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Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez, better known as Juanes (for the contraction of his first and middle name) was born August 9, 1972 in Carolina del Príncipe, Antioquia Colombia. Juanes can be said to be a Colombian fusion musician because of the combination of Colombian rhythms such as cumbia and vallenato with rock and pop. During the 1980s and 1990s, Juanes was a member of heavy metal band Ekhymosis but disbanded the group in 1998 to move to Los Angeles and pursue a solo career. In 2000 his solo debut album, Fíjate Bien, had moderate commercial success and went on to win three Latin Grammy Awards.
Since Juanes started using the music of rural Colombia: a mixture of Indigenous, African and Hispanic rhythms, he became a successful and popular star in Colombia and the rest of the Americas. His second album, Un día normal, was certified platinum throughout much of the Spanish-speaking world, and its lead single "A Dios le pido" topped singles charts in twelve countries. Mi sangre, his third album, fared equally well with Juanes promoting it on a tour with over 200 performances. The album's third single, "La Camisa Negra", generated controversy after being used as a symbol for Italian neo-fascism. Juanes is one of the best-selling Colombian musicians, having sold more than ten million albums and won seventeen Latin Grammys, more than any other artist, and one Grammy Award. Juanes is also known for his humanitarian work, especially with aid for Colombian victims of anti-personnel mines.
Information courtesy of Wikipedia
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