Juanes

Birth Name:

Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez

Birth Place:

Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia

Profession

Soundtrack, Actor, Music department

Earned the title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Culture Ministry in 2006
Has worked extensively with victims of anti-personnel mines, establishing the Mi Sangre Foundation to encourage peace-building efforts and minimize the effects of violence and warfare
Was a headline performer for a 2009 concert in Cuba that coincided with International Peace Day
Was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2005
In 2005, his efforts to raise awareness about land mines were honored at Sir Paul McCartney's Adopt-A-Minefield
Received a decommissioned AK-47 converted into a guitar as a gift from peace activist Cesar Lopez, which he later donated to a Beverly Hills fundraiser for $17,000
Began playing guitar at age 7, taught by his father and older brothers
Performed on "MTV Unplugged" in 2012, recording an album under the direction of singer-songwriter and producer Juan Luis Guerra
Was a member of the heavy metal group Ekhymosis, which he founded in 1988, before going solo
Performed live at the Kickoff Concert of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Fast Facts