Miguel, Luis
Luis Miguel
Singer
An adolescent singing sensation and teenage Grammy Award-winner, Luis Miguel went on to record a series of successful albums that made him the preeminent Spanish-language singer of the millennium. His traditional bolero albums of the 1990s not only defined him as the standard-bearer of contemporary Latin music, but helped him to set both sales and concert records as well. A romantic crooner with matinee-idol looks, Miguel also branched out into film roles and sent the tabloid press into overdrive with his relationship with pop star Mariah Carey. Setting his own standards for Latin music, however, Miguel bucked the trend toward crossover success with his music, consistently refusing to record his songs in English. “I am doing a good thing by giving more Spanish to the world,” he explained to Billboard “Spanish can express ‘I love you’ in so many ways. Onstage, I need to believe what I am saying and to feel that the audience is really feeling what I am singing.”
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri was born on April 19, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to parents of Italian and Spanish heritage; during most of his career, however, the singer was based in Mexico. His musical training began early, as his father was a guitarist, and when he was 12 years old, Miguel recorded his first album as a vocalist. The young singer came to international prominence with a duet recorded with Scottish pop star Sheena Easton in 1984. The track, “Me Gustas Tal Como Eres” (” I Love You Just the Way You Are”), won the singers the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance. That same year, Miguel also collected prizes at music festivals in Chile and Italy. While still in his teens, the singing sensation recorded six Spanish-language albums, highlighted by 1987’s Soy Como Quiero Ser (I Am as I Want to Be) and the following year’s Un Hombre Busca una Mujer (A Man Looking for a Woman), both of which earned gold and platinum sales awards throughout Latin America.
Miguel made the transition into adulthood with the 1990 album 20 Años (20 Years), which reflected his age at the time of its release. A collection characterized by romantic, mid-tempo ballads, the album’s glossy production values and impeccable arrangements called to mind Miguel’s English-language contemporary Luther Vandross, who was then dominating the American record charts with a similar sound. 20 Años set the tone for Miguel’s achievements for the next decade. Commercially successful, the release set a slew of sales records throughout Latin America. Six of its singles entered the charts in Mexico simultaneously, and the album sold more than 600, 000 copies in its first week. After its release, Miguel was recognized as the leading male vocalist in Latin America.
Miguel turned to more traditional material for three of his albums during the 1990s, releasing a series of acclaimed albums in the bolero style. A genre characterized
For the Record…
Born Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri on April 19, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Released first album at age 12; released a series of successful Spanish-language albums, 1980s–1990s.
Awards: Grammy Award, Best Mexican-American Performance (with Sheena Easton), 1984; Grammy Award, Best Latin Pop Album, 1993–94; Latin Grammy Award, Album of the Year, 2000; Latin Grammy Award, Best Pop Album, 2000; Latin Grammy Award, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 2000.
Addresses: Record company —WEA International, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019; 5201 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 200, Miami, FL 33126.
by romantic and sentimental themes delivered in a passionate, yet generally languid style, bolero perfectly suited Miguel’s own distinctive vocal delivery. The first of his bolero albums, 1991’s Romance, not only earned dozens of sales awards throughout Latin America, it received a gold record in the United States as well. The follow-up, 1994’s Segundo Romance (Second Romance), was equally popular. As Hispanic applauded, “Miguel’s voice is pleading and seductive. Segundo Romance is another irresistible winner from the talented vocalist.” The album went on to set another record for Miguel, entering the Billboard album chart in the top 30 upon its debut. It was the highest position for a new Spanish-language release up to that time, and a sign of Miguel’s international appeal beyond the Latin American market. A third album, Romances, completed the singer’s bolero cycle in 1997.
With Miguel’s phenomenal success came criticism. While he invoked passionate responses from his mostly female concert crowds, his precise singing style and musicianship earned him a reputation from some reviewers as a predictable, old-fashioned crooner. A 1994 Billboard review of a Miami concert concluded, “So while the present burns brightly for Luis Miguel—and deservedly so—his future might become a bit dimmer if the only thing he has to offer fans is an occasional dollop of nostalgic romance.” A 1998 concert review in the Los Angeles Times offered a similar sentiment, commenting that “Miguel treads a dangerous pop-rock path that can easily sidetrack into corni-ness. The performances were highly energetic, but the songs per se didn’t offer much more than a few catchy choruses and disco-like synth effects.” Even his detractors admitted, however, that Miguel’s albums had set the standard for quality in Latin music with their crisp arrangements and superb vocals.
In addition to the criticism of his music as staid and florid, Miguel also faced pressure to join the trend toward recording in English that swept the Latin music scene in the late 1990s. After Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony achieved major success in the United States with English-language releases, many eagerly awaited Miguel’s first release aimed at the American market. Despite pleas from his record company to follow the crossover wave, however, Miguel insisted on sticking with his own musical vision. “I love my language, and I am proud of Spanish,” he told Billboard in 1999.” Now is not the right time for me to sing in English—maybe in the future, who knows?” Instead, Miguel pushed his artistic boundaries by acting in the movie Fiebre de Amor, appearing on the soundtrack as well.
In addition to the bolero albums, Miguel continued to record a series of successful romantic-themed releases in the 1990s, including Aries in 1993 and Nada Es Iqual (Nothing Is the Same) in 1996. Like his previous works, the albums cemented Miguel’s commercial status while receiving mixed critical receptions. A 1996 Los Angeles Times review admitted that “there is no better singer in Latin pop,” upon the release of Nada Es Igual, but nonetheless insisted that “such corny, one-dimensional visions of love are hard to swallow.” It seemed impossible for Miguel to please both his fans and the critics, but for the moment, he seemed content to set new sales records.
Another romantic album, Amarte Es un Placer (Loving You Is a Pleasure) was released in 1999. Miguel had also produced the album, which featured his trademark smooth vocals combined with top-notch production efforts. While some critics were disappointed in the effort—with the Los Angeles Times commenting that “this guaranteed blockbuster continues Latin pop’s disheartening search for the glossiest production imaginable”—the album won Miguel another set of Grammy Awards. At the first-annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in September of 2000, the singer took home awards for Album of the Year, Best Pop Album, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
By the end of the 1990s, Miguel had earned dozens of sales awards for his albums—with an estimated 35 million sold by 2000—while achieving numerous concert records as well. In addition to his success in Latin America, Miguel also gained a sizable audience in Spain and the United States. In the latter country, the tabloid press took an avid interest in Miguel’s relationship with pop superstar Mariah Carey, eagerly reporting the details of his gift-giving habits to the acclaimed diva after their meeting in late 1998. While the couple guarded their privacy, Carey told USA Today that “It’s really interesting for me to be in a place where there are thousands of girls running up to him, speaking in Spanish, and I’m not the focus of attention…. It’s nice to be with someone who’s secure with who they are.”
Miguel attracted criticism for his refusal to appear at the Grammy Awards in 2001, which some industry observers attributed to arrogance. The charge was particularly damaging to the singer’s reputation, considering that the separate Latin Grammy Awards had just been established specifically to increase awareness of Spanish-language music among a broader audience in the United States. “By pulling out at the last minute, he not only made his point but also compromised the image of Latin music to TV viewers worldwide,” carped Billboard’s Leila Cobo. “Frankly, if Luis Miguel finds the Grammys so contemptible, he simply should not submit his music for consideration (as some labels have done). In this way, not only would he show some integrity, but he also would open the field to other competitors and the show to other performers.”
With the Grammy controversy just the latest in a series of tempests, Miguel brushed aside the critics and continued to be embraced by audiences around the world. Taking an active role as producer and songwriter in addition to offering his own singular voice, Miguel has fashioned his own place as Latin America’s most popular male singer. Deferring crossover ambitions to concentrate on his Spanish-language releases, Miguel also continued to define Latin pop on the contemporary music scene.
Selected discography
Soy Como Quiero Ser, WEA Latina, 1987.
Un Hombre Busca Una Mujer, WEA Latina, 1988.
14 Grandes Exitos, Capitol, 1989.
20 Años, WEA Latina, 1990.
Romance, WEA Latina, 1991.
America: Live, WEA Latina, 1992.
El Idolo de Mexico, Capitol, 1992.
Aries, WEA Latina, 1993.
Los Idolos de Mexico, Capitol, 1993.
Segundo Romance, WEA Latina, 1994.
(Contributor) Duets II, Capitol, 1994.
El Concierto, WEA Latina, 1995.
Nada Es Igual, WEA Latina, 1996.
Romances, WEA Latina, 1997.
Fiebre de Amor, EMI, 1998.
Amarte Es Un Placer, WEA International, 1999.
Vivo, WEA International, 2000.
Sources
Books
Broughton, Simon, et al., editors, World Music: The Rough Guide Volume 2, The Rough Guides Ltd., 1999.
Periodicals
Billboard, September 24, 1994, p. 10; October 22, 1994, p. 42; October 2, 1999, p. 24; September 23, 2000, p. 87; May 10, 2001, p. 54.
Hispanic, January/February 1995, p. 126.
Los Angeles Times, August 31, 1996, p. 6; February 28, 1998, p. 6; September 17, 1999, p. 6; February 5, 2000, p. F-1; September 14, 2000, p. A-26.
USA Today, November 2, 1999.
Online
Hispanico, http://www.hispanico.com/article.php?sid=14 (July 2, 2001).
Latinoise, http://www.latinoise.com/news/pop/luis%20miguel/luismiguelvivodvdeng.htm (July 2, 2001).
2000 Latin.com, http://www.2000latin.com/luismi/bio/bioluismi.htm (July 2, 2001).
—Timothy Borden
Miguel, Luis
Luis Miguel
Singer
An adolescent singing sensation and teenage Grammy Award winner, Luis Miguel recorded a series of successful albums that made him one of the preeminent Spanish-language singers of the new millennium. His traditional bolero albums of the 1990s not only defined him as the standard bearer of contemporary Latin music but also helped him set both sales and concert attendance records. A romantic crooner with matinee-idol looks, Miguel also branched out into film roles and sent the tabloid press into overdrive over his relationships with a variety of high-profile women of Latin descent, including pop star Mariah Carey. Setting his own standards for Latin music, Miguel bucked the trend toward crossover success with his music, consistently refusing to record his songs in English. "I am doing a good thing by giving more Spanish to the world," he explained to Billboard. "Spanish can express ‘I love you’ in so many ways. Onstage, I need to believe what I am saying and to feel that the audience is really feeling what I am singing." Miguel justified his approach with a 2006 concert tour that was spectacularly successful in many countries, including the United States.
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri was born on April 19, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to parents of Italian and Spanish heritage. He has spent almost his entire life in Mexico, however, and is generally regarded as Mexican. Miguel's musical training began early, as his father was a guitarist, and Luis recorded his first album—as a vocalist—when he was 12 years old. The young singer came to international prominence with a duet recorded with Scottish pop star Sheena Easton in 1984. The track, "Me Gustas tal como Eres" ("I Love You Just the Way You Are"), won the singers the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance. That same year Miguel also collected prizes at music festivals in Chile and Italy. While still in his teens, the singing sensation recorded six Spanish-language albums, highlighted by 1987's Soy Como Quiero Ser (I Am as I Want to Be) and the following year's Un Hombre Busca una Mujer (A Man Looking for a Woman), both of which earned gold and platinum sales awards throughout Latin America.
Miguel made the transition into adulthood with the 1990 album 20 Años (20 Years), which reflected his age at the time of its release. A collection characterized by romantic, mid-tempo ballads, the album's glossy production values and impeccable arrangements called to mind Miguel's English-language contemporary Luther Vandross, who was then dominating the American record charts with a similar sound. 20 Años set the tone for Miguel's achievements for the next decade. Commercially successful, the release set a slew of sales records throughout Latin America. Six of its singles entered the charts in Mexico simultaneously, and the album sold more than 600,000 copies in its first week. After its release, Miguel was recognized as one of the leading male vocalists in Latin America.
International Appeal
Miguel turned to more traditional material for three of his albums during the 1990s, releasing a series of acclaimed albums in the bolero style. A genre characterized by romantic and sentimental themes delivered in a passionate yet generally languid style, bolero perfectly suited Miguel's own distinctive vocal delivery. The first of his bolero albums, 1991's Romance, earned dozens of sales awards throughout Latin America and received a gold record in the United States as well. The follow-up, 1994's Segundo Romance (Second Romance), was equally popular. Hispanic applauded, "Miguel's voice is pleading and seductive. Segundo Romance is another irresistible winner from the talented vocalist." The album went on to set another record for Miguel, entering the Billboard album charts in the top 30 upon its debut. It was the highest position for a new Spanish-language release up to that time, and a sign of Miguel's international appeal beyond the Latin American market. A third album, Romances, completed the singer's bolero cycle in 1997.
With Miguel's phenomenal success came criticism. While he evoked passionate responses from the mostly female concert crowds, his precise singing style and musicianship earned him a reputation from some reviewers as a predictable, old-fashioned crooner. A 1994 Billboard review of a Miami concert concluded, "So while the present burns brightly for Luis Miguel—and deservedly so—his future might become a bit dimmer if the only thing he has to offer fans is an occasional dollop of nostalgic romance." A 1998 concert review in the Los Angeles Times offered a similar sentiment, commenting that "Miguel treads a dangerous pop-rock path that can easily sidetrack into corniness." Even his detractors admitted, however, that Miguel's albums had set the standard for quality in Latin music with their crisp arrangements and superb vocals.
Stuck to Musical Vision
In addition to the criticism of his music as staid and florid, Miguel also faced pressure to join the trend toward recording in English that swept the Latin music scene in the late 1990s. After Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony achieved major success in the United States with English-language releases, many eagerly awaited Miguel's first release aimed at the American market. Despite pleas from his record company to follow the crossover wave, however, Miguel insisted on sticking with his own musical vision. "I love my language, and I am proud of Spanish," he told Billboard in 1999. "Now is not the right time for me to sing in English—maybe in the future, who knows?" Instead, Miguel pushed his artistic boundaries by acting in the movie Fiebre de Amor and making an appearance on the soundtrack as well.
In addition to the bolero albums, Miguel continued to record a series of successful romantically-themed releases in the 1990s, including Aries in 1993 and Nada Es Igual (Nothing Is the Same) in 1996. Like his previous works, the albums cemented Miguel's commercial status while receiving a mixed critical reception. After the release of Nada Es Igual, a review in the Los Angeles Times admitted that "there is no better singer in Latin pop," but nonetheless insisted that "such corny, one-dimensional visions of love are hard to swallow." It seemed impossible for Miguel to please both his fans and the critics, but for the moment, he seemed content to set new sales records.
Another romantic album, Amarte Es un Placer (Loving You Is a Pleasure), was released in 1999, and was also produced by Miguel. Some critics were disappointed in the effort, with the Los Angeles Times commenting that "this guaranteed blockbuster continues Latin pop's disheartening search for the glossiest production imaginable." However, at the first annual Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in September of 2000, the singer took home awards for Album of the Year, Best Pop Album, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
By the end of the 1990s, Miguel had earned dozens of sales awards for his albums—with an estimated 35 million sold by 2000—while achieving numerous concert records as well. In addition to his success in Latin America, Miguel also gained a sizable audience in Spain and the United States. In the latter country, the tabloid press took an avid interest in Miguel's relationship with pop superstar Mariah Carey, eagerly reporting the details of his gift-giving habits to the acclaimed diva after their meeting in late 1998.
Miguel attracted criticism for his refusal to appear at the Grammy Awards in 2001, which some industry observers attributed to arrogance. The charge was particularly damaging to the singer's reputation, considering that the separate Latin Grammy Awards had just been established specifically in order to increase awareness of Spanish-language music in the United States. "By pulling out at the last minute, he not only made his point but also compromised the image of Latin music to TV viewers worldwide," wrote Billboard's Leila Cobo. "Frankly, if Luis Miguel finds the Grammys so contemptible, he simply should not submit his music for consideration (as some labels have done). In this way, not only would he show some integrity, but he also would open the field to other competitors and the show to other performers."
For the Record …
Born Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri on April 19, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico; children: Miguel (by Aracely Arámbula), born 2007.
Released first album at age 12; released series of successful Spanish-language albums, 1980s-2000s; 101-date tour of Western hemisphere in 2006.
Awards: Grammy Award, Best Mexican-American Performance (with Sheena Easton), 1984; Grammy Award, Best Latin Pop Album, 1993-94; Latin Grammy Award, Album of the Year, 2000; Latin Grammy Award, Best Pop Album, 2000; Latin Grammy Award, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 2000; Latin Grammy Award, Best Ranchero Album, and Grammy Award, Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album, for México en la Piel, 2005; star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Addresses: Record company—WEA International, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019; 5201 Blue Lagoon Dr., Ste. 200, Miami, FL 33126.Website—Luis Miguel Official Website: http://www.luismigueloficial.com.
Miguel appeared to brush aside the critics while he continued to be embraced by audiences worldwide. Deferring crossover ambitions in order to concentrate on his Spanish-language releases, Miguel continued to define Latin pop on the contemporary music scene.
Miguel's activities showed that he could elevate Mexican styles to a commercial level comparable to those reached by English-speaking stars. His 2004 release México en la Piel attempted to do for mariachi music what his earlier releases had done for bolero. "Although the songs are performed with Mexico's venerable Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán," noted Leila Cobo of Billboard, "the compositions are stylized and radio-friendly, accessible to pop and regional Mexican stations." The album snared Miguel both Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards in 2005, and the following year the singer launched his biggest tour yet.
Over 101 nights, Miguel performed shows in the United States, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, but the majority of the dates (51 in all) were reserved for Miguel's home country of Mexico. The tour grossed an estimated $60 million, possibly the top-grossing tour ever for a Latin artist. A 30-show engagement at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City took in more than $19 million from over 267,000 attendees, also thought to be a Mexican record. The tour featured stops not only in major Mexican cities but also in provincial towns, bringing a new level of technical sophistication to the presentation of music in Mexico.
Miguel's agent Peter Grosslight told Ray Waddell of Billboard that Miguel was "one of the greatest artists there are, in any language." Known by that time simply as "Luismi," Miguel also stayed in the headlines with a series of romantic entanglements with high-profile Latin or Latin American women, going back to MTV host Daisy Fuentes in the 1990s. In the mid-2000s he became involved with Mexican actress and singer Aracely Arámbula, and the two became parents of a child, Miguel, on January 1, 2007. Miguel had just released a holiday album, Navidades con Luis Miguel, that featured Spanish translations of familiar English-language Christmas standards.
Selected discography
Soy como Quiero Ser, WEA Latina, 1987.
Un Hombre Busca Una Mujer, WEA Latina, 1988.
14 Grandes Éxitos, Capitol, 1989.
20 Años, WEA Latina, 1990.
Romance, WEA Latina, 1991.
America: Live, WEA Latina, 1992.
El Idolo de México, Capitol, 1992.
Aries, WEA Latina, 1993.
Los Idolos de Mexico, Capitol, 1993.
Segundo Romance, WEA Latina, 1994.
(Contributor) Duets II, Capitol, 1994.
El Concierto, WEA Latina, 1995.
Nada Es Igual, WEA Latina, 1996.
Romances, WEA Latina, 1997.
Fiebre de Amor, EMI, 1998.
Amarte Es un Placer, WEA International, 1999.
Vivo, WEA International, 2000.
Mis Romances, WEA International, 2001.
33, WEA International, 2003.
México en la Piel, WEA International, 2004.
Grandes Éxitos, Warner Music Latino, 2006.
Navidades con Luis Miguel, Warner Music Latino, 2006.
Sources
Books
Broughton, Simon, et al., editors, World Music: The Rough Guide Volume 2, Rough Guides Ltd., 1999.
Periodicals
Billboard, September 24, 1994, p. 10; October 22, 1994, p. 42; October 2, 1999, p. 24; September 23, 2000, p. 87; May 10, 2001, p. 54; November 20, 2004, p. 66; May 6, 2006, p. 14.
Hispanic, January/February 1995, p. 126.
Los Angeles Times, August 31, 1996, p. 6; February 28, 1998, p. 6; September 17, 1999, p. 6; February 5, 2000, p. F-1; September 14, 2000, p. A-26.
USA Today, November 2, 1999.
Online
Hispanico, http://www.hispanico.com/article.php?sid=14 (July 2, 2001).
Latinoise, http://www.latinoise.com/news/pop/luis%20miguel/luismiguelvivodvdeng.htm (July 2, 2001).
"Luis Miguel," All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (September 30, 2007).
2000 Latin.com, http://www.2000latin.com/luismi/bio/bioluismi.htm (July 2, 2001).
—Timothy Borden and James M. Manheim
Miguel, Luis
LUIS MIGUEL
Born: Luis Miguel Gallego Bastery; San Juan, Puerto Rico, 19 April 1970
Genre: Latin
Best-selling album since 1990: Romance (1991)
Hit songs since 1990: "Ayer," "No Sé, Tú," "Amarte Es Un Placer"
Luis Miguel oozes class, swagger, and charm whether he's belting out mariachi standards, seducing with an orchestral ballad, or indulging the old folks with a 1950s bolero. Born to the Spanish singer Luisito Rey and the Italian model Marcella Bastery, Luis Miguel grew up in Mexico City. After adolescence he had only a distant relationship with his parents, who divorced in 1986; his father died in 1992. Miguel recorded his first album, Un Sol, in 1982, becoming a popular child star with the bubble-gum hits "Tú y Yo" and "1 + 1 = 2 Enamorados."
In 1990, Luismi, as fans call him, made a fortuitous leap to bolero music, recording the nostalgia-filled Romance. The album was a gamble—he risked alienating young fans and seeming insincere to older listeners. But Latin music was ready for a revival of the bolero, a slow but rhythmic ballad form, framed by acoustic guitar, that enjoyed its heyday in the 1950s. Often the boleros were performed by trios that played guitars and sang in harmony. With producer Armando Manzanero, a legendary Mexican songwriter, Luismi made the boleros modern and upscale by bringing in an orchestral backdrop. His forceful, dramatic tenor breathed new life into the sentimental, poetic lyrics. Romance contains classic tracks such as "Contigo en la Distancia," originally recorded by the late Mexican singing and acting legend Pedro Infante, and new boleros such as "No Sé, Tú," written by Manzanero. The album sold more than 1 million copies in the United States alone.
During the 1990s, Miguel's releases alternated between bolero fare and Latin adult contemporary. In 1993 he returned with Aries, a pop album that featured the symphonic power ballad "Ayer." In a symbolic baton-passing and a rare performance in English, Luis Miguel sang with his hero Frank Sinatra on "Come Fly with Me" for Sinatra's 1994 Duets II. Some people saw more than a little Sinatra in Luis Miguel's cocky charisma, his ability to transcend teen-idol status, and his conservative tastes in music.
Like his previous efforts, Mis Romances (2001) displays Luis Miguel's perfectionism as a singer and producer. He is backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra throughout and virtuoso Cuban émigré trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on the energetic "La Ultima Noche." "Amor, Amor, Amor" is a brassy, uptempo Vegas-styled update of Julio Iglesias's 1970s hit.
With sales figures showing that fans were beginning to go into been-there-done-that mode with his series of similarly titled bolero tributes, Luis Miguel stood at a crossroads at the start of the new century. Most likely he still has the youth, popularity, and talent to make stylistic adjustments.
SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:
Romance (WEA Latina, 1991); Aries (WEA Latina, 1993); Segundo Romance (WEA Latina, 1994); Romances (WEA Latina, 1997); Amarte Es un Placer (WEA Latina, 1999); Mis Romances (WEA Latina, 2001).
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