Luis Miguel

Infobox musical artist
Name = Luis Miguel
Nickname = Luismi


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri
Nicknames = The Mexican Sun, The King, Luismi [EL SOL] , The Idol, El Astro
Born = birth date and age|1970|4|19
Instrument = Vocal
Genre = Latin Pop, Bolero, Crooner, Mariachi, Ballad
Occupation = Singer
Years_active = 1981–present
Label = WEA
URL = [http://www.luismigueloficial.com Luis Miguel Oficial]
Notable_instruments =

Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (born April 19, 1970), known as Luis Miguel, is a Puerto Rican-born Mexican-raised pop singer. He is best known for his smooth, crooning vocals and romantic ballads. Luis Miguel has been one of the most popular singers in Latin America since the early 1980s, and is commonly referred to as "El Sol de México" ("The Sun of Mexico").Luis Miguel has won four Latin Grammy Awards and five Grammy Awards, and received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the age of 26. Luis Miguel has sold (according with Warner) 90 million albums worldwide [ [http://www.miwml.com/luismiguel Warner Music Latino] ] [ [http://www.periodicodigital.com.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56110&Itemid=67 Luis Miguel pondra su disco en preventa] ] , but other sites claim that Luis Miguel has sold 100 million albums [ [http://www.los40.com.mx/artista.asp?id=581336 Los 40 Principales] ]

Early life

Luis Miguel was originally thought to have been born in Mexico, as he grew up in the state of Veracruz. However, in the early 1980s it was reported in the press that he had actually been born in Puerto Rico during a very brief stay in the island by his parents. After it became public knowledge that he was born in Puerto Rico, the Mexican government granted him citizenship. When asked if he recognizes the fact that he was born in Puerto Rico, he goes on to say that he still considers himself 100% Mexican.

He is the son of the late Spanish singer Luisito Rey and Italian-born actress Marcela Basteri. Luis Miguel's mother disappeared some time in 1987, with her whereabouts unknown to the public ever since, although she is claimed to be still alive and living in a mental institute. He has two younger brothers, Sergio and Alejandro, whom he supports financially. These are some of the only details known about Luis Miguel's family life.

Career

His career started early. At the age of four, he appeared in public in Costa Rica. During his adolescent years, his father, who was also his manager, encouraged him to watch and analyze nearly every movie, recording, and concert performance of Elvis Presley, as a learning process towards the attainment of a high degree of showmanship. His actual recording career started in 1981, at the age of 11, with the recording of his first album, Un Sol release by the Mexican branch of EMI Records. Two years later, he started touring Latin American countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina.

In 1985, he took part in the San Remo Music Festival, where he won his first award with his song Noi Ragazzi Di Oggi. That same year, he was also presented with the "Antorcha de Plata" award in the Viña del Mar Music Festival. The award led to his recording of a duet with Scottish singer Sheena Easton. The song was called Me Gustas Tal Como Eres. Marketing and publicity included a brief acting career. He filmed two movies. In 1984, he co-starred in the film Ya Nunca Más; and in 1985, Fiebre De Amor, with singer Lucero as his co-star.

In 1987, he signed with Warner Records, giving his career a huge push; especially with the backing of producer and composer Juan Carlos Calderón. His relationship with his father soured soon thereafter, with allegations of mismanagement of his career, and poor financial decisions, risking his earnings.

In 1988, the album Un Hombre Busca Una Mujer brought Luis Miguel the beginning of what would be fame and popularity throughout Latin America. The album's mega-hit single La Incondicional broke all previous records and was a number one hit all through Latin America for over five months.

In 1990, he made a successful transition from child singer to adult showman extraordinaire 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, where he established a reputation for hard work and for delivering some of the most extraordinary vocals to be heard in popular music.

In 1991, Luis Miguel's career soared to even greater heights and earned him the respect of a wider audience with the release of Romance (album), an album of romantic Mexican standards, known as boleros. Romances is the best-selling Spanish-language album of all time and the first Spanish album by a male ever to reach platinum status in the United States (albums selling over one million copies).

In 1993, his album Aries won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Luis Miguel became the first Latin artist ever to sell out Madison Square Garden, receiving a special recognition in the middle of his sold-out concert.

In 1994, he released a sequel to Romance, Segundo Romance, featuring Miguel as a convincing pop tenor with mastery over timeless Spanish classics such as Solamente Una Vez and Sin Ti. The album went on to earn a Grammy Award, reaching platinum status in the United States.

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.

In 1995, the first recording done of live concert performances was released as El Concierto.

In 1996, Luis Miguel received a highly sought after and prized recognition with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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.

In 1997 Luis Miguel released Romances, the third album of the bolero series. Romances broke all previous records and became the fastest selling Spanish-language album in US history; it rose to #14 on the Billboard chart in its debut week. Romances earned Luis Miguel a World Music Award and another Grammy Award.

In 1999, Luis Miguel released Amarte Es Un Placer which earned him three Latin Grammys. Its hit single O Tú, O Ninguna placed #1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks list for eight consecutive weeks. The Amarte Es Un Placer Tour became the best selling tour for a Latin artist in history.

Following the success of Amarte Es Un Placer, Luis Miguel released Mis Romances in 2001, his fourth album in the bolero series. With this album, which sold over two million copies worldwide, he launched Mis Romances Tour throughout the US, Europe, and Latin America.

In 2003, Luis Miguel released his first pop album in over four years. Entitled 33, indicative of his age, it featured a collection of ballads and uptempo songs. The first single "Te Necesito" rose immediately to #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks list. "33" was the best-selling Latin Pop Album of the Year. On the "33 Tour", Luis Miguel 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.

In 2004, Luis Miguel released Mexico En La Piel, a collection of traditional Mexican "mariachi" songs. This album was widely regarded by both critics and fans as one of Miguel's best works; also earning him two Grammy Awards. It sold over 100,000 copies in its first week just in Mexico.

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".

Also, he launched his own line of Chilean wine, called "Unico", winning a "Gold Medal".

In 2005, the Mexico En La Piel Tour started. In 2006, Luis Miguel made a chain of 30-show completely sold out between Jan. 18-Feb. 27 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City. It is believed to be the highest grossing tour in the history of Mexico and among the highest selling tours globally. It also surpassed Luis Miguel's 25-show run at the venue in 2004. The 123-date tour started last September (2005) in Mexico and then played Argentina, Chile and Uruguay through the end of the year before beginning the Mexican run in January. The tour's total gross was north of $95,000,000, breaking his own record ("Amarte es un Placer" in 1999) as the top-selling tour ever by a Latin artist.

That same year, he released a Christmas album called Navidades. The playlist includes many Christmas standards interpreted in Spanish. The album reached #1 on the Billboard charts during the first week of release. His two singles were "Santa Claus Llegó A la Ciudad" (Santa Claus Is Coming to Town), and "Mi Humilde Oración" (My Grown-up Christmas List).

Luis Miguel's new studio album is called "Complices" and was released on May 6, 2008. Produced by Luis Miguel and written by the Spanish composer Manuel Alejandro. The first single, "Si tú te atreves" was released on April 7, 2008. The 2008 Complices Tour started in Seattle at September 3rd, 2008.

Personal life

Luis Miguel is often referred to as "mysterious" by the public and entertainment press. He rarely attends award shows; and when he does, he arrives using a rear entrance, to avoid being seen by the press. He is not known for granting interviews, which would illustrate his preference to keep private matters "private". Because of his musical style, popularity, personality and his numerous relationships with beautiful women, he is considered as the "Latin Frank Sinatra".

He has been linked romantically with many famous women and female celebrities.Among the more lasting relationships:
* During the 1980s, he was involved with Lucero and Lucía Mendez, and in the 1990s he was involved with Daisy Fuentes, Rebecca de Alba, Luz Elena Gonzalez, Adriana Fonseca, Isabella Camil, Mariana Seoane and Sofia Vergara.
* A high-profile relationship with singer/songwriter Mariah Carey from 1998 to 2001. [ [http://www.people.com/people/mariah_carey/biography/0,,20006548_10,00.html Mariah Carey Biography : People.com ] ] .
* From 2002 to 2005, he was involved with, and for a time, engaged to Cuban-American journalist Myrka Dellanos.
* His unrecognized daughter Michelle is 18 years old in 2008.
* His son, Miguel, aka "Miguelito", was born January 1 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Miguelito's mother is Mexican model/actress/singer Aracely Arámbula, 33. She and Luis Miguel became involved in 2005. It has been reported in the media that the couple became "separated" in September of 2007, but has not been confirmed "officially" by either party. It has also been reported that Arámbula returned home to Chihuahua, Mexico, with their son and is living with her parents. That may change, as she is scheduled to begin a television show of babies.
*On July 8, the couple announced they are expecting their second child, who is expected to born in December 2008.

Awards and recognitions

Luis Miguel has been awarded and have reached:

* Almost 100 million copies worldwide.
* 5 Grammy Awards
* 4 Latin Grammy Awards
* 12 Premio Lo Nuestro awards
* 4 World Music Awards
* 13 Billboard Awards
* 3 prizes Antorcha de Plata in the "Festival de la Cancion de Viña del Mar in 1985 and 1990.
* Second place in the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy with the song "Noi Ragazzi di Oggi" in 1985
* He becomes the youngest Latin artist to receive a Grammy Award in 1985 (he had 15 years at that time)
* Receives "European Excellence" prize in 1990
* South Korea International Music Award in 1991 for Romance
* Special award from the RIAA for selling 2 millions copies of "Romance" and "Segundo Romance"
* In 1992 establishes a world record by selling 10,000 tickets (for a concert in the National Auditorium in Mexico City) in 3 hours, with an average sale of 52 tickets per minute.
* First Latin artist to perform a sold-out concert in the Madison Square Garden in New York (Gira Aries in 1993).
* First Latin artist to perform 7 consecutive sold-out concerts in the Circus Maximus Theater in the Caesars Palace of Las Vegas in 1993.
* In 1994 he is invited to record an special-edition duet of "Come Fly With Me" with Frank Sinatra for his album Duets II
* In 1995 he is the only Latin artist invited to sing in the show "SINATRA: 80 Years My Way" along with another celebrities as Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Cole and Bob Dylan
* In 1996 he is the first Latin artist to receive a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame
* In 1996 he records the song "Sueña" (Spainsh version of "Someday") for the Disney's movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
* In 1997 he is invited to perform in the 30th Anniversary of the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas

* "Romances" debuts on the #14 of the Billboard Top 200.
* "Romances" is believed to be the Spanish-speaking best-selling album in the history (just after Raphael and his album "Ayer, Hoy y Siempre")
* Since 1999 he is the highest-paid Latin artist in concert.
* In 2001 he is invited by Michael Jackson to record the Spanish version of "What More Can I Give" called "Todo Para Ti" for the people that died in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York
* In 2002 receives the "Premio Luna de Mexico (Moon of Mexico Award)" for being the artist with the best career (at that time of 20 years)
* In 1999 Warner Music recognizes him as the best-selling artist in the history of Argentina, with almost 3 million copies sold in that country.
* In 2003 Warner Music recognizes him as the best-selling artist in the history of Chile
* The 33 Tour peak #1 in the Billboard World Top Boxscore
* In 2005 with the "Mexico En La Piel Tour" give 6 consecutive sold-out concerts in the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, CA.
* Receives a special award ("Estela de Plata") for being the best-selling artist in the history of the National Auditorium in Mexico City.
* The Mexico En La Piel Tour peak #1 in the Billboard World Top Boxscore
* "Navidades Luis Miguel" become the first Christmas album ever to be nominated for a prize in the Pop category.
* He performed the longest tour ever made by a Latin artist ("Amarte Es Un Placer Tour" in 1999, and after "Mexico En La Piel Tour" in 2005).
* In 2008, the web-store Amazon, announced that the album "Complices" had peaked number 1 in the list of the worldwide best-selling albums in the website 2 weeks before the release of the album.
* "Complices" debuts on the #10 of the Billboard Top 200. This is the highest-charted Latin album in the history of the list.
* "Complices" gives Luis Miguel his eighth #1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums, the most of any artist in the history of the list.
* "Complices" broke records in Mexico, by selling over 320,000 copies in that country during the first 12 hours of the album's release.
* The video of Si Tú Te Atreves of the album "Complices" it has reached 3,000,000 views in YouTube "(reached on September 21)", nmaking it one of the most viewed videos in Mexico.

"References [http://www.gaymagazine.cl/musica/?contenido=1690 LUIS MIGUEL. _ "Complices", el ídolo Latinoamericano sorprende nuevamente! ] ]

Discography

* Soy Como Quiero Ser "(1987)"
* Busca Una Mujer "(1988)"
* 20 Años "(1990)"
* Romance "(1991)"
* America & En Vivo "(1992)"
* Aries "(1993)"
* Segundo Romance "(1994)"
* El Concierto "(1995)"
* Nada Es Igual "(1996)"
* Romances "(1997)"
* Todos Los Romances "(1998)"
* Amarte Es Un Placer "(1999)"
* Vivo "(2000)"
* Mis Romances "(2001)"
* Mis Boleros Favoritos "(2002)"
* 33 "(2003)"
* Mexico En La Piel "(2004)"
* "(2005)"
* Grandes Exitos "(2005)"
* Navidades "(2006)"
* Complices "(2008)"

Total career : 107.5 million copies sold worldwide.
3 Diamond certifications, 304 Platinum certifications, 34 Gold certifications

Videography

Available on VHS

* "Un Año De Conciertos" (1989)
* "" (1991)
* "" (1992)
* "El Concierto" (1995)
* "Los Videos" (1996)
* "Vivo" (2000)

Available on DVD

* "El Concierto"' (1995)
* "Vivo" (2000)
* "Romances (DVD Audio)" (2001)
* "Mis Boleros Favoritos" (2002)
* "" (2005)
* "Grandes Exitos Videos" (2005)

Album certifications

* Soy Como Quiero Ser 5 Platinum discs, 8 Gold discs
* Romance 70 Platinum discs, 3 Gold discs
* Aries 40 Platinum discs 6 Gold discs
* Segundo Romance 50 Platinum discs
* Nada es Igual 30 Platinum discs
* Romances 50 Platinum discs
* Amarte es un Placer 4 Platinum discs, 4 Gold discs
* Mis Romances 8 Platinum discs, 3 Gold discs
* 33 11 Platinum discs, 2 Gold discs
* México en la Piel 1 Diamond disc, 11 Platinum discs, 1 Gold disc
* Grandes Exitos 5 Platinum discs, 3 Gold discs
* Grandes Exitos Videos 1 Platinum discs, 1 Gold disc
* Navidades Luis Miguel 1 Diamond, 10 platinum, 2 gold disc.
* Complices 1 Diamond disc, 9 Platinum discs, 1 Gold disc

"'Total career: 3 Diamond discs, 304 Platinum discs, 34 Gold discs

"References: [ [http://www.tvyespectaculos.com/2008/05/06/luis-miguel-y-su-disco-complices-vende-320-mil-copias/ "Luis Miguel y su disco Cómplices vende 320 mil copias"] ] [ [http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2008/05/28/obtiene-luis-miguel-disco-de-diamante-en-mexico-por-complices Obtiene Luis Miguel Disco de Diamante en México por "Cómplices" — La Jornada ] ] "

Notable tours

*(1990-1991) Gira 20 Años
*(1991-1992)
*(1993-1994) Gira Aries
*(1994) Gira Segundo Romance
*(1996) Tour America "(a.k.a. Gira Nada Es Igual)"
*(1997-1998) Romances Tour
*(1999-2000) Amarte Es Un Placer Tour
*(2002) Mis Romances Tour
*(2003-2004) 33 Tour
*(2005-2007) Mexico En La Piel Tour
*(2008-) Complices Tour

Billboard #1 Hot Latin Tracks

To date, Luis Miguel is the second artist with most number one hits on the "Billboard" Hot Latin Tracks charts with 16 [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=32851&model.vnuAlbumId=1105328 Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Luis Miguel ] ] .

*"Ahora te puedes marchar" (1987, "Soy Como Quiero Ser")
*"La incondicional" (1988, Busca Una Mujer)
*"Fría como el viento" - (1988, "Busca Una Mujer")
* Tengo todo excepto a ti - (1990, "20 Años")
* Entrégate - (1990, 20 Años)
* No sé tú - (1991, "Romance")
* "Inolvidable" (1991, "Romance")
* "Ayer" (1993, "Aries")
* "Hasta que me olvides" (1993, "Aries")
* "El día que me quieras" (1994, "Segundo Romance")
* "La media vuelta" (1994, "Segundo Romance")
* "Si nos dejan" - (1995, "El Concierto")
* "Por debajo de la mesa" - (1997, "Romances")
* "O tú o ninguna" (1999, "Amarte Es Un Placer")
* "Cómo duele" (2001 "Mis Romances")
* "Te necesito" (2003 "33")

References

External links

* [http://www.luismigueloficial.com/ Official Site]