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Jaci Velasquez
Birth name	Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez
Born	October 15, 1979 (1979-10-15) (age 28)
Origin	Houston, Texas U.S.
Genre(s)	CCM Rock Pop, Indie Pop Latin Pop
Years active	1996 - Present
Label(s)	Apostrophe Records/Word Distribution
Website	JaciVelasquez.com

Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez (born October 15, 1979) is a Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award-nominated, Dove Award-winning American Contemporary Christian Latin Pop singer in both English and in Spanish.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal Life 3 Discography 4 Chart Performance 5 Filmography 6 Literature 7 References 8 External links

Biography

Velasquez grew up an Evangelical attending church and her parents were singers. She is of Mexican, Spanish and French ancestry.^[1] When she was ten years old, her parents leased their Houston home and dedicated themselves to touring the United States with their Christian music. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representative of Myrrh Records.

Velasquez released her first CD album in 1996, and five of the songs on that CD became #1 hits. The album was later certified Platinum. She has since released six English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. She has produced 16 #1 Christian radio hits and six other top 10 singles. She has won 7 Dove awards including New Artist of the Year and 2 Female Vocalist of the Year nods.

In 1998, she signed to Sony Latin and was introduced to Rudy Perez, who produced her first Spanish language crossover album Llegar a Ti. After that, Velasquez was able to achieve the crossover appeal she desired, building a fan base among Hispanics as well as other Americans. Her first single "Llegar a Ti" topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became the first Christian song to top the chart. The song also gave her a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance, which finally went to Colombian singer Shakira.

In 2001 she released her second Spanish-effort Mi Corazón. The album's lead single "Como Se Cura Una Herida" topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and become one of the biggest singles of the year, receiving multiple awards nominations and wins. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album.

Her Latin music success includes 4 Spanish language releases, 3 #1 Latin Billboard Singles, 2 Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Award for New Artist of the Year and 2 Billboard Latin Music Awards and 3 Dove Awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year.

Velasquez was given a chance in 2002 to act in her first Hollywood movie, Chasing Papi. As well as Velasquez, this movie featured Colombia's Sofia Vergara, Puerto Rico's Roselyn Sanchez and Mexico's Eduardo Verastegui, as well as Nicole Scherzinger in a cameo role; it was released nationwide in the United States in April 2003. The movie reached as high as #11 at the box office and grossed $6 million in total. Velasquez has appeared in over 50 magazines—including the December 2003 issue of Right On!, wherein editor Cynthia Horner calls her a true role model to teens—and has sung for President George W. Bush multiple times.

Currently Velasquez is touring the U.S. with her husband's band Salvador. Her 13 studio album "Love Out Loud" released March 18th, 2008.^[2]

Personal Life

Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band AutoVaughn, on August 16, 2003. They were divorced in 2005 for reasons unspecified.

On December 17, 2006, she married Nic Gonzales in a private ceremony in Austin, Texas. Gonzales is a member of Salvador, a Christian group she had been touring with.^[3]

Velasquez gave birth to a boy named Zealand David on November 3, 2007.^[4]

Discography

• Help Me (Unknown)
• Keep the Fire Burning (Unknown)
• Heavenly Place (1996) (US #142)
• Jaci Velasquez (1998) (US #56)

• Llegar A Ti (1999)
• Crystal Clear (2000) (US #49)
• Mi Corazon (2001)
• Christmas (2001) (US #102)
• Navidad (2001)
• Unspoken (2003) (US #55)
• Milagro (2003)
• Mi Historia Musical (2004)
• Beauty Has Grace (2005) (US #195)
• On My Knees: The Best Of Jaci Velasquez (2006)
• Open House (EP) (2007)
• Love Out Loud (2008)

Chart Performance

• 2003 "No Hace Falta Un Hombre" Hot Latin Tracks #5
• 2003 "No Me Rendire" Hot Latin Tracks #19
• 2001 "Como Se Cura Una Herida" Hot Latin Tracks #1 [1]
• 2000 "De Creer En Ti [On My Knees]" Hot Latin Tracks #18
• 2000 "Love Will Find You (Llegar A Ti)" Hot Dance Music/Club Play #24
• 2000 "Solo Tu" Hot Latin Tracks #4
• 2000 "Un Lugar Celestial" Hot Latin Tracks #40
• 1999 "Llegar A Ti" Hot Latin Tracks #1

Filmography

• Chasing Papi (2003)
• Doc (2004)
• The Three Wise Men (2005) including Spanish Christian singer and pastor Marcos Witt

Literature

• A Heavenly Place (1996) (10,800 Units sold nationwide)

• Los Evangelios Toman Vida: The Gospels Come to Life (2003)

References

1. ^ Jaci Velasquez: Chasing Papi star with a blazing trail of album hits - Main Cover - Cover Story
2. ^ Jaci Velasquez iTunes Success And Radio Tour It Came Upon A Midnight Clear Love Out Loud Warner Music Group | Christian Music | ChristianMusicPlanet.com
3. ^ Austin Wedding for Jaci Velasquez, Nic Gonzalez
4. ^ MySpace.com - Jaci Velasquez - Nashville, Tennessee - Pop / Latine / Christian - www.myspace.com/jacivelasquez

5.Jaci Velasquez Interview at STREETBRAND Magazine

External links

• Official Site
• Jaci Velasquez' MySpace
• Jaci Online
• Jedi Jaci
• Jaci Velasquez Brazil

v • d • e Jaci Velasquez Albums Help Me • Keep the Fire Burning • Heavenly Place • Jaci Velasquez • Llegar A Ti • Crystal Clear • Mi Corazon • Christmas • Navidad • Unspoken • Milagro • Mi Historia Musical • Beauty Has Grace • On My Knees: The Best Of Jaci Velasquez • Open House (EP) • Love Out Loud Video & TV Chasing Papi • Doc • The Three Wise Men