Person Of The Year:
Juanes
THE COLOMBIAN ROCKER WILL BE HONORED WITH THE
LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY’S TOP AWARD FOR HIS
BARRIER-BREAKING MUSIC AND PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS
BY JUDY CANTOR-NAVAS
F
USING COLOMBIAN
folkloric styles with rock’n’roll,
Juanes is Latin music’s most
down-to-earth superstar.
Across two decades, he has
earned 23 Latin Grammy Awards and two
mainstream Grammys, and has logged
33 entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs
chart, with eight of those reaching No. 1.
On Nov. 13, Juanes will be honored as
The Latin Recording Academy’s Person
of the Year during a tribute concert at
the MGM Grand Convention Center in
Las Vegas. He was chosen for his artistry,
support for rising stars and humanitari-
an and philanthropic efforts through his
Fundación Mi Sangre (My Blood Foun-
dation) as well as the Paz Sin Fronteras
(Peace Without Borders) project. He is the
second Colombian-born artist to receive
the award, following Shakira in 2011. Past
recipients include Marc Anthony, Miguel
Bosé, Vicente Fernandez, Juan Gabriel,
Alejandro Sanz, Gloria Estefan and Maná.
The artist born Juan Esteban Aristizábal
Vásquez in Medellín broke through during
the “Latin pop explosion” of the late 1990s.
Juanes’ debut album, Fijate Bien, was
released in 1999, and he earned three Latin
Grammys the following year, including
best new artist. But unlike other Latin acts
of his era, he chose not to sing in English,
avoiding the English-language “crossover”
album and foreshadowing the popularity
of today’s streaming-era Latin stars, who
are embraced globally without having to
compromise their artistry.
While such classics as “A Díos le
Pido” and “Camisa Negra” have widened
Juanes’ audience through streaming, the
47-year-old artist continues to expand his
fusion sound on recent collaborations with
Colombian urban/pop singer Greeicy and
Canadian R&B artist Alessia Cara. His un-
titled eighth studio album is set for release
in November.
Jesús López, chairman/CEO of Univer-
sal Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsu-
la, considers Juanes to be the “best A&R”
rep he knows. “He told me there was an
artist I had to listen to: J Balvin. And then
he did the same thing with Rosalía,” says
López. “Juanes writes me every couple
of months to suggest artists. Not to take
credit, but because he likes it.”
Ahead of his recognition at the Latin
Grammys, Juanes talked to Billboard
about advocacy, his new album and tour-
ing in his golden years.
When did you first know you would
become a musician?
In my house, my father always was sing-
ing. We all played guitar and sang in the
living room. Literally since I can remem-
ber, I have had my guitar in my hands.
Sometimes I would sit alone playing, and
I felt like I was connecting with a higher
power. When I was 13 or 14, I decided to
seriously dedicate my life to music.
Can you pinpoint a defining moment
in your career that has led up to this
moment as The Latin Recording
Academy’s Person of the Year?
It was [my second solo] album, Un Día
Normal, definitely. When the single “A
Díos le Pido” came out, things really
started happening. At the time, I was
traveling to five countries in one week
for promotion, and it was playing on the
radio in every country. That was when I
realized my life was changing.
Many Latin pop artists of your era
recorded English-language albums to
cross over, but you never did. Why?
I always knew that, for me, singing in
Spanish was the way to go, but it is now
more than ever. There is no need to sing
in English. I just did a song with Alessia
Cara, and it was she who wanted to sing
it in Spanish.
Today, streaming has brought Latin
music to new heights globally.
How has the definition of Latin mu-
sic changed?
The definition always has changed de-
pending on what’s trendy, but really, Latin
music is way too varied and profound
to give it just one name. Latin music
encompasses everything, from reggaeton
to death metal, pop, salsa, merengue.
You can’t say Latin music is this and it’s
not that.
Your new album will be released in
November. What can we expect?
I have always tried to mix different musi-
cal worlds; rock with the music that I love
and listen to: the music of Colombia, like
cumbia, vallenato and guasca. Over the
last five years, I’ve had the opportunity
to collaborate with younger producers.
It has been interesting to experiment
with things like bringing the dembow
rhythm into my songs. But more than
trying to do reggaeton, what I can do is
bring elements of that music to my songs
in an organic way that works. I wanted
to mix folklore and rock with some of
what we’re hearing today — pop, urban
rhythms. The album has a lot of that;
it’s a record for dancing and having a
good time.
You are an artist known for being true
to your own musical style. Have you
ever felt pressure to change?
Like other musicians, I have had my
dark moments, but those are times that
allow you to find yourself again. For a
long time, I was working alone in my
studio with my computer and my guitar.
There were times when I was blocked
creatively. I have passed through all kinds
of moments, but the most beautiful thing
is to look behind you and see everything
fall into place. Right now, I feel super in
sync with what I’m doing.
You started your Mi Sangre Foundation
13 years ago to support victims of
landmine explosions in Colombia.
You have organized Peace Without
Borders concerts in Cuba and on the
Colombian-Venezuelan border. Do
you believe that with an artist’s fame
comes a responsibility to speak out?
The responsibility falls on every individual
[not just artists or celebrities]. What is
happening in the world is so serious that
every person has to be conscious, and ev-
eryone has to work together to help us go
on. But it’s also very personal. Each person
has to do what they feel they should.
The Rolling Stones invited you to open
their show in Miami in August. Like
them, do you see yourself performing
when you’re in your 70s?
Yes. I always look at the example of Mick
Jagger or Juan Luis Guerra, or other art-
ists who have been doing this for so long
and keep touring and recording. If the
public lets me, I’m going to keep on go-
ing. It would be difficult for me not to.
Juanes at the Latin
Grammys in 2014.
Juanes (right) performed alongside Cara (left)
and Logic at the Latin Grammys in 2017. J
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.80 BILLBOARD • OCTOBER 12, 2019