Gian Marco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gian Marco
Born	Gian Marco Javier Zignago Alcóver (1970-08-17) 17 August 1970 (age 55) Lima, Peru
Other names	Giani Gianmarco
Occupation	Musician singer composer actor
Years active	1987-present
Musical career
Genres	Pop Rock Vals
Instruments	Guitar piano charango
Labels	Sony Music

Gian Marco Javier Zignago Alcóver (born on August 17, 1970) is a talented musician and actor from Peru. He is famous for writing and singing his own songs. Gian Marco has won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Singer-Songwriter Album three times. He won for his albums Resucitar in 2005, Días Nuevos in 2011, and 20 Años in 2012. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Peru, helping children.

Gian Marco's mother is the Peruvian actress and singer Regina Alcóver. His father was the Peruvian composer and singer Javier Óscar Florencio Zignago Viñas, known as Joe Danova.

Who is Gian Marco?

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Gian Marco was born in Lima, Peru, on August 17, 1970. His parents were both artists. His mother, María Regina Alcóver Ureta, is an actress and singer. His father, Javier Óscar Florencio Zignago Viñas, was a composer and singer known as Joe Danova.

Because his parents were artists, Gian Marco grew up surrounded by music and art. He listened to his father's songs and watched his mother perform. As a child, he traveled with his parents and learned to love the life of an artist.

When he was 12, Gian Marco sang on TV for the first time. It was on an Argentine show called Domingos Gigantes. A year later, he sang in Caracas on a TV show called La Revista de los Sábados. People were impressed by the 13-year-old singing "Eva Maria." When he was six, he even recorded a song with his father called "Navidad Es" ("Christmas Is").

Gian Marco went to Colegio Santa Margarita in Lima. He played the guitar and sang in all school events. At age 11, he recorded a song for a musical called Papito Piernas Largas. His mother was also in that play. Gian Marco spent his youth singing and acting, getting ready for his successful career.

After finishing school at 18, Gian Marco went to Santiago de Chile. He studied graphic design there. Even though he was good at design, he still felt drawn to music. To show his talent, he started playing in popular places in Santiago and Viña del Mar. He began to make a name for himself as a musician.

First Albums and National Fame

About a year and a half later, Gian Marco returned to Lima. One of his songs was chosen for the Peruvian version of the Festival OTI de la Canción in 1989. This led to his first record deal. He also acted in a TV show called "Velo negro, velo blanco." The press noticed him a lot at the festival.

In 1990, his first album, Gian Marco: Historias, was released. It had popular songs like "Domitila" and "Mírame." In 1992, he recorded his second album, Personal, in Santiago, Chile. Songs like "Te Extrañaré" and "Dame un Beso" became hits that year. In 1993, he won first place in the Peruvian Festival OTI. This meant he would represent Peru at the International Festival OTI in Valencia, Spain.

Television and Wider Recognition

In the mid-1990s, Gian Marco released more successful albums. He also started writing many songs. He was asked to host a popular game show called Campaneando with Bruno Pinasco. Hosting this show helped him become well-known to more people in Peru. While on TV, he also kept making music. He composed and recorded Entre la arena y la luna (1994), Señora, Cuénteme (1994), and Al Quinto Día (1997). His album Señora, Cuénteme was a tribute to canción criolla, showing his love for Peruvian music.

Becoming an International Artist

Gian Marco wanted to share his music with the world. He decided to travel to the United States. There, he caught the attention of Emilio Estefan, a famous music producer. Estefan hired him as a composer and singer. Gian Marco worked with Estefan on songs for Mandy Moore's album.

He also continued to work on his own music. In 2002, he released A Tiempo under the Crescent Moon/Sony label. This album was played on radio stations worldwide and sold over 50,000 copies in Spain. It earned him three Latin Grammy nominations. This made him one of the most important Peruvian singer-songwriters of his time.

In 2002, Gian Marco also recorded the theme song for the Americas Cup (Soccer). The song, "Más allá de los sueños" ("Beyond Dreams"), was a big hit. In 2003, he received an award for "Emerging Latin Artist" in Spain.

Later, he released the album Resucitar (2004). Gian Marco said this album was more positive and less about lost love. It was very successful and won him a Latin Grammy in 2005. Many popular songs came from this album, including "Resucitar," "Sin querer," and "Gota de lluvia."

Celebrating 15 and 20 Years of Music

In 2005, Gian Marco held a huge concert at the Estadio Monumental de Perú. Over 40,000 fans came to celebrate his 15 years in music. Many guest artists joined him, including his mother, Regina Alcóver. The concert ended with a mix of his song "Hoy" and traditional Peruvian "huaynos."

In 2006, he released Grandes Éxitos in Peru. This album featured his best songs. That same year, he sang the theme song for the animated movie Dragones: Destino de fuego.

On November 17, 2006, Gian Marco released his album 8. It had ten new songs. The first single in Peru was "No Te Avisa." For the rest of the world, it was "¿Qué Pasa?," which showed Gian Marco trying out a rap sound.

His album 20 Years celebrated his 20 years as an artist. It included 18 re-recorded songs and two new ones, "Invisible" and "In another Life." "Invisible" was co-written with Amaury Gutierrez. In 2012, he received a Quadruple Platinum Certification in Mexico. This was for selling over 400,000 copies of his albums in Latin America since 2006. Later that year, he won his third Latin Grammy.

Gian Marco's Musical Style

Gian Marco is well-known in Latin America as a songwriter. He has written songs for many famous artists. These include Marc Anthony, Pandora, Jon Secada, Jaci Velasquez, Obie Bermúdez, Emmanuel, Alejandro Fernández, Gloria Estefan, and Luis Enrique.

He has also been the face of big brands like Pepsi and Inca Kola. Currently, he works with Claro, a leading mobile phone company in Peru. Many media outlets, including Billboard Magazine, recognize him as one of the best songwriters in Peruvian history. They also see him as an artist who helped put Peruvian music on the international map.

Awards and Nominations

Discography

• Historias (1990)
• Personal (1992)
• Entre la Arena y la Luna (1994)
• Amor Y Descontrol: 31 Exitos (1995)
• Señora, Cuénteme (1996)
• Al Quinto Día (1997)
• A Tiempo (2002)
• Resucitar (2004)
• Grandes Éxitos (2006)
• 8 (2006)
• Desde Adentro (2008)
• En Vivo Desde El Lunario (2009)
• En Tiempo Real DVD (2010)
• Gianmarco De Siempre (2011)
• Días Nuevos (2011)
• 20 Años (2012)
• Versiones (2013)
• #Libre (2015)
• Siete Semillas (Cd Single) (2016)
• Por Ti Peru Hoy (Ep) (2017)
• Besame (Cd Single) (2018)
• Intuición (2018)
• Mandarina (2021)
• Aún Me Sigo Encontrando (2024)

See also

In Spanish: Gian Marco para niños