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	2013–present
Musical career
Genres	Pop Latin pop reggaeton
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Universal Latino

Sebastián Obando Giraldo (born October 15, 1994), who is known by his stage name Sebastián Yatra, is a famous Colombian singer, songwriter, and actor. He started his career singing Latin pop songs and romantic ballads. He later became famous for his hit reggaeton singles.

Yatra is known for writing romantic songs that mix classic styles with modern reggaeton beats. He became a big star in Latin America in 2016 with his hit song "Traicionera". Since then, he has released three popular albums and has worked with many different artists. In 2024, Yatra even starred on Broadway as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago.

Early Life and School Days

Yatra was born in Medellín, Colombia. He lived for a short time in Cartagena before his family moved to Miami, Florida, when he was five years old. His father stayed in Colombia for his job, so his parents had a long-distance relationship for about 12 years.

In Miami, Yatra learned to play the piano and guitar and took singing lessons. He also loved to play soccer. The first concert he ever went to was for the Colombian singer Juanes. When he was 12, he played the part of Troy Bolton in his school's version of High School Musical. This experience made him decide he wanted to be a singer.

In high school, he played soccer as a midfielder. He would even wear a scarf over his mouth during practice to protect his voice for singing. He would sing for his teammates on the bus to and from games. After graduating from the Sagemont Preparatory School in 2012, he went to Babson College to study business. However, he soon left college to follow his dream of making music. At age 20, he moved back to Colombia to start his career.

Music Career

2013–2017: Getting Started and "Traicionera"

In 2013, Yatra released his first single, "El psicólogo" (The Psychologist). It was a pop ballad with a reggae sound. The song became a small hit in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and the United States. He gained more fans by touring with other artists like Paty Cantú.

His real international breakthrough came with the song "Traicionera" (Traitor). This reggaeton and trap song became a huge hit across Latin America and Europe. It showed he was a major new star. Later, he worked with the famous Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the song "Robarte un Beso" (Steal a Kiss from You), which also became a big success.

2018–2019: Mantra and Fantasía

Yatra performing in 2018

Yatra released his first album, Mantra, in May 2018. He said the album was full of positive energy and songs about love. That same year, he was the voice of the character Migo in the Spanish version of the animated movie Smallfoot.

In December 2018, his song "Ya No Tiene Novio" (She Doesn't Have a Boyfriend Anymore) with the duo Mau y Ricky hit number one on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart. To promote the song, the artists pretended to have a "feud" or rivalry online, which got a lot of people talking about the song before it even came out.

In 2019, Yatra released his second album, Fantasía (Fantasy). The album's first single, "Un Año" (One Year), featuring the band Reik, was very popular. Many people connected with the song's lyrics about being separated from family. Even though he had made reggaeton hits, Fantasía was mostly an album of ballads. Yatra said, "I started my career as a balladeer... I did not want to lose my essence."

2019–present: Dharma and Global Success

Yatra performing in La Paz, Bolivia in 2022.

In June 2019, Yatra released "Runaway" with Daddy Yankee, Natti Natasha, and the Jonas Brothers. This was his first bilingual song, with parts in both English and Spanish. Yatra had waited two years to find the perfect artists for the song.

In October 2019, he shared his support for some Colombian politicians. Later that year, he worked with the rock band Maná on a new version of their song "No Ha Parado De Llover." The music video was a message against texting while driving.

In 2021, Yatra achieved a huge dream by singing a song for a Disney movie. He recorded "Dos Oruguitas" (Two Little Caterpillars) for the movie Encanto, which is about his home country of Colombia. The song was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song.

On February 22, 2022, Yatra announced the North American dates for his Dharma World Tour.

Musical Style

Yatra photographed in an interview in 2022.

Yatra's music is a mix of Latin pop, reggaeton, and romantic ballads. He has said that he is inspired by artists like Ricky Martin, Shakira, and J Balvin.

Even though he grew up in Florida and speaks English perfectly, Yatra sings almost all of his songs in Spanish. He said, "My goal was always to be a singer in Spanish. I really wanted to understand where I come from and live it." He feels it is important to honor his Colombian roots.

Filmography

Films

Telenovels and series

Discography

• Mantra (2018)
• Fantasía (2019)
• Dharma (2022)
• Milagro (2025)

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 the most important ones.

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

American Music Awards

See also

In Spanish: Sebastián Yatra para niños