Netflix Agrees to Deal with Julio Iglesias to Produce Series About Star’s Life

It appears art will imitate Julio Iglesias’ life…

Netflix has agreed to a deal with the 80-year-old Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer to produce a series about the star’s life.

Julio IglesiasIt marks the first time Iglesias has participated in the creative process on a production about his life and musical trajectory.

The agreement was signed after Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria wrote Iglesias a letter

Details on the series are limited, but it will launch globally and is currently in development.

According to Netflix, it will “tell the story of how Julio Iglesias became the first non-English artist to enter the American and Asian markets and turned into a universal star who is among the five biggest record sellers in history.”

“After many speculations, books and documentaries in which I have not been involved, for the first time I have decided to tell the truth about my life to a universal company like Netflix,” said Iglesias. “After much deliberation, finally, a very touching letter sent to me by Bela Bajaria was enough to convince me that Netflix was the ideal company to develop this project. I feel grateful to a lot of people from many countries who have supported me and have boosted my life.”

Born in Spain, Iglesias studied law and was a goalkeeper for Real Madrid’s reserve team before a automobile accident ended his career. While recuperating, he discovered his talent for music and soon became of the biggest selling music artists of all time. He has shared stages with Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Sting, Dolly Parton and Placido Domingo.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, his star grew and he entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling Latin music artist ever. He also received a Lifetime Achievement from the U.S. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Diego Ávalos, Vice President Content at Netflix: “Julio Iglesias has trusted us to tell his story. We are very grateful for his generosity. We all know that his talent and tenacity are unique in the world. Now, we will have the opportunity to see beyond the lights, the pictures in the magazines, the gold records and to really get to know in depth an exceptional person who has accompanied and will accompany many generations in every corner of the planet.”

Hernandez’s La Santa Cecilia Wins First-Ever Grammy

It’s one memorable Grammy night for Marisol Hernandez and her La Santa Cecilia band mates…

The Mexican-American singer, known as La Marisoul, and her Los Angeles-based band members earned the first Grammy of their career on Sunday during the pre-Grammy telecast ceremony.

La Santa Cecilia

La Santa Cecilia, named after the patron saint of musicians, Saint Cecilia, won the award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album for the bilingual band’s album Treinta Dias.

“Thank you to our beautiful City of Angels,” said Marisoul. “We are proud to be from immigrant parents and dedicate the Grammy to the 11 million undocumented workers in America.”

Along with lead singer Hernandez, band members include guitarist Gloria Estrada, accordinist and requinto player Jose Carlos, bassist Alex Bendana, percussionist Miguel Ramirez and drummer Hugo Varagas.

La Santa Cecilia wasn’t the only act to earn its first Grammy…

Draco Rosa, a three-time Latin Grammy winner, picked up his first gramophone from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and former Menudo band member, a previous nominee in 2011 for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album, won the award for Best Latin Pop Album for his latest studio effort Vida.

The sixth time’s the charm for the Gipsy Kings

The group, made up mostly of the children of Spanish gitanos, won their first Grammy for Best World Music Album for Savor Flamenco, tying Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s Live: Singing For Peace Around The World for the prize.

Christian Tumalan’s 19 piece traditional Latin big band Pacific Mambo Orchestra won its first  Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Album for its self-titled album, which was produced independently through a Kickstarter campaign.

Meanwhile, Bruno Mars earned the second Grammy of his career at the 56th annual Grammy Awards. The 28-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, nominated for four awards this year, earned the Best Pop Vocal Album award for his chart-topping sophomore album Unorthodox Jukebox.

Paquito D’Rivera earned the fourth Grammy of his noted career. The 65-year-old Cuban saxophonist and clarinetist’s Song for Maura took the prize for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea won its second career-Grammy. The group earned the award for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) for its album A Mi Manera.

Click here to see the complete list of winners and nominees.

Downs Wins Her First-Ever Grammy Award

It’s official… Lila Downs can add “Grammy winner” to her list of accomplishments…

The 44-year-old Mexican American singer-songwriter earned her first gramophone from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Lila Downs

Downs, who mixes indigenous Mexican roots music with contemporary sounds, picked up the award at a pre-Grammy telecast event in the  Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) category.

Downs’ Pecados y Milagros won in a category often dominated by Mexican regional genres like ranchera and norteño. Besides English and Spanish, Downs sings in indigenous Mexican languages like Mixtec, Zapotec and Nahuatl, an artistic choice that underscores her political involvement in supporting native people’s rights.

But Downs wasn’t the only Hispanic artist to win a Grammy this year…

Miguel, who led the Latino field of Grammy nominees with five nods, won the first gramophone of his career in the Best R&B Song category.

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer-songwriter picked up the award for his hit single “Adorn,” which dominated the Billboard charts last year.

Juanes, who performed during  Sunday night’s show, won the award for Best Latin Pop Album for his most recent work, MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition. It’s the latest award for the 40-year-old Colombian singer’s highly acclaimed project, which won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year last November. It’s the second Grammy of Juanes’ career.

Esperanza Spalding, who beat Justin Bieber for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her sophomore project Radio Music Society. She also won in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) category for “City of Roses” with Thara Memory. It’s the second and third Grammy awards for the 28-year-old part-Mexican singer, who will be starring in the remake of A Star is Born.

Other Latino winners include Quetzal’s Imaginaries for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album and Marlow Rosado y La Riqueña’s Retro for Best Tropical Latin Album.

Juanes to Perform at Sunday’s Grammy Awards…

Juanes won’t just be attending this year’s Grammy Awards as a nominee; he’s also a scheduled performer…

The 40-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter will perform  at Sunday’s Grammy Awards (February 10) ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, according to Universal Music, his record label.

Juanes
Juanes, nominated for a gilded gramophone from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in the Best Latin Pop Album category for Juanes MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition, will join a list of performers that includies Bruno Mars, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Mumford & Sons and The Black Keys.

Juanes, the winner of last year’s Latin Grammy for Album of the Year for the same project, which was recorded in early 2012 before a live audience at the New World Symphony Center in Miami, is competing against Ricardo Arjona, Fonseca, Kany Garcia and Jesse & Joy for the prize.
In all, Juanes – who will be releasing his memoir in April –  has earned 19 Latin Grammys and one Grammy award during his career.

Juanes to Perform at Bruce Springstreen Tribute Concert

Juanes will be channeling The Boss next month…

The 40-year-old Colombian singer will perform at a special concert in Los Angeles in honor of Bruce Springsteen on February 8, according to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Juanes
Springsteen, the winner of 20 Grammy Awards, the first in 1985 for “Dancing in the Dark,” will be recognized for his impressive career and philanthropic activities.

The New Jersey native will be the person of the year at the MusiCares charitable concert, the funds collected from which each year are funneled to beneficial causes.

Juanes, who has sold 15 million albums worldwide, shared the stage last year with The Boss at a tribute in Texas to Woody Guthrie, an influential folk singer who particularly identified with social causes.

Also performing at the Springsteen tribute will be Sting, Elton John, Eddie Vedder, Neil Young, Tom Morello and Tim McGraw, Mumford & Sons and Alabama Shakes, among other artists.

Juanes, who has won several Latino Grammys and is also known for his humanitarian work through his Mi Sangre Foundation, will continue his Loud & Unplugged tour in 2013.