Miguel (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miguel
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Miguel performing in 2022
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Miguel Jontel Pimentel
October 23, 1985 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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| Awards | Full list |
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Miguel Jontel Pimentel (born October 23, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is famous for his unique blend of R&B and alternative R&B music. Miguel grew up in San Pedro, California, and started his music journey when he was just thirteen years old.
He signed with Jive Records in 2007. His first album, All I Want Is You, came out in 2010. Even though it wasn't promoted much at first, it slowly became a big hit. The song "Sure Thing" from this album became very popular in 2023. It reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it his most successful song so far.
After Jive Records closed in 2011, Miguel joined RCA Records. He then released his second album, Kaleidoscope Dream (2012). This album was also a big success and included the hit song "Adorn." His next albums, Wildheart (2015) and War & Leisure (2017), explored more alternative music styles. Wildheart reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. War & Leisure featured the song "Sky Walker" with Travis Scott, which sold over three million copies. Miguel's music mixes different styles like R&B, funk, hip hop, pop, rock, and electronic. People often compare his singing style to artists like Babyface and Prince.
Contents
Early Life and Music Start
Miguel Jontel Pimentel was born on October 23, 1985, in San Pedro, California. His mother is African American, and his father is Mexican. His parents separated when he was eight years old.
From a young age, Miguel was surrounded by music. His mother loved older R&B music. His father introduced him to funk, hip hop, jazz, and classic rock. These different styles influenced Miguel's own music.
In high school, a friend introduced Miguel to a music production company called Drop Squad. He spent the rest of his high school years learning how to work in a recording studio. He also became close friends with rapper Blu, who also lived in San Pedro.
Miguel's Music Career
Early Steps (2000–2006)
Miguel signed a deal with Drop Squad in 2000. In 2004, he tried out for a music group called Fatty Koo, but he wasn't chosen. Later that year, he signed with an independent record label called Black Ice. He started working on an album called Young & Free.
This album was supposed to come out in 2006 but was never officially released. Black Ice did put out a song called "Getcha Hands Up" with a music video. However, Miguel wanted to change his music style and decided to leave Black Ice Records.
Signing with Jive Records (2007–2011)
After leaving Black Ice, Miguel's manager showed some of his songs to music executive Mark Pitts. One of these songs was "Sure Thing," which Miguel described as a very personal song. In November 2007, Miguel signed a record deal with Jive Records.
He began recording his first album, All I Want Is You. But there was a legal issue with Black Ice, which delayed the album's release for two years. During this time, Miguel sang on songs for other artists like Usher and Musiq Soulchild. He also released a mixtape called Mischief: The Mixtape.
His debut album, All I Want Is You, finally came out in November 2010. At first, it didn't sell many copies. However, the album's title track became popular on the radio. Miguel also went on tour, opening for artists like Trey Songz and Usher. The album slowly gained popularity and became a "sleeper hit," meaning it became successful over time. It eventually sold over 400,000 copies in the US.
Moving to RCA and Second Album (2012–2013)
In 2011, Jive Records closed down and became part of RCA Records. Miguel moved to RCA and got a new team to help promote his music. His second album, Kaleidoscope Dream, was released on October 2, 2012. Critics really loved this album.
It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 71,000 copies in its first week. The first song from the album, "Adorn," became a huge hit. It was Miguel's second song to reach number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song helped Miguel become well-known to a wider audience.
In 2013, Miguel's song "#Beautiful" with Mariah Carey sold over a million copies in the US.
Recent Albums and Projects (2014–Present)
Miguel released his third album, Wildheart, on June 30, 2015. Before the album, he released a short collection of three songs called NWA.HollywoodDreams.Coffee. Wildheart was nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 2016, Miguel released the song "Waves," which was remixed by other artists. He also acted in the movie Live by Night in 2016. He sang a cover of Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" for the movie Fifty Shades Darker in 2017.
Miguel also joined the Schools Not Prisons tour. This tour aimed to raise awareness about important social issues in California. His music video for the song "Now" was filmed in Adelanto, California, to highlight these issues.
His fourth album, War & Leisure, came out on December 1, 2017. Miguel said this album had "political undertones" because it reflected how life felt at the time.
Miguel sang a duet called "Remember Me" with Natalia Lafourcade for the Disney Pixar movie Coco (2017). He also performed this song live at the Oscars in 2018. In 2019, Miguel released a music video for "I Found You" with Benny Blanco and Calvin Harris. This video supported a campaign to help immigrants waiting for asylum.
In April 2019, Miguel released a Spanish-language EP (a shorter album) called Te Lo Dije. This EP reached number 11 on the Top Latin Albums chart, which was his first time on that chart. In 2021, Miguel released a new EP called Art Dealer Chic 4.
In early 2023, his R&B song "Sure Thing" became very popular on TikTok. This led the song to enter music charts around the world and reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Another song from the same album, "Girl With The Tattoo Enter," also reached the Top 100 on Spotify US.
Miguel's Music Style
Miguel sees himself as part of a new group of R&B artists, including Frank Ocean and The Weeknd. His music is described as "eclectic, artsy R&B-pop." Miguel says he is influenced by many famous musicians. These include Prince, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie Mercury, Phil Collins, Donny Hathaway, The Notorious B.I.G., Kanye West, Queen, Usher, and Pharrell Williams. He also admires Stevie Wonder and John Lennon.
Besides singing, Miguel also plays the guitar. He has shown his dancing skills in many music videos and live performances, like for his song “Told You So”.
Miguel's music blends R&B, funk, hip hop, rock, and electronic styles. He describes his sound as "familiar" but also "shocking, edgy, energizing." His singing is influenced by classic rock bands like The Beatles, Queen, and The Police. Many people compare his voice to artists like Marvin Gaye and Prince.
Personal Life
Miguel has shared that Transcendental Meditation helps him balance his busy life. He says it's important to take a moment to breathe and center yourself.
Miguel was married to model Nazanin Mandi from 2018 to 2022.
Discography
Studio albums
- All I Want Is You (2010)
- Kaleidoscope Dream (2012)
- Wildheart (2015)
- War & Leisure (2017)
- Viscera (TBA)
Filmography
- Live by Night (2016) as Esteban Suarez
- Detroit (2017) as Malcolm
- The Platinum Life (2017, TV Series) as Himself
- Fearless (2020) as Arcannis (voice)
See also
In Spanish: Miguel (cantante) para niños
