SXSWORLD

Juanes: International Star Has Eye on the American Market by Claudia Alarcon M ention the name Juanes to anyone with Latin American roots and you will get an enthusiastic reaction. Th e gifted songwriter, whose compositions refl ect personal experiences and a message of peace and respect for mankind, has reached iconic status among millions of fans around the world, while his social activism has earned him comparisons to artists such as Bono and Bruce Springsteen. Born Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez in Medellin, Colombia, Juanes learned to love music at an early age. Infl uenced by a variety of sounds from tangos and South American folk to Soda Stereo, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, he launched his professional career as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Ekhymosis (1987 to 1999), a band whose heavy rock sound and socially-charged lyrics can be described as a blend of Metallica and Silvio Rodriguez. Since the beginning of his career, by an ensemble of 16 musicians including a guitarist, piano, tipple, banjo, ukulele, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, guests vocalists and a choir, with salsa star Juan Luis Guerra as Musical Director. Th e show will premiere in May 2012 and will be also released as Juanes' fi rst live album. Despite all this success, Juanes has yet to become a household name among anglophone Americans, unlike his compatriot Shakira, perhaps in part because he still writes and performs in Spanish. "Singing in English is on my mind but led the artistic program of the Clinton Global Initiative with Alicia Keys in Los Angeles in 2009; and collaborated with the likes of Bono, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Lady Gaga, Nelly Furtado, Black Eye Peas, Tony Bennett and Miguel Bosé. He recently recorded an MTV Unplugged show in Miami, fl anked Juanes has devoted considerable time to philanthropic causes. His internationally recognized Mi Sangre Foundation provides care and rehabilitation for people injured by landmines worldwide. He is also a co-founder of Paz Sin Fronteras (Peace Without Borders), a who's who of Latin performers seeking to obtain the U.N.'s approval of a Universal Declaration on the Human Right to Peace, promoted with concerts on the Colombia-Venezuela border in 2008 and Cuba in 2009. Obviously, these messages of altruism would not be eff ective if the messenger weren't also one of the most important fi gures in Latin rock. Juanes has received a record 17 Latin Grammys, including awards for best album and song of the year, and the Grammy for best Latin pop album in 2009. He has won 18 MTV Awards and 16 Premios Lo Nuestro. His 2004 song "Camisa Negra" was No. 1 in more than 43 countries, and he was the fi rst artist to give a concert in the main hall of the European Union Parliament, an event that brought two and a half million Euros in donations to Mi Sangre. In 2005 he was honored by Sir Paul McCartney during the gala Juanes concert Adopt-a-Minefi eld, was named one of the 100 most infl uential people by Time magazine and was appointed Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic. In 2008, the Organization of American States honored him with the Humanitarian of the Year award, and he received the National Award for Peace in Colombia. He has performed twice as part of Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies in Oslo; the forefront in the Colombian scene, Bomba Estereo, which excites him: "Th is is an important moment for Colombian music. Th e movement is growing and renewing itself constantly; there are many possibilities for new bands. It is of utmost importance that art and music remain an option and motivation for the youth of Colombia." On a personal level, Juanes is thrilled about being part of SXSW: always something that connects you." Juanes will be performing his SXSW showcase with another band at "It's an incredible honor; I am really excited to be part of this cultural exchange. I am looking forward to living the experience and seeing what's happening in music everywhere. Th is marks a new beginning for me and a new path in my career." ■ Juanes will be interviewed at the SXSW Music Conference at the Austin Convention Center on Friday, March 16. He will also perform on Friday night at ACL Live at the Moody Theater (310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd). Check schedule. sxsw.com for more details. I don't lose sleep over it. I sing in Spanish because I still think in Spanish," says the singer, who splits his time between Medellin and Miami. "I have been learning English and I love it, but right now I don't want to worry about pronouncing the words correctly, I want it to fl ow honestly and come from my soul when the time is right." I also want to instigate a cultural exchange; just like us Latinos love music in English, I think we have the right to express ourselves in our language, and perhaps connect with people through the melodies and rhythms ... Th e language of music is universal; there is 32 SXSW ORLD / M ARCH M USIC 2012

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