Juanes Named 2019 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year™ as Part of Milestone 20th Anniversary
Proceeds from the annual tribute gala will benefit the charitable
efforts of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®
MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Latin Recording Academy® today announced 23-time Latin
GRAMMY® and two-time GRAMMY-winning singer, composer,
musician, and philanthropist Juanes will be the 2019 Latin
Recording Academy Person of the Year™ as part of its
milestone 20th anniversary.
Juanes will be honored for his creative artistry, unprecedented
humanitarian efforts, support for rising artists, and philanthropic
contributions to the world. Through his songs, international
performances, and work with his organization Fundación Mi Sangre (My
Blood Foundation), and as co-founder of Paz Sin Fronteras (Peace Without
Borders), Juanes continues to raise awareness for the power and
importance of peacebuilding with extraordinary credibility and
consistency.
The Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year recognition is bestowed
upon musicians of Ibero American heritage in acknowledgment of their
artistic achievements in the Latin music industry, their fellowship, as
well as their humanitarian efforts. Past honorees include Marc
Anthony, Miguel Bosé, Roberto Carlos, Plácido
Domingo, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Vicente
Fernández, Juan Gabriel, Gilberto Gil, Juan
Luis Guerra, Julio Iglesias, José José, Maná,
Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Sanz, Joan
Manuel Serrat, Shakira, and Caetano
Veloso.
“Juanes is young, but legendary, an artist who has inspired us through
his amazing music for many years and—while doing so—he vigorously
campaigned for political, social, and positive change around the world,”
said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording
Academy. “His leadership and his philanthropic work, in addition to his
positive messages that transcend music, speak volumes about his many
contributions to the community and we are truly honored to recognize him
as this year’s Latin Academy Person of the Year.”
“I remember attending the Latin GRAMMY nominations announcement after my
first solo album was released, and becoming so overcome with emotion
from the shock of hearing my name called seven times, that I had to step
outside for a moment to process how my life had just changed forever,”
shares Juanes. “I was blessed to win three awards that year, and The
Latin Recording Academy has been a fundamental part of bringing my music
to a global audience ever since. Now, I am grateful and deeply honored
to learn that I will get to join such illustrious artists as Juan Luis
Guerra, Carlos Santana, Caetano Veloso, and more, as the Person of the
Year honoree, while also helping The Latin Academy’s efforts to
support future generations of new Spanish-speaking artists. ”
Juanes will be celebrated at a special star-studded gala featuring a
heartfelt tribute concert, including renditions of his renowned
repertoire performed by an impressive array of notable artists and
friends on Nov. 13, 2019, at the MGM Grand Convention Center
in Las Vegas.
Hailing from Medellin, Juan Esteban Aristizábal learned to play guitar
from family members and co-founded the metal band Ekhymosis at 17.
Following extensive success in Colombia, Juanes began a solo career with
the 2000 release of his critically praised debut album, Fíjate Bien,
which unveiled his ongoing distinctive sound that fuses a fierce love of
rock and pop music with searing guitar skill, deeply introspective
lyrics, and a proud reverence for the traditional folk and other
indigenous rhythms of Colombia and Latin America. Continually expanding
his artistry from his debut through his most recent innovative visual
album, Mis Planes Son Amarte, Juanes has notched eight
multiplatinum albums with sales of 20 million copies and 12 No. 1
singles that hold multiple chart records. Along the way, Juanes has been
a leading pioneer in the global audience growth of contemporary
Spanish-language music through groundbreaking performances at many of
the world’s most prestigious venues and television broadcasts. Notable
performances include the Latin GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY Awards®,
World Cup, the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, the Kennedy Center Honors,
“Sesame Street,” multiple “Tonight Show” appearances, career tributes to
Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, the Eagles, Fleetwood
Mac, and more, as well as a global telecast for families at the personal
request of Pope Francis.
Juanes’ commitment to global activism also extends far beyond the call
for social change in his passionate lyrics, with the artist dedicating
vast time and energy to the philanthropic work of his Mi Sangre
foundation and Paz Sin Fronteras. He has participated in
countless initiatives, including performing before the European
Parliament as a part of a campaign to increase awareness of the dangers
of landmines around the world, and spearheading the second Paz Sin
Fronteras concert for 1.2 million people in Havana. For the past 13
years, through the work of the Mi Sangre foundation, Juanes has
contributed to the empowerment of at-risk children and youth in Colombia
to become agents of change in their communities and to lead the
construction of a culture of peace in the country. Over the years, Mi
Sangre has directly and indirectly impacted almost 1.5 million people in
123 municipalities in Colombia.
Net proceeds from The Latin Academy Person of the Year gala will go
toward the charitable work of the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®
whose mission is to further international awareness and appreciation of
the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the
world’s culture through scholarships, fellowships, grants, and
educational programs. The Foundation’s primary charitable focus is to
provide scholarships to students interested in Latin music with
financial need, as well as grants to scholars and organizations
worldwide for research and preservation of diverse Latin music genres.
For information on purchasing tickets to the Person of the Year gala,
please contact The Latin Recording Academy’s ticketing office at
310.314.8281 or ticketing@grammy.com.
ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based
organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording
artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, and other creative and
technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to
improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and
its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor
excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording
Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music
community either directly or through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural
Foundation. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy,
please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.
ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:
The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation was established by The
Latin Recording Academy® to promote international awareness
and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its
makers to the world’s culture, and to protect its rich musical legacy
and heritage. The Foundation’s primary charitable focus is to provide
scholarships to students interested in Latin music with financial need,
as well as grants to scholars and organizations worldwide for research
and preservation of diverse Latin music genres. For additional
information, please visit us at www.latingrammyculturalfoundation.com.
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ABOUT MI SANGRE FOUNDATION:
Mi Sangre is a nonprofit organization that believes that peace is built
from every individual. Founded thirteen years ago by the singer,
composer, and social leader Juan Esteban Aristizábal, Juanes, with the
aim of co-creating protective environments where children and young
people can discover and exercise their powers as builders of peace. Mi
Sangre develops and implements methodologies so that people impacted by
violence begin to believe in themselves and other members of their
community, discover and strengthen their abilities as children and youth
leaders of change, and promote a culture of peace in their territory.
This method allows Mi Sangre to address problems such as forced
recruitment, child labor, use and abuse of psychoactive substances,
different types of violence, and violation of rights.
Contacts
The Lippin Group on behalf of The Latin Recording Academy:
Elina
Adut: EAdut@lippingroup.com
323.965.1990
For Juanes:
John Reilly / Rogers & Cowan: jreilly@rogersandcowan.com
(English Language Media)
Mónica Escobar / The 3 Collective: monica@the3collective.com (Spanish
Language Media)
The Latin Recording Academy:
Iveliesse Malavé: Iveliesse.Malave@grammy.com
305.576.0036