b. Elmer Figueroa-Arce, 28 June 1968, San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. Chayanne is one of the leading figures in contemporary Latin music, receiving numerous gold and platinum awards and selling millions of records around the world. He first started singing in school bands in the mid-70s, before receiving his first big break at the tender age of 10 when he was selected to join the Latin boy band Los Chicos. The group enjoyed a number of hits in the early 80s although their popularity never rivalled that of their chief rivals, Menudo. Chayanne made his solo debut in 1985 with the album Es Mi Nombre, enjoying a minor hit in Central America with the track "Y Qu‚ Culpa Tengo Yo". A lucrative recording contract with CBS International Records followed, and the singer began making a bigger impact on the Latin market with singles such as "Este Ritmo Se Baila Asi", "Fiesta En America", and "Peligro De Amor". He launched an acting career with a role in the popular Mexican soap opera Pobre Juventud, which was followed by starring roles in Tormento and Sombras Del Pasado.
Chayanne's acting career took off in the 90s with leading roles in the Jacobo Morales movie Linda Sara and his English-speaking debut in the 1998 movie Dance With Me. Further hit albums during the decade included Volver A Nacer (1996) and Atado A Tu Amor (1998). The latter received a Grammy Nomination for Best Latin Pop Performance. The singer began to experiment with a more rock-orientated sound in the new millennium, an approach which showed no signs of alienating his huge fanbase.
DISCOGRAPHY: Es Mi Nombre (RCA 1984)***, Sangre Latina (RCA 1986)**, Chayanne i (Sony Latin 1988)***, Chayanne ii (Sony Latin 1989)**, Tiempo De Vals (Sony Latin 1990)***, Prov¢came (Sony Discos 1992)***, Influencias (Sony Discos 1994)**, Volver A Nacer (Sony Latin 1996)***, Atado A Tu Amor (Sony Latin 1998)****, Simplemente (Sony Latin 2000)***, Sincero (Sony Latin 2003)***, Desde Siempre (Sony International 2005)**, Cautivo (Sony International 2005)***, Mi Tiempo (Sony 2007)***.
COMPILATIONS: Sus Canciones (Columbia 2001)***, Coleccion De Oro (Sony 2002)****, Grandes Exitos (Sony Latin 2002)****.
VIDEOGRAPHY: Exitos (Sony International 2002).
FILMOGRAPHY: Linda Sara (1994), Dance With Me (1998).

Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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