Luis Fonsi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luis Fonsi
Fonsi in 2015
Born	Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (1978-04-15) April 15, 1978 (age 47) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Citizenship	United States
Education	Dr. Phillips High School
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Adamari López ​ ​ (m. 2006; div. 2010)​ Águeda López ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	2
Relatives	Jean Rodríguez (brother)
Musical career
Origin	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Latin pop rock en español reggaeton pop pop rock R&B acoustic
Labels	Universal Latin

Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known as Luis Fonsi, is a famous singer from Puerto Rico. He is best known for his catchy, dance-friendly songs, especially his huge hit "Despacito" from 2017.

Fonsi has won many awards for his music. He received his first Latin Grammy Award for "Song of the Year" with his song "Aquí Estoy Yo". This song also won three Billboard Latin Music Awards. His song "Despacito" became a massive success, earning him four Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Latin Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards. It was even nominated for three Grammy Awards! He also won a Latin American Music Award for "Échame la Culpa", which he sang with Demi Lovato.

By 2018, Luis Fonsi had broken six Guinness World Records. "Despacito" sold over 11 million copies. Its music video was the most-watched video on YouTube for a long time, with over 8 billion views!

Early Life and Music Dreams

Luis Fonsi was born on April 15, 1978, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was the oldest of three children. His younger brother, Jean Rodríguez, is also a singer.

When he was growing up, Fonsi looked up to popular music groups like Menudo. He also admired the San Juan Children's Choir.

At age 10, his family moved from Puerto Rico to Orlando, Florida. He went to Westridge Middle School and Dr. Phillips High School. In high school, he joined an a cappella group called "The Big Guys." They sang at school parties and local events. One of the group members, Joey Fatone, later became famous with the band *NSYNC.

In 1995, Fonsi got a scholarship to the Florida State University School of Music. He also sang in the school's choir. But he decided to leave college early to focus on his music career. Soon after, he got a record deal with Universal Music Latin.

Luis Fonsi's Music Journey

Early Albums and Big Steps

Fonsi in 2005

In 1997, Fonsi started working on his first album, Comenzaré (which means I Will Begin). It came out in 1998 and became very popular in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries.

In 2000, his next album, Eterno, was even more successful. Around this time, he sang a duet with Christina Aguilera for her Spanish album. He also performed for Pope John Paul II at a concert in Rome. Later that year, he performed at the White House to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks.

In 2002, Luis Fonsi was the opening act for Britney Spears' tour in the US and Mexico. That same year, he released an English album called "Fight The Feeling." In 2003, he performed for a huge audience at Miss World 2003 in China.

His fifth album, Abrazar la vida, sold very well and helped him reach new fans in Europe. The song "¿Quién Te Dijo Eso?" became a number one hit on the Billboard Latin charts. He also sang a duet called "Amazing" with Spice Girl Emma Bunton. His sixth album, Paso a Paso, also reached number one. The song "Nada Es Para Siempre" was a big hit and was nominated for a Latin Grammy.

Continued Success and "No Me Doy por Vencido"

In 2007, Luis Fonsi was a judge for a new version of the boy band Menudo. His seventh album, Palabras del Silencio, debuted at number one and stayed there for many weeks.

In 2008, his song "No Me Doy por Vencido" became his first song to enter the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart and was named Billboard's "Latin Pop Song of the Decade."

In 2009, Luis Fonsi won a Latin Grammy Award for "Song of the Year" for "Aquí Estoy Yo". He also performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway, honoring President Barack Obama.

In 2011, Fonsi released the album Tierra Firme and toured Latin America. Billboard magazine even called him the "Leader of Latin Music's New Generation."

In 2014, Fonsi released his eighth album, 8. He then went on a tour called "Somos Uno." He also mentioned that he was interested in acting.

"Despacito" and Global Fame

Fonsi in concert

In January 2017, Luis Fonsi released "Despacito" with Daddy Yankee. This song quickly became a global sensation! By April 2018, its music video had over five billion views on YouTube. It was number one on almost every Latin Billboard chart.

In April 2017, a new version of "Despacito" was released featuring Canadian singer Justin Bieber. This remix reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It stayed at number one for 16 weeks in a row, tying the record for the longest-reigning top song in the chart's history!

In August 2017, Fonsi was named the tourism ambassador for Puerto Rico.

In November 2017, he released "Échame la Culpa" with Demi Lovato. This song was also a big hit, winning Song of the Year at the Latin American Music Awards of 2018.

He continued to release new music, including "Calypso" with Stefflon Don in 2018, and "Baby" with Clean Bandit. In 2019, he became a coach on the Spanish version of La Voz for Telemundo.

After five years, his 10th studio album, Vida, was released in February 2019. It included "Despacito (Remix)" and "Échame la Culpa." The album topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.

In 2019, Fonsi sang "Right Where I'm Supposed to Be" for the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. He also performed at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Acting and TV Appearances

Luis Fonsi has also appeared in films and TV shows. In 1992, he had a small role in the movie Como Agua Para Chocolate.

In 2004, he acted in the Mexican TV show Corazones al límite. He also made a special appearance on the Nickelodeon series Taina in 2001. In 2013, he performed on Broadway in Forever Tango.

He has also been a coach on singing competition shows like The Voice Chile and La Voz in the US.

Personal Life

In 2003, Luis Fonsi started dating actress Adamari López. When López was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, Fonsi stopped his tour to be by her side. She has been healthy since 2006.

Fonsi and Adamari López got married in 2006 but later divorced in 2010.

In 2014, Fonsi married Spanish model Águeda López. They have two children: a daughter born in December 2011 and a son born in December 2016.

Giving Back

Since 2008, Luis Fonsi has been an ambassador for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. This hospital helps children who are fighting childhood cancer. In 2017, he received the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for his good work.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, Fonsi helped a lot to raise money and support for the island. He was honored with the Global Gift Philanthropy Award for his efforts. He also works to share Latin culture around the world.

Music Albums

Fonsi performing in 2009

Luis Fonsi has released many studio albums:

• Comenzaré (1998)
• Eterno (2000)
• Amor Secreto (2002)
• Fight the Feeling (2002)
• Abrazar la vida (2003)
• Paso a Paso (2005)
• Palabras del Silencio (2008)
• Tierra Firme (2011)
• 8 (2014)
• Vida (2019)
• Ley de Gravedad (2022)
• El Viaje (2024)

Tours

Luis Fonsi has traveled the world on many concert tours:

• Comenzaré Tour (1998–99)
• Eterno Tour (2000–01)
• Amor Secreto Tour (2002)
• Abrazar La Vida Tour (2003–04)
• Paso a Paso Tour (2005–06)
• Palabras del Silencio Tour (2009–10)
• Tierra Firme Tour (2011–13)
• Somos Uno Tour (2014–15)
• Love + Dance World Tour (2017–18)
• Vida World Tour (2019)
• Noche Perfecta (2022)

Awards and Recognitions

Luis Fonsi has won many awards throughout his career. Here are some of them:

American Music Awards

Billboard Music Awards

Billboard Latin Music Awards

BMI Awards

Grammy Awards

iHeartRadio Music Awards

Latin American Music Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

LOS40 Music Awards

MTV Millennial Awards

Premio Lo Nuestro

Teen Choice Awards

Premios Juventud

See also

In Spanish: Luis Fonsi para niños

• List of best-selling Latin music artists
• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of composers by nationality
• List of Puerto Rican songwriters