Juan Ricondo

Juan Ricondo Vallejo (Santander,Spain), better known as ''Juan Ricondo'', is a Spanish singer, songwriter and actor. His debut album ''An American Affair'' was released in October 2015. It was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by JD Salbego and Sean Hamilton. He has published several singles since 2016. In August 2019, He won the "People's Choice Award" at the music festival "New Wave" in Sochi (Russia). Becoming the first Spanish artist to receive this award. Life and Career: 1990-2005: Early life Juan Ricondo was born in Santander (Spain). His whole family is also from Santander except for his late grandfather José Vallejo who was from Burgos and with whom Juan always had a special bond. Ricondo is the first artist of his family, none of his relatives has been dedicated before to the world of music, cinema or Television. He is the oldest of two brothers and since he was young he dreamed of being an artist. As a young man, he used to listen to a lot of musical. At home, his parents had a wide and varied collection of vinyl records. Covering everything from Latin music, rock, pop, soul to opera, classical music and jazz. He went to the Law school and graduated at the University of Cantabria. At the same time he was studying Acting at the local school of acting in Santander (Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria). Soon after, he moved to Madrid to continue his acting studies at the "Chekhov Theatre School". He worked in all kinds of jobs while he was auditioning for films and TV shows. As a barista in coffee shops, as a backstage hand, delivering newspaper and a bellboy in a Hotel. He also started singing with the local bands in clubs and pubs of Madrid and writing his first songs that he would published on Myspace. 2005-2015: Career beginnings: In 2005, he received a scholarship from his hometown, to study at the "Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute" in New York. He starts listening to Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dinah Washington and soon after he formed a band and started playing in local clubs across Manhattan. At the Acting school, one of his teachers Paul Calderon suggested him to dedicate professionally to music. He shaped his passion for the world of entertainment and soon discovered that music was what he really wanted to devote himself to. His grandfather always helped him in the pursuit of his dream. He was his mentor and helped him pay for his career and also for his singing lessons and the first Studio Demos. One of his vocal teachers was Gary Catona, who also coached Andrea Bocelli and Whitney Houston. In 2011 he participates as a guest performing artist at the German beauty contest, Miss Germany 2011. In the same year he decided to move to Germany and start working in different musical productions. 2015-2019: An American Affair: At the end of 2015, he writes and published his first album, ''An American Affair''. It was written and recorded in Los Angeles and produced by JD Salbego and Sean Hamilton. It was released in three formats, Digital, CD and a special collectors edition in 7" Vinyl. Ricondo was not satisfied with the idea of continuing to send his material to other people and meeting with agents so he decided to gather a small group of professionals, photographers, producers and press agents, which, in a short time, managed to make a promotional tour and launch the album to the music market. Billboard Magazine made him a mention , Telemundo Los Angeles invited him to present the album. Antena3 Spain also covered the released and was even invited to the Oscars 2016. Since 2016 Ricondo has released several singles. In October 2017 he published his single "Háblame", written and recorded in Los Angeles with the Grammy nominated singer Alih Jey. For this single Ricondo filmed also a music video in the Mojave Desert. 2018: The J.R Show, A Hollywood Story Tour: In 2018 Ricondo presented his tour "The J.R Show, A Hollywood Story" at the "Teatro Calderon" in Madrid. A tribute to the classic Hollywood movies and to the old American T.V Shows