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 well-known for his emotional and dance-friendly songs. His biggest hit is "Despacito" from 2017.

Luis 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. "Despacito" became a huge success, earning him four Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Latin Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards. He also won a Latin American Music Award for "Échame la Culpa", which he sang with Demi Lovato.

By 2018, 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, reaching over 8 billion views.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

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 young, Fonsi looked up to popular groups like Menudo. He also admired the San Juan Children's Choir.

At age 10, his family moved to Orlando, Florida. He went to Westridge Middle School and Dr. Phillips High School. In high school, he sang in an a cappella group called "The Big Guys." They performed at school events and local festivals. One member, Joey Fatone, later joined the famous group *NSYNC.

In 1995, Fonsi received a scholarship to Florida State University School of Music. He joined the school's choir and even sang with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. However, he decided to leave college to focus on his music career. Soon after, he signed a recording contract with Universal Music Latin.

Music Career Highlights

Early Albums and Growing Fame

Fonsi in 2005

In 1997, Fonsi started working on his first album, Comenzaré (meaning I Will Begin). It came out in 1998. The album reached number 11 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart. It included popular songs like "Si Tú Quisieras" and "Perdóname." Comenzaré became a hit in Puerto Rico and many Latin American countries.

His next album, Eterno, released in 2000, was even more successful. Around this time, Fonsi sang a duet with Christina Aguilera for her Spanish album, Mi Reflejo. He also performed at a big concert in Rome for Pope John Paul II. In 2002, Fonsi opened for Britney Spears on her "Dream Within a Dream Tour" in the US and Mexico. He also released an English album called "Fight The Feeling." In 2003, he performed 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 number one on the Billboard Latin charts. His sixth album, Paso a Paso, also debuted at number one. The song "Nada Es Para Siempre" reached number one 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, was number one for many weeks. In September 2008, Luis Fonsi's song "No Me Doy por Vencido" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart and became one of his biggest hits. "No Me Doy por Vencido" was named Billboard's "Latin Pop Song of the Decade."

In November 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 Oslo in honor of President Barack Obama.

In 2011, Fonsi released the album Tierra Firme. He then went on tour across Latin America to promote it. In 2014, Fonsi released his eighth album, 8. He also went on a tour called "Somos Uno."

"Despacito" and Global Fame

Fonsi in concert

In January 2017, Luis Fonsi released "Despacito" with Daddy Yankee. This song became a massive global hit. By April 2018, its music video had over five billion views on YouTube. The song reached 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 was the first number one song for both Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. The song stayed at number one for 16 weeks, tying a record for the longest time at the top of the chart.

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 debuted at number three on the Hot Latin chart. It won Song of the Year at the Latin American Music Awards of 2018.

In June 2018, Fonsi released "Calypso" with Stefflon Don. He also worked with Clean Bandit on their song "Baby" in November 2018. In October 2018, he collaborated with Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti on "Per le strade una canzone".

In January 2019, Fonsi became a coach on the first Spanish season of La Voz by Telemundo. On February 1, 2019, he released his 10th album, Vida. This album included "Despacito (Remix)" and "Échame la Culpa". It topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.

In 2019, Fonsi performed "Right Where I'm Supposed to Be." This was the official song for the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. He performed at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. In November 2023, Fonsi was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.

Acting and TV Appearances

Luis Fonsi has also appeared in movies and TV shows. In 1992, he had a small role in the film Como Agua Para Chocolate. In 2004, he acted in the Mexican TV show Corazones al límite. He also had a special appearance on the Nickelodeon series Taina in 2001.

Fonsi has been a coach on different versions of The Voice around the world. He was a coach on The Voice Chile from 2015 to 2016. From 2019 to 2020, he was a coach on La Voz America, winning the 2019 season with his artist Jeidimar Rijos. He has also been a coach on La Voz Spain since 2019, winning the 2023 season.

Personal Life

In 2003, Fonsi began dating actress Adamari López. They were both from Puerto Rico and worked for Univision. In 2005, Fonsi stopped his international tour when López was diagnosed with cancer. He stayed by her side during her treatments.

On June 3, 2006, Luis Fonsi and Adamari López got married in Puerto Rico. Many celebrities attended their wedding. They officially divorced on November 8, 2010.

Fonsi later married Spanish model Águeda López on September 10, 2014. They had been living together for three years. Their first child, a daughter, was born in December 2011. In December 2016, they welcomed their second child, a son.

Helping Others

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, the Billboard Latin Music Awards gave him the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for his good work.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in 2017, Fonsi became a major helper in raising money and support for the islands. He received the Global Gift Philanthropy Award for his efforts. He also supports sharing Latin culture around the world.

Discography

Fonsi performing in 2009

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

• 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 Nominations

Luis Fonsi has won many awards throughout his career. Here are some of the most important ones:

American Music Awards

Billboard Music Awards

Billboard Latin Music Awards

BMI 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