Carlos Vives facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Vives
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Vives speaking at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo |
| Born | 7 August 1961 Santa Marta, Colombia |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
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Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo (born August 7, 1961) is a famous Colombian singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for mixing traditional Colombian music styles with modern pop and rock.
Carlos Vives is one of the top-selling Latin music artists ever. He has sold over 20 million records around the world. He helped make vallenato music popular globally. He also blends other traditional styles like cumbia and porro with Latin pop, rock, and reggaeton.
He has won many awards, including two Grammy Awards and seventeen Latin Grammy Awards. In 2024, he was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. Billboard magazine also recognized him as one of the greatest Latin artists of all time.
Carlos Vives has worked with many big names in Latin music. These include Shakira, Ricky Martin, Juanes, and Sebastián Yatra. Besides music, he is also a successful actor. He is well-known for his roles in TV shows like Gallito Ramírez and Escalona.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Carlos Vives was born on August 7, 1961, in Santa Marta, Colombia. He lived there until he was 12 years old. Then, his family moved to Bogotá for new opportunities.
In Bogotá, he studied advertising at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University. He also discovered his love for rock music. He started playing in local bars and cafés, building his musical skills.
Early Career in the 1980s
In 1982, Carlos Vives began acting in TV shows and telenovelas (soap operas). Some of his early roles were in Pequeños Gigantes and Tuyo es Mi Corazón. He became famous in 1986 for playing the main character in Gallito Ramírez. This show was about a boxer from the Colombian coast.
In the same year, he released his first music album, Por Fuera y Por Dentro. This album mostly featured ballads, but it did not become very popular. His next two albums, No Podrás Escapar de Mí (1987) and Al Centro de la Ciudad (1989), also focused on romantic ballads and did not sell well.
In 1989, Vives moved to Puerto Rico for acting jobs. He took a break from music during this time. He starred in shows like La Otra and Aventurera.
Music Transformation Since 1991
When Carlos Vives returned to Colombia in 1991, he got a TV role that changed his music career. He played the famous vallenato composer Rafael Escalona in a TV series called Escalona. Vives sang Escalona's songs in the show. This experience made him focus on vallenato music. The show's two soundtrack albums became very popular in Colombia.
In 1993, Vives released the album Clásicos de la Provincia with his band "La Provincia." He started mixing vallenato with rock, pop, and other Colombian rhythms. This new sound was very exciting and introduced vallenato to a wider audience. The album won a Billboard Latin Music Awards for Best Album.
His next album, La Tierra del Olvido (1995), continued to blend rock, funk, and pop with traditional Colombian music. This album included popular songs like its title track.
Later albums like Tengo Fé (1997), El Amor de Mi Tierra (1999), Déjame Entrar (2001), and El Rock de Mi Pueblo (2004) were also very successful. In 2002, Déjame Entrar won him his first Grammy Award.
In 2009, he released Clásicos de la Provincia II, where he covered more vallenato songs in his unique style.
Recent Projects and Collaborations
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In 2013, Carlos Vives released the album Corazón Profundo. Its first song, "Volví a Nacer," quickly became a number one hit. He also became a coach on the TV show The Voice Colombia.
In 2016, he released "La Bicicleta" with fellow Colombian singer Shakira. The song was filmed in their home cities in Colombia and became a huge hit. It reached number one on Billboard's US Latin Airplay chart.
In 2018, Carlos Vives joined La Voz (U.S.) as a coach. He worked alongside other famous artists like Luis Fonsi and Wisin.
He has continued to collaborate with many artists. In 2020, he joined a group of singers for "Color Esperanza 2020," a new version of Diego Torres' famous song. In 2021, he teamed up with Ricky Martin for "Canción Bonita," which blended Colombian and Puerto Rican music styles.
Carlos Vives also contributed to Disney projects. In 2021, he sang "Colombia, Mi Encanto" for the movie 'Encanto'. In 2023, he appeared in the Disney+ show 'The Low Tone Club' and wrote all the songs for its soundtrack.
In 2024, the Latin Grammys honored Carlos Vives as their Person of the Year. This award recognized his important contributions to Latin American music and his charity work in Colombia.
Personal Life
Carlos Vives has been married three times. His first wife was Colombian actress Margarita Rosa de Francisco. He then married Herlinda Gómez, with whom he had two children: Carlos Enrique and Lucía. He is currently married to former Miss Colombia Claudia Elena Vásquez. They have two children, Elena and Pedro. Carlos Vives spends his time between Miami and Colombia, especially in Santa Marta and Bogotá.
Music Albums
- Studio albums
- Por Fuera y Por Dentro (1986)
- No Podrás Escapar de Mí (1987)
- Al Centro de la Ciudad (1989)
- Escalona: Un Canto A La Vida (1991)
- Escalona: Vol. 2 (1992)
- Clásicos de la Provincia (1993)
- La Tierra del Olvido (1995)
- Tengo Fe (1997)
- El Amor de Mi Tierra (1999)
- Déjame Entrar (2001)
- El Rock de Mi Pueblo (2004)
- Clásicos de la Provincia II (2009)
- Corazón Profundo (2013)
- Más + Corazón Profundo (2014)
- Vives (2017)
- Cumbiana (2020)
- Cumbiana II (2022)
- Escalona Nunca Se Habia Grabado Asi (2023)
Acting Roles
Carlos Vives has had many roles in television. Some of his most notable appearances include:
- Gallito Ramírez (1986) - Main role as Javier "Gallito" Ramírez
- Escalona (1992) - Main role as Rafael Escalona
- La Voz Colombia (2012) - Coach
- La Voz US (2019–2020) - Coach
- The Low Tone Club - El Club de los Graves (2022–2023) - Recurring role as Amaranto Molina
Awards and Recognitions
Carlos Vives has received many awards for his music and acting. These include:
- Grammy Awards
- Latin Grammy Awards
- Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year
- BMI President’s Award
- ASCAP Founders Award
- Induction into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame
See Also
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
- List of singer-songwriters/Colombia
- Pop Latino
