Fonseca (singer)

This article is about the musician. For other uses, see Fonseca (disambiguation).
Fonseca
Birth name Juan Fernando Fonseca
Born (1979-05-29) May 29, 1979
Bogotá, Colombia
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active 1997–present
Labels
Website fonseca.net
Notable instruments
Guitar

Juan Fernando Fonseca, (born May 29, 1979), better known as Fonseca (for his surname) is a Colombian singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. Born and raised in Bogotá, he studied at the Colegio Los Nogales from Kindergarten to 9th grade where he realized his dream about becoming a singer.[1] He then moved to a new school called Gimnasio Campestre. After his time at Gimnasio Campestre, he enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA and while there he got a proposal to record his first single. He left school to focus on his musical career.[2] He began recording some demos and performing in the rock music scene of Bogotá with a rock band "Baroja".[3] In which he participated in Rock al Parque. He recorded his first three solo studio albums with EMI label, then he signed on with Sony Music.

He debuted in 2002 with his first album, Fonseca, which was popular in his home country. His follow-up album Corazón (2005) included hits such as "Te Mando Flores" and Hace Tiempo. Fonseca's third album, Gratitud (2008) included the singles Enrédame and Arroyito. After breaking with the label EMI Capitol he decided release his fourth album Ilusión (2011) under the label Sony Music Latin with the hit Eres Mi Sueño.

Influenced heavily by Carlos Vives, his style is a blend of vallenato and cumbia, two traditional and popular forms of Colombian music. His achievements include four Latin Grammy Awards and one Billboard Latin Music Awards.[4]

Life and career

1979-1996: Early life

Juan Fernando Fonseca was born on May 29, 1979, in Bogotá. In his youth he studied in Colegio Los Nogales and then he passed to Gimnasio campestre. Fonseca's interest in music began at a young age.[5] In fact, when he was just twelve years old, he recorded a song and had 500 copies made to distribute among his friends and family. His parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue his passion.[6] Fonseca studied music at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá) and at the Berklee College of Music (Boston), where he developed not only his musical talent but also the tools needed to navigate through the competitive world of performance.

Prior to the release of his first album, Fonseca was a member of the rock band Baroja, which was well-known on the Bogotá club scene.[6]

1997-2007: Debut album and Corazón

After graduation from college, he recorded his first album titled Bomba de Tiempo that he sold door-to-door, showing the album to patrons at small bars, and eventually selling 500 copies.[7]

Fonseca was searching for a record label when he found the Colombian musician José Gaviria and helped him in an initial recording with Sonolux in United States in 1997. The project stayed up in the air until 2002 when he signed with Líderes Entertainment Group, a label of EMI Capitol to produce his three upcoming albums.[7]

Fonseca's self-titled debut album was released in February 2002 in Colombia and on December 26, 2005 internationally.[8] The album had a moderate success in his native country. The album spawned four singles, "Mangangué", "Noche de Carnaval", "Sueño" and "Confiésame". The album is highly influenced by the Colombian "tropipop" sound associated with Carlos Vives' albums Clásicos de la Provincia and La Tierra del Olvido.[9] The album gained him considerable attention in Colombia, including the notice of artists like Shakira and Juanes, both of whom offered him subsequent collaboration and performance opportunities. Sharing the stage with Shakira on her Tour of the Mongoose and Juanes at Estadio El Campín in Bogota garnered Fonseca the recognition and momentum he would need for his second album.

His second studio album, Corazón produced by Fonseca himself, Bernardo Ossa and the executive producer Alvaro Rizo, was released in May 23, 2006. Allmusic gave the album a rating of three out of five stars. The album has reached a peak position of number seven on the U.S. Tropical Albums chart. Three of the album's eleven tracks became singles, including "Te Mando Flores", "Como Me Mira" and "Hace Tiempo". The first song won Fonseca one Latin Grammy and reaching the top 40 on the U.S. Latin chart.[10]

2008-present: Gratitud and Ilusión

Fonseca released his third studio album Gratitud, on May 27, 2008. The album had a peak position of seventy on the U.S. Latin Albums chart. It had four singles, "Enrédame", "Arroyito", "Paraíso" and "Estar Lejos" with the American musician Willie Colón.

In Miami, Florida in the United States on 24 September 2013, Fonseca received “SESAC Latina Radio and TV Performance Award". It is an important recognition to the deployment in radio and television of the single "Eres Mi Sueño".

Discography

Main article: Fonseca discography

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Award is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement on the music industry. Fonseca received one nomination 2012.

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2012 Ilusión Best Latin Pop Album Nominated

Latin Grammy Awards

A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Fonseca has received four awards from eight nominations.

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2006 "Te Mando Flores" Record of the Year Nominated
Corazón Best Contemporary Tropical Album Nominated
"Te Mando Flores" Best Tropical Song Won
2008 Gratitud Best Contemporary Tropical Album Nominated
2009 Pombo Musical (Varios Artistas) Best Latin Children's Album Won
2010 "Estar Lejos" Best Tropical Song Nominated
2012 Ilusión Best Tropical Fusion Album Won
"Desde Que No Estás" Best Tropical Song Nominated
2014 Sinfónico Album of the Year Nominated
Sinfónico Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Won

Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica

Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica or VMALA's is the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards. Fonseca do I win a prize nominations.

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2006 Fonseca Best New Artist — Central Won
2006 Fonseca Promising Artist Nominated

Premios Nuestra Tierra

A Premio Nuestra Tierra is an accolade that recognize outstanding achievement in the Colombian music industry. Fonseca has received three nominations.[11]

Year Nominee/work Award Result
2014 "Prometo" Best Tropical Performance of the Year Nominated
Himself Best Tropical Solo Artist or Group Nominated
Himself Tweeter of the Year Nominated

Personal life

"Fonseca is also very concerned with changing the rest of the world’s view of his mother country, Colombia, using his music as a platform to publicize the positive aspects of the nation"[12] During his U.S. tour in early 2013, Fonseca made a point to show videos of and to speak personally about Colombia. On the same tour Fonseca worked with Marca Colombia,[13] ("Brand Colombia" in English) a program run by the Colombian government to re-educate other countries about Colombian culture, as well as with the Colombian airline Avianca, a sponsor of the tour. Of his work with these two entities, Fonseca has said to Colombia Reports, “I am excited that on my Illusion World Tour I will carry the message of Colombia from the Brand Colombia [markets a positive image of the country] to the United States. I am very proud of my country and I’m honored to be its ambassador”. Fonseca states that he views music as a representation of culture, so using his music to promote and educate people on Colombia makes sense to him.[12]

Fonseca at Lo Nuestro Awards in Miami, Florida

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dueñas Villamil, Jairo. "Soy Cantante Gracias a Mis Papás". Cromos.com.co. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Fonseca Gratitud Edición Especial" (PDF). Wma.com. Retrieved 29 Oct 2013.
  3. ↑ Veintimilla A, Rafael. "Fonseca y su vallenato parrandero". El Universo. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  4. ↑ Garth Cartwright (2005). "BBC UK: Fonseca - Artist profile". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Fonseca confiesa que su mejor premio es ver crecer a su hija". alo.co. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Biografía de Fonseca/Fonseca's Biography". Itematika.com. 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Nacidos con estrella, a pesar de que las casas disqueras se quejan más que nunca del bajo nivel de ventas, algunas responden al cansancio de un mercado inundado de reencauche con apuestas nuevas." (in Spanish). El Tiempo. April 8, 2002. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Fonseca por Fonseca". iTunes (in Spanish). Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ "TORNAMESA" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. April 22, 2002. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  10. ↑ Faber, Judy (September 26, 2006). "Shakira Leads Latin Grammy Nominations". CBS News. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  11. ↑ Premios Nuestra Tierra received to Fonseca:
  12. 1 2 "Colombian singer Fonseca, to promote Colombia in U.S. tour". Colombiareports.co. 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
  13. ↑ "Colombia Co : Homepage". Colombia.co. Retrieved 2016-04-14.
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