Juanes

One of Latin America’s most celebrated songwriters began his music career playing metal. Before going it alone with Fíjate Bien in 2000, Juanes sang and played guitar in the successful heavy-metal band Ekhymosis. Few can put the power in a power ballad like the Colombian superstar, who has won an international following with his eclectic rock en español. Born in 1972 in Medellín, Juanes was shaped in his early life by Colombia’s civil war. His experiences and social consciousness are reflected in some of his most powerful and popular rock anthems, such as “A Dios le Pido” (“To God I Pray”), which envisions a happier, more peaceful future for his country. He also has vertiginous pop-rock love songs, psych funk, and urbano experiments in his catalog. The through line consists of indelible melodies, often drawing from the influence of Caribbean roots music, such as vallenato and cumbia.