Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro, better known as Alejandro Sanz (; born 18 December 1968), is a Spanish musician, singer and composer. Sanz has won 22
Latin Grammy Awards
The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been r ...
and four
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. He has received the Latin Grammy for
Album of the Year three times. The singer is notable for his
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
-influenced ballads, and has also experimented with several other genres including
pop,
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
,
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
,
R&B and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
.
Born in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
to parents from
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
, Sanz began playing guitar at age seven, taking influence from his family's flamenco roots. Sanz released
his debut album at age nineteen, although he did not gain commercial success in Spain until his second release, ''
Viviendo Deprisa'' (1991). His next two records, ''
Si Tú Me Miras
''Si Tú Me Miras'' (If You Look at Me) is the third studio album recorded by Spanish singer and songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by Warner Music Group, WEA Latina on August 17, 1993. where he counted with the collaboration of musicians ...
'' (1993) and ''
3'' (1995) also fared well commercially, but it was his 1997 breakthrough album ''
Más
Mas, Más or MAS may refer to:
Film and TV
* Más y Menos, fictional superhero characters, from the Teen Titans animated television series
* "Más" (''Breaking Bad''), a season three episode of ''Breaking Bad''
Songs
* ''Más'' (album), by Span ...
'' that garnered international success. ''
El Alma al Aire
''El Alma al Aire'' (The Soul to Air) is the sixth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on September 26, 2000 (see 2000 in music). It is one of his more suggestive and emotive works. ...
'' followed in 2000, selling more than a million copies in its first week. In 2002, he became the first Spanish artist to record an ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
'' album.
His collaboration with
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
on the 2005 single "
La Tortura
"" (English: "The Torture") is a song by Colombian singer Shakira, featuring Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, from Shakira's sixth studio album ''Fijación Oral, Vol. 1'' (2005). It was released on 13 April 2005 by Epic Records as the lead single ...
" reached number one on several charts worldwide. He experimented with more diverse styles of music with the albums ''
No Es lo Mismo'' (2003)
and ''
El Tren de los Momentos
''El Tren de los Momentos'' (The Train of the Moments) is the eighth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on November 7, 2006 (see 2006 in music). which counts with the collaborations of ...
'' (2006),
while his 2009 release, ''
Paraíso Express'' served as a return to form for the musician. Sanz signed to
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
in 2011 and released his tenth studio album, ''
La Música No Se Toca
''La Música No Se Toca'' (English: The music is not played) is the tenth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Colombian Grammy award winner Julio C. Reyes. It was released by Uni ...
'', in 2012, followed by ''
Sirope
''Sirope'' is the 11th studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Grammy award winner Sebastian Krys. It was released on May 4, 2015. ''Sirope'' earned nominations for Album of the Ye ...
'' in 2015.
Early life
Sanz was born in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, on 18 December 1968, the youngest son of María Pizarro and Jesús Sánchez.
He grew up in the neighborhood of
Moratalaz
Moratalaz is a district of Madrid, Spain. It is a well-known area because musicians such as Melendi and Alejandro Sanz have lived there. Moratalaz is on east of municipality of Madrid. It has of surface area and is delineated by the highways of M ...
in eastern Madrid.
Sanz recalled that "Back then, kids grew up on the street...I was a bit like the group
troubadour
A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a ''trobairit ...
; the one who played the guitar and sang. That kept me out of a lot of trouble."
Sanz's father, a door-to-door book salesman, played guitar professionally, which inspired seven-year-old Sanz to learn to play the instrument.
He pursued the instrument with an intensity that eventually frustrated his mother, who broke his guitar one morning after his playing kept the family from sleeping.
He was exposed to traditional
flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
music as a child while vacationing each summer in his parents' native
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
in southern Spain.
Originally, Sanz intended to become a flamenco performer, but he found the music teachers to be overly strict. Commenting on his early experiences, Sanz explained, "Flamenco can be very hard on beginners. If you lose the rhythm, they toss you out with, 'You're no good, boy!' They're very strict and very cruel. But it's also a marvelous education, because you either learn to play or else."
He felt that he could not compete with his peers, and decided to focus on creating pop music with flamenco influences, viewing flamenco to be a "lifestyle" better suited to others.
Recording career
1989–96: First four albums
As a teenager, Sanz performed in various venues in his hometown. He became acquainted with Miguel Ángel Arenas, a music industry executive who had signed several popular Spanish groups such as
Mecano
Mecano was a Spanish pop band formed in 1981 and active until 1992. Mecano became one of the most successful Spanish pop bands of all time. The band is still the best-selling Spanish band, with over 25 million records worldwide. They were consid ...
.
Arenas helped Sanz find work, eventually leading to a record deal with the Spanish label
Hispavox
Hispavox S.A. was a major Spanish record company founded on June 27, 1953, that run independently until 1985 when it was acquired by EMI. Their studios were located in Madrid, and were known among fans as Sonido Torrelaguna. EMI owned the Hispa ...
.
In 1989 Sanz released his debut album, ''
Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos'' under the name of Alejandro Magno (Spanish for "
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
").
The record, which fused
techno
Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often ch ...
and flamenco, was met with critical and commercial indifference, and today Sanz views the record to be "insignificant".
However, the album is now considered to be a collector's item.
In an attempt to promote ''Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos'', he performed at
strip club
A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...
s, playing short sets between acts.
This proved to be unsuccessful and Sanz took a break from music, choosing to study
business administration
Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
.
He also took a job at a recording studio in which he wrote material for other artists. He persuaded Arenas to send demos of his songs to record companies, which led to being signed by
Warner Music Latina
Warner Music Latina (formerly WEA Latina) is a record label part of Warner Music Group that focuses on Latin music. The record label was established in 1987.
List of artists currently on Warner Music Latina
Alaya*Alex Ubago
* Andres Calamaro
* Bo ...
.
At this time, he began performing under his current name.
Sanz's rise to fame began in 1991, when he released his first album from Warner, ''
Viviendo Deprisa''. The record and the songs "Pisando Fuerte" and "Se le Apagó la Luz" helped him gain a dedicated fan base in Spain.
In 1993, he released ''
Si Tú Me Miras
''Si Tú Me Miras'' (If You Look at Me) is the third studio album recorded by Spanish singer and songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by Warner Music Group, WEA Latina on August 17, 1993. where he counted with the collaboration of musicians ...
'' shortly followed by a live album, titled ''
Básico
''Básico'' is the first live album from Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz. ''Básico'' was released in promotion of ''Si Tú Me Miras''. The album features a concert recorded in 1993, in which he gave an acoustic music, acoustic treatment to the hit ...
''. That same year, he recorded a song entitled "Mi Primera Canción" with flamenco pioneer
Paco de Lucía
Francisco Sánchez Gómez (21 December 194725 February 2014), known as Paco de Lucía (;), was a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer, and record producer. A leading proponent of the new flamenco style, he was one of the first flam ...
, whom Sanz idolized as a child.
He released his third studio album since changing his stage name, ''
3'', in 1995. In addition to Spanish, ''3'' was also released in Italian and
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
.
"La Fuerza del Corazón", the first single released from ''3'', was his first song to chart internationally.
All three albums proved to be successful, reaching multi-platinum status in Spain.
1997–2002: ''Más'', ''El Alma al Aire'', and ''MTV Unplugged''
Sanz spent two years in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy to work on a follow-up for ''3''.
For the album, he wished to create a "true fusion" of many different sounds, and began studying the saxophone and piano in addition to guitar.
In 1997, Sanz released his fifth studio album, ''
Más
Mas, Más or MAS may refer to:
Film and TV
* Más y Menos, fictional superhero characters, from the Teen Titans animated television series
* "Más" (''Breaking Bad''), a season three episode of ''Breaking Bad''
Songs
* ''Más'' (album), by Span ...
'', a record containing ballads strongly influenced by flamenco, pop, and
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
rhythms.
Driven by the singles "
Corazón Partío
"Corazón Partío" (English: "Broken heart") is a song written and performed by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz from his 1997 album '' Más''. Released as a single, the flamenco-influenced upbeat song was his international breakthrough
...
", "
Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella?", "
Amiga Mía", "Aquello Que Me Diste", and "Siempre Es de Noche", ''Más'' sold more than two million copies in Spain and was certified 22× Platinum in the country, making it the best-selling album in Spanish history.
The album remained on the ''Billboard'' Latin Albums chart for 74 weeks, and one year after the record's release, Sanz was granted an Ondas Award for Best Song for "Corazón Partío".
According to David Cazares of the ''
South Florida Sun-Sentinel'', the album "made Sanz an international star on the strength of the pop-salsa hit 'Corazón Partío', a song on the lips of fans from Spain to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and the United States."
Following the success of the album, Sanz began touring in United States for the first time.
His fifth album, ''
El Alma al Aire
''El Alma al Aire'' (The Soul to Air) is the sixth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on September 26, 2000 (see 2000 in music). It is one of his more suggestive and emotive works. ...
'', released 26 September 2000, featured Sanz exploring a wider array of musical genres, including
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
R&B,
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
and
tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
.
In Spain, the album sold more than one million copies in the first week, breaking the record of one million copies sold in four months, also set by Sanz with his previous album, ''Más''.
At the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards, Sanz walked away with four awards: Best Pop Male Vocal Album and Album of the Year for ''El Alma al Aire'', and Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the title track from the album.
Later that year, ''El Alma al Aire'' was released in a special edition including Sanz's duets with Irish band
The Corrs
The Corrs are an Irish family band that combine pop rock with traditional Irish themes within their music. The group consists of the Corr siblings, Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle, mandolin, ukulele), Sharon (violin, keyboards, vocals), Car ...
. In October 2001, Sanz collaborated with
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and various other artists on the Spanish version of the charity single "
What More Can I Give
"What More Can I Give" (also "Todo Para Ti" in Spanish) is a song written by American singer Michael Jackson and recorded in 2001 by Jackson and a supergroup of singers following the September 11 attacks. The inspiration for the song had initial ...
", which benefited the victims of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
.
In 2002, Sanz recorded ''
MTV Unplugged
''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...
'' at the
Gusman Center for the Performing Arts
The Olympia Theater is a theater located in Miami, Florida. Designed by John Eberson in his famed atmospheric style, the theater opened in 1926. Throughout its history, the venue has served as a movie theater, concert venue and performing arts ...
in Miami, Florida.
He was the first Spanish artist to record and release an ''MTV Unplugged'' album.
For Sanz, the recording of the album "changed the way I do my music. It was a rediscovery of how to perform, and also how to record, music with live musicians. That was the spirit of the music in its pure form, though
t is ironic
T, or t, is the twentieth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabe ...
that the more people who are playing, the more simple it is."
With the ''MTV Unplugged'', he garnered three Latin Grammy Awards (Album of the Year, Recording of the Year and Song of the Year for "Y Sólo Se Me Ocurre Amarte").
At the 2002 Grammy Awards, Sanz performed "Quisiera Ser" as a duet with Destiny's Child, with both Spanish lyrics and English lyric adaptation "I'd Like To Be Your Laughter".
2003–07: ''No Es lo Mismo'' and ''El Tren de los Momentos''
On 2 September 2003, Sanz released his sixth studio album, ''
No Es lo Mismo''. On this record, Sanz took a more political approach than he had on previous releases. The song "Sandy a Orilla do Mundo" discusses oil spills on the Spanish coast, while "Labana" tells the story of people fleeing from
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
on makeshift rafts.
The album won four awards at the
2004 Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.
Sanz was unable to attend the event and his awards were accepted by presenters and colleagues.
Also in 2004, he became the first Spanish musician to give a lecture at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, speaking about Hispanic culture at the
David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies Founded in 1994 by then-President Neil L. Rudenstine and alumnus David Rockefeller, the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) is an inter-faculty initiative of Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy Lea ...
.
![Alejandro Sanz 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Alejandro_Sanz_2007.jpg)
In 2005, Sanz collaborated with
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
on her song "
La Tortura
"" (English: "The Torture") is a song by Colombian singer Shakira, featuring Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, from Shakira's sixth studio album ''Fijación Oral, Vol. 1'' (2005). It was released on 13 April 2005 by Epic Records as the lead single ...
". Co-written by Sanz, the song became an international hit, breaking the record for the most weeks at the number one spot on the
Hot Latin Songs
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, rad ...
chart.
The song exposed Sanz to a more diverse audience, and helped build anticipation for his next release.
The first single from the album ''
El Tren de los Momentos
''El Tren de los Momentos'' (The Train of the Moments) is the eighth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on November 7, 2006 (see 2006 in music). which counts with the collaborations of ...
'', "
A la Primera Persona
"A la Primera Persona" ( en, To the First Person) is a love song recorded by the Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was released as the first single from his album ''El Tren de los Momentos'' (2006). The song reached the number-one spot ...
", became his first song to enter the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 100 on the chart.
The record was also noted for its guest appearances, which featured Shakira,
Juanes
file:Juanes ZMF 2015 jm49108.jpg, Juanes at the Zelt Musik Festival 2015 in Freiburg, Germany
file:Juanes ZMF 2015 jm49211.jpg, Juanes at the Zelt Musik Festival 2015 in Freiburg, Germany
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez (born 9 August 19 ...
,
Alex González of
Maná
Maná () is a Mexican pop rock band. The band is considered one of the best-selling Latin music artists and the most successful Latin American band of all time with over 40 million records sold worldwide. The group's current lineup consists o ...
, and Residente of
Calle 13.
In the spring of 2007, Sanz suffered a mental breakdown and took two months off in the middle of a world tour at the request of his doctor. The breakdown was caused by several events in his personal life, including the death of his father in 2005, his separation with Mexican model and actress
Jaydy Mitchel
Jaydy Michel Brixon (; born December 20, 1975) is a Mexican actress and fashion model.
Early life
Born to a Mexican father and an American mother, Jaydy Michel grew up in Puerto Vallarta, although she was born in Guadalajara, the capital of ...
, and his announcement that he had a three-year-old son outside of his marriage with Mitchel.
He commented on the situation, saying "You have to put things in perspective. It was stress, something that had never affected me, but this time, yes, it did. So I had to pay. A doctor told me to stop for a couple of months to recuperate completely."
Sanz spent time in therapy, a time which "helped
ima lot" and gave him "more power" to perform.
In a press conference in late 2007, he criticized
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
n president
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician who was president of Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013, except for a brief period in 2002. Chávez was also leader of the Fifth Republ ...
, calling him "undemocratic" in the wake of a petition made by Venezuelan citizens to prevent Chávez from running for re-election.
Sanz further stated "If they gave me 3 million signatures to stop singing, I would stop singing immediately."
Supporters of Chávez subsequently gathered 230,000 signatures in response to Sanz' comments.
2008–2012: ''Paraíso Express'' and ''La Música no se Toca''
![Alejandro Sanz 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Alejandro_Sanz_2008.05.28_001.jpg)
To promote his new record, ''
Paraíso Express'', Sanz started a campaign in which fans could create a video about their definition of paradise and upload it to his YouTube channel.
Artists such as Shakira,
Laura Pausini
Laura Pausini (; born 16 May 1974) is an Italian singer. She rose to fame in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with her debut single "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an internat ...
and
Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes (; born 17 June 1971) is a Mexican singer. Referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Golden Girl" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Pop", she first achieved recognition as ...
also participated.
On 10 November 2009, Sanz released ''Paraíso Express''. This record was described as a return to form for Sanz, focusing more on melody as opposed to the experimentation he pursued on his previous two albums.
He commented that "On this album, I first composed the melody and then the lyrics. It is more of a rock album than my past releases, with more elegant and positive lyrics and a happier and more rhythmic spirit."
The bilingual single "
Looking for Paradise" featuring
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart.
At the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards, the album was nominated Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Album, while the single "
Desde Cuándo" received both Record and Song of the Year nominations.
On 15 February 2011, Sanz announced that he would be signing with
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
after twenty years with Warner.
In the same year, Sanz received the
Latin Heritage Award by the
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
(ASCAP) in recognition of his contributions to Latin music. On 2 September 2012, the singer unveiled the official artwork of his upcoming ninth studio album, ''
La Música No Se Toca
''La Música No Se Toca'' (English: The music is not played) is the tenth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Colombian Grammy award winner Julio C. Reyes. It was released by Uni ...
'' on his official site. Sanz released ''La Música No Se Toca'', featuring the single "
No Me Compares" and based on the opening theme song in the telenovela ''
Amores Verdaderos
''Amores Verdaderos'' (English: ''True Love'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Nicandro Díaz González for Televisa and premiered by Canal de las Estrellas in September 2012. It is based on ''Amor en custodia'', previously produced in Colomb ...
'', on 25 September 2012.
On 21 August 2012, Sanz released his new single "
Irrepetível (Me Sumerjo)
Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro, better known as Alejandro Sanz (; born 18 December 1968), is a Spanish musician, singer and composer. Sanz has won 22 Latin Grammy Awards and four Grammy Awards. He has received the Latin Grammy for Latin Grammy Awar ...
", a duet with Brazilian singer-songwriter
Ana Carolina
Ana Carolina Sousa (, born September 9, 1974) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and musician.
Career
Carolina has a contralto vocal range. Her musical influence comes from the crib, her grandmother used to sing on the radio, and her great aunt a ...
. The song is a Portuguese-Spanish song and it's only available in Brazil's
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. On 17 September, he released the album's second single, "
Se Vende
SE, Se, or Sé may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Sé'' (album), by Lúnasa, 2006
* Se (instrument), a traditional Chinese musical instrument
Businesses and organizations
* Sea Ltd (NYSE: SE), tech conglomerate headquartered in Singapore
...
". In 2013, Sanz was recognized as the
Pop Male Artist of the Year and was the recipient of the
Excellence Award at the
26th Lo Nuestro Awards for his achievements in the music industry.
2013-present: ''Sirope'' and ''#ElDisco''
On 6 November 2013, Sanz received an honorary doctor of music degree from
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...
. “It is a great honor for me to receive this doctorate degree from one of the most prestigious music schools in the world,” Sanz said of the Berklee recognition. “I will continue to work every day of my life to deserve this honor.” Sanz released his eleventh studio album, ''
Sirope
''Sirope'' is the 11th studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Grammy award winner Sebastian Krys. It was released on May 4, 2015. ''Sirope'' earned nominations for Album of the Ye ...
'', featuring the single "
A Que No Me Dejas
''A que no me dejas'', formerly known as ''A que no me dejas, corazón'' (English title: ''I Dare You to Leave''), is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carlos Moreno for Televisa. It is a remake of the Mexican telenovela ''Amor en silencio'', pr ...
", a collaboration with
Alejandro Fernandez
Alejandro is the Spanish form of the name Alexander.
Alejandro has multiple variations in different languages, including Aleksander (Czech, Polish), Alexandre ( French), Alexandros (Greek), Alsander (Irish), Alessandro (Italian), Aleksandr (Rus ...
and used as the opening theme song in the telenovela ''
A Que No Me Dejas
''A que no me dejas'', formerly known as ''A que no me dejas, corazón'' (English title: ''I Dare You to Leave''), is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carlos Moreno for Televisa. It is a remake of the Mexican telenovela ''Amor en silencio'', pr ...
'', on 4 May 2015.
The album took a year and one month to record, and features an "eclectic sound" in Sanz's words, containing elements of flamenco,
R&B, and
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
.
He worked with producer
Sebastian Krys
Sebastian Krys (born November 11, 1970) is an Argentine-born American audio engineer, record producer and radio personality. A six-time Grammy and 13-time Latin Grammy winner, Krys has worked with many Spanish language pop and rock artists such as ...
, who helped him "enrich what was there but
ot losethe essence" of the songs.
In November 2017, Alejandro Sanz was honored as the
Latin Recording Academy
pt, Academia Latina da Gravação
, image = Latin_grammy_logo_(2022).png
, image_border =
, size = 150px
, caption =
, map =
, msize =
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, motto =
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, extinction ...
's
Person of the Year.
In April 2019, he released his album ''
#2013-present: Sirope and #ElDisco''. The album was recorded in Miami and features collaborations
Camila Cabello
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is a Cuban-born American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While in ...
,
Nicky Jam
Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as " X", "Travesuras", "En la Cama", "Te Busco", " El Perdón", " Hasta el Amanecer", and " El Amante ...
,
Residente
René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978), known professionally as Residente (often stylized as Resīdɛntə), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as one of the founders of the alternative rap band Calle 13. ...
, and Catalan singer-songwriter Judit Neddermann.
In May 2020, Sanz announced the new dates for his La Gira tour, which was originally slated to begin in June 2020 but was rescheduled to June 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
The tour will begin on 12 June 2021, in
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
.
[
In July 2021, he was one of several artists singing "]Imagine
Imagine may refer to:
* Imagination
Music Albums
* ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008
* ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002
* ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012
* ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971
** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
" as a part of the 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, representing Europe. On 29 October 2020, Sanz appeared alongside Argentine singer TINI on "Un Beso en Madrid", the eighth single from her third album ''Tini Tini Tini
''Tini Tini Tini'' (stylized in all caps) is the third studio album by Argentine singer Tini, released on December 3, 2020, by Hollywood Records and Universal Music Latin. The album spawned eleven singles: "22" with Greeicy, "Suéltate el Pelo" ...
''.
Musical style
Early in his career, Sanz' music generally consisted of romantic ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s. However, in the late 1990s, his collaborations with other artists greatly expanded his musical style. On ''No Es lo Mismo'', he experimented with rock, salsa
Salsa most often refers to:
* Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments
* Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music
* Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music
Salsa or SALSA may also refer to:
...
, and hip hop. While recording the album, Sanz noted that he often entered the studio with a rough idea for a song and the guest artists would "contaminate it with their rhythms...in a good way." ''El Tren de los Momentos'' continued this pattern of musical experimentation, featuring diverse genres such as funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
, jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, and country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
. Despite this, Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described his musical evolution by saying "Even as Sanz broadened his style over the years, he never ventured far from his strength: romantic songs, generally ballads, tinged with flamenco and sung wholeheartedly with his distinct voice."
Sanz is known for his distinctive raspy vocals, which he attributes to his flamenco roots, crediting singer Camarón de la Isla
José Monje Cruz (5 December 1950 – 2 July 1992), better known by his stage name Camarón de la Isla (), was a Spanish Romani flamenco singer. Considered one of the all-time greatest flamenco singers, he was noted for his collaborations ...
as a major influence. His song "Sí, He Cantado Mal" (Yes, I Have Sung Badly) from ''No Es lo Mismo'' references this, with Sanz saying "I'm laughing a little at myself so that I can laugh at other things. Sometimes, I'm harder on myself than any music critic can be. I'm laughing at that." Throughout his youth, Sanz was heavily influenced by English-language heavy metal groups such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
and Dio, referring to himself as a "heavy metal radical". He also feels that living in the city of Cadiz had a major impact on his musical style, where "Any 7-year-old kid you find knows how to play guitar, play the cajón
A cajón (; "box", "crate" or "drawer") is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front or rear faces (generally thin plywood) with the hands, fingers, or sometimes implements such as brushes, mallets, ...
, knows how to sing. When the family comes together we start to sing. In a way it's not just music, it's culture."
Personal life
Sanz married Mexican fashion model and actress Jaydy Michel
Jaydy Michel Brixon (; born December 20, 1975) is a Mexican actress and fashion model.
Early life
Born to a Mexican father and an American mother, Jaydy Michel grew up in Puerto Vallarta, although she was born in Guadalajara, the capital of th ...
in Bali
Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...
on 30 December 1999, but this marriage was never legally recognized in either of their home countries. Sanz felt that having a legally recognized marriage was unnecessary: "My wife is my wife and I am her husband. For me, that has enough validity...I am married with the heart." Their daughter, Manuela Sánchez Michel, was born on 28 July 2001. The couple separated in 2005. Sanz later had a son named Alexander with Valeria Rivera, a Puerto Rican fashion designer.
Sanz married his former assistant, Raquel Perera, on 23 May 2012, in a private ceremony held in Sabadell, Barcelona. They have two children: a son, Dylan, born in 2011 in New York, and a daughter, Alma, born in 2014 in Madrid. The couple separated in July 2019.
The late Flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía
Francisco Sánchez Gómez (21 December 194725 February 2014), known as Paco de Lucía (;), was a Spanish virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer, and record producer. A leading proponent of the new flamenco style, he was one of the first flam ...
was the godfather of Sanz's son, and Sanz and his wife are godparents to David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferre (born 5 June 1979) is a Spanish singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained his initial fame as a runner-up on the interactive reality television show ''Operación Triunfo''.
He has since released five studio albums, all of whi ...
's daughter, Ella.
In addition to music, Sanz enjoys painting, which he often does while trying to create ideas for new songs. He explains that painting "teaches you that taking risks rarely leads to failure. In fact, from the moment you assume a risk, you have succeeded."
In 2016, Sanz gave an interview to a women's magazine, where he shared his support for efforts taken against violence against women
Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are violent acts primarily or exclusively committed against women or girls, usually by men or boys. Such violence is often consi ...
saying that the man who "beats a woman, beats the whole humanity". He also wore make-up in an expression of support for women.
In January 2019, Sanz expressed support for Juan Guaidó
Juan Gerardo Guaidó Márquez (born 28 July 1983) is a Venezuelan politician, a former member of the Social democracy, social-democratic Popular Will party, and federal deputy to the National Assembly (Venezuela), National Assembly representing ...
during the Venezuelan presidential crisis
The Venezuelan presidential crisis is an ongoing political crisis concerning the leadership and the legitimate president of Venezuela; the office of the president has been contested since 10 January 2019, with the nation and the world divided ...
during a livestreamed Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
interview. During the interview, Sanz recognized Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela.
In October 2021, Sanz had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
inaugurated corresponding to the Recording category. The ceremony took place at 1750 Vine Street, in front of the Capitol Records building. He was accompanied by his partner, Cuban artist Rachel Valdés, who he mentioned in his speech: “To Rachel, a woman whose hands hold the dreams of my heart. I love you very much”. Sanz also has four children, Manuela, Alexander, Dylan and Alma.
Filmography
Discography
Studio albums
* 1989: '' Los Chulos Son Pa' Cuidarlos''
* 1991: '' Viviendo Deprisa''
* 1993: ''Si Tú Me Miras
''Si Tú Me Miras'' (If You Look at Me) is the third studio album recorded by Spanish singer and songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by Warner Music Group, WEA Latina on August 17, 1993. where he counted with the collaboration of musicians ...
''
* 1994: ''Básico
''Básico'' is the first live album from Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz. ''Básico'' was released in promotion of ''Si Tú Me Miras''. The album features a concert recorded in 1993, in which he gave an acoustic music, acoustic treatment to the hit ...
''
* 1995: '' 3''
* 1997: ''Más
Mas, Más or MAS may refer to:
Film and TV
* Más y Menos, fictional superhero characters, from the Teen Titans animated television series
* "Más" (''Breaking Bad''), a season three episode of ''Breaking Bad''
Songs
* ''Más'' (album), by Span ...
''
* 2000: ''El Alma al Aire
''El Alma al Aire'' (The Soul to Air) is the sixth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on September 26, 2000 (see 2000 in music). It is one of his more suggestive and emotive works. ...
''
* 2003: '' No Es lo Mismo''
* 2006: ''El Tren de los Momentos
''El Tren de los Momentos'' (The Train of the Moments) is the eighth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, It was released by WEA Latina on November 7, 2006 (see 2006 in music). which counts with the collaborations of ...
''
* 2009: '' Paraíso Express''
* 2012: ''La Música No Se Toca
''La Música No Se Toca'' (English: The music is not played) is the tenth studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Colombian Grammy award winner Julio C. Reyes. It was released by Uni ...
''
* 2015: ''Sirope
''Sirope'' is the 11th studio album recorded by Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz. It was produced by himself alongside Grammy award winner Sebastian Krys. It was released on May 4, 2015. ''Sirope'' earned nominations for Album of the Ye ...
''
* 2019: '' #ElDisco''
* 2021: ''Sanz''
Tours
* (1990-1992) ''Viviendo Deprisa Tour''
* (1993-1994) ''Si Tú Me Miras Tour''
* (1995-1996) ''3 Tour''
* (1998) ''Más Tour''
* (2001-2002) '' El Alma Al Aire Tour''
* (2004) '' No Es Lo Mismo Tour''
* (2007-2008) '' El Tren De Los Momentos Tour''
* (2009-2011) ''Paraiso Tour
Paraiso Tour is a concert tour by Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz as promoting his album Paraíso Express.
Tour set list
# Mi Peter Punk
# Viviendo Deprisa
# Lo Que Fui Es lo Que Soy
# Desde Cuándo
# Nuestro Amor Será Leyenda
# Se le Apagó la ...
''
* (2012-2014) '' La Música No Se Toca Tour''
* (2015) ''Sirope Tour
Sirope Tour is a concert tour by Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz as promoting his album ''Sirope''.
History
The tour will officially begin in Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de Españ ...
''
* (2019) ''#LaGira Tour''
Awards and nominations
List of awards and nominations received by Alejandro Sanz
See also
References
External links
*
Alejandro Sanz's Official Site
Alejandro Sanz Guitarras
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanz, Alejandro
1968 births
Living people
Spanish male singers
Italian-language singers
Portuguese-language singers
Spanish singer-songwriters
Musicians from Madrid
Singers from Madrid
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
Musicians from Miami
World Music Awards winners
Writers from Madrid
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Spanish pop singers
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
Warner Music Latina artists