Kike Santander
Encyclopedia
Dr. Flavio Enrique Santander Lora, commonly known as Kike Santander, is a Colombian composer, record producer, arranger and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the principal Latino composers of the day, having worked with artists such as David Bisbal
, Christian Castro, Thalía
, Chayanne
, Diego Torres
, Alejandro Fernández
, Olga Tañón
, Bacilos
, José Luis Rodríguez «El Puma» and Gloria Estefan
among others. More than 25 of his songs have won the coveted Top Ten, as reflected in the Latin charts for Billboard since 1999. More than 15 of his songs are featured within the top 100 played songs by the BMI Association of Authors and Composers. His songs and productions have surpassed 25 million albums worldwide and Santander has won also prizes and awards that are given in the music industry on multiple occasions: Grammy Awards, Billboard
, Lo Nuestro Awards
, Premios TVyNovelas
", El Heraldo, and BMI
in which he has received the most awards in its Latin division, and many more.
, Colombia
on May 11, 1960 and he was raised in La Flora, a typical upper middle class neighborhood of Cali. His father was the dentist, poet and guitarist Flavio Santander and his mother's name is Judith. His brother is the architect and composer Gustavo Santander
. In Cali he spent his first years learning different rhythms and musical skills while studying at Colegio San Juan Berchmans from which he graduated in 1977. He began his musical studies at an early age, playing the accordion and experimenting with instruments like guitar, piano, and later devoted himself to the electric bass. His earliest musical influences came from a wide mix of genres that include indigenous artists of his native country. His main influences were bolero
, rock and roll
, Anglo-American pop
, classical music
and jazz
. He studied music at the Cali Conservatory. In 1978, when he was 18, he began his medical studies at the Central University of Valle del Cauca
from which he graduated and received institution where he received the professional title in Medicine and Surgery. He worked as a doctor for one year before deciding to dedicate himself completely to his musical career. Simultaneously he continued his musical studies in progress, improving his piano playing and studying music synthesis, midi sequencing, sound engineering, arrangements and harmony.
in 1987 where he worked as a jazz bassist until he met producer Bernardo Ossa
, who introduced him to the "big leagues" of advertising agencies, where he devoted his time and effort to write and produce "commercial jingles." This work earned him the credibility of the advertising agencies in which he became the leading figure in this genre. Kike wrote and produced over 1500 jingles.
In 1993, Kike began his career as a composer and producer, working for various Colombian artists such as Marcelo Cezan, for whom he wrote and produced the hits: " Una en un millón" (She is one in a million) and "Hierba Mojada" (Wet Grass) as well as for several local rock and pop bands. It was precisely in that year when Kike received his first award - the BMI award for the song "Boca Dulce Boca" (mouth, sweet mouth) a song he composed along with Stefano and José Luis Rodríguez, "El Puma". It was then, and due to his already recognized talent, that Kike Santander joined forces with Emilio Estefan
. This experience officially marked the beginning of his career as a composer and music producer on 7 January 1994.
In 1995 Kike received a call from Emilio Estefan, who proposed that he write some songs for a Christmas album that Gloria Estefan
would record. He agreed, and ended up writing all the songs for the production. The album became one of the most successful albums of Gloria Estefan. This was the start of an intense and extremely successful international career as a songwriter, producer and businessman in Miami, Fl. In 1997 Santander created Santander Music Group, a company that is principally engaged in musical production.
After Gloria Estefan's album " Abriendo Puertas " he received the Latin Grammy for Best Tropical Album in 1997. During this year, he composed and produced six songs for the album "Me Estoy Enamorando" (I'm In Love) for Alejandro Fernández
, who was nominated for a Grammy and sold more than three million copies worldwide, making the transition from Ranchero to the Pop music market. Kike also obtained his second Grammy Award for his song "Mi Verdad" (My Truth), performed by Alejandro Fernandez, winner for "Best Regional Song" and, in 1999, he also won a second consecutive award BMI "Songwriter of the Year" for "Best Latin Song" with "Si tú supieras" (If You Knew). The following year (2000) he garnered the award "Songwriter of the Year" and four honorable mentions. In 2000, he was also honored with another Latin Grammy Awards
, this time in the "Best Tropical Song" for "Swear" performed by Giselle. In 2002, Santander received the Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year
for his work on the tracks "Perdidos En La Noche", "Por Ti Yo Iré", "Que No Me Pierda", "Quisiera", "Si Tu Te Vas" and "Soy De La Gente" by Diego Torres
, and the albums Azul by Cristian Castro
and Una Vez Mas by Jaime Camil
.
During the same year, Santander also produced for artists such as Chayanne
, Amaury Gutierrez
, Illegal
, Jaime Camil
and Cristian Castro
, whose single "Azul" reached the top of the charts in USA and Latin America
, and remained at number-one in the Hot Latin Songs
of the Billboard (Magazine)
for 11 consecutive weeks.
After being one of the founding members and serving as Chairman of the Board of the Latin Grammy Academy for four consecutive years, Kike is currently their Chairman Emeritus. In 2002 he was named Chairman of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
, Inc., and he is very involved with the talent show Operación Triunfo
(a program of which he became director in 2005 and 2006).
In 2005 Kike moved to Barcelona
, Spain
where he created BATUKA, a group fitness workout method with original music he composed. BATUKA was launched on the Spanish market in July 2005 and became an instant phenomenon selling more than 1.5 Million DVD's in the first 16 months in Spain only. BATUKA created a new trend in the way to do group fitness and started expanding to other European countries such as Italy
, Germany
and France
. BATUKA is going through an aggressive expansion phase with the creation of six new fitness programs for the Health Club markets as well as its own nutrition method created and developed by Miriam Nelson, one of the most respected authorities in nutrition in the US, as well as its own " Batuka Philosophy " also created by Kike Santander, which is a way to educate people about how to achieve a more balanced way of life and a more harmonious inner state. BATUKA will be officially launched in North America
in 2011 and the rest of Europe in 2012.
Kike's career continued to rise by producing and writing hit after hit. In 2002 he produced "Corazón Latino
", the first album of Spanish singer David Bisbal
, an artist who has been one of the most successful Latino singers. During this year, Kike also wrote the hit "Por mas que intento” (As much as I try) played by Gilberto Santa Rosa
, a song nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Tropical Song". The song "Tú no Podrás" (You won't be able to) for Olga Tañón, also successful on Billboard Magazine. In 2007, he was named the Best Songwriter of The Year by Billboard magazine.
Kike Santander also partnered with the renowned musician, composer and producer Mark Portmann
to start a company to create music for film and television. In 2008 he published an autobiography, "Por amor a la música" (For the love of music). The book comes with a CD with the "Cancionero de su vida" (song of his life) in which the composer sings the themes that touch him. The repertoire ranges from a lullaby his mother sang to him, to hits like "Quiero perderme en tu cuerpo" (I want to lose myself in you) (David Bisbal).
In August 2010, he launched his label 'Santander Records", primarily oriented towards regional Mexican music, and whose philosophy is to launch and develop different artists and position them.
His work as songwriter and producer also includes Let's Get Loud
by Jennifer Lopez
, Abriendo Puertas
by Gloria Estefan
, Me Estoy Enamorando
by Alejandro Fernández
, Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor
by Cristian Castro
, and Premonición
by David Bisbal
, as well as many songs recorded by artists such as Thalía
, Natalia Oreiro
, Gisselle
, Edith Márquez
, Luis Miguel
, Soledad Pastorutti
and the Spanish song for Eurovision Song Contest 2004
, amongst others. In October 2010, he and his family settled in Huntington Park, California
.
Santander is married a second time, with Paraguayan Adriana López and they have three children: Sebastián, his son by blood, Andrea the daughter of his wife, and Alejandro (born 2008), son of the two. Kike Santander was nationalized in the U.S. in 2004.
David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferré is a Grammy-winning Spanish pop singer. He gained his initial fame as a runner up on the interactive reality television show Operación Triunfo produced by TJ Hall....
, Christian Castro, Thalía
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
, Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
, Diego Torres
Diego Torres
Diego Antonio Caccia Torres , is an Argentine Grammy Award-nominated pop singer and composer.-Biography:Diego Torres was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Argentine singer Lolita Torres...
, Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández is a Mexican singer. Nicknamed as "El Potrillo" by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Alejandro is the son of the ranchera singer Vicente Fernández. He originally specialized in traditional, earthy forms of Mexican folk music, such as...
, Olga Tañón
Olga Tañón
Olga Tañón is a two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist. Tañón has earned 5 Latin Grammy Awards and 19 Premios Lo Nuestro awards during her career.-Early years:...
, Bacilos
Bacilos
Bacilos was a Colombian group based in Miami, Florida, USA. Their album Caraluna won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Pop Latin Album and its 2004 release Sin Vergüenza has again been nominated for Best Latin Pop Album in the Grammy Awards of 2005...
, José Luis Rodríguez «El Puma» and Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
among others. More than 25 of his songs have won the coveted Top Ten, as reflected in the Latin charts for Billboard since 1999. More than 15 of his songs are featured within the top 100 played songs by the BMI Association of Authors and Composers. His songs and productions have surpassed 25 million albums worldwide and Santander has won also prizes and awards that are given in the music industry on multiple occasions: Grammy Awards, Billboard
Billboard Music Award
The Billboard Music Award is an honor given by Billboard magazine, the preeminent publication covering the music business. The Billboard Music Awards show had been held annually in December until it went dormant in 2007, but it returned in May 2011...
, Lo Nuestro Awards
Lo Nuestro Awards
Lo Nuestro is an awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by television network Univision. The awards began in 1989. Notable recipients include Selena, Gloria Estefan, Juan Gabriel, Olga Tañón, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Juanes, Laura Pausini, Luis Miguel, Maná, Juan Luis Guerra, ...
, Premios TVyNovelas
Premios TVyNovelas
The TVyNovelas Awards, also known as the Premios TVyNovelas are presented annually by Televisa and the magazine TVyNovelas to honour the best Mexican television productions, especially telenovelas. Instituted in 1983, the award ceremony is held in Forum Mundo Imperial in Acapulco...
", El Heraldo, and BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
in which he has received the most awards in its Latin division, and many more.
Early years
Kike Santander was born in Santiago de CaliSantiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
on May 11, 1960 and he was raised in La Flora, a typical upper middle class neighborhood of Cali. His father was the dentist, poet and guitarist Flavio Santander and his mother's name is Judith. His brother is the architect and composer Gustavo Santander
Gustavo Santander
Gustavo Santander is a Colombian composer who has had great success at international level. He was born in Santiago de Cali, Colombia and he raised in La Flora, a typical upper middle class neighborhood of Cali. His father was doctor, poet and guitarist Flavio Santander and his mother is Judith....
. In Cali he spent his first years learning different rhythms and musical skills while studying at Colegio San Juan Berchmans from which he graduated in 1977. He began his musical studies at an early age, playing the accordion and experimenting with instruments like guitar, piano, and later devoted himself to the electric bass. His earliest musical influences came from a wide mix of genres that include indigenous artists of his native country. His main influences were bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
, rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, Anglo-American pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. He studied music at the Cali Conservatory. In 1978, when he was 18, he began his medical studies at the Central University of Valle del Cauca
Central University of Valle del Cauca
The Central University of Valle del Cauca , also called UCEVA, is a public, departmental, coeducational university based in the city of Tuluá, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.-External links:* official site...
from which he graduated and received institution where he received the professional title in Medicine and Surgery. He worked as a doctor for one year before deciding to dedicate himself completely to his musical career. Simultaneously he continued his musical studies in progress, improving his piano playing and studying music synthesis, midi sequencing, sound engineering, arrangements and harmony.
Musical career
He moved to BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
in 1987 where he worked as a jazz bassist until he met producer Bernardo Ossa
Bernardo Ossa
Bernardo Ossa is a Colombian composer and producer. He was born in Santiago de Cali, Colombia.Bernardo Ossa met in the eighties to the composer Kike Santander before this started his career as a composer and introduced him into the league "large" advertising agencies, where he paid 300,000 pesos...
, who introduced him to the "big leagues" of advertising agencies, where he devoted his time and effort to write and produce "commercial jingles." This work earned him the credibility of the advertising agencies in which he became the leading figure in this genre. Kike wrote and produced over 1500 jingles.
In 1993, Kike began his career as a composer and producer, working for various Colombian artists such as Marcelo Cezan, for whom he wrote and produced the hits: " Una en un millón" (She is one in a million) and "Hierba Mojada" (Wet Grass) as well as for several local rock and pop bands. It was precisely in that year when Kike received his first award - the BMI award for the song "Boca Dulce Boca" (mouth, sweet mouth) a song he composed along with Stefano and José Luis Rodríguez, "El Puma". It was then, and due to his already recognized talent, that Kike Santander joined forces with Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan, Jr. is a Cuban-American of Lebanese ancestry who is a musician and producer. Estefan's first taste of celebrity came as a member of the Miami Sound Machine, but he is also recognized as the producer of many famous singers. He is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan...
. This experience officially marked the beginning of his career as a composer and music producer on 7 January 1994.
In 1995 Kike received a call from Emilio Estefan, who proposed that he write some songs for a Christmas album that Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
would record. He agreed, and ended up writing all the songs for the production. The album became one of the most successful albums of Gloria Estefan. This was the start of an intense and extremely successful international career as a songwriter, producer and businessman in Miami, Fl. In 1997 Santander created Santander Music Group, a company that is principally engaged in musical production.
After Gloria Estefan's album " Abriendo Puertas " he received the Latin Grammy for Best Tropical Album in 1997. During this year, he composed and produced six songs for the album "Me Estoy Enamorando" (I'm In Love) for Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández is a Mexican singer. Nicknamed as "El Potrillo" by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Alejandro is the son of the ranchera singer Vicente Fernández. He originally specialized in traditional, earthy forms of Mexican folk music, such as...
, who was nominated for a Grammy and sold more than three million copies worldwide, making the transition from Ranchero to the Pop music market. Kike also obtained his second Grammy Award for his song "Mi Verdad" (My Truth), performed by Alejandro Fernandez, winner for "Best Regional Song" and, in 1999, he also won a second consecutive award BMI "Songwriter of the Year" for "Best Latin Song" with "Si tú supieras" (If You Knew). The following year (2000) he garnered the award "Songwriter of the Year" and four honorable mentions. In 2000, he was also honored with another Latin Grammy Awards
Latin Grammy Awards
A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Unlike the regular Grammy Award which primarily honors music produced in the United States, the Latin Grammy honors works produced anywhere around the...
, this time in the "Best Tropical Song" for "Swear" performed by Giselle. In 2002, Santander received the Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year
Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year
The Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists, in the United States and internationally...
for his work on the tracks "Perdidos En La Noche", "Por Ti Yo Iré", "Que No Me Pierda", "Quisiera", "Si Tu Te Vas" and "Soy De La Gente" by Diego Torres
Diego Torres
Diego Antonio Caccia Torres , is an Argentine Grammy Award-nominated pop singer and composer.-Biography:Diego Torres was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Argentine singer Lolita Torres...
, and the albums Azul by Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro is a Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer. He is referred to as "Christian Castro" or "Cristian."- Biography :...
and Una Vez Mas by Jaime Camil
Jaime Camil
Jaime Federico Said Camil de Saldaña da Gama is a Mexican actor, singer and host.-Biography:Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Camil is the son of Jaime Camil Garza, a very successful Mexican businessman, and Cecilia Saldaña Da Gama, a Brazilian singer...
.
During the same year, Santander also produced for artists such as Chayanne
Chayanne
Elmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. As a solo artist, Chayanne has released 21 solo-albums and sold over 20 million albums worldwide.-Early life:...
, Amaury Gutierrez
Amaury Gutiérrez
Amaury Gutiérrez is a Cuban artist.His first album Amaury Gutiérrez was nominated for a Latin Grammy and sold more than 600 thousand copies...
, Illegal
Illegal (group)
Illegal was a short-lived hip hop duo composed of Jamal Phillips and Malik Edwards that was signed to Rowdy Records...
, Jaime Camil
Jaime Camil
Jaime Federico Said Camil de Saldaña da Gama is a Mexican actor, singer and host.-Biography:Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Camil is the son of Jaime Camil Garza, a very successful Mexican businessman, and Cecilia Saldaña Da Gama, a Brazilian singer...
and Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro is a Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer. He is referred to as "Christian Castro" or "Cristian."- Biography :...
, whose single "Azul" reached the top of the charts in USA and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, and remained at number-one in the Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs
Hot Latin Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. It is often recognized as the most important music chart for Spanish language Latin music in the American music market. It was established by the magazine on September 6, 1986 with La Guirnalda by Rocío Dúrcal being the first song...
of the Billboard (Magazine)
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
for 11 consecutive weeks.
After being one of the founding members and serving as Chairman of the Board of the Latin Grammy Academy for four consecutive years, Kike is currently their Chairman Emeritus. In 2002 he was named Chairman of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences , is a multinational membership-based association composed of music industry professionals, musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other creative and technical recording professionals...
, Inc., and he is very involved with the talent show Operación Triunfo
Operación Triunfo
Operación Triunfo is a reality-show talent contest which first aired on Spain's TVE network in 2001. A kind of cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, the show aimed to find the country's next solo singing sensation, putting a selection of hopefuls through their...
(a program of which he became director in 2005 and 2006).
In 2005 Kike moved to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
where he created BATUKA, a group fitness workout method with original music he composed. BATUKA was launched on the Spanish market in July 2005 and became an instant phenomenon selling more than 1.5 Million DVD's in the first 16 months in Spain only. BATUKA created a new trend in the way to do group fitness and started expanding to other European countries such as Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. BATUKA is going through an aggressive expansion phase with the creation of six new fitness programs for the Health Club markets as well as its own nutrition method created and developed by Miriam Nelson, one of the most respected authorities in nutrition in the US, as well as its own " Batuka Philosophy " also created by Kike Santander, which is a way to educate people about how to achieve a more balanced way of life and a more harmonious inner state. BATUKA will be officially launched in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in 2011 and the rest of Europe in 2012.
Kike's career continued to rise by producing and writing hit after hit. In 2002 he produced "Corazón Latino
Corazón Latino
Corazón Latino, David Bisbal's first album, was put out by Vale Music Spain, S.L. on May 13, 2002. The album sold more than 1,600,000 copies worldwide.. The second track, Digale, is featured on Televisa's hit soap-opera Cuidado con el ángel....
", the first album of Spanish singer David Bisbal
David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferré is a Grammy-winning Spanish pop singer. He gained his initial fame as a runner up on the interactive reality television show Operación Triunfo produced by TJ Hall....
, an artist who has been one of the most successful Latino singers. During this year, Kike also wrote the hit "Por mas que intento” (As much as I try) played by Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" , is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.-Early years:...
, a song nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Tropical Song". The song "Tú no Podrás" (You won't be able to) for Olga Tañón, also successful on Billboard Magazine. In 2007, he was named the Best Songwriter of The Year by Billboard magazine.
Kike Santander also partnered with the renowned musician, composer and producer Mark Portmann
Mark Portmann
Mark Portmann is a record producer and songwriter who worked with Celine Dion and Josh Groban. Portman began to learn classical piano as a child, but later turned to pop music and jazz. He went to the Eastman School of Music on a scholarship, studying composition, and attended the University of Miami...
to start a company to create music for film and television. In 2008 he published an autobiography, "Por amor a la música" (For the love of music). The book comes with a CD with the "Cancionero de su vida" (song of his life) in which the composer sings the themes that touch him. The repertoire ranges from a lullaby his mother sang to him, to hits like "Quiero perderme en tu cuerpo" (I want to lose myself in you) (David Bisbal).
In August 2010, he launched his label 'Santander Records", primarily oriented towards regional Mexican music, and whose philosophy is to launch and develop different artists and position them.
His work as songwriter and producer also includes Let's Get Loud
Let's Get Loud (Jennifer Lopez song)
"Let's Get Loud" is a song by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez from her debut album, On the 6 . Written by Gloria Estefan and Kike Santander, and produced by Emilio Estefan, Jr. and Santander, the song was released in June 2000 as the album's fifth and final single. While the single did not...
by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, Abriendo Puertas
Abriendo Puertas
Abriendo Puertas is a 1995 album released by Gloria Estefan. It is her sixth studio album and second Spanish language album released.-Album history:...
by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, Me Estoy Enamorando
Me Estoy Enamorando
Me Estoy Enamorando is the sixth album recorded by Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández. Produced by Emilio Estefan, Jr. and Kike Santander, this album marks a strong change in his career with a new merger of bolero, ballads and the essence of the mariachi...
by Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández is a Mexican singer. Nicknamed as "El Potrillo" by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Alejandro is the son of the ranchera singer Vicente Fernández. He originally specialized in traditional, earthy forms of Mexican folk music, such as...
, Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor
Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor
Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor is a Latin Pop album by Cristian Castro released in 1999. It was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album of 2000. The Song Verónica is and was written for his Superstar mother Actress/Singer Verónica Castro...
by Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro
Cristian Castro is a Grammy Award-nominated Mexican pop singer. He is referred to as "Christian Castro" or "Cristian."- Biography :...
, and Premonición
Premonición
Premonición is an album by David Bisbal that was released on October 3, 2006. By October 9, it was certified 5× platinum for shipping 400,000 copies in Spain.-Notable events:The following took place in 2006:...
by David Bisbal
David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferré is a Grammy-winning Spanish pop singer. He gained his initial fame as a runner up on the interactive reality television show Operación Triunfo produced by TJ Hall....
, as well as many songs recorded by artists such as Thalía
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
, Natalia Oreiro
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, Gisselle
Gisselle
Gisselle Ortíz Cáceres, known simply as Gisselle is a Puerto Rican Merengue singer.-Musical career:...
, Edith Márquez
Edith Márquez
Edith Márquez is a Mexican actress and singer. She was born in Mexico City.She started her professional career by winning the television musical contests "Juguemos a cantar" and "Canta, Canta"...
, Luis Miguel
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, Soledad Pastorutti
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and the Spanish song for Eurovision Song Contest 2004
Eurovision Song Contest 2004
The Eurovision Song Contest 2004, was the 49th Contest and it was held in the Abdi İpekçi Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. This was the first occasion in which the contest was held in Turkey after they had won the competition in 2003 with Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can"...
, amongst others. In October 2010, he and his family settled in Huntington Park, California
Huntington Park, California
Huntington Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 58,114, down from 61,348 at the 2000 census.- History :...
.
Personal life
In 2001 Santander sued Emilio Estefan for breach of contract, lack of benefit payments and for the title of Producer, where supposedly Estefan was not physically present, thus ending a successful business relationship which began in 1995.Santander is married a second time, with Paraguayan Adriana López and they have three children: Sebastián, his son by blood, Andrea the daughter of his wife, and Alejandro (born 2008), son of the two. Kike Santander was nationalized in the U.S. in 2004.
Curiosities
- Santander had a myriad of professions and vocations before engaging in music composition and production: While he was studying medicine he started a business, with his brother Gustavo, processing and distributing fish and seafood . They started another of toothpaste, plaster dolls and sausages which also failed (they lost the house, the money from their parents).
External links
- http://www.emimusicpub.com/worldwide/artist_profile/kike-santander_profile.html
- free pic
- Kike Santander Fan Site - news and discography of Kike Santander (In Spanish).