Carlos Rivera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carlos Rivera
Rivera in 2021
Born	Carlos Rivera Guerra (1986-03-15) March 15, 1986 (age 39) Huamantla, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Spouse(s)	Cynthia Rodríguez ​ (m. 2022)​
Musical career
Genres	Pop, Latin, Mariachi, Musical
Occupation(s)	Singer, actor, songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Sony BMG

Carlos Rivera is a famous Mexican singer and actor. He became well-known after winning the TV singing competition La Academia in 2004. Since then, he has released many successful albums and starred in several theater shows.

Early Life and Big Break

Growing Up in Huamantla

Carlos Augusto Rivera Guerra was born on March 15, 1986, in Huamantla, Tlaxcala, Mexico. From a young age, Carlos was known for his cleverness and talent. He became a local celebrity in his hometown. He won many singing competitions and even hosted a radio show on Radio Huamantla.

Winning La Academia

Carlos got his big chance in 2004. After many try-outs, he earned a spot on the reality TV singing show La Academia. This show was produced by TV Azteca. Carlos faced many challenges and received critiques from judges. He performed solos and duets. In the end, Carlos won the third season of the show. He received more than 80% of the judges' votes. After his big win, the city council of Huamantla named him "Huamantla's Favorite Son."

Music and Theater Career

Starting His Music Journey

In 2005, Carlos Rivera signed a contract with Sony Music. He began working on his first album, which was named after him. That same year, he recorded the song "Y Si tu Supieras." This song was for the movie Mar de Sueños. The song was nominated for "Best Original Song" in 2006. This award was given by the Mexican Film Journalism Association.

Early Theater Roles

While making his album, Carlos also worked in theater. In 2006, he starred in the musical Besame Mucho. The next year, he performed in a comedy play. By 2008, when he was only 22, Carlos made history. He became the youngest actor in the world to play the main male role in Beauty and the Beast. This was the first big Broadway-style show that Disney produced in Mexico.

In 2009, Carlos starred in his fourth theater show, Mamma Mia!. For this role, he was nominated for "Best Co-Actor of the Year" by the Association of Journalists Theater.

Second Album: Mexicano

Carlos recorded his second studio album, Mexicano, in 2010. This album, like his first, became very popular and was certified gold. It included hit songs like "Te me vas" and "No soy el aire." Kiko Campos produced the album.

Starring in The Lion King

In 2011, Carlos Rivera achieved another milestone. He became the first Mexican actor to star in a Disney production outside of Mexico. He played the role of Simba in The Lion King in Madrid, Spain.

For the next two years, over a million people watched Carlos perform as Simba. He sold out about 700 shows at the Lope de Vega Theater in Madrid. In 2012, he won the "Best New Actor" award at the Broadway World Spain Awards.

In 2013, Carlos focused on his last Lion King shows and released his third album, El hubiera no existe. This album also went gold in Mexico. It was released in Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Central America, and Portugal.

El Hubiera No Existe Album and Tour

The album El Hubiera No Existe featured collaborations with famous artists. These included Mario Dom, Franco De Vita, Leonel García, and Pablo Preciado. The album had popular songs like "Fascinación," "Solo Tú," and "Gracias a ti." He also sang a duet with De Vita called "Que fue de nuestra vida."

Carlos went on a world tour called "El Hubiera No Existe Tour." He had 60 sold-out shows in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Buenos Aires, and Guadalajara.

Recent Career Highlights

In 2014, Carlos Rivera was a judge on Spain's version of The Voice. That same year, he celebrated 10 years as an artist. He released a live album called Con Ustedes... Carlos Rivera En Vivo. This album was recorded during his second performance at the Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City.

In 2015, Carlos returned to the cast of The Lion King in Mexico. This production became the highest-earning show in Mexico's history. From 2015 to 2016, Carlos performed in over 300 shows. Combined with his time in Spain, he has acted in more than 1,000 theater shows. About 1.4 million people have seen him perform.

Carlos is the only actor in the world to have starred in two original Disney productions of The Lion King. He is also the only main actor to record on two soundtracks. He helped adapt the original songs for the Spanish version.

In 2016, Carlos starred in the TV show El hotel de los secretos. In February of that year, he released his fourth album, Yo Creo. It quickly became number 1 on sales charts in Mexico and Spain. Carlos also recorded a song for the Argentinian TV show Los ricos no piden permiso.

Carlos has worked with many other artists. These include Juan Gabriel, Maluma, Banda el Recodo, Thalía, José José, and Laura Pausini.

Film and TV Appearances

Carlos Rivera has appeared in several films and television shows.

Awards and Recognitions

Carlos Rivera has received several awards for his work.

Premios TVyNovelas

• In 2004, he won first place in La Academia.
• In 2005, he received an award from the teachers' union of Tlaxcala.
• Former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto presented Carlos with the Artistic Merit Award at the Premios Antena.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• 2007: Carlos Rivera
• 2010: Mexicano
• 2013: El Hubiera No Existe
• 2016: Yo Creo
• 2018: Guerra
• 2020: Si Fuera Mia EP
• 2021: Crónicas de una Guerra
• 2021: Leyendas Vol. 1

Theater Productions

Carlos Rivera has starred in many popular theater shows.

• 2006: Bésame Mucho
• 2007: Comedy Play
• 2008: La Bella y la Bestia (Beauty and the Beast)
• 2009: Mamma Mia!
• 2011: El Rey León (Spain) (The Lion King in Spain)
• 2015: El Rey León (México) (The Lion King in Mexico)

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Rivera para niños