From the ACL Taping Program on February 17, 2006:
Born in Medellin, Colombia, Juanes has established himself as an inspiring songwriter and guitarist not only in his homeland but all throughout the world. Despite his international success, Juanes remains true to his roots and continues to perform his music, much of which is inspired by the violence and conflict in Colombia, in his native language.
With the release of his second album, 2003’s Un Dia Normal, Juanes became known as “the single most important figure on the Latin music scene” (LA Times). The album earned him a sweep at the Latin Grammy Awards, winning all five categories he was nominated for including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Rock Solo Album.
Juanes’ follow up release, 2004’s Mi Sangre, continued to impress critics and fans. The album debuted at No. 1 in Billboard’s “Top Latin Albums” chart and earned Juanes a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. People Magazine described Juanes as exhibiting “a sheer musicality that translates across cultures.”
The success of Mi Sangre now has Juanes touring all over the world, with more than 200 stops along the way. His single, “La Camisa Negra,” has successfully crossed-over and become a hit in non-Spanish-speaking countries like Germany, Italy and Austria. Unable to explain the success of the track, Juanes refers to the single as “just magic, just a magical track.” Whether magical or not, Juanes has proven himself to the world as an incredible musician and “one of the 100 most influential people in the world” (Time).