Jorge Drexler

Although he began his professional career as an otolaryngologist, Jorge Drexler transformed himself into a Latin pop hitmaker, winning an Oscar and five Latin Grammy Awards during the 2000s. He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, on September 21, 1964. Raised by a family of doctors, he attended medical school in his hometown and maintained a parallel interest in music, releasing his debut album, La Luz Que Sabe Robar, in 1992. Radar followed in 1994. Convinced to move to Madrid and pursue music full-time by legendary Spanish songwriter Joaquín Sabina, Jorge Drexler relocated to the capital city and landed an international record contract with Virgin España. He remained with the label for six years, releasing 1996's Vaiven, 1998's Llueve, 1999's Frontera, and 2001's Sea. He also wrote material for other artists, contributing two songs to Rosario Flores' Latin Grammy-winning Muchas Flores in 2001. Jorge Drexler began winning his own awards several years later, when "Al otro lado del río" — a track that appeared on his own album, Eco, as well as the soundtrack to the acclaimed film The Motorcycle Diaries — received an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song reinvigorated Jorge Drexler's career across the globe, leading to Grammy nominations for 2008's 12 Segundos de Oscuridad, 2009's Cara B, 2015's Bailar en la Cueva, and 2018's Salvavidas de Hielo. However, he found even more success in the Spanish-speaking world, winning Latin Grammys for singles like 2014's "Universos Paralelos," 2015's "Ella Es," and 2018's "Telefonía." He expanded his sound, too, embracing rock, jazz, electronic music, and traditional Uruguayan influences throughout the 2010s. The exploration continued in 2021, when he joined Spanish rapper C. Tangana on the hit single "Nominao," which cracked the Top 10 in Spain.