Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (; born 19 April 1970)
is a Mexican singer and record producer. Born in
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
to an Italian mother and a Spanish father, he is often referred to as
''El Sol de Mexico'' (The Sun of Mexico), derived from the nickname his mother gave him as a child: "Mi sol" (My sun).
Luis Miguel has sung in multiple genres and styles, including
pop songs,
ballads
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
,
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...
s,
tangos
Tangos may refer to:
* Tangos (song), "Tangos" (song), a song popularized in Spain
* Tangos (district), a district or barangay in Navotas, Philippines
* ''Tangos'', a 1973 album by Buenos Aires 8
* Tangos (album), ''Tangos'' (album), a 2014 album ...
,
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
,
big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
, and
mariachi
Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music dating back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, two ...
. Luis Miguel is also recognized as the only Latin singer of his generation not to cross over to the
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British d ...
market during the "Latin Explosion" in the 1990s.
Despite recording only in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
, Luis Miguel continued to be the
best-selling Latin artist in the 1990s, and was credited for popularizing the
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...
genre within the mainstream market. He has sold around 60 million records worldwide, making him one of the
best-selling Latin music artists.
Latin pop music, along with his personal life and showmanship on stage, has made Luis Miguel popular for nearly his entire career, which started in Mexico in 1981. At the age of 14, he received his first Grammy for his duet "
Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" with
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
,
making him one of the
youngest Grammy-winning artists in music history. In 1991, the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
recognized the success of his 1991 album ''
Romance'' as one of the
best-selling Latin albums of all time.
He was the first Latino artist to earn two
platinum certifications for Spanish-language albums in the United States, for ''
Romance'' and ''
Segundo Romance'' (the latter earning him 35 platinum records throughout Central and South America). He is also recognized by ''Billboard'' as the artist with the most top-10 hits on
''Billboard''s Hot Latin Songs chart. His album ''
Cómplices
''Cómplices'' () is the 18th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel, released on 2 May 2008 by Warner Music Latina. The record is a collaboration with Spanish musician Manuel Alejandro, who wrote and arranged the songs, and co-produc ...
'' was released in 2008, peaking at No. 10 on the mainstream
''Billboard'' 200; his most recent album, ''
¡México Por Siempre!
''¡México Por Siempre!'' ( Spanish for: 'Mexico Forever'; stylized as ''¡MÉXICO Por Siempre!'') is the 20th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel. Released on 24 November 2017 via Warner Music Mexico, it is his second full-length mari ...
'', was released in 2017 and earned him his second No. 1 on the
''Billboard'' Regional Mexican Albums chart, achieving double-platinum status.
Luis Miguel is also known for his high-grossing, captivating live performances. He is the
highest-grossing Latino touring artist since
Boxscore began tracking touring data in 1990, with a total of $633.1 million, and 6.3 million spectators
With the
Luis Miguel Tour 2023–24, he visited 20 countries in North America, South America and Europe, where he performed in a year and a half span with a total of 194 shows all over the world, making it the highest-grossing tour ever made by a Latin artist.
He also holds the record for the most consecutive presentations in the
Auditorio Nacional (National Auditorium) with a total of
30 consecutive concerts as well as the record for the most presentations in the same venue with a total of 258 concerts. , Luis Miguel ranks number two on ''Billboard''s Greatest of All-Time Latin Artists chart.
Early life
Luis Miguel was born in
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to:
* San Juan, Puerto Rico
* San Juan, Argentina
* San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines
San Juan may also refer to:
Places Arge ...
,
Puerto Rico
; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
to parents
Luisito Rey and Marcella Basteri.
During his childhood years, his father, who was also his manager, encouraged him to watch and analyze nearly every movie, recording, and concert performance of
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
. In 1982, he released his first album, ''
Un Sol'', by the Mexican branch of EMI Records, which won him his first gold disc at the age of 11.
Two years later, he started touring Latin American countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, and Argentina. With ''Un Sol'', he scored a major hit with the single, "1+1=Dos Enamorados".
Career
1984–1987: ''Palabra de Honor'', ''Sanremo Music Festival'' and ''Soy Como Quiero Ser''
In 1984, Luis Miguel took on a
Spanish pop rock style of music, with the international release of his fourth studio album ''
Palabra de Honor'' produced by the then Spanish Hispavox director Honorio Herrero. In 1985, at age 15, he took part in the
Sanremo Music Festival
The Sanremo Music Festival ( ), officially the Italian Song Festival (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria, organized and broadcast by (RAI). It is the longest-running ...
, where he won the second place award with his song "
Noi Ragazzi Di Oggi".
That same year, he was also presented with the "Antorcha de Plata" Award in the
Viña del Mar Music Festival for his duet single "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" ("I Like You Just As You Are") with Scottish singer
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
.
In 1983, he co-starred in the film ''
Ya Nunca Más'' (released 1984) and in 1985, ''
Fiebre de amor''.
In 1986, he took a brief hiatus as his relationship with his father was souring due to alleged mismanagement, poor financial decisions and risking the earnings of his career. Shortly after signing with Warner Records, in 1987, he fired his father and started to work with Juan Carlos Calderón.
Luis Miguel's album ''
Soy Como Quiero Ser'' in May 1987 sold well over 2.5 million records.
The album featured Spanish-language adaptations of popular English-language songs, such as "
Ahora Te Puedes Marchar" and "
Yo Que No Vivo Sin Ti".
1988–1990: ''Busca una Mujer'' and ''20 Años''
On 25 November 1988, Luis Miguel's album ''
Busca una Mujer'' was released. The first single "
La Incondicional" became a top-ten hit throughout Latin America in the first half of 1989,
and thanks in part to the music video, it spent over seven months on the top ten of many Latin American charts. The video was shocking to many fans as he had cut his signature long hair. This cemented his transition from a child star into an adult superstar. By the end of 1989, the second single "
Fría Como el Viento" reached No. 1 on the
Hot Latin Tracks
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, ...
.
He also had a top-ten single with "Separados" in early 1990, peaking at #8.
In 1990, he continued his successful transition from child singer to adult showman with the album ''
20 Años'' and an ensuing string of sold-out shows first in Mexico then throughout Latin America and elsewhere in the world. ''
20 Años'' sold 600,000 copies in its first week of release
and resulted in the release of three singles: "
Tengo Todo Excepto A Ti", "
Entrégate", and "
Amante del amor", with the two former hitting number 1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks in 1990.
1991–1993: ''Romance'' and ''Aries''

In 1991, Luis Miguel's career went to even greater heights and earned him the respect of a wider audience with the release of ''
Romance'', an album of romantic boleros, most from the 1950s. He has been credited with reinventing the bolero for modern audiences. The album ''Romance'', which became his most successful material ever, eventually sold 7 million units worldwide.
In 1993, Luis Miguel's fifth studio album, ''
Aries'', was released, which won him that year's
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Latin Pop Album. That same year, Luis Miguel was invited by
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
to join him on his ''
Duets II'' album and to perform live in a nationally televised special in honor of Sinatra's 80th birthday, along with other stars such as
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
and
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...
.
1994–1996: ''Segundo'' ''Romance'' and ''Nada Es Igual''
In 1994, he released a sequel to ''Romance'', ''
Segundo Romance'', featuring him as a convincing pop singer with mastery over timeless Latin classics such as "Solamente Una Vez" and "Historia de un Amor". The album earned Miguel another Grammy Award, as well as platinum status in the United States.
In 1996, for his contribution to the recording industry, Luis Miguel received a star and was inducted to the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
, at that time the youngest male singer to receive a star. Soon after, Luis Miguel returned to the studio and released ''
Nada Es Igual'', a pop album featuring "
Sueña", the main theme for Disney's ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame''.
1997–1999: ''Romances'' and ''Amarte Es un Placer''
In 1997, Luis Miguel released his third album of the bolero series ''
Romances'', which sold over 5 million copies. "
Por Debajo de la Mesa" was released as the
lead single
A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
A similar term, "debut ...
from the album. The single quickly reached number one on the
''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart, two months later; it would spend twenty-six weeks on the chart. At the
40th Annual Grammy Awards in 1998, Luis Miguel won the award for
Best Latin Pop Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors in ...
. He also received the
Billboard Latin Music Award for "Male Pop Album of the Year" and the
World Music Award
The World Music Awards was an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event was based in Monte Carlo. Awards were presented to the worl ...
for "Best Selling Latin Artist" in the same year.
In 1999, Luis Miguel released his ninth studio album ''
Amarte Es un Placer'' which, in 2000, earned him two Latin Grammys for being Best Album of the Year and Best Pop Album of the Year.
The single "
O Tú, O Ninguna" of ''Amarte Es Un Placer'' became number 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and perched at the top position for eight consecutive weeks.
Following the success of ''Amarte Es Un Placer'', Luis Miguel released ''
Mis Romances'' in 2001, his fourth album in the bolero series. The album, which sold over two million copies worldwide was followed by the launch of ''
Mis Romances Tour'' which took place throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
2003–2004: ''33'' and ''Mexico en la Piel''
In 2003, Luis Miguel released his first pop album in over four years entitled ''
33'', indicative of his age. The album, which featured a collection of
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
s and
uptempo
A variety of musical terms is encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings ...
songs climbed to number 1 on Billboard's Latin Charts earning Luis Miguel two Billboard Awards as well as Grammy and Latin Grammy award nominations. On the ''
33 Tour'', Luis Miguel filled the largest halls in the U.S., toured throughout Latin America, including Chile where his album ''33'' sold 2.5 million copies and was recognized that same year by Warner Chile as the artist with the most sold records sold in the history of Chile.
He also performed at Mexico's sold-out
National Auditorium
National Auditorium () is an entertainment center at Paseo de la Reforma #50, Chapultepec in Mexico City.
The National Auditorium is considered among the world's best venues by specialized media. It was designed by Mexican architects Pedro Ram ...
, and various sold-out shows in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, as well as other prestigious international venues such as
Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Spain.
That same year,
Prince Felipe of Spain presented him with a special award for being the best-selling foreign artist in his country's history, and hosted a special party in his honor in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
.
In addition to his album ''33'' Luis Miguel was bestowed by ''
Lo Nuestro Awards
The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro (Spanish language, Spanish for "Ours") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music (genre), Latin music, presented by TelevisaUnivision, and is carried by its Univision network in ...
'' in 2003 a "Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia", (literally, The "Ours" award for Excellence) a lifetime achievement award for his outstanding career at the mere age of 33 being the youngest artist to receive this award.

In 2004, Luis Miguel released his ''
Mexico En La Piel''. The album, which was a collection of traditional Mexican ''mariachi'' songs, went on to sell five million copies worldwide. For this album, he received a diamond disc and won the
Latin Grammy Award for Best Ranchero Album at the
Latin Grammy Awards of 2005 and also the
Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
The Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album was an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Mexican American music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gra ...
. He launched his ''
Mexico En La Piel Tour'' in 2005. In 2006, Luis Miguel performed thirty shows between 18 January and 27 February at the
National Auditorium
National Auditorium () is an entertainment center at Paseo de la Reforma #50, Chapultepec in Mexico City.
The National Auditorium is considered among the world's best venues by specialized media. It was designed by Mexican architects Pedro Ram ...
in Mexico City.
The 123-date tour started in September 2005 in Mexico which then stretched to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The ''
Mexico En La Piel Tour'' won the ''
Billboard "Tour of the Year"'' and positioned itself as No.1 on the ''Billboard World Top Boxscore''.
2005: ''Grandes Éxitos'' and ''Navidades''
In 2005, Luis Miguel released ''
Grandes Éxitos'', his first greatest hits album, that featured his greatest songs he recorded during all his career, including two never-released singles: "Misterios Del Amor" and "Si Te Perdiera". That same year, he released a Christmas album called ''
Navidades''. The playlist includes many Christmas standards in Spanish. The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart during the first week of its release.
The album released two singles "Santa Claus Llegó A La Ciudad" ("
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas music, Christmas song written by John Frederick Coots, J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show ...
"), and "Mi Humilde Oración" ("My Grown-up Christmas List").
2008–2010: ''Cómplices'' and ''Luis Miguel''
On 6 May 2008, Luis Miguel released ''
Cómplices
''Cómplices'' () is the 18th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel, released on 2 May 2008 by Warner Music Latina. The record is a collaboration with Spanish musician Manuel Alejandro, who wrote and arranged the songs, and co-produc ...
'', produced by him and written by Spanish composer
Manuel Alejandro
Manuel Álvarez-Beigbeder Pérez (born 21 February 1932), better known as Manuel Alejandro, is a Spanish composer of Latin love songs, which are better known as ''ballads''. He has written, composed, and arranged songs for the likes of Luis Migu ...
. It sold almost 350,000 copies in the first 24 hours. The first single, "
Si Tú Te Atreves" was released on 7 April 2008, and the second single of the album was "
Te Desean". Luis Miguel made history with his album ''
Complices'' which debuted at No.10 on the
Billboard Top 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular Album, music albums and extended play, EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an recor ...
, being the highest position a Latin artist has ever reached on the
Billboard Top 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular Album, music albums and extended play, EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an recor ...
with a fully Spanish-composed album, it also reached No.1 on the
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums (formerly Latin 50) is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album chart ...
making him the Latin artist with the most No.1 albums on the chart with a total of 9 albums. His ''
Complices Tour'' began in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, Washington on 3 September 2008.
Luis Miguel released his
self-titled studio album on 14 September 2010. Its first single "Labios de Miel" is a smooth Latin pop song. The
tour started on 4 November 2010 in the city of
Lima, Peru
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
and covered the United States, South America, Mexico and Spain among other countries. On 22 February 2012, he sang at the
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
The Viña del Mar International Song Festival () is an annual international music festival held every third week of February in Viña del Mar, Chile. Started in 1960 it is the oldest and largest music festival in Latin America, and one of the long ...
. With one million dollars for his performance, he became the most expensive artist in the history of the festival. Luis Miguel performed at the
Curaçao
Curaçao, officially the Country of Curaçao, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southern Caribbean Sea (specifically the Dutch Caribbean region), about north of Venezuela.
Curaçao includ ...
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is a festival held annually on the second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. The festival moved to Rotterdam in 2006 after the demolition of the Statenhal in The Hague where it was originally held. ...
on 31 August 2013. In August 2014, the song "Déjà Vu" was leaked on the web.
2017–2018: Television biopic and ''¡Mexico Por Siempre!''
On 4 May 2017, Telemundo signed a deal for the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the "officially authorized TV series" based on Luis Miguel's life story and announced it would air in 2018. On the same day, Netflix also revealed it has the rights to stream the yet-unnamed bio-series in Latin America and Spain with the same target date.
On his official
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
, page it was announced that his new single "La Fiesta del Mariachi" was set to release on 27 October 2017. On 24 November, the full album, titled ''
¡México Por Siempre!
''¡México Por Siempre!'' ( Spanish for: 'Mexico Forever'; stylized as ''¡MÉXICO Por Siempre!'') is the 20th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel. Released on 24 November 2017 via Warner Music Mexico, it is his second full-length mari ...
'' was released, it features 14 tracks of traditional Mexican music. The
tour began February 2018, in the
National Auditorium
National Auditorium () is an entertainment center at Paseo de la Reforma #50, Chapultepec in Mexico City.
The National Auditorium is considered among the world's best venues by specialized media. It was designed by Mexican architects Pedro Ram ...
of
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
and ended September 2019 in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
.
On 22 April 2018, Netflix and Telemundo started airing the self-titled series ''
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (; born 19 April 1970) is a Mexican singer and record producer. Born in Puerto Rico to an Italian mother and a Spanish father, he is often referred to as Honorific nicknames in popular music, ''El Sol de Mexico'' ...
''. Together with revealing many parts both known and unknown of the singer, it also brought nostalgic moments for those watching it, like the mirroring of his
Sabritas
Sabritas, S. de R.L. de C.V. is a Mexican snack company owned by PepsiCo. They are best known for manufacturing chips, Sabritas is the Mexican name of Lays, similar to Margaritas in Colombia or Walkers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Histo ...
ad, called in the series "Saboritas". Two more seasons were released in 2020 and 2021.
Personal life

His father was a Spanish singer, songwriter and guitarist, Luis Gallego Sánchez, known as "
Luisito Rey", and his mother was an Italian actress, Marcella Basteri.
His father was from
Cádiz
Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...
, a city in southwestern Spain, and his mother was from the
Province of Massa-Carrara, Italy. He was named Luis Miguel in honor of Spanish bullfighter
Luis Miguel Dominguín.
Luis Miguel has two younger brothers.
His birth date is on 18 April, but he celebrates his birthday on 19 April as that was the day his father registered him at Puerto Rico's Civil Registry.
Due to his early fame, Luis Miguel had a complicated childhood. He had a difficult relationship with his father, who was also his manager. His father was very strict and demanding during incessant rehearsals, although his father's strict discipline has also been credited with playing a large role in his success. In 1986, Luis Miguel's mother disappeared mysteriously and her whereabouts are still unknown. In the late 1980s, Luis Miguel fired his father due to financial problems caused by poor representation. After their estrangement, his father, who was a
heavy drinker, fell into depression and died on 9 December 1992 in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, Spain.
Luis Miguel is recognized for his taste for
haute cuisine
''Haute cuisine'' (; ) or ''grande cuisine'' is a style of cooking characterised by meticulous preparation, elaborate presentation, and the use of high quality ingredients. Typically prepared by highly skilled gourmet chefs, haute cuisine dish ...
and for being a self-taught
sommelier
A ''sommelier'' ( , , ), ''chef de vin'' or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the ''s ...
. Luis Miguel released his own vintage of wine, "Único. Luis Miguel", a
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...
. A native Spanish speaker, he also speaks English, Italian and Portuguese. Luis Miguel is the father of three children: one born in June 1989, from his relationship with
Stephanie Salas; and two born in January 2007 and December 2008, both from his relationship with actress
Aracely Arámbula. His numerous relationships are widely covered by the Latin media.
Regarding his religious faith, he stated: "I am
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
because I was born in a Catholic family. I believe in God, I visit church whenever I rarely have the chance due to my work commitments." He has refrained from speaking about politics, stating that an artist should be "apolitical and dedicate themselves to songs". In April 2010, he was briefly hospitalized at the
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, Tertiary referral hospital, tertiary, 915-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre, academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars ...
in Los Angeles. The cause of the hospitalization was not disclosed. On 2 May 2017, Luis Miguel surrendered himself to the
U.S. Marshals following a case with his former manager William Brockhaus where Luis Miguel was ordered to pay him over one million dollars in July 2016. He was released that same day by signing a promissory note.
Artistry and image
Luis Miguel rarely grants interviews or attends award ceremonies. He is always escorted by a diligent security team and he is transported in several trucks to distract paparazzi and reporters. He is quoted as saying, "I maintain my sanity by keeping my distance."

Luis Miguel is considered one of the top male pop singers worldwide today. His voice has been estimated to span three octaves, and six notes. In a career that has spanned almost forty years, he has become the main male singer from Latin America, having performed successfully pop music,
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...
,
mariachi
Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music dating back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, two ...
and
romantic ballads.
In the late 1980s, Luis Miguel made the transition from child star to consolidated international singer, and since then, he became one of the most revered and popular Latin American artists ever.
Also dubbed as a crooner, his wide vocal range and performance have been praised by critics and other artists all over the world.
Producer
Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla (; born 19 August 1951) is an Argentine composer, record producer and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Gustavo Santaolalla, numerous accolades for List of works by Gustavo S ...
described him as "one of the greatest singers of all time" and stated that "Luis Miguel is not just a singer, he's an artist."
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
personally invited Luis Miguel to participate in a duet in the album ''
Duets II''. Luis Miguel has been dubbed several times by the press and the media as the "Latin Frank Sinatra".
His music has reached speaking continents such as Asia and Africa. The press stated that at the time of his capture, the dictator
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
had the album ''
Segundo Romance'', among his belongings.
His net worth is estimated at US$180 million.
Summary of distinctions
At the age of 14, Luis Miguel received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for his duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" ("I Like You Just The Way You Are") with
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
.
In 1991, the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
gave him a recognition for the high sales of the albums ''
Romance'' and ''
Segundo Romance''.
He was the only Latin artist to perform at the show ''"
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way"'', along with other pop icons such as
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
,
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...
and
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
.
His 1997 album ''
Romances'' became the first Spanish-language album ever debuting at No. 14 on the Billboard Top 200.
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment and record label Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the "Record label#M ...
recognized Luis Miguel as the best-selling artist in the history of Chile with over 2.5 million records sold.
In 2003,
Prince Felipe of Spain presented him with a special award for being the best-selling foreign artist in his country's history. In 2008, Luis Miguel's album ''
Navidades'' became the first
Christmas album ever to be nominated for the
Grammy
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
in the category of Pop.
His album ''
Cómplices
''Cómplices'' () is the 18th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel, released on 2 May 2008 by Warner Music Latina. The record is a collaboration with Spanish musician Manuel Alejandro, who wrote and arranged the songs, and co-produc ...
'' broke records in Mexico, by selling over 320,000 copies on its first day of release.
Just three days after its release, his new
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
achieved Quadruple Platinum certification in Mexico, Platinum in Argentina and gold records in Chile and the United States.
Luis Miguel is also known for his high-grossing tours in Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Brazil and Spain between 1999 and 2000. The tour consisted of 99 concerts and was attended by approximately 1.4 million fans. It was the highest-grossing tour ever made by a Latin artist, as well as the most extended. These two records have been broken by his
Mexico En La Piel Tour. His
33 Tour peaked at No. 1 in the ''Billboard World Top Boxscore''.
The
Mexico En La Piel Tour of 2005–2007, with a total of 124 concerts, peaked at No. 1 in the ''Billboard World Top Boxscore''. The tour spanned two years with a total of 129 concerts attended by over 1.5 million spectators, and grossed around $95 million.
In 2006, during the ''Mexico En La Piel Tour'', after giving 30 consecutive sold-out concerts at the
Auditorio Nacional in Mexico, gathering over 260,000 spectators he was awarded with the ''"Estela de Plata"'' at the last concert.
His
Luis Miguel Tour is ranked at number five of the highest-grossing tours of 2011 in North America.
Awards and recognitions
* In 1984, received the Grammy Award for Best Mexican American Performance for his duet "
Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" (I Like You Just The Way You Are) with
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
.
* In 1985, Luis Miguel won Antorcha de Plata at the Festival de la Cancion de
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
for his duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" (I Like You Just The Way You Are) with
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress who achieved recognition in an episode of the reality television series ''The Big Time (TV series), The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a ...
.
* In 1985, wins the second place at the
Sanremo Music Festival
The Sanremo Music Festival ( ), officially the Italian Song Festival (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria, organized and broadcast by (RAI). It is the longest-running ...
in Italy with the song "
Noi Ragazzi di Oggi" (Lyrics by
Cristiano Minellono - Music by
Salvatore Cutugno).
* In 1990, won two more Antorcha de Plata at the Festival de la Cancion de
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
.
* In 1991, Luis Miguel was recognized at South Korea International Music Award as the best abroad for his album "Romance" for
Romance.
* In 1991, received recognition by
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for selling 2 million copies of ''Romance'' and ''Segundo Romance''.
* In 1992, he received European Excellence prize in Spain.
* In 1992, received a Billboard Awards for the Best Latin Artist, for the Best Spanish-language Album (for his album Romance) and Best Singer in Spanish.
* In 1993, received a Billboard Awards for Best Latin Male Artist of the Year, Best Spanish-Language Album of the Year ''Aries''.
* In 1993, received a Grammy Award for the Best Latin Pop Album ''Aries''.
* In 1994, received a Grammy Award for being the Best Latin Male singer with his album ''Segundo Romance''.
* In 1994, he was invited to record a special-edition duet of "Come Fly With Me" with Frank Sinatra for his album
Duets II.
* In 1995, became the single Latin artist to perform at the show ''SINATRA: 80 Years My Way'' along with other pop icons such as
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
,
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...
and
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
.
* In 1996, received a star in the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
.
* In 1996, he recorded the song "Sueña" (Spanish version of "Someday") for the Disney movie ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame''.
* In 1997, ''Pollstar'' Magazine recognized Luis Miguel as the first Latin artist to enter the list of All-Time Top-20 grossing artists who have sold as many records in a single location in the history of music.
* In 1997, the album ''Romances'' became the first Spanish-language album ever debuting on the Billboard Top 200.
* In 1997, Luis Miguel received a Grammy Award for being the Best Latin Pop Artist of the Year with his album ''Romances''.
* In 2000, received a Latin Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year and Best Pop Album of the Year on his ''Amarte es un Placer''.
* In 2000, received a Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Album.
* In 2000, received a Latin Grammy Award for being the Best Pop Male Artist.
* In 2001, he received a Billboard Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance which included a collaboration with Michael Jackson in the Spanish version of "
What More Can I Give" entitled "Todo Para Ti" dedicated to the victims of 11 September 2001 attacks in New York.
* In 2002 received the Premio Luna de Mexico (Moon of Mexico Award) for being the artist with the best artistic career (at that time of 20 years).
* In 2003, Warner Music recognized him as the best-selling artist in the history of Chile with over 2.5 million records sold.
* The
33 Tour peaked at No. 1 in the Billboard World Top Boxscore.
* In 2005, received a Latin Grammy Award for Best Ranchero Album ''México En La Piel''.
* In 2005, received a Grammy Awards for Best Mexican Album ''Mexico En La Piel''.
* In 2005, followed by the ''En La Piel Tour'' in Mexico, Luis Miguel gave 6 consecutive sold-out concerts in the Gibson Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, CA.
* The
Mexico En La Piel Tour peak No. 1 in the Billboard World Top Boxscore.
* In 2005, Luis Miguel became the first Latin artist to receive a star on the streets of Las Vegas Star.
* In 2006, he won Estela de Plata for his tour in Mexico for giving 30 concerts at Auditorio Nacional, which, all in all gathered around 300,000 spectators.
* In 2008, Luis Miguel's album ''Navidades'' became the first Christmas album ever being nominated in the Grammy in the category of Pop.
* In 2008, the online store amazon.com announced that the album ''Complices'' had peaked number 1 in the list best-selling albums in the website two weeks before the release of the album.
* ''Cómplices'' broke records in Mexico, by selling over 320,000 copies in its first day of release.
* ''Cómplices'' debuts at #1 on the
Billboard Top Latin Albums
Top Latin Albums (formerly Latin 50) is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album chart ...
, making Luis Miguel the artist with the most albums in this position in the history of the chart.
* ''Cómplices'' debuts at #10 on the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a rec ...
, the highest position Miguel would achieve on the American charts.
* ''Cómplices'' hits Diamond status in Mexico three weeks after of release, with over 400,000 copies sold.
* Dalia Silver 180 Concert Auditorio Nacional.
* Album "No Culpes a la Noche" # 180 in the Billboard 200.
* Labios de Miel # 1 in Mexico with Quadruple Platinum Album.
* In October 2010, is recognized by the "Latino Awards 2010" as "Artist of the Century" in New York.
* In 2011, National Auditorium recognition for being the only artist with 200 submissions in the history of enclosure.
* TOUR 2011 was ranked # 3 HOT TOURS of Billboard Magazine.
* ARTIST Named # 1 in more accumulated in the charts hits "Hot Latin Songs" Billboard Magazine issue 25 Years of Billboard "Hot Latin Songs".
* On 22 February 2012 at the "International Song Festival of Viña del Mar" is rewarded with 3 "Gulls" (gold, silver, platinum) and the keys to the city.
* On 2 September 2012 in the "People in Spanish Festival" is awarded with "Lifetime Achievement Award" and "Mayor for a Day" in the city of San Antonio, Texas.
* Receive on 22 October 2012 in Argentina at the hands of President Cristina Kirschner a plaque in recognition of his 100 presentations in that country (1982–2012).
* In October 2012 he was named "distinguished guest" by the city of Antofagasta.
* On 13 September 2013 in Las Vegas is awarded with "Diamond Award", a certificate from the Nevada Governor's Office for their contributions to the state, a certificate from the United States Senate recognizing him as one of the top Hispanic artists in the world, and "Day of Luis Miguel".
* In 2018, received two
Latin Grammy Award
The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...
for Best Mariachi Album and Album of the Year.
* In 2018, received a Grammy Awards for Best Regional Mexican Album ''Mexico Por Siempre''.
Discography
* ''
Un sol'' (1982)
* ''
Directo al corazón'' (1982)
* ''
Decídete'' (1983)
* ''
Ya nunca más'' (1983)
* ''
También es Rock'' (1984)
* ''
Palabra de Honor'' (1984)
* ''
Fiebre de amor'' (1985)
* ''
Soy como quiero ser'' (1987)
* ''
Busca Una Mujer'' (1988)
* ''
20 Años'' (1990)
* ''
Romance'' (1991)
* ''
Aries'' (1993)
* ''
Segundo Romance'' (1994)
* ''
Nada Es Igual'' (1996)
* ''
Romances'' (1997)
* ''
Amarte Es Un Placer'' (1999)
* ''
Mis Romances'' (2001)
* ''
33'' (2003)
* ''
México En La Piel'' (2004)
* ''
Navidades'' (2006)
* ''
Cómplices
''Cómplices'' () is the 18th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel, released on 2 May 2008 by Warner Music Latina. The record is a collaboration with Spanish musician Manuel Alejandro, who wrote and arranged the songs, and co-produc ...
'' (2008)
* ''
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (; born 19 April 1970) is a Mexican singer and record producer. Born in Puerto Rico to an Italian mother and a Spanish father, he is often referred to as Honorific nicknames in popular music, ''El Sol de Mexico'' ...
'' (2010)
* ''
¡México Por Siempre!
''¡México Por Siempre!'' ( Spanish for: 'Mexico Forever'; stylized as ''¡MÉXICO Por Siempre!'') is the 20th studio album by Mexican singer Luis Miguel. Released on 24 November 2017 via Warner Music Mexico, it is his second full-length mari ...
'' (2017)
Concert tours
*
Busca Una Mujer Tour (1989–1990)
*
20 Años Tour (1990–1991)
*
Romance Tour (1991–1992)
*
Aries Tour (1993–1994)
*
Segundo Romance Tour (1994)
*
El Concierto Tour (1995)
*
America Tour (1996)
*
Romances Tour (1997–1998)
*
Amarte Es Un Placer Tour (1999–2000)
*
Mis Romances Tour (2002)
*
33 Tour (2003–2004)
*
Mexico En La Piel Tour (2005–2007)
*
Cómplices Tour
Cómplices Tour () was a concert tour by the Mexican singer Luis Miguel to promote his album ''Cómplices''. The tour consisted of 91 concerts and ran through, US, Canada, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Mexico betw ...
(2008–2009)
*
Luis Miguel Tour (2010–2012)
*
The Hits Tour (2012–2013)
*
Deja Vu Tour (2014–2015)
*
México Por Siempre Tour (2018–2019)
*
Luis Miguel Tour 2023–24 (2023–2024)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
The
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), doing business as The Recording Academy, is an American Learned society, learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely kno ...
of the United States. Miguel received six awards from fifteen nominations.
Latin Grammy Awards
The
Latin Grammy Awards
The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music, Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish language, S ...
are awarded annually by The
Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., trading as The Latin Recording Academy (; ), is a multinational membership-based association composed of Latin music industry professionals, musicians, producers, recording engineers, and ...
of the United States. Miguel received six awards from nine nominations.
Filmography
See also
*
List of best-selling Latin music artists
Latin music has an ambiguous meaning in the music industry due to differing definitions of the term "Latin". For example, the Latin music market in the United States defines Latin music as any release that is mostly sung in Spanish, regardless ...
*
List of Mexicans
*
List of Puerto Ricans
This is a list of notable people from Puerto Rico which includes people who were born in Puerto Rico (Borinquen) and people who are of full or partial Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican descent. Puerto Rican citizens are included, as the governm ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
1970 births
Living people
20th-century Mexican male actors
20th-century Mexican male singers
21st-century Mexican male actors
21st-century Mexican male singers
21st-century Mexican singers
Bolero singers
EMI Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Italian-language singers of Mexico
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin music record producers
Latin pop singers
Mexican male film actors
Mexican male singers
Mexican people of Italian descent
Mexican people of Spanish descent
Mexican pop singers
Mexican Roman Catholics
Portuguese-language singers of Mexico
Spanish-language singers of Mexico
Warner Music Latina artists
World Music Awards winners