- Jaci Velasquez
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Jaci Velasquez
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez
Born = birth date and age|1979|10|15
Died =
Origin =Houston ,Texas , U.S.A.
Genre = CCM Rock Pop,Indie pop Latin Pop
Years_active = 1996 - Present
Label =Apostrophe Records /Word Distribution
URL = [http://www.jacivelasquez.com JaciVelasquez.com]Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez (born
October 15 1979 ) is aGrammy Award andLatin Grammy Award -nominated, Dove Award-winning American Contemporary ChristianLatin Pop singer in both English and in Spanish.Biography
Jaci has sold over 3.5 million albums, garnered three RIAA certified Platinum recordings, three RIAA certified Gold recordings, sixteen #1 radio hits, and has graced more than 50 magazine covers. Her resume includes ad campaigns for Pepsi, Doritos, Target, Frizz-Ease, and Helzberg Diamonds.
Velasquez grew up attending an Evangelical church, and her parents were singers. She is of Mexican, Spanish, and French ancestry. [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PCH/is_4_4/ai_113053490 Jaci Velasquez: Chasing Papi star with a blazing trail of album hits - Main Cover - Cover Story ] ] When she was ten years old, her parents leased their Houston home and dedicated themselves to touring the United States with their Christian music. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representative of
Myrrh Records .Velasquez released her first CD album in 1992, another one in 1994, then one in 1996 and five of the songs on that CD became #1 hits. The album was later certified Platinum. She has since released six English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. She has produced sixteen #1 Christian radio hits and six other top-10 singles. She has won seven Dove awards, including New Artist of the Year and two Female Vocalist of the Year nods.
In 1998, she signed to
Sony Latin and was introduced toRudy Perez , who produced her first Spanish-language crossover album "Llegar a Ti". After that, Velasquez was able to achieve the crossover appeal she desired, building a fan base among Hispanics as well as other Americans. Her first single, "Llegar a Ti," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became the first Christian song to top the chart. The song also gave her aLatin Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance, which finally went toColombia n singerShakira .In 2001, she released her second Spanish effort: "Mi Corazón". The album's lead single, "Como Se Cura Una Herida," topped the
Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, and became one of the biggest singles of the year, receiving multiple award nominations and wins. The album received aGrammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.Her Latin music success includes four
Spanish-language releases, three #1 Latin Billboard Singles, two Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Award for New Artist of the Year, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and threeDove Awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year.Velasquez was given a chance in 2002 to act in her first
Hollywood movie, "Chasing Papi ". As well as Velasquez, this movie featuredColombia 'sSofia Vergara ,Puerto Rico 'sRoselyn Sanchez , andMexico 'sEduardo Verastegui , as well asNicole Scherzinger in a cameo role. It was released nationwide in the United States in April 2003. The movie reached as high as #11 at the box office, and it grossed $6 million in total. Velasquez has appeared in over 50 magazines—including the December 2003 issue of "Right On! ", wherein editorCynthia Horner calls her a true role model to teens—and has sung for PresidentGeorge W. Bush multiple times.Currently, Velasquez is touring the U.S. with her husband's band Salvador. Her 13th studio album, "Love Out Loud," was released March 18th, 2008. [ [http://www.christianmusicplanet.com/news/headlines/11564190/ Jaci Velasquez iTunes Success And Radio Tour It Came Upon A Midnight Clear Love Out Loud Warner Music Group | Christian Music | ChristianMusicPlanet.com ] ] Jaci also currently announced on August 12th, 2008, that she is pregnant for the second time and also working on "two other babies": a brand new English album (that's besides the recent Love Out Loud album) and another Spanish album (the first since 2003). [ [http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/people/story/647461.html ] ]
On September 2008, Velasquez 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. [http://www.america.gov/multimedia/photogallery.html#/30145/hispanic_arts]
Personal life
Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band
AutoVaughn , onAugust 16 ,2003 . They were divorced in 2005 for unspecified reasons.Fact|date=August 2008On
December 17 ,2006 , she marriedNic Gonzales in a private ceremony inAustin, Texas . Gonzales is a member of Salvador, a Christian group with whom she had been touring. [ [http://www.lovetripper.com/newswire07/010707-jaci-velasquez.html Austin Wedding for Jaci Velasquez, Nic Gonzalez ] ] Velasquez gave birth to a boy named Zealand David onNovember 3 ,2007 . [ [http://www.myspace.com/jacivelasquez MySpace.com - Jaci Velasquez - Nashville, Tennessee - Pop / Latine / Christian - www.myspace.com/jacivelasquez ] ]Although she has before described herself as a "
Non-denominational Christian," she stated in an interview withMorris Cerullo that "you're talking to anAssemblies of God 's girl," concerning the power of prayer. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_cRP0mkvw ] ]Discography
*"Help Me" (1992)
*"Keep the Fire Burning " (1994)
*"Heavenly Place " (1996) (US #142)
*"Jaci Velasquez" (1998) (US #56)*"
Llegar A Ti " (1999)
*"Crystal Clear" (2000) (US #49)
*"Mi Corazon " (2001)
*"Christmas" (2001) (US #102)
*"Navidad " (2001)
*"Unspoken " (2003) (US #55)
*"Milagro" (2003)
*"Mi Historia Musical " (2004)
*"Beauty Has Grace " (2005) (US #195)
*"" (2006)
*"Open House (EP) " (2007)
*"Love Out Loud " (2008)
*"TBA" TBA
*"TBA" TBAChart Performance
*2003 "No Hace Falta Un Hombre" Hot Latin Tracks #5
*2003 "No Me Rendire" Hot Latin Tracks #19
*2001 "Como Se Cura Una Herida" Hot Latin Tracks #1 [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=363&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Latin+Songs&ci=3042861&cdi=7762119&cid=09%2F15%2F2001] ]
*2000 "De Creer En Ti [On My Knees] " Hot Latin Tracks #18
*2000 "Love Will Find You (Llegar A Ti)" Hot Dance Music/Club Play #24
*2000 "Solo Tu" Hot Latin Tracks #4
*2000 "Un Lugar Celestial" Hot Latin Tracks #40
*1999 "Llegar A Ti" Hot Latin Tracks #1Filmography
*"
Chasing Papi " (2003)
*"Doc" (2004)
*The Three Wise Men (2005)Literature
*"A Heavenly Place" (1996) (10,800 Units sold nationwide)
*"Los Evangelios Toman Vida: The Gospels Come to Life" (2003)References
5. [http://www.streetbrand.com/interviews/interview-jaci-velasquez-into-the-light-again.html Jaci Velasquez Interview at STREETBRAND Magazine]
External links
* [http://www.jacivelasquez.com Official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/jacivelasquez Jaci Velasquez' MySpace]
* [http://www.jacionline.com Jaci Online]
* [http://www.jedijaci.com Jedi Jaci]
* [http://www.jacivelasquez.com.br Jaci Velasquez Brazil]YouTube links
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/jacivelasquezmusic1 Jaci Velasquez Music Channel]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajd7RbhEBxA Adore]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwpqnSJTW7g On My Knees]
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