Jacquelyn "Jaci" Davette Velasquez (; Spanish ''Jaci Velásquez'', born October 15, 1979) is an American actress and contemporary Christian and

Latin pop Latin pop (in Spanish and in Portuguese: Pop latino) is a pop music subgenre that is a fusion of US–style music production with Latin music genres from anywhere in Latin America and Spain. Originating in Spanish-speaking musicians, Latin po ...

singer and songwriter, performing in both English and Spanish. Velasquez has sold almost three million albums in the US, recorded three Platinum and three Gold albums, and recorded 16 singles that hit No. 1 plus six more that entered the top 10. She received a Latin Billboard Music Award in 2002 for her album "Mi Corazón", eight

Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...

s, including Best New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year, as well as three Grammy nominations, and an American Music Award nomination in the category of "Favorite Latin Artist" in 2002. From 2010 to 2016, Velasquez co-hosted “The Family-Friendly Morning Show”, a syndicated morning radio program with Doug Griffin.

Biography

Early life

Velasquez was born in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

and is of Mexican descent. She grew up in an evangelical church where her parents were both singers and pastors. Although she has described herself as a "

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

she later said in an interview with

Morris Cerullo Morris Cerullo (October 2, 1931 – July 10, 2020) was an American Pentecostal evangelist. He traveled extensively around the world for his ministry. He hosted ''Victory Today'', a daily television program, and published more than 80 books. Cer ...

, "you're talking to an

Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

's girl". At the age of nine, she began traveling with her father, who by that time was a full-time singing evangelist. She began by singing backup and then later sang solo, releasing three independent records. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representative of

Myrrh Records __NOTOC__ Myrrh Records (also known as Myrrh Worship) was an American Christian music record label. According to ''Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music'', the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for contemporary Christian ...

Music career

Velasquez released her national debut album ''

Heavenly Place ''Heavenly Place'' is Jaci Velasquez' debut major label album, released on May 13, 1996 on Myrrh Records. Critical reception Rodney Batdorf wrote in his AllMusic review that "''Heavenly Place'' is an impressive debut album from the 16-year ol ...

'' on May 13, 1996; five of its songs became No. 1 hits. The album was later certified platinum. She was distinguished as the fastest selling solo debut recording artist in her genre and the first solo artist in Christian music history to reach gold status with a debut album. Since then she released seven more English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. Five Latin albums garnishing amazing success with Llegar A Ti going double-platinum and

Mi Corazón ''Mi Corazón'' ("My Heart") is the second Spanish album recorded by American Latin pop and contemporary Christian singer Jaci Velasquez. It was released by Sony Music Latin on May 8, 2001. The album charted in the top 10 on both the Latin Pop A ...

going platinum. She produced sixteen No. 1 Christian radio hits and six other top-10 singles, and has won nine Dove awards, including New Artist of the Year and two Female Vocalist of the Year wins. Velasquez has also done ad campaigns for

Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...

Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...

Doritos Doritos () is an American brand of flavored tortilla chips produced since 1964 by Frito-Lay, a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. The original Doritos were not flavored. The first flavor was Toasted Corn, released in 1966, followed by Taco in ...

, John Freida's Frizz-Ease hair products, and Helzberg Diamonds. In 1998, she signed to

Sony Discos Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC (often referred to as Sony Music Latin) is a record label owned by Sony Music. The label focuses on artists of Latin music. History In 1979, CBS Records (now Columbia Records) ended its partnership with ...

for a four-album deal and was introduced to Rudy Pérez, who produced her first Spanish-language crossover album ''Llegar a Ti'' which topped the

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Hot Latin Tracks chart, the first Christian track to top that chart of its kind. This album enabled her to achieve crossover success by building a fan base among Hispanics. Her first single, "Llegar a Ti," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became the first Christian song to top that chart. She received a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song. Jacivelasquez

In 2001, she released her second Spanish-language album, ''Mi Corazón''. The album's lead single, "Como Se Cura Una Herida," topped the ''

'' Hot Latin Tracks and became one of the biggest singles of the year, receiving multiple award nominations and wins. The album received a

Grammy Award 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 ...

nomination for Best Latin Pop Album. "Como Se Cura Una Herida" charted at No. 1 simultaneously with the song "Adore" at No. 1 on the CCM (Inspirational) chart giving Velasquez two simultaneous No. 1s in two different markets. Her Latin music credits includes five

Spanish-language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...

releases, two No. 1 Latin ''Billboard'' Singles, two Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Award for New Artist of the Year, two ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, and four Dove Awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year. In September 2008, she was chosen by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs as one of the 15 Prominent Hispanic-Americans in the Arts in America. In August 2011, Velasquez signed with a new label,

Inpop Records Inpop Records is an independent contemporary Christian music record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. It was launched in July 1999 by Australians Peter Furler, Dale Bray, and Wes Campbell. The name was derived from the idea of wanting ...

, and her album, ''

Diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the Chemical stability, chemically stable form of car ...

'', was released on February 7, 2012. She released her first Spanish-language lullaby album, ''Buenas noches mi sol'', in 2012 with Fisher-Price. She released a new project on March 31, 2017, through Integrity Music, consisting of an English-language album, ''Trust'', and the Spanish-language version, ''Confío''. At the 48th Dove Awards, ''Confío'' won Spanish Language Album of the Year

Acting career

Velasquez made her acting debut in the 2003 film '' Chasing Papi'', which also featured Sofia Vergara, Roselyn Sanchez, and

Eduardo Verastegui Eduardo is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the male given name Edward. Another version is Duarte. It may refer to: Association football * Eduardo Bonvallet, Chilean football player and sports commentator * Eduardo Carvalho, Portuguese footb ...

, as well as

Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...

in a cameo role. It was released nationwide in the U.S. in April 2003. The movie reached No. 11 at the box office grossing $6 million worldwide. Velasquez also starred in the Christian films '' The Encounter'' and ''

Jerusalem Countdown ''Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World'' is a book written in 2006 by American pastor John Hagee which interprets the Bible to claim that Russia and several Islamic nations will invade Israel and will be destroyed by God. This will cause t ...

'', both released in 2011. In November 2010, Velasquez began co-hosting the ''Family Friendly Morning Show'' with Doug Griffin after being a guest host for several months. The show aired on over 100 U.S. radio stations for four hours each weekday morning. In 2016, she played the drama teacher Mrs. Diaz in ''

I'm Not Ashamed ''I'm Not Ashamed'' is a 2016 American Biographical film, biographical drama film directed by Brian Baugh and based on the journals of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Columbine, Colorado. Scott, playe ...

'', a 2016 biographical drama film which is based on the journals of

Rachel Joy Scott Rachel Joy Scott (August 5, 1981 – April 20, 1999) was an American student who was the first fatality of the Columbine High School massacre, in which 11 other students and a teacher were also murdered by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who th ...

Personal life

Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band AutoVaughn, on August 16, 2003. They were divorced in 2005. On December 17, 2006, she married Nic Gonzales in a private ceremony in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

. Gonzales is a member of

Salvador Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

, a

group with whom she had been touring. Their first son Zealand was born in 2007 and their second son Soren in 2009. Velasquez and her husband were featured in an episode of the home remodeling reality TV show ''Renovation Realities'' which aired December 6, 2014, on the DIY Network.

Discography

* ''

'' (1996) * ''

Jaci Velasquez Jacquelyn "Jaci" Davette Velasquez (Spanish ''Jaci Velásquez'', born October 15, 1979) is an American actress and contemporary Christian and Latin pop singer and songwriter, performing in both English and Spanish. Velasquez has sold almost ...

'' (1998) * '' Llegar A Ti'' (1999) * '' Crystal Clear'' (2000) * ''

'' (2001) * ''

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

'' (2001) * '' Unspoken'' (2003) * '' Milagro'' (2003) * '' Beauty Has Grace'' (2005) * '' Love Out Loud'' (2008) * ''

'' (2012) * ''Buenas Noches mi Sol / Canciones De Cuna'' (2012) * '' Trust/Confío'' (2017)

Filmography

* 2003: '' Chasing Papi'' * 2004: '' Doc'' (one episode) * 2003: '' Los Reyes Magos'' (''The 3 Wise Men'') * 2011: '' The Encounter'' * 2011: ''

'' * 2014: ''Rumors of Wars'' * 2015: '' VeggieTales: Noah's Ark'' * 2016: ''

'' * 2017: ''

A Question of Faith ''A Question of Faith'' is a 2017 American Christian drama film. This film was released on September 29, 2017, by Pure Flix Entertainment. Plot When tragedy strikes three families, their destiny forces them on a converging path to discover God's ...

'' * 2020: ''Cover Me'' * 2020: ''Acquitted by Faith''

Bibliography

* 1996: ''A Heavenly Place'' (over 10,000 units sold) * 2003: ''Los Evangelios Toman Vida: The Gospels Come to Life'' * 2012: ''Coffee and Concealer''

Awards

Latin Grammy Award Nominations * 2000 Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ''Llegar A Ti'' * 2004 Best Female Pop Vocal Album ''Milagro''. * 2017 Best Christian Album ''Confío''. Dove Awards * 1997 New Artist of the Year * 1998 Song of the Year, "On My Knees" * 1999 Female Vocalist of the Year * 2000 Special Event Album of the Year, "Streams" * 2000 Spanish-language Album of the Year, "Llegar a Ti" * 2000 Female Vocalist of the Year * 2002 Spanish-Language Album of the Year "Mi Corazon" * 2003 Spanish-Language Album of the Year "Navidad" * 2017 Spanish-Language Album of the Year "Confio" American Music Awards Nominations * 2002 Favorite Latin Artist ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards * 2002 Female Pop Album: "''Mi Corazon'' Premio Lo Nuestro * 2000 for New Artist of the Year Premios Arpa *2018 Best Female Vocal Album of the Year "Confio"

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Velasquez, Jaci 1979 births Living people American film actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers American women pop singers American Latin pop singers Christian music songwriters American actresses of Mexican descent American people of Spanish descent American people of French descent American people of Scottish descent American people of Arab descent Word Records artists Singers from Houston American performers of Christian music 21st-century Christians 20th-century Christians American evangelicals American Pentecostals Assemblies of God people Actresses from Houston Myrrh Records artists Spanish-language singers of the United States 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers Hispanic and Latino American women singers Women in Latin music Hispanic and Latino American actresses