Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López, better known by his stage name Luis Fonsi, is a Puerto Rican singer, composer, musician, producer, and actor who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was born on April 15, 1978, in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan. On January 1, 1998, he made his debut in the music world with the track “Comenzaré,” which was nominated for a Billboard Award in the category of Breakthrough Artist of the Year that year.
Despite the fact that he preferred to sing in English at first, he did not object to the Universal record label’s suggestion that he perform in Spanish instead. It was for this reason that his musical career would begin on September 15, 1998, with the release of his first album, “Comenzaré,” which was only available in Puerto Rico and the United States at the time.
This work was composed of ten songs, the majority of which were ballads, and was promoted by the singles “Dime cómo,” “Si tu quisieras,” “Perdóname,” and “Me iré.” In general, the album received positive reviews and was certified as the artist’s first gold album, as well as being nominated for New Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards.
He has collaborated with numerous world-class performers during his career, including Olga Taón (for whom he has written songs), David Bisbal (with whom he collaborated on the song “Perdóname”), and many others. Besides that, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with urban musicians such as Wisin y Yandel on the song “Yo te quiero” and with Arcángel on the song “Tu amor (Remix).”
The musical genre of Luis Fonsi
His voice range is tenor with a poetic quality. This artist’s romantic ballads and R&B rhythms have established him as one of the most important exponents of both genres on the international stage. In addition, his songs are based on his personal experiences with love and heartbreak, and they are realistic. If you want to hear them and have a memorable experience, cheap Luis Fonsi tickets are available for his upcoming concerts.
In 2017, he made his entry into the reggaeton genre with the release of the song “Despacito,” which he co-wrote with his fellow countryman Daddy Yankee.
His musical influences are numerous and diverse, as he does not adhere to a single genre, but rather has developed a musical ear that allows him to appreciate performers such as Stevie Wonder, Marc Anthony, Michael Jackson, and Luis Miguel, among others, among others.
5 curious things you didn’t know about “Despacito”
In countries such as Sweden, Norway, Malaysia, and other places where there is no tradition of Latin music, people also sing and dance to “Despacito,” this hymn to love, joy, and sensuality that brought Luis Fonsi international success the year it was released, and which is also still well-liked by fans around the world.
But what is the inspiration behind this song, and how was the creative process carried out?
It was written in only four hours
The best songs are the ones that are born organically, and Lusi Fonsi also stated that the best songs are the ones that come about in an organic fashion.
The idea came to him in a dreamy state
The inspiration for the song was the beach and Puerto Rico. Quite early in the morning, the idea came to Luis Fonsi and he hurried to the recording studio right away so he wouldn’t forget it.
It was going to be a cumbia
It was with singer-songwriter Erika Endel that he co-wrote the song for this album, and when played on guitar, it sounded like Colombian cumbia, but he didn’t know what to do with it.
The chords that are heard at the start of the song originate from a cuatro
In Puerto Rico, this is a classic and traditional instrument, consisting of five metallic strings, which he combined with a more pop-oriented and urban genre, something that had never been done before, as far as he is heard of.
It was not going to be released
As soon as he finished writing it, the artist and composer began working on other songs for his latest album, and he saw that “Despacito” had more potential, but he wasn’t sure where to take it in terms of production. It wasn’t until Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo, aka El Dandee, realized that it had to be a hybrid of pop and reggaeton that it came to be.
When the song was almost finished, it still needed a burst of energy, which he claims he lacks in his singing voice. And it is at this point that Daddy Yankee comes in with his power.
Bonus fact
Another interesting fact is that as a result of Fonsi’s song, tourism in Puerto Rico has surged by 45 percent, which is rather remarkable. He expresses tremendous pride in being a proud Puerto Rican and in writing a song that is a humble tribute to his homeland, its people, its taste, its rhythm, and its joy, and he expresses great satisfaction in doing so. And it’s for this reason that he chose to film the video in Puerto Rico and collaborate with Daddy Yankee, who is also a Puerto Rican musician. Luis Fonsi remarked that he had never had the opportunity to praise his nation in this manner because his previous songs were more romantic in nature before the release of “Despacito.”
The remix with Justin Bieber receives an average of 15 million views each day on YouTube. In fact, it is one of the most popular videos on YouTube, with over a billion views globally. Furthermore, it is the first Spanish-language song to reach the top of the global Spotify list, where it is currently at number one.
“Despacito” was released in January 2017 and had been streamed 28 million times within 24 hours of its release. It peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list in May of that year and has remained there since. It is the first Spanish-language song to have achieved mainstream success in the United States since 1996’s “Macarena.”
It has been a few years since the release of “Despacito”, but its rhythm still makes us move!
