If anyone was born to sing, it’s Luis Miguel. His first album was released when he was 11, and he won his first Grammy at 15 before he became an adult heartthrob. His career received a huge boost in the late 2010s when his life was turned into a television series, which paved the way for his current worldwide tour that began more than a year ago and runs through November. The Sun of Mexico is shining as brightly as ever.
That nickname originated with his mother, who referred to young Luis as “mi sol.” Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to an Italian mother and Spanish father. In Netflix’s Luis Miguel: The Series, Luisito Rey is a struggling musician in Mexico given advice to adapt to the culture’s appetite for entertainment. Rather than add clothing-deficient dancers to his act, he puts his son forward as a talented novelty.
The novelty wore off quickly, giving way to a career. Miguel’s 1982 debut album Un Sol became a gold record and yielded the hit “1+1=2 Enamorados,” which opened the door to extensive touring. By age 15, he took second place at Italy’s Sanremo Festival with “Noi Ragazzi Di Oggi” and won his first Grammy for a duet with Sheena Easton, “Me Gustas Tal Como Eres.”
Miguel recorded in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, cultivating an international fan base through his teen years. He’d have his biggest smash in 1987 with “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar” from his fifth studio album Soy Como Quiero Ser. The adaptation of Dusty Springfield’s 1960s hit “I Only Want to Be with You” stayed on the charts for 34 weeks and was followed by 15 more No. 1 songs and 39 Top 10 hits to date.
His biggest album before Billboard began tracking Latin albums would come three years later. 20 Anos was a huge success, with most of its songs receiving radio play and singles “Entrégate” and “Tengo Todo Excepto a Ti” reaching No. 1. Miguel subsequently evolved his image, becoming the dapper, debonair vocalist his fans know today. He recorded a duet with Frank Sinatra, made mariachi music and dedicated albums to Italian songs.
It wasn’t all peaches and cream, as the Netflix series depicts. His mother disappeared in 1986. His father manipulated his career and interfered in his love life. Eventually the spotlight turned to other performers, although Miguel’s recordings and tours continued to be successes.
It was the success of Luis Miguel: The Series that put him back high on top. He lost weight that he had been criticized for and embarked on a massive tour in support of 2017 album ¡México Por Siempre! His streams on Spotify shot up. His last shows before the pandemic were in Las Vegas at the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace.
Miguel returns to the Colosseum after spending the summer touring Spain and Mexico, where he’ll return for the final run of concert dates. Then it’s up to The Sun to decide how he will shine next.
Caesars Palace, 9 p.m. Sept. 12 and 14-15, starting at $216 plus tax and fee. ticketmaster.com
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