca" was a collaboration with
Rombai
Rombai is an Uruguayan band formed in Montevideo, Uruguay in 2014. The group is composed of Fernando Vázquez, Nicolás González and Juan Martino; former members Camila Rajchman, Tomás Narbondo, Nathalie "Nata" Rubinstein, Valentina "Vala" Nire ...
, a group led by Vázquez and
Camila Rajchman
Camila Rajchman Goldfarb (born 26 November 1994) is an Uruguayan singer, songwriter and television personality. She is best known for being the vocalist of the cumbia-pop band ''Rombai'' from 2014 to 2016.
Biography
Camila Rajchman was born in ...
and also formed in 2014, with which Márama shared the rapid rise to fame, as well as aspects such as the age of the members and the
music genre
A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from ''musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are some ...
. Both groups reached top 10 in charts in Uruguay and Argentina, and toured together, performing in venues such as the Velódromo Municipal in
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
, the
Teatro Gran Rex
The Teatro Gran Rex is an Art Deco style theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina which opened on July 8, 1937, as the largest cinema in Argentina.
Located near the centre of the city at 857 Corrientes Avenue, it was designed by the architect Alberto ...
, and
Luna Park
Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-sc ...
in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
.
In 2016, Casanova was announced as celebrity participant for ''
Bailando 2016
''Bailando 2016'' is the eleventh season of ''Bailando por un Sueño''. The season premiere aired on 30 May 2016, on El Trece. However, the competition started a day later, on 31 May. Marcelo Tinelli, once again, was the host for the show's.
On ...
,'' the eleventh season of Argentine dance competition
''Bailando por un Sueño''. Partnered by Josefina Oriozabala, he was the sixth dropout of the contest. In June he participated in the documentary film ''Márama-Rombai: el viaje'' that revolved around the beginnings of both groups and a joint international tour. A year later he participated in ''
Bailando 2017
''Bailando 2017'' is the twelfth season of ''Bailando por un Sueño''. The season premiere aired on May 29, 2017, on El Trece. Although, the competition started the next day (May 30). Marcelo Tinelli returns as the host of the show's.
On Decembe ...
'', together with Florencia Vigna, but later resigned due to "personal reasons". In addition, the group performed at the
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
, image =
, caption =Overture to the closing night of LI Viña del Mar International Song Festival (2010)
, location =Viña del Mar, Chile
, years_active =1960-present
, founders =
, dates =3rd week of February
, ...
.
In late December 2017, it was announced that Márama would go on an indefinite hiatus, although they performed the concerts that were scheduled for the southern summer season of 2018. Later, Casanova declared that the dissolution of the group occurred due to Fer Vázquez, its creator "had a fight with the manager".
2018–2020: Acting, first solo singles and ''Got Talent Uruguay''
In 2018, he debuted as an actor in the Argentine
telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...
''
Simona'', playing Dante Funes Guerrico. Later, Agustín made a millionaire demand to Fer Vázquez, singer and producer of Rombai and former producer of Márama. In June he released his first solo single "Ando buscando" with Venezuelan singer
Chyno Miranda
Jesús Alberto Miranda Pérez (born 15 November 1984, in La Guaira), better known as Chyno Miranda, just Chino, or El Chino, is a Venezuelan singer and is part of the musical duo Chino & Nacho, in collaboration with Miguel Ignacio Mendoza Donatti ...
, along with the music video. A month later he released "Bailoteame" with
Abraham Mateo
Abraham Mateo Chamorro (born 25 August 1998), is a Spanish singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He is known for his soulful and dance-oriented music.
Mateo was only seven when he began winning prizes on television shows and at the ag ...
and
Mau y Ricky
Mau & Ricky is a Venezuelan Latin pop and reggaeton duo formed by singer-songwriter brothers Mauricio Alberto "Mau" Reglero Rodríguez (born August 17, 1993) and Ricardo Andrés "Ricky" Reglero Rodríguez (born November 21, 1990), both sons of ...
.
In November 2018 he released his third single "Sin Regreso". That year he also filmed a participation playing Ramiro Salazar in the second season of the television series ''
Millennials
Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the Western demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000 ...
'', which would be broadcast the following year. On January 4, 2019, he released his fourth song, "Bye bye" and in September his fifth, "Tiri Tiri".
In September 2019, Casanova confirmed that he would be appearing as a judge on ''
Got Talent Uruguay'' alongside
María Noel Ricceto,
Claudia Fernández
Claudia Fabiana Fernández Viera (born June 22, 1976) is a Uruguayan award-winning television presenter, fashion model, actress and businesswoman. Born in Punta de Rieles – Bella Italia, Montevideo she began her career as a model in her teens ...
and
Orlando Petinatti. He was part of the panel in all three series of the show, broadcast in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
In December 2019, Uruguayan band Dame 5 released a joint single with Casanova called "Picoteo". That year, he also played
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...
in the musical ''Aladin, será genial'' at the
Teatro Gran Rex
The Teatro Gran Rex is an Art Deco style theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina which opened on July 8, 1937, as the largest cinema in Argentina.
Located near the centre of the city at 857 Corrientes Avenue, it was designed by the architect Alberto ...
.
2021–present: Márama revival and ''La Voz Uruguay''
In September 2021 Casanova announced the revival of Marama with the release of the single "Ya no llora", which debuted at the third position on the
Monitor Latino
Monitor Latino (stylised monitorLATINO) is a singles chart founded in 2003 which ranks songs on chart based on airplay across radio stations in Latin American countries and Hispanic radio stations in the United States using the Radio Tracking Data ...
Top 20 chart, and sold out three shows at the
Antel Arena
The Antel Arena is a multipurpose indoor arena that is located in the neighborhood of Villa Española, Montevideo, Uruguay. The arena has a capacity of 15,000 people for concerts, and 10,000 people for basketball games.
The arena was built by ...
in
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
.
In November,
Channel 10 announced that he would be a coach on ''
La Voz Uruguay'', which premiered in March 2022. A year later, in 2023 it was announced Casanova would be a coach in the children's version of the show,
''La Voz Kids Uruguay'' alongside
Álex Ubago
Álex Ubago (born Alejandro Martínez de Ubago Rodríguez on January 29, 1981, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain) is a Spanish singer-songwriter. He is especially known for his heartfelt voice and his ballads. He was able to record his deb ...
,
Valeria Lynch
María Cristina Lancelotti (January 7, 1952 in Buenos Aires), better known by her stage name Valeria Lynch, is an Argentine singer and actress. Named by the New York Times as one of the 5 best voices on the planet.
Biography
Valeria Lynch was b ...
, and the duo of
Rubén and
Julieta Rada.
Filmography
Film roles
Television roles
Theater roles
Discography
With Márama
* 2014: «Loquita»
* 2014: «Todo comenzó bailando»
* 2014: «No te vayas»
* 2014: «Una noche contigo» ft. Fer Vázquez
* 2014: «Bronceado»
* 2015: «Nena»
* 2015: «Noche Loca» ft. Rombai
* 2015: «Tal vez»
* 2015: «Era Tranquila»
* 2016: «Te amo y odio»
* 2016: «Lo intentamos»
* 2016: «Te conozco» ft. Fer Vázquez
* 2016: «Pasarla bien»
* 2017: «Vive y disfruta»
* 2017: «La quiero conocer»
* 2017: «Que rico baila» ft. Rombai
*2021: «Ya no llora»
*2021: «No Quiero Verte» ft. Hernán y La Champions Liga
*2021: «Nunca Más»
*2022: «Aunque te Enamores» ft.
Luciano Pereyra
Luciano Ariel Pereyra (born September 21, 1981) is an Argentine singer.
Biography
In 1984, when he was three years old, his parents noticed his talent for music and gave him a guitar for Christmas. The following year, he competed in a televis ...
*2022: «Todo a la Vez»
*2022: «Resaca»
*2022: «La Culpa» ft.
Nacho
Nachos are a Mexican culinary dish consisting of fried tortilla chips or ''totopos'' covered with melted cheese or cheese sauce, as well as a variety of other toppings and garnishes, often including meats (such as ground beef or grilled chicken ...
*2022: «Nuestro amor regresa» ft. Migrantes
Singles
* 2018: «Sin regreso»
* 2019: «Bye Bye»
* 2019: «2024»
* 2018: «Tiri Tiri»
Featured in
* 2018: «Ando buscando» (With
Chyno Miranda
Jesús Alberto Miranda Pérez (born 15 November 1984, in La Guaira), better known as Chyno Miranda, just Chino, or El Chino, is a Venezuelan singer and is part of the musical duo Chino & Nacho, in collaboration with Miguel Ignacio Mendoza Donatti ...
)
* 2018: «Bailoteame» (With
Abraham Mateo
Abraham Mateo Chamorro (born 25 August 1998), is a Spanish singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He is known for his soulful and dance-oriented music.
Mateo was only seven when he began winning prizes on television shows and at the ag ...
and
Mau & Ricky)
* 2019: «Solito Solo» (With Lérica and Danny Romero)
* 2019: «Picoteo» (With Dame 5)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casanova, Agustín
1993 births
21st-century Uruguayan male singers
21st-century Uruguayan male actors
Singers from Montevideo
Uruguayan people of Italian descent
Living people
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants