Luis Miguel | |
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Luis Miguel in 2008 | |
| Born | Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (1970-04-19)19 April 1970 (age 55) |
| Citizenship | United States[1] Mexico[2] |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
| Website | luismigueloficial |
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (pronounced[ˈlwismiˈɣelɣaˈʝeɣoβasˈteɾi]; born 19 April 1970)[3][4] is a Mexican singer and record producer.[5][6][7] Born inPuerto Rico[8] to an Italian mother and a Spanish father, he is often referred to asEl Sol de México (The Sun of Mexico), derived from the nickname his mother gave him as a child: "Mi sol" (My sun).[9] Luis Miguel has sung in multiple genres and styles, includingpop songs,ballads,boleros,tangos,jazz,big band, andmariachi. Luis Miguel is also recognized as the only Latin singer of his generation not to cross over to theAnglo market during the "Latin Explosion" in the 1990s.[10]
Despite recording only inSpanish, Luis Miguel continued to be thebest-selling Latin artist in the 1990s and was credited for popularizing thebolero genre within the mainstream market.[11] He has sold around 60 million records worldwide,[12] making him one of thebest-selling Latin music artists.
Latin pop music, along with his personal life and showmanship on stage, has made Luis Miguel popular for nearly his entire career, which started in Mexico in 1981. At the age of 14, he received his first Grammy for his duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" withSheena Easton,[13] making him one of theyoungest Grammy-winning artists in music history. In 1991, theRIAA recognized the success of his 1991 albumRomance as one of thebest-selling Latin albums of all time.[13] He was the first Latino artist to earn twoplatinum certifications for Spanish-language albums in the United States, forRomance andSegundo Romance (the latter earning him 35 platinum records throughout Central and South America). He is also recognized byBillboard as the artist with the most top-10 hits onBillboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. His albumCómplices was released in 2008, peaking at No. 10 on the mainstreamBillboard 200; his most recent album,¡México Por Siempre!, was released in 2017 and earned him his second No. 1 on theBillboard Regional Mexican Albums chart, achieving double-platinum status.
Luis Miguel is also known for his high-grossing, captivating live performances. He is thehighest-grossing Latino touring artist sinceBoxscore began tracking touring data in 1990, with a total of $633.1 million, and 6.3 million spectators[14] With theLuis Miguel Tour 2023–24, he visited 20 countries in North America, South America and Europe, where he performed in a year and a half span with a total of 194 shows all over the world, making it the highest-grossing tour ever made by a Latin artist.[14] He also holds the record for the most consecutive presentations in theAuditorio Nacional (National Auditorium) with a total of30 consecutive[15][16] concerts, as well as the record for the most presentations in the same venue with a total of 258 concerts.[17][18] As of October 2020[update], Luis Miguel ranks number two onBillboard's Greatest of All-Time Latin Artists chart.[19]
Luis Miguel was born inSan Juan,Puerto Rico, to parentsLuisito Rey and Marcella Basteri.[20] During his childhood years, his father, who was also his manager, encouraged him to watch and analyze nearly every movie, recording, and concert performance ofElvis Presley.[21] In 1982, he released his first album,Un Sol, by the Mexican branch of EMI Records, which won him his first gold disc at the age of 11.[22] Two years later, he started touring Latin American countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, and Argentina. WithUn Sol, he scored a major hit with the single, "1+1=Dos Enamorados".[23]

In 1984, Luis Miguel took on aSpanish pop rock style of music, with the international release of his fourth studio albumPalabra de Honor produced by the then Spanish Hispavox director Honorio Herrero.[24] In 1985, at age 15, he took part in theSanremo Music Festival, where he won the second place award with his song "Noi Ragazzi Di Oggi".[25] That same year, he was also presented with the "Antorcha de Plata" Award in theViña del Mar Music Festival for his duet single "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" ("I Like You Just As You Are") with Scottish singerSheena Easton.[13] In 1983, he co-starred in the filmYa Nunca Más (released 1984) and in 1985,Fiebre de amor.[25]
In 1986, he took a brief hiatus as his relationship with his father was souring due to alleged mismanagement, poor financial decisions and risking the earnings of his career. Shortly after signing with Warner Records, in 1987, he fired his father and started to work with Juan Carlos Calderón.[25] Luis Miguel's albumSoy Como Quiero Ser in May 1987 sold well over 2.5 million records.[25] The album featured Spanish-language adaptations of popular English-language songs, such as "Ahora Te Puedes Marchar" and "Yo Que No Vivo Sin Ti".[citation needed]
On 25 November 1988, Luis Miguel's albumBusca una Mujer was released. The first single "La Incondicional" became a top-ten hit throughout Latin America in the first half of 1989,[25] and thanks in part to the music video, it spent over seven months on the top ten of many Latin American charts. The video was shocking to many fans as he had cut his signature long hair. This cemented his transition from a child star into an adult superstar. By the end of 1989, the second single "Fría Como el Viento" reached No. 1 on theHot Latin Tracks.[26] He also had a top-ten single with "Separados" in early 1990, peaking at No. 8.
In 1990, he continued his successful transition from child singer to adult showman with the album20 Años and an ensuing string of sold-out shows first in Mexico then throughout Latin America and elsewhere in the world.20 Años sold 600,000 copies in its first week of release[25] and resulted in the release of three singles: "Tengo Todo Excepto A Ti", "Entrégate", and "Amante del amor", with the two former hitting number 1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks in 1990.[26]

In 1991, Luis Miguel's career went to even greater heights and earned him the respect of a wider audience with the release ofRomance, an album of romantic boleros, most from the 1950s. He has been credited with reinventing the bolero for modern audiences. The albumRomance, which became his most successful material ever, eventually sold 7 million units worldwide.[27][28]
In 1993, Luis Miguel's fifth studio album,Aries, was released, which won him that year'sGrammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. That same year, Luis Miguel was invited byFrank Sinatra to join him on hisDuets II album and to perform live in a nationally televised special in honor of Sinatra's 80th birthday, along with other stars such asStevie Wonder andNatalie Cole.[25]
In 1994, he released a sequel toRomance,Segundo Romance, featuring him as a convincing pop singer with mastery over timeless Latin classics such as "Solamente Una Vez" and "Historia de un Amor". The album earned Miguel another Grammy Award, as well as platinum status in the United States.
In 1996, for his contribution to the recording industry, Luis Miguel received a star and was inducted to theHollywood Walk of Fame, at that time the youngest male singer to receive a star. Soon after, Luis Miguel returned to the studio and releasedNada Es Igual, a pop album featuring "Sueña", the main theme for Disney'sThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.
In 1997, Luis Miguel released his third album of the bolero seriesRomances, which sold over 5 million copies. "Por Debajo de la Mesa" was released as thelead single from the album. The single quickly reached number one on theBillboard Hot Latin Songs chart, two months later; it would spend twenty-six weeks on the chart. At the40th Annual Grammy Awards in 1998, Luis Miguel won the award forBest Latin Pop Performance. He also received theBillboard Latin Music Award for "Male Pop Album of the Year" and theWorld Music Award for "Best Selling Latin Artist" in the same year.
In 1999, Luis Miguel released his ninth studio albumAmarte Es un Placer which, in 2000, earned him two Latin Grammys for being Best Album of the Year and Best Pop Album of the Year.[13] The single "O Tú, O Ninguna" ofAmarte Es Un Placer became number 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and perched at the top position for eight consecutive weeks.[26] Following the success ofAmarte Es Un Placer, Luis Miguel releasedMis Romances in 2001, his fourth album in the bolero series. The album, which sold over two million copies worldwide was followed by the launch ofMis Romances Tour which took place throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
In 2003, Luis Miguel released his first pop album in over four years entitled33, indicative of his age. The album, which featured a collection ofballads anduptempo songs climbed to number 1 on Billboard's Latin Charts earning Luis Miguel two Billboard Awards as well as Grammy and Latin Grammy award nominations. On the33 Tour, Luis Miguel filled the largest halls in the U.S., toured throughout Latin America, including Chile where his album33 sold 2.5 million copies and was recognized that same year by Warner Chile as the artist with the most sold records sold in the history of Chile.[29] He also performed at Mexico's sold-outNational Auditorium, and various sold-out shows inBuenos Aires, as well as other prestigious international venues such asPlaza 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 inMadrid.[25] In addition to his album33 Luis Miguel was bestowed byLo Nuestro Awards in 2003 a "Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia", (literally, The "Ours" award for Excellence) a lifetime achievement award for his outstanding career at the mere age of 33 being the youngest artist to receive this award.

In 2004, Luis Miguel released hisMexico En La Piel. The album, which was a collection of traditional Mexicanmariachi songs, went on to sell five million copies worldwide. For this album, he received a diamond disc and won theLatin Grammy Award for Best Ranchero Album at theLatin Grammy Awards of 2005 and also theGrammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album. He launched hisMexico En La Piel Tour in 2005. In 2006, Luis Miguel performed thirty shows between 18 January and 27 February at theNational Auditorium in Mexico City.[25] The 123-date tour started in September 2005 in Mexico which then stretched to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. TheMexico En La Piel Tour won theBillboard "Tour of the Year" and positioned itself as No.1 on theBillboard World Top Boxscore.
In 2005, Luis Miguel releasedGrandes Éxitos, 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". That same year, he released a Christmas album calledNavidades. The playlist includes many Christmas standards in Spanish. The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart during the first week of its release.[30] The album released two singles "Santa Claus Llegó A La Ciudad" ("Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"), and "Mi Humilde Oración" ("My Grown-up Christmas List").
On 6 May 2008, Luis Miguel releasedCómplices, produced by him and written by Spanish composerManuel Alejandro. It sold almost 350,000 copies in the first 24 hours.[31] The first single, "Si Tú Te Atreves" was released on 7 April 2008, and the second single of the album was "Te Desean". Luis Miguel made history with his albumComplices which debuted at No.10 on theBillboard Top 200, being the highest position a Latin artist has ever reached on theBillboard Top 200 with a fully Spanish-composed album, it also reached No.1 on theBillboard Top Latin Albums making him the Latin artist with the most No.1 albums on the chart with a total of 9 albums. HisComplices Tour began inSeattle, Washington on 3 September 2008.
Luis Miguel released hisself-titled studio album on 14 September 2010. Its first single "Labios de Miel" is a smooth Latin pop song. Thetour started on 4 November 2010 in the city ofLima, Peru and covered the United States, South America, Mexico and Spain among other countries.[32] On 22 February 2012, he sang at theViña del Mar International Song Festival. With one million dollars for his performance, he became the most expensive artist in the history of the festival. Luis Miguel performed at theCuraçaoNorth Sea Jazz Festival on 31 August 2013.[33] In August 2014, the song "Déjà Vu" was leaked on the web.
On 4 May 2017, Telemundo signed a deal for the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the "officially authorized TV series" based on Luis Miguel's life story and announced it would air in 2018. On the same day, Netflix also revealed it has the rights to stream the yet-unnamed bio-series in Latin America and Spain with the same target date.[34]
On his officialFacebook, page it was announced that his new single "La Fiesta del Mariachi" was set to release on 27 October 2017. On 24 November, the full album, titled¡México Por Siempre! was released, it features 14 tracks of traditional Mexican music. Thetour began February 2018, in theNational Auditorium ofMexico City and ended September 2019 inLas Vegas.[citation needed]
On 22 April 2018, Netflix and Telemundo started airing the self-titled seriesLuis Miguel. Together with revealing many parts both known and unknown of the singer, it also brought nostalgic moments for those watching it, like the mirroring of hisSabritas ad, called in the series "Saboritas". Two more seasons were released in 2020 and 2021.[35]

His father was a Spanish singer, songwriter and guitarist, Luis Gallego Sánchez, known as "Luisito Rey", and his mother was an Italian actress, Marcella Basteri.[20] His father was fromCádiz, a city in southwestern Spain, and his mother was from theProvince of Massa-Carrara, Italy. He was named Luis Miguel in honor of Spanish bullfighterLuis Miguel Dominguín.[36] Luis Miguel has two younger brothers.
His birth date is on 18 April, but he celebrates his birthday on 19 April as that was the day his father registered him at Puerto Rico's Civil Registry.[37]Due to his early fame, Luis Miguel had a complicated childhood. He had a difficult relationship with his father, who was also his manager. His father was very strict and demanding during incessant rehearsals, although his father's strict discipline has also been credited with playing a large role in his success. In 1986, Luis Miguel's mother disappeared mysteriously and her whereabouts are still unknown.[38] In the late 1980s, Luis Miguel fired his father due to financial problems caused by poor representation. After their estrangement, his father, who was aheavy drinker, fell into depression and died on 9 December 1992 inBarcelona, Spain.[25]
Luis Miguel is recognized for his taste forhaute cuisine[39] and for being a self-taughtsommelier. Luis Miguel released his own vintage of wine, "Único. Luis Miguel", aCabernet Sauvignon.[40][41] A native Spanish speaker, he also speaks English, Italian and Portuguese.[42][43] Luis Miguel is the father of three children: one born in June 1989, from his relationship withStephanie Salas; and two born in January 2007 and December 2008, both from his relationship with actressAracely Arámbula. His numerous relationships are widely covered by the Latin media.[44]
Regarding his religious faith, he stated: "I amCatholic because I was born in a Catholic family. I believe in God, I visit church whenever I rarely have the chance due to my work commitments."[45] He has refrained from speaking about politics, stating that an artist should be "apolitical and dedicate themselves to songs".[46] In April 2010, he was briefly hospitalized at theCedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The cause of the hospitalization was not disclosed.[47] On 2 May 2017, Luis Miguel surrendered himself to theU.S. Marshals following a case with his former manager William Brockhaus; Luis Miguel had been ordered to pay Brockhaus over one million dollars in July 2016. He signed a promissory note and was released shortly after arrest.[48]
Luis Miguel rarely grants interviews or attends award ceremonies. He is always escorted by a diligent security team and he is transported in several trucks to distract paparazzi and reporters.[49] He is quoted as saying, "I maintain my sanity by keeping my distance."[50]

Luis Miguel is considered one of the top male pop singers worldwide today. Hislight tenor vocals span three octaves and six notes.[51] In a career that has spanned almost forty years, he has become the main male singer from Latin America, having performed successfully pop music,bolero,mariachi andromantic ballads.[52][53] In the late 1980s, Luis Miguel made the transition from child star to consolidated international singer, and since then, he became one of the most revered and popular Latin American artists ever.[52][53] Also dubbed as a crooner, his wide vocal range and performance have been praised by critics and other artists all over the world.[52][53] ProducerGustavo Santaolalla described him as "one of the greatest singers of all time" and stated that "Luis Miguel is not just a singer, he's an artist."[54]
Frank Sinatra personally invited Luis Miguel to participate in a duet in the albumDuets II. Luis Miguel has been dubbed several times by the press and the media as the "Latin Frank Sinatra".[55]His music has reached speaking continents such as Asia and Africa. The press stated that at the time of his capture, the dictatorSaddam Hussein had the albumSegundo Romance, among his belongings.[56]
His net worth is estimated at US$180 million.[57]
At the age of 14, Luis Miguel received aGrammy Award for his duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" ("I Like You Just The Way You Are") withSheena Easton.[13] In 1991, theRIAA gave him a recognition for the high sales of the albumsRomance andSegundo Romance.[13] He was the only Latin artist to perform at the show"Sinatra: 80 Years My Way", along with other pop icons such asBruce Springsteen,Natalie Cole andBob Dylan.[13] His 1997 albumRomances became the first Spanish-language album ever debuting at No. 14 on the Billboard Top 200.[13]Warner Music Group recognized Luis Miguel as the best-selling artist in the history of Chile with over 2.5 million records sold.[13] In 2003,Prince Felipe of Spain presented him with a special award for being the best-selling foreign artist in his country's history. In 2008, Luis Miguel's albumNavidades became the firstChristmas album ever to be nominated for theGrammy in the category of Pop.[13] His albumCómplices broke records in Mexico, by selling over 320,000 copies on its first day of release.[13] Just three days after its release, his newalbum achieved Quadruple Platinum certification in Mexico, Platinum in Argentina and gold records in Chile and the United States.
Luis Miguel is also known for his high-grossing tours in Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil and Spain between 1999 and 2000. The tour consisted of 99 concerts and was attended by approximately 1.4 million fans. It was the highest-grossing tour ever made by a Latin artist, as well as the most extended. These two records have been broken by hisMexico En La Piel Tour. His33 Tour peaked at No. 1 in theBillboard World Top Boxscore.[13] TheMexico En La Piel Tour of 2005–2007, with a total of 124 concerts, peaked at No. 1 in theBillboard World Top Boxscore. The tour spanned two years with a total of 129 concerts attended by over 1.5 million spectators, and grossed around $95 million.[13] In 2006, during theMexico En La Piel Tour, after giving 30 consecutive sold-out concerts at theAuditorio Nacional in Mexico, gathering over 260,000 spectators he was awarded with the"Estela de Plata" at the last concert.[13] HisLuis Miguel Tour is ranked at number five of the highest-grossing tours of 2011 in North America.[58]
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TheGrammy Awards are awarded annually by theNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Miguel received six awards from fifteen nominations.
| Year Awarded | Nominee/work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" | Best Mexican-American Performance | Won |
| 1988 | Soy Como Quiero Ser | Best Latin Pop Album | Nominated |
| 1991 | 20 Años | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Romance | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Aries | Won | |
| 1995 | Segundo Romance | Won | |
| 1997 | Nada Es Igual | Nominated | |
| 1998 | Romances | Won | |
| 2000 | Amarte Es Un Placer | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Vivo | Nominated | |
| 2004 | 33 | Nominated | |
| 2006 | México en la Piel | Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album | Won |
| 2008 | Navidades | Best Latin Pop Album | Nominated |
| 2009 | Cómplices | Nominated | |
| 2019 | ¡México Por Siempre! | Best Regional Mexican Music Album | Won |
TheLatin Grammy Awards are awarded annually by TheLatin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences of the United States. Miguel received six awards from nine nominations.
| Year Awarded | Nominee/work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Amarte Es Un Placer | Album of the Year | Won |
| Best Pop Vocal Album | Won | ||
| "Tú Mirada" | Best Male Pop Vocal Performance | Won | |
| 2001 | Vivo | Best Male Pop Vocal Album | Nominated |
| 2003 | "Hasta Que Vuelvas" | Record of the Year | Nominated |
| 2004 | 33 | Best Male Pop Vocal Album | Nominated |
| 2005 | México En La Piel | Best Ranchero Album | Won |
| 2018 | ¡México Por Siempre! | Album of the Year | Won |
| Best Ranchero Album | Won |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Ya nunca más | Luis Aranda | [62] |
| 1985 | Fiebre de amor | Himself | [63] |
| 2018 | Luis Miguel: The Series | Himself (Cameo) |
Luis Rey creó la confusión. Con el deseo de que Luis Miguel fuera mexicano lo registró en Veracruz a sabiendas que tenía el pasaporte y el acta de nacimiento americano. La confusión viene porque lo bautiza en México a los dos meses de edad, después de que llegan de Puerto Rico, eso fue en junio de 1970 y el padrino fue Guillermo Núñez de Cáceres , que era el productor de Los Polivoces. […] "Así la confusión ya estaba peor, pero aún así Luis Miguel no podía viajar con pasaporte mexicano porque no se lo daban a pesar de tener el acta, porque aparecía con dos nacionalidades , la española y la puertorriqueña".
Sin embargo, para entonces Luis Miguel ya era mexicano pues en 1991 el ex presidente Carlos Salinas de Gortari le otorgó la nacionalidad y lo dotó de un pasaporte mexicano.
Soy católico, porque nací en el seno de una familia católica. Creo en Dios, cada vez que tengo oportunidad visito a la iglesia, rara vez; debido a mis compromisos de trabajo.