Luis Miguel

Luis Miguel started his career at the tender age of eleven. This Latin American singer was born to show business parents; his mother, Marcela Basteri, was an actress and his father, Luisito Rey, was a singer who saw the peak of his career in the 1960's long before his son was born.

Luis was born on the 19th of April 1970, making him an Aires, the zodiac sign blessed with artistic abilities. In the case of Luis, this musical ability is unquestionable. He was born in Puerto Rico at the San Jorge Hospital, but brought up in Mexico.

His career did not begin until he was eleven years old but, backed by his parents, he was able to achieve a lot in a short time. Having parents who already knew the basics of the business must have aided his development, and also ability to cope with success.

In the period between 1982 and 1984 he recorded four albums, they were 1+1 = 2 Enamorados, Directo Al Corazon, Decidete and Plamabra de Honor. It was also at this time that he was to embark upon the first of many international tours, and he made his first movie 'Ya Nunca Mas'. He gained his first gold record for his interpretations of the songs in this film. This was the first of many.

There was a also a pattern to his career starting here that was to be continued, his albums were not in English; indeed, none of his albums that have followed have been in English. Acclaim and industry-recognized success was to follow in the next year. In 1985 he won a Grammy Award. This was received for a duet he had recorded with the British star Sheena Easton called Me Gustas Tal Como Eres. In the same year he was also awarded the Antorcha de Plataat the Chilean festival of the Viña del Mar.

In 1985 there was not an album released, but 1986 saw the release of Soy Como Quiero Ser, his fifth album. This was also the first album that he made with Juan Carlos Calderon, a composer and producer. This was the beginning of a collaborative relationship that would last into the future. The success of this was amazing - the album resulted in a total of eight gold records and five platinum records. It was also this year that he made his second movie Fiebre De Amor.

After this, there was a period of change. In 1987 he parted form the professional relationship that was with his father, who had been his manger, and signed a deal with Warner Music. This is still the company he works with today.

As with any growth there are adjustments, and by the time he releases his sixth album in 1988, Un Hombre Busca Una Mujer, we see that there the beginnings of a change in style that would become complete when he reaches the age of twenty-one. The style change is a gradual maturation at this stage, and the first single that is released from the album La Incondicional, stayed at the top of the charts on the Latin Radio station for a total of seven consecutive months. Of the seven singles that were released from the album every one of them reached number one on the Hot Latin Tracks charts.

The next album was in 1990, and this can be seen as a very successful album. Called 20 Años the album sold more than 600,000 in the week of its release. There was also an interesting scenario when there were six singles from this album simultaneously in the Mexican top 100. Luis also toured both Mexico and America very successfully this year. Tracks in this album included Entrégate, Oro de Ley, Tengo Todo Excepto a Ti, Será Que No Me Amas, Amante del Amor, Hoy el Aire Huele a Ti, Cuestión de Piel, Mas Allá de Todo, Alguien Como Tú, Mas.

International fame was also to follow, with the increasing number of sales and his fame spreading to Europe, most especially Spain, his work was being noticed on a wider stage. He won the European Excellence in Spain and also the Best Selling Artist Category at the World Music Awards in Monaco, which was a double first - it was his first award form this organization, and it was also the first time ever a Latin artist had won this award. Awards were coming in fast this year, with another two awards from the Viña del Mar Festival.

By now his career was firmly established as one of the most successful Latin American artists ever. It was with this level of success that he took a risk. He released a new album called Romance. This was a very different style; the album was not as pop orientated, but moved towards a slower more romantic style, with tracks being boleros including: No Me Platiques Más Inolvidable, La Puerta, La Barca, Te Extraño, Usted, Contigo en la Distancia, Mucho Corazón La Mentira, Cuando Vuelva a Tu Lado, No Se Tú and Como. This was to be the first of three album knows as the Boleros.

'Romance' sold very well, including a total of more than 7 million albums internationally resulting in 70 platinum awards. The album also won many other awards including: "Best International Album" and "Best International Artist Of The Year" at the Venezuelan Ronda Awards, "Best Artist From A Non-English Speaking Country" at The Korean International Music Awards the and in Argentina, the "Trofeo Ace". This was a very successful year but this success was to continue into the following year.

Awards gained this year also included the best international video at the American MTV awards. He was also the only Latin American artist that received an invitation to take part in the recording of the theme song for the Olympic games that were to take place in Barcelona Spain, called Barcelona Gold.

In 1992 the awards for the album Romance continued. There were the Billboard awards, including Best Album and Best Spanish-Singing Artist as well as awards from Latin America. At the end of the Seville Expo in 1992 there was also a very successful charitable concert where all of the funds were donated to the Children's Museum in Mexico.

1993 saw the album Aries. Again, this album sold many copies and won many awards. This album also achieved 40 platinum and four gold records. Tracks included Suave, Me Niego a Estar Solo, Luz Verde, Hasta el Fin, Ayer, Que Nivel de Mujer, Pensar en Ti, Dame Tu Amor, Hasta Aue Me Olvides and Tu y Yo.

The same year was also one where another successful tour would take place, covering central and South America as well as the United States. There were concerts at many premiere sites, such as Madison Square Garden In New York and in Los Angeles, The Universal Amphitheater. In both of these venues he was the first Latin American artist to achieve a sell out.

Segundo Romance, the second of the Bolero albums, tracks included ; El Día Que Me Quieras, Sin Ti, Somos Novios, La Media Vuelta, Solamente Una Vez, Todo y Nadal, Historia de un Amor, Como Yo Te Amé, Nosotros, Yo se Que Volverás and Delirio. He also gained recognition from the Recording Industry Artists of America (RIAA) for the two million copies of the Bolero albums he had sold in the US.

It was also this same year that he was to make the one recording of his career in English. It was a guest appearance on an album by Frank Sinatra, in the duet of Come Fly With Me. This guest appearance also made it into the television show about Frank Sinatra's Duets as well as performing at his eightieth birthday concert with well known artists such as Bruce Springsteen.

The albums have kept coming with EL CONCIERTO in 1994, NADA ES IGUAL in 1996, which went platinum thirty time over and included the tracks he had recorded for Disney's hunchback of Notre Dame. It was also in this year his fame was recognized in Hollywood with a star on Hollywood Boulevard. In this year he also broke other records becoming the highest paid Latin American Artist to appear in Las Vegas, where he topped the bill at Caesar's Palace.

The third Bolerao album, Romances, was releases in 1997. Here we see a further development in his career, as this was self produced with tracks such as Voy a Apagar la Luz, Contigo aprendí, Sabor a Mí, Por Debajo de La Mesa, La Gloria Eres Tú, Amanecer, Encadenados, Bésame Mucho, Contigo (Estar contigo), Noche de Ronda, El Reloj, Júrame, De Quererte Así Uno and Mañana de Carnaval. This was also another touring year, with sell out dates all over the United States and South America. Fans were also now coming from many different countries to see him play.

1998 saw the achievement of his fourth Grammy award and many other successes and awards too numerous to mention. In one of his latest albums, Amarte Es Un Placer, he is again reunited with Juan Carlos Calderon, who wrote and produced the songs on the album including Tu Mirada, Soy Yo, Sol, Arena y Mar, O Tú o Ninguna, Quiero, Dormir contigo, Dímelo en un beso, No me fío Te propongo esta noche, Tu solo tu, Ese momento and Amarte es un Placer. The meaning of the title fits in with many of the others, meaning, loving you is a pleasure. This was recorded in 1999. This album formed the basis of the tour.

The career of Luis Miguel looks to be one that will continue to go from strength to strength. With over 45 million records sold world wide there is little that can get in the way of this super star, how continues to live up to his nick name of "El Idolo"!