Chaiyan is considered one of the most popular artists in the Latin pop genre. He was born on June 29, 1968 in the city of Rio Pedras (Puerto Rico).
His real name and surname is Elmer Figueroa Ars. In addition to his musical career, he develops acting, acting in telenovelas. He is married to Marilisa Marones and has a son, Lorenzo Valentino.
Childhood and youth of Chayanne
Elmer got his stage name from his mother when he was a child. She named her son Chaiyan, after her favorite series. The boy was very fond of singing and created various skits.
His artistry manifested itself in early childhood. And thanks to natural talent, hard work and self-discipline, her career began to develop very quickly.
Elmer lived in a large and friendly family. In addition to him, the parents had three more sons and a daughter. The musician called the first seven years of his life as the only ones when he did not work. He studied well and went in for sports.
The future star's first acquaintance with music took place in the church. Here the young man sang in the church choir. His sister played the guitar and his brother played the accordion.
The boy quickly mastered these musical instruments. The vocal talent was noted by the head of the choir, who offered the boy the main parts.
The beginning of the career of Elmer Figueroa Arca
If we talk about the professional career of a musician, then it began with Chayan when he accompanied his sister to an audition in an emerging musical group.
The leaders of the future team, except for the sister, also listened to Elmer.
The guy was enrolled in the Los Chicos group. Over time, this team has become very popular not only in Puerto Rico, but also in other countries of Central America.
The experience of working in the Los Chicos group helped the musician learn everything about touring, rehearsing and recording new compositions. A wealth of experience in a group popular with teenagers helped develop a solo career.
Elmer was popular when he was still a teenager. At the concerts, the group was accompanied by teachers. Obtaining school knowledge took place in tour buses.
In 1983 the group was disbanded. This happened due to the fact that each member of the team decided to start a solo career. Chayann was not worried about this, as he was already confident in his talent.
He knew that the music and the stage were what would make him famous. Being engaged in music since childhood, Elmer could not even imagine himself in another field.
Simultaneously with his musical career, Chaiyan began to devote himself more and more to television. With his participation, several soap operas were released, which made the musician an acting name in Puerto Rico. But the young man wanted to build his main career in the music business.
He was confident in his vocal abilities, so he focused on creating a special style that distinguished him from other sweet-voiced singers, who were so rich in the countries of South and Central America.
It was at that time that Chayanne developed a distinct style and charm that helped make his career what it is today.
Chaiyan today
To date, Chaiyan has recorded 14 music albums (5 with Los Chicos). The first contract with a music label was signed in 1987. The singer's debut album was released with the help of Sony Music International.
The second album was also recorded on this label, which the musician named similarly to the first. It was on it that such hits appeared that glorified the singer: Fiestaen America, Violet, Te Deseo, etc.
The album was recorded not only in Spanish, but also in Portuguese. What allowed the artist to become famous in Brazil. After the release of the record, the musician was awarded the Grammy Awards in the nomination "Best Latin Pop Singer".
The most popular compositions of the artist
At the same time, Chayann signed a contract with Pepsi-Cola. The promotional video that was recorded for such a collaboration became very popular in Spanish-speaking countries, which only increased the musician's fame.
The second video for Pepsi was recorded in English. The singer began to be recognized in the United States. Compositions such as Sangre Latina and Tiempo de Vals became popular and broke into the Latin American music charts. Chayann began to develop international recognition.
The album Atado a Tu Amor, released in 1998, again brought the musician a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Singer.
To date, the total number of sold copies of the singer's discs is 4,5 million. 20 records have become platinum, and 50 - gold. In 1993, the musician was recognized as one of the 50 most beautiful people on the planet.
Today, Chaiyan regularly receives invitations to participate in the filming of television series. One of the most popular soap operas that glorified Elmer as an actor was the series "Poor Boy", which was filmed by the Mexican company Televisa.
The artist also has roles in big movies. The film "Pretty Sarah", in which Elmer played one of the main roles, was successful with the audience.
But the musician is not going to finish with a musical career. Moreover, each released album sells better than the previous one.
