José Maria Napoleón

José María Napoleón Ruiz Narváez, better known as José María Napoleón, is a singer and songwriter from Mexico. He was born on August 18, 1950 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Known throughout the whole of Latin America as “El Poeta de la Canción” (“The Poet of Song”), José María Napoleón is one of the most celebrated vocalists in the history of Latin pop, releasing a string of hit ballad singles throughout the 70s and 80s. As a young man, José María Napoleón worked a variety of jobs to support himself and his family. He traveled to Mexico City in pursuit of a career as a songwriter for other artists, but his voice on demos caught the attention of record executives. Soon he secured a deal and released the hit single "El Grillo," which kickstarted a prolific career as a recording artist and stage performer. Among his many hits during this period was the emotive pop song "Eres," a stirring declaration of love set to a disco beat. He also competed in the OTI song festival in 1977, representing Mexico with the song "Hombre". Between his prolific release schedule and his career as an actor (appearing on several telenovelas), José María Napoleón soon became one of the most recognizable names in Mexican pop culture. He continued his streak of successes throughout the 90s and 2000s, and in 2020 the Latin Recording Academy presented him with a lifetime achievement award.