Grammy winner Juanes (pronounced (HWA-nes) will take the Staples Center stage tonight to the inevitable confusion of many Americans unfamiliar with Latin pop culture. To save you from tweeting "Who is Juanes?," we've provided you a simple primer.
Juanes (born Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez) began his career in the late '80s with Ekhymosis, a Medellín, Colombia based metal band. Spot him here with much longer locks.
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As a solo artist, he adopted a lighter sound, much closer to cumbia and radio rock than metal. One of his biggest international hits, "La Camisa Negra (The Black Shirt)," is used in elementary Spanish courses around the world.
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Juanes is a musical ambassador for the Spanish language: Watch him teach furry friends Elmo and Rosita how to say "hands, head, and feet" en Español with a little ditty called "Muevete (Move Yourself)."
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Like many other musicians with large followings of women, Juanes is often bombarded with bras during his performances. With that piece of information, a Japanese variety show took it to the next level by dumping an entire factory's worth of bras on him.
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Juanes didn't speak much English when he arrived in L.A. in the late '90s, but he's grown more comfortable with English over the years and has even considered releasing an English-language song.
Though Juanes has yet to fully step into the English-language music market, he told The Huffington Post he'd love to collaborate with John Mayer, Alicia Keys, and Bruce Springsteen.
Juanes uses his superstar status to bring awareness to causes close to his heart, notably the anti-personnel land mines that plague the countryside of Colombia.
In addition to his rockstar life and humanitarian efforts, he's also a budding journalist. Juanes was appointed editor for a day at El Tiempo, the leading newspaper of Bogota, Colombia.
Juanes, who's been a vegetarian since 2013, can't resist french fries, pizza, or rich desserts like tres leches (three milks cake) and flan. He's secretly human just like the rest of us.
For all of you wondering if you have a chance with Juanes, you're out of luck. Juanes and model/actress Karen Martínez have been married since 2004; though the couple hit a rough patch in 2007 and separated, they reconciled only months later.
Juanes made his American acting debut last December on The CW's Jane the Virgin as a singing coach who helps Jane's mother, Xiomara, achieve her singing dreams.
Juanes' "Una Flor (A Flower)" is the current theme song of the series.
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Juanes may be one of the most notable musicians in Grammy history. He has a grand total of 22 Grammys: two Grammy Awards, and 20 Latin Grammy Awards.
Tonight Juanes will perform "Juntos (Together)" from the upcoming McFarland, USA soundtrack. The film tells the true story of a track team at a predominantly Latino high school and the coach who helps pull them together.
