Miguel
Miguel Jontel Pimentel, known simply as Miguel, is an influential American singer-songwriter recognized for his contributions to the R&B genre. Born in 1985 in San Pedro, California, to a Mexican American father and African American mother, he developed a passion for music early on, performing at family events from age five and writing songs by age eight. His career began to take shape when he signed with the independent label Black Ice at nineteen, although his experience there was problematic due to mismanagement. After a legal battle, he released his debut album, "All I Want Is You," in 2010, which received critical acclaim.
Miguel's sophomore album, "Kaleidoscope Dream," featured the Grammy-winning single "Adorn," solidifying his status in the R&B scene. He continued to achieve success with subsequent albums, including "Wildheart" and "War & Leisure," both of which earned Grammy nominations. In addition to his music career, Miguel has ventured into acting and is currently working on a new album titled "Viscera," expected to explore complex themes of pleasure and pain. His journey reflects resilience and a blend of diverse cultural influences, contributing to his unique musical identity.
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Subject Terms
Miguel
Singer-songwriter
- Born: October 23, 1985
- Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California
Contribution: Miguel is an American singer-songwriter. Nominated for several Grammy Awards, he won the 2013 award for best R & B song for his single “Adorn.”
Background
Miguel Jontel Pimentel, best known by his stage name Miguel, was born in the Los Angeles, California, port neighborhood of San Pedro in 1985, to a Mexican American father and African American mother; he has a younger brother. Miguel’s parents divorced in 1993, when he was eight years old. As a result, he and his brother spent the school year in San Pedro and summers in the nearby city of Inglewood. Despite their separation, both of Miguel’s parents fostered his love of music, notably R & B, jazz, hip-hop, and soul.
Miguel displayed considerable talents in singing and dancing at a young age, performing at family and church events as young as age five. By age eight he was writing his own songs. At thirteen, he was already considering music and vocal performance as a viable career path.
When Miguel was a freshman in high school, he began working in an unofficial capacity with the production company Drop Squad, learning the ins and outs of studio and music production. Though the experience did not provide any major breaks, it allowed him to establish industry contacts and hone his talents and image. In 2004, at age nineteen, he signed with the little-known independent label Black Ice, based in Phoenix, Arizona, to record his debut record. Signing with the company was an ill-fated decision.
Without a cohesive vision for their primary star, the label mismanaged how Miguel was marketed; its presentation of Miguel as a brash hip-hop star was construed as inauthentic and unoriginal. Despite Miguel’s appearances on Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the production of a debut music video, the album was never released.
Three years later, when the singer attempted to terminate his contract to sign a deal with Sony Music subsidiary Jive Records, Black Ice sued. A lengthy legal battle ensued before the singer could record again.
Career
Miguel spent the forced hiatus working as a songwriter, contributing tracks for the albums of established R & B (rhythm and blues) stars such as Usher and Musiq Soulchild. More than two-and-a-half years passed before Jive was able settle the lawsuit with Miguel’s first label, after which Miguel began work on his major-label debut.
All I Want Is You debuted in November 2010, initially to small commercial sales but favorable critical reception. Miguel wrote each track on the record.
Miguel’s sophomore release, Kaleidoscope Dream cemented his place as one of the premier American R & B performers. Miguel enlisted other songwriters for the album’s diverse eleven tracks, notably Salaam Remi and Alicia Keys.
However Miguel penned the first single, “Adorn,” a sultry R & B ballad that became the singer’s most successful hit to date. The song won the 2013 Grammy Award for best R & B song and also earned a nomination for song of the year. Music criticism website Pitchfork lauded the album as a whole as both “virtuosic and everyman.” The release was not without controversy, however.
During a performance of “Adorn” at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, the singer attempted a stage jump that left two fans injured. While no one was seriously injured, the stunt became a subject of numerous Internet jokes and became a notorious and embarrassing incident in the singer’s young career.
His third album, Wildheart (2015), proved successful as well with both critics and fans. Reaching the number-two position on the Billboard 200, the record earned the nomination for the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album while its track "Coffee" received a nod for Best R&B Song. After making his first foray into acting with a role in the feature film Live by Night (2016), he released his next album, War & Leisure, in 2017. In addition to cracking the top ten of the Billboard 200, War & Leisure garnered another Grammy nomination in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category; the song "Come Through and Chill" was nominated for Best R&B Song. Two years later, he put out the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije. In 2023, Miguel teased the release of his new album, Viscera, calling the project a reflection on the dual nature of pleasure and pain. The album was slated to be released in late 2024.
Impact
Miguel has risen to the heights of R & B stardom despite continued adversity. From his childhood, during which he was part of two distinct neighborhoods and cultures, to his early career missteps, Miguel has relied on his talents as both a performer and a singer to survive.
Miguel is part of a growing trend of contemporary musicians, such as Kanye West and Lady Gaga, who were accomplished songwriters and producers behind the scenes before harnessing their own abilities and imagers to become stars in their own right.
Personal Life
Miguel married actor Nazanin Mandi in 2018. The couple divorced in 2022.
Bibliography
Cooper, Duncan. “Miguel: Second Wind.” Fader, 16 Nov. 2012, www.thefader.com/2012/11/16/miguel-second-wind. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
Gale, Alex. "Miguel Talks Prepping His Most Politically Charged Album and Planning His Wedding." Billboard, 2 Nov. 2017, www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8022240/miguel-trump-politically-charged-new-album-wedding-interview. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
James, Julissa. “Say Goodbye to the Old Miguel." Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023, www.latimes.com/lifestyle/image/story/2023-08-09/miguel-new-song-divorce-career-spiritual-growth. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
Jonze, Tim. “Miguel: The Slow Burn Success of a New R & B Superstar.” Guardian, 8 Feb. 2013, www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/09/miguel-kaleidoscope-dream. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
Schneider, Marc. “Miguel Lands on Fans in Dramatic Jump at Billboard Music Awards.” Billboard, 20 May 2013, www.billboard.com/music/music-news/miguel-lands-on-fans-in-dramatic-jump-at-billboard-music-awards-1562910/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
"This Is a Beautiful, Violent, Joyous Album and Moment in Life”: Miguel Talks Fifth Studio Record, Viscera." Man About Town, 21 Oct. 2023, manabouttown.tv/blogs/words-and-images/interview-miguel. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.