Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

A little of everything: Since days with Sound Machine, Jon Secada has built a diverse career

"It snuck up out of nowhere," said the 43-year-old Grammy award winner.

This interview took place Aug. 26.

The storm Secada feared did not grow into the monster that it was capable of becoming, but two days later Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast states of Mississippi and Louisiana, wreaking havoc on Biloxi, Miss. and New Orleans. Secada would be safe with his family at their home in Southern California.

The Havana native seems to have led a blessed life.

His parents left Cuba when he was 9 and settled in Miami, where they operated a coffee shop. Growing up, Secada worked for his parents and listened to music on the radio.

His talent as a singer became evident when he sang "A Christmas Carol" in a high school production.

Secada later attended the University of Miami, where he earned a bachelor and a master's degree in jazz vocal performance, and then became a teacher at Miami Community College.

During the '80s he was an occasional backup singer and songwriter for the Miami Sound Machine, the vehicle that launched the careers of Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio. Secada co-wrote Gloria Estefan's hit, "Coming out of the Dark." In 1992 Secada's debut album, "Jon Secada," sold more than 7 million copies worldwide and his single "Just Another Day," (written by Secada) became one of the biggest-selling singles of 1992.

The single spent 11 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard's Pop Singles chart and topped the charts around the globe.

"I was lucky early," said the soft-spoken Secada, who will performing at the Mirage tonight. "It was fortunate that my debut album did as well as it did then I had the opportunity to win a number of awards.

The long list of awards included the two Grammys in 1992 -- for Best Latin Pop Album ("Otra Dia Mas Sin Verte") and for Best New Artist. In 1993 he won the World Music Awards' Best Selling Latin-American Recording Artist.

Rolling Stone Magazine's Readers Poll in 1993 named him the Best Male Vocalist.

Secada -- who has sold more than 20 million albums -- is known for his diversity as both a singer and songwriter, pulling from his Latin roots and his love of jazz, R&B and and pop.

"I grew up listening to the radio -- especially pop radio," he said.

But Miami had such a mix of musical interests, Secada could not help but be influenced by the diversity.

"I grew up with fusion," Secada said. "There was a blend of so many different ethnic influences. The cultural environment was full of so many different things."

Being bilingual, his music easily moved in and out of English and Latin. He has always been equally at home covering the Latin songs as well the music of such artists as Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Elton John and Earth, Wind and Fire.

After establishing himself as a world-class vocalist, Secada expanded his vision to include musical theater. He performed on Broadway in 1995 in "Grease" and in 2003 in "Cabaret." Last year he toured in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

"Theater will stay a part of what I do," Secada said. "I love acting; I love the theater.

"The three shows I've done have made me grow as a performer -- I respect the discipline of the theater. I grew a lot as a result of my experience."

But music will always be Secada's first love.

He recently left Sony for a new label, Big3 Entertainment, which is based in Miami.

"I'm very happy that I found a record company that shares the same vision I do at this point in my career," Secada said. "I'm very excited."

Because he was preoccupied with theater and changing record labels, Secada says he didn't had much time to spend in the studio the past couple of years.

But that has changed.

On October 25, Big3 will release Secada's first album in almost three years, "Dejate Amar." A single from the album, "Window to My Heart," was released in July.

"I wrote or co-wrote 90 percent of the album," Secada said. "The music -- that has always been the priority for my career. I start with the music."

He says "Dejate Amar" has all of the elements that have influenced him -- from pop to R&B to Latin. Some of the songs will be part of his performance at the Mirage.

"I will do all my hits -- everything that has been part of my career and I will do a few of the new ones," Secada said.

He says he is excited about returning to Las Vegas and to the Mirage -- where he performed in May for the Cinco de Mayo celebration.

"I love Las Vegas," Secada said. "It's my kind of city -- vibrant and alive. With the kind of show I put on, I love performing there."

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