Juan Fernando Fonseca Carrera (born 29 May 1979) is a Colombian singer. Born in Bogotá, he chose music at an early age, studying music formally at institutions such as Javeriana University in Bogotá and Berklee College of Music in Boston. Fonseca's self-titled debut gained him considerable attention in Colombia. His second album released Corazón (2005) explored the crossroads where pop/rock influences meet vallenato, bullerengue, and tambora. Gratitud followed in 2008, with Ilusión arriving in 2011.

Fonseca
Fonseca at the 2007 Lo Nuestro Awards
Fonseca at the 2007 Lo Nuestro Awards
Background information
Birth nameJuan Fernando Fonseca Carrera
Born (1979-05-29) 29 May 1979 (age 45)
Bogotá, Colombia
Genres
OccupationsSinger
Years active1997–present
Labels
Websitefonseca.net okmediamarketing.com/eventos/fonseca-viajante-usa-tour-2023/

Fonseca recorded Sinfónico in concert with Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia in 2013. Released a year later. In early 2015, Fonseca was awarded La Musa Premio Triunfador by the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in May received the first-ever Contemporary Icon Award at the SESAC Latina Music Awards. In the fall, he released the album Conexión. This album included collaborations with recognized artists like Juanes and Victor Manuelle. Fonseca released his latest album Agustín in November 2018 which had four nominations for the 20th Annual Latin Grammys Awards

In 2018, Fonseca received "La Orden de Boyacá en grado Oficial", the most important recognition given by the Colombian government as part of his work as a promoter of reconciliation and peace. Through his musical career, Fonseca has been awarded with seven Latin Grammys and also has been nominated in 2 opportunities to the Grammy Awards.[1]

Life and career

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1979–1996: Early life

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Juan Fernando Fonseca Carrera was born on 29 May 1979, in Bogotá. In his youth he studied in Colegio los Nogales and then he passed to Gimnasio Campestre. Fonseca's interest in music began at a young age.[2] In fact, when he was just twelve years old, he recorded a song and had 500 copies made to distribute among his friends and family. His parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue his passion.[3] Fonseca studied music at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá) and at the Berklee College of Music (Boston), where he developed not only his musical talent but also the tools needed to navigate through the competitive world of performance.

Prior to the release of his first album, Fonseca was a member of the rock band Baroja, which was well known on the Bogotá club scene.[3]

1997–2007: Debut album and Corazón

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After graduation from college, he recorded his first album titled Bomba de Tiempo that he sold door-to-door, showing the album to patrons at small bars, and eventually selling 500 copies.[4]

Fonseca was searching for a record label when he found the Colombian musician José Gaviria and helped him in an initial recording with Sonolux in United States in 1997. The project stayed up in the air until 2002 when he signed with Líderes Entertainment Group, a label of EMI Capitol to produce his three upcoming albums.[4]

Fonseca's self-titled debut album was released in February 2002 in Colombia and on 26 December 2005, internationally.[5] The album had a moderate success in his native country. The album spawned four singles, "Mangangué", "Noche de Carnaval", "Sueño" and "Confiésame". The album is highly influenced by the Colombian "tropipop" sound associated with Carlos Vives' albums Clásicos de la Provincia and La Tierra del Olvido.[6] The album gained him considerable attention in Colombia, including the notice of artists like Shakira and Juanes, both of whom offered him subsequent collaboration and performance opportunities. Sharing the stage with Shakira on her Tour of the Mongoose and Juanes at Estadio El Campín in Bogota garnered Fonseca the recognition and momentum he would need for his second album.

His second studio album, Corazón produced by Fonseca himself, Bernardo Ossa and the executive producer Alvaro Rizo, was released on 23 May 2006. Allmusic gave the album a rating of three out of five stars. The album has reached a peak position of number seven on the U.S. Tropical Albums chart. Three of the album's eleven tracks became singles, including "Te Mando Flores", "Como Me Mira" and "Hace Tiempo". The first song won Fonseca one Latin Grammy and reaching the top 10 on the U.S. Latin chart.[7]

2008–2018: Gratitud, Ilusión, Conexión, and Agustín

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Fonseca released his third studio album Gratitud, on 27 May 2008. The album had a peak position of seventy on the U.S. Latin Albums chart. It had four singles, "Enrédame", "Arroyito", "Paraíso" and "Estar Lejos" with the American musician Willie Colón.

In Miami, Florida in the United States on 24 September 2013, Fonseca received "SESAC Latina Radio and TV Performance Award". It is an important recognition to the deployment in radio and television of the single "Eres Mi Sueño".

In 2018, Fonseca released his album Agustín that was named in tribute to the birth of his youngest son, and it contains singles including Ven, Sólo Contigo, and Simple Corazones. The album and the single Ven were nominated for four Latin Grammy Awards in which the album only won the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

2021−present: Compadres US, Europe Tour, and Viajante

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In 2021, Fonseca released two singles including "Tú 1ero" and "2005". The latter is an urban version of "Te Mando Flores", which celebrated its 15th anniversary. Fonseca was also co-featured in three singles including "Este Corazón" by Diego Torres ,"Perdoname" by Superlithio and "Si Yo Estoy Loco" by Sanluis. The success of "2005" resulted in being ranked  #1 in Ecuador  as of 29 November-Dec. 5th.

In 2021 Fonseca also had two tours. The first tour was the Compadres US tour which had three sold out shows in Orlando, Atlanta and Miami. In addition in November, he had three sold out shows in Bogota and Medellin, Colombia.

The Fonseca Tour Europa 2021 also had four sold out shows  in Geneva, Paris, Barcelona and Madrid.

In April 2022, Fonseca released his another album, Viajante, that feature singers Silvestre Dangond, Matisse, Greeicy, Cali & El Dandee, and Cimafunk. The album contain songs including "Cartagena", "Para Poder Decirte Adiós", "Besos en la Frente", and "2005".

Personal life

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Fonseca is also very concerned with changing the rest of the world's view of his mother country, Colombia, using his music as a platform to publicize the positive aspects of the nation. During his U.S. tour in early 2013, Fonseca made a point to show videos of and to speak personally about Colombia.[8] On the same tour Fonseca worked with Marca Colombia,[9] ("Brand Colombia" in English) a program run by the Colombian government to re-educate other countries about Colombian culture, as well as with the Colombian airline Avianca, a sponsor of the tour. Of his work with these two entities, Fonseca has said to Colombia Reports, "I am excited that on my Illusion World Tour I will carry the message of Colombia from the Brand Colombia [markets a positive image of the country] to the United States. I am very proud of my country and I'm honored to be its ambassador". Fonseca states that he views music as a representation of culture, so using his music to promote and educate people on Colombia makes sense to him.

Fonseca is married to his childhood sweetheart Juliana Posada and they have three children together.[10]

Discography

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Filmography

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Film roles

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Year Title Roles Notes
2020 Dolittle Kevin Latin American Spanish (Dub)

Awards and nominations

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Grammy Awards

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The Grammy Award is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement on the music industry. Fonseca received four total Grammy Award nominations in his career, one in 2013 and one in 2017 while the final decision for the other two will be announced in 2023.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 Ilusión Best Latin Pop Album Nominated
2017 Conexión Best Tropical Latin Album Nominated
2023 Viajante Best Latin Pop Album Nominated

Latin Grammy Awards

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A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Fonseca has received four awards from ten nominations.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2006 "Te Mando Flores" Record of the Year Nominated
Corazón Best Contemporary Tropical Album Nominated
"Te Mando Flores" Best Tropical Song Won
2008 Gratitud Best Contemporary Tropical Album Nominated
2009 Pombo Musical (Varios Artistas) Best Latin Children's Album Won
2010 "Estar Lejos" Best Tropical Song Nominated
2012 Ilusión Best Tropical Fusion Album Won
"Desde Que No Estás" Best Tropical Song Nominated
2014 Sinfónico Album of the Year Nominated
Sinfónico Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Won
2016 Conexión Album of the Year Nominated
Vine A Buscarte Best Tropical Song Won
2019 Agustín Album of the Year Nominated
Ven Song of the Year Nominated
Agustín Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Won
Ven Best Pop Song Nominated
2022 Viajante Album of the Year Nominated
Besos en la Frente Song of the Year Nominated
Viajante Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Nominated
Besos en la Frente Best Pop Song Nominated

Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica

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Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica or VMALA's is the Latin American version of the Video Music Awards.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2006 Fonseca Best New Artist – Central Won
2006 Fonseca Promising Artist Nominated

Premios Nuestra Tierra

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A Premio Nuestra Tierra is an accolade that recognize outstanding achievement in the Colombian music industry. Fonseca has received three nominations.[11]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2014 "Prometo" Best Tropical Performance of the Year Nominated
Himself Best Tropical Solo Artist or Group Nominated
Himself Tweeter of the Year Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Fonseca". Fonseca (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Fonseca confiesa que su mejor premio es ver crecer a su hija". alo.co. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Biografía de Fonseca/Fonseca's Biography". Itematika.com. 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Nacidos con estrella, a pesar de que las casas disqueras se quejan más que nunca del bajo nivel de ventas, algunas responden al cansancio de un mercado inundado de reencauche con apuestas nuevas" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 8 April 2002. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  5. ^ "Fonseca por Fonseca". iTunes (in Spanish). 2 January 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  6. ^ "TORNAMESA" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 22 April 2002. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  7. ^ Faber, Judy (26 September 2006). "Shakira Leads Latin Grammy Nominations". CBS News. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Colombian singer Fonseca, to promote Colombia in U.S. tour". Colombiareports.co. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Colombia Co : Homepage". Colombia.co. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  10. ^ "El idilio entre Fonseca y su esposa Juliana Posada tras 28 anos". Bésame Radio. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  11. ^ Premios Nuestra Tierra received to Fonseca:
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Awards and achievements
Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica
Preceded by Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica for Best New Artist — Central
2006
Succeeded by
Six Pac
Latin Grammy Awards
Preceded by
Juan Luis Guerra
for Las Avispas
Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Song
2006
for Te Mando Flores
Succeeded by
Preceded by Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Children's Album
2009
for Pombo Musical
Succeeded by
Luis Pescetti
for Luis Pescetti
First Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Fusion Album
2012
for Ilusión+
Succeeded by
Preceded by Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
2019
for Agustín
Most recent