Marc Anthony, Manuel Turizo, and Fonseca

Marc Anthony grew up in East Harlem to Puerto Rican parents Guillermina and Felipe Muñiz, the youngest of eight children. Anthony grew up listening to a combination of Latin musicians including Hector Lavoe, Willie Colón and Rubén Blades and contemporary pop songs by the likes of Air Supply and Josê Feliciano. Introduced to music theory by their father Anthony and his sister were discovered by demo and commercial producer David Harris, who hired Anthony to sing in the background of a number of productions.

In his early career Anthony worked as a session vocalist for a number of Latin and undergrounds acts in New York City, U.S. This included writing and producing “Boy, I’ve Been Told” for friend and freestyle artist Sa-Fire, which became a Top 40 Hop-Hop Hit, and subsequently sung on Sa-Fire's album.

Marc Anthony’s debut album “When the Night Is Over,” released in 1991, was recorded with the assistance of DJ and producer Little Louie Vega, in a Latin hip-hop style and featured the track “Ride on the Rhythm”, which topped the Billboard’s Dance Music Chart. Anthony’s second album entitled “Otra Nota” was produced by the well known producer Sergio George and was widely agreed it represented Anthony’s salsa style and Latin roots far more than previous releases.

On the wave of acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias who managed to maintain the appeal of Latin music within mainstream pop, Anthony released a self-titled English language album that had a measured public appeal, reaching the top ten in the Billboard Album Chart.

Since then Anthony has continued to release number of albums and collaborations, contributing to him being the top selling Tropical Salsa artist of all time, having sold over 12 million albums worldwide.

Anthony has won two Grammy Awards one for Best Tropical Latin Album for “Contra La Corriente” and Best Latin Pop Album for “Amar Sin Mentors”, along with four Latin Grammy Awards. Has won two American Music Awards and no less than 23 Billboard Latin Music Awards. In 2009 Anthony was the recipient of the highly prestigious Congressional Hispanic Causcus Institute’s (CHCI) Chair’s Award.

From a young age Colombian Juan Fernando Fonseca had developed a passion for music, a passion which was encouraged by his parents. At the age of 12, the budding musician recorded his debut song which he later sold to friends and family. Fonseca subsequently attended Pontificia Universidad Javeriana studying music as well as the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he expanded his musical and performance skills. Upon returning to Colombia, Fonseca recorded his debut album “Bomba de Tiempo”, which he flogged door-to-door and in small bars.

In 1977 the singer-songwriter and guitarist met Colombian musician José Gaviria who attempted to get him signed to the U.S. label Sonolux. The deal remained in the works until 2002, when Fonseca signed a three album deal with the EMI Capitol imprint Líderes Entertainment Group. The singer’s official self-titled, debut album was subsequently released in February 2002 in Colombia, and earned its international release three years later in 2005. Spawning the singles “Mangangué”, “Noche de Carnaval”, “Sueño”, and “Confiésame”, the album is epitomised by the tropipop sound, popularised by Carlos Vives’ musical output. The success of the album led the singer-songwriter to tour alongside Shakira and Juanes, and raised his profile to new, international levels.

Released in May 2006, Fonseca’s sophomore full-length, “Corazón” saw the singer build on his success with the album rising to No. 7 on the U.S. Tropical Albums Chart. Combining the thematically Latin vallenato, bullerenuge and tambora rhythms with Western influenced pop/rock, the record was well-received, aided by the singles “Como Me Mira”, the Latin Grammy-winning “Te Mando Flores”, and “Hace Tiempo”. Led by the singles “Enrédame”, “Arroyito”, “Paraíso”, and “Estar Lejos”, Fonseca’s third studio album “Gratitud” appeared in May 2008. The full-length “Ilusión” followed in 2011, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.