Sebastián Yatra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sebastián Yatra
Yatra at the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards
Born	Sebastián Obando Giraldo (1994-10-15) 15 October 1994 (age 30) Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Occupation	Singer songwriter stage actor
Years active	2016–present
Musical career
Genres	Pop Latin pop reggaeton
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Universal Latino

Sebastián Obando Giraldo (born October 15, 1994), known as Sebastián Yatra, is a singer, songwriter, and actor from Colombia. He started his music career singing Latin pop and romantic songs called ballads. Later, he also released many popular reggaeton songs. Yatra is known for his sweet and romantic lyrics, mixing old-style songwriting with new reggaeton sounds.

He became very famous in Latin America in 2016 with his hit song "Traicionera." Since then, he has released three studio albums. He has also worked with many different artists from various music styles. Sebastián Yatra was born in Medellín, Colombia, but grew up mostly in Miami. He started singing when he was young.

His song "Traicionera" was a huge success. After that, he had another big hit called "Robarte un Beso" with Carlos Vives. "Traicionera" was the first song from his first album, Mantra, released in 2018. This album also included "Sutra" with Puerto Rican rapper Dalmata. Later, he released the album Fantasía, which featured the song "Un Año" with the Mexican band Reik. He continued to be successful by working with Daddy Yankee, Natti Natasha, and the Jonas Brothers on the song "Runaway". In 2024, Yatra performed on Broadway for the first time in the musical Chicago.

Early Life and Music Dreams

Sebastián Yatra was born in Medellín, Colombia. When he was five, he moved to Miami, Florida with his mother. His father stayed in Colombia for his job. Yatra said this was a big sacrifice for his family. His parents had a long-distance relationship for about 12 years.

Yatra learned to play piano and guitar. He also took singing lessons. He loved playing soccer, but he decided to focus on music. Still, he enjoys playing soccer as a hobby. The first concert he ever went to was by the Colombian pop singer Juanes. Yatra decided he wanted to be a singer when he was twelve. This happened after he played the role of Troy Bolton in his school's play of High School Musical.

In high school, Yatra played soccer. He would often wear a scarf over his mouth to protect his voice. On the bus to and from games, he would sing for his teammates. He sang songs by his favorite artists and his own songs. He took vocal lessons every day after school. After finishing high school in 2012, Yatra went to college to study business. However, he left college to focus on his music career. When he was 20, he moved back to Colombia to start his journey as a musician.

Sebastián Yatra's Music Journey

Early Success and "Traicionera"

In 2013, Yatra had his first small hit song, "El psicólogo." This song became popular in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States. "El Psicólogo" was a pop song with some reggae style. Yatra went on tour with other artists, which helped him become more known. His next song, "Todo Lo Que Siento," was also popular. Then, "Para olvidar" became a big hit in several countries. In 2015, he released two more successful songs, "No me llames" and "Cómo Mirarte."

Yatra became famous around the world with his song "Traicionera." This song mixed reggaeton, trap, and EDM music. It made him a favorite artist in Latin America and the United States. The song also did well in Spain and other parts of Europe. "Traicionera" was certified double platinum in Colombia. It also reached number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Yatra's song "Robarte Un Beso" with Colombian singer Carlos Vives won an ASCAP award. The music video for this song shows four love stories. Each story is about partners singing to each other.

Mantra and Fantasía Albums

Yatra performing in 2018

Yatra released his album Mantra in May 2018. He explained that his songs are like his "mantra." They bring good energy and positive feelings. In 2018, Yatra also voiced the character Migo in the Spanish version of the movie Smallfoot. He released the song "Sutra" with reggaeton artist Dalmata in March 2018. This song reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.

In December 2018, Yatra's song "Ya No Tiene Novio" with Mau y Ricky became number one on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart. To promote the song, Yatra and Mau y Ricky pretended to have a "fight." Yatra said they told everyone the song was bad, which made people curious. Other famous artists like Maluma and J Balvin even commented on their "rivalry." The music video for the song shows them playfully competing.

In January 2019, Sebastián Yatra and Reik released the song "Un Año." Many Venezuelan people who had to leave their families felt a strong connection to the song's lyrics. This song was released along with his new album Fantasía in April 2019. Even though he had released some reggaeton songs, most of the songs on Fantasía are ballads. Yatra said he started his career singing ballads and didn't want to lose that part of his music. Fantasía was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

Dharma and New Collaborations

Yatra performing in La Paz, Bolivia in 2022.

In June 2019, Yatra released "Runaway." This song featured Daddy Yankee, Natti Natasha, and the Jonas Brothers. It was Yatra's first song that used two languages. He wrote the chorus in English and wanted an English-speaking artist to join the song. He waited two years to find the right people to work with. Yatra said that you can "feel the happiness in the track." He performed the song with Natti Natasha, Daddy Yankee, and the Jonas Brothers at the start of the Jonas Brothers' Happiness Begins Tour.

His song "Oye" with Argentine singer Tini reached number one on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart in October 2019. The music video for "Oye" got over 40 million views on YouTube in just two weeks. In November 2019, Yatra worked with the Mexican rock band Maná. They released a new version of Maná's 1995 song "No Ha Parado De Llover." The music video for the song shows a car accident and reminds people not to text and drive.

Yatra has encouraged his fans to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, he started reading children's books on Instagram Live every night. Also in March 2020, he released a new version of his song "Falta Amor" from the Fantasía album, featuring Ricky Martin. Yatra said singing with Ricky Martin was "insane" and a huge moment for him. He also announced that he would open for Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias on their US tour.

In 2021, Yatra sang the Spanish song "Dos Oruguitas" and its English version, "Two Oruguitas." These songs were for the Disney animated movie Encanto. This was Yatra's first time singing for a Disney movie. He said it was a dream come true, especially since the movie was about his home country, Colombia. "Dos Oruguitas" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2022 Oscars. In February 2022, Yatra announced the dates for his Dharma World Tour in North America.

Sebastián Yatra's Music Style

Yatra photographed in an interview in 2022.

Sebastián Yatra's music is known as Latin pop, reggaeton, and ballads. His sound is a mix between classic romantic songs and modern, energetic music. He is inspired by Latin pop and reggaeton artists like Ricky Martin, Shakira, J Balvin, Juanes, and Reik. Yatra hopes to make ballads popular again for younger audiences. He believes that ballads are not boring or old. His song "Traicionera" is an example of his music mixing different styles, like trap and EDM.

Even though Yatra grew up in Florida and speaks English very well, he sings mostly in Spanish. He said his goal was always to be a singer in Spanish. He wanted to understand and connect with his Colombian roots. His song "Runaway" in June 2019 was his first time writing a song in two languages. In December 2019, he worked with the South Korean boy group Monsta X on the song "Magnetic." This song has Yatra singing in Spanish and Monsta X singing in a mix of Spanish and English.

Acting and TV Shows

Sebastián Yatra has also appeared in movies and TV shows.

Movies

TV Series

Reality Shows and Other Appearances

Music Albums

• Mantra (2018)
• Fantasía (2019)
• Dharma (2022)

Music Tours

• Sebastián Yatra Tour (2018-2019)
• Yatra Yatra Tour (2019-2020)
• Dharma World Tour (2022)

Awards and Nominations

Sebastián Yatra has won many awards for his music. Here are some of them:

ASCAP Latin Awards

Heat Latin Music Awards

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

Latin American Music Awards

MTV Europe Music Award

American Music Awards

Premios Lo Nuestro

See also

In Spanish: Sebastián Yatra para niños