In addition to taking a listener to his next Los Angeles concert on the Vibra tour, today we pay tribute to his tenacity, asking ourselves “what if…”
Today is the birthday of a Colombian to show: Juanes. A muleteer with a heart who started out as a metalhead. A musician who represents the most intimate thing that we carry inside, our Colombian identity. That is why he was one of the artists chosen for the Spin Vibrate. He was the pretext to take one of our listeners to Los Angeles, the city where projects come true; where artists become stars… But the road to success is not as easy as it seems.
To think of Juanes is to think of him. paisa thrown forward that does not vara for nothing. He is the best example of that strong, determined culture that provokes so much pride in Antioquians and all Colombians.
Also Juanes is a cow, a partner with which all of us born in these lands have, even if we do not meet him in person or have the slightest contact with him. He is always present as our image to the outside, our face to the world.
After separating from Ekymosis, he traveled to Los Angeles, where he lived a couple of very hard years, alone, without money, struggling to make his work known. Finally, the Argentine producer Gustavo Santaolalla gave him an opportunity, which Juanes knew how to take advantage of very well. And so he started.
His songs have not always been hits, nor are all his albums the best sellers, but he is still there, giving it, persisting. 3 of his songs reached the American charts: The black shirtwhich although it was on the charts for 13 weeks, barely reached position 89; What I like, which lasted one week at number 94; Y It makes me fall in lovewhich peaked at number 69 with 14 weeks on the charts.
It is tremendous achievement! have put 3 songs in Spanish to the top 100 gringo It is not easy even for an artist born in America, much less for a Spanish-speaker. And it is that no Latino finds it easy to succeed in the United States, be it in the artistic medium or in any other. But Juanes achieved it by singing in his language. He has had many successes on the Latin charts and for him, that is enough. He himself has assured that singing in English is not his thing.
East former metalhead with the spirit of a muleteer He has many detractors and critics, from journalists to resentful managers, (unfortunately more compatriots than foreigners), but he doesn’t flinch; he is still there, working, composing, touring, with his foundation, with his family, with his music. No one can deny that he is one of the most recognized Colombians in the world.
Juanes was definitely in the right place at the right time and made the right decisions; but, And if I had chosen to follow other paths in life, what would have happened? For example…
What would have happened if Juanes had never left Ekymosis?
A/ They would be very successful in Colombia and would have begun to explore fusions of regional music, mixing sounds from the plains with Caribbean and indigenous sounds. His best-selling album would be PARCH.E
What would Juanes be like if, when separating from Ekymosis, he had decided to continue as a metalhead?
A/ He would have been the only Colombian invited several times to VH1’s That Metal Show, and his most memorable success would be Black Shirt, a duet with Marilyn Manson.
What if he had started singing in English?
A/ His version of Me Enamora would have reached number 1 under the name It makes me fall in love.
What other “what if Juanes…” can you think of? Tell us!