Jaci Velasquez

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Jaci Velasquez

| image = Jaci Velásquez sings at the White House.jpg

| caption = Velasquez performing at the White House in 2002

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|10|15}}

| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.

| origin =

| occupations = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actress|voice actress}}

| genre = Contemporary Christian, pop, Latin pop

| years_active = 1990–present

| label = {{hlist|Alta Vista|Briante|Myrrh|Sony Latin|Word|A'postrophe|Inpop|Integrity}}

| website = {{URL|jacivelasquez.com}}

}}

Jacquelyn Davette "Jaci" Velasquez ({{IPAc-en|'|dʒ|æ|k|i}}; born October 15, 1979) is an American actress and contemporary Christian and Latin pop singer and songwriter, performing in both English and Spanish.

Velasquez has sold almost three million albums in the US,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045877/ask-billboard|title=Ask Billboard|magazine=Billboard|date=April 11, 2008|access-date=December 30, 2011}} recorded three Platinum and three Gold albums, and recorded 16 singles that hit No. 1 plus six more that entered the top 10. She received a Latin Billboard Music Award in 2002 for her album Mi Corazón, eight Dove Awards, including Best New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year, as well as three Grammy nominations, and an American Music Award nomination in the category of "Favorite Latin Artist" in 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.jacivelasquez.com/about.html|title=Jaci Velasquez - Biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220230334/http://www.jacivelasquez.com/about.html|archive-date=December 20, 2014}}

From 2010 to 2016, Velasquez co-hosted “The Family-Friendly Morning Show”, a syndicated morning radio program with Doug Griffin.

Biography

=Early life and early music career=

Velasquez was born in Houston and is of Mexican, Spanish, Arab, Scottish, French, and Jewish descent.{{cite web|url= https://www.buenamusica.com/jaci-velasquez/biografia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403171751/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-113053490.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 3, 2013 |title=Jaci Velasquez: Chasing Papi star with a blazing trail of album hits – Main Cover – Cover Story |publisher=Findarticles.com |access-date=February 14, 2012}}[https://www.last.fm/music/Jaci+Velasquez/+wiki Jaci Velasquez Biography] in Last.fm[https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/5518?deferredFl=1&utm_campaign=artist&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic Jaci Velasquez Biography] in Deezer.com She grew up in an evangelical church where her parents were both singers and pastors. Although she has described herself as a "non-denominational" Christian, she later said in an interview with Morris Cerullo, "you're talking to an Assemblies of God's girl".{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}}

At the age of 9, she began traveling with her father, who by that time was a full-time singing evangelist. She began by singing backup and then later sang solo, releasing three independent records between 1988 and 1992: My Favorite Songs, Help Me, and Keep the Fire Burning. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representative of Myrrh Records.

=Breakthrough music career=

16-year-old Velasquez released her breakthrough album Heavenly Place on May 13, 1996; five of its songs became No. 1 hits. The album was later certified platinum. She was distinguished as the fastest selling solo debut recording artist in her genre and the first solo artist in Christian music history to reach gold status with a debut album. Since then she released seven more English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. Five Latin albums garnishing amazing success with Llegar A Ti going double-platinum and Mi Corazón going platinum. She produced sixteen No. 1 Christian radio hits and six other top-10 singles, and has won nine Dove awards, including New Artist of the Year and two Female Vocalist of the Year wins. Velasquez has also done ad campaigns for Pepsi, Target, Doritos, John Freida's Frizz-Ease hair products, and Helzberg Diamonds.

In 1998, she signed to Sony Discos for a four-album deal and was introduced to Rudy Pérez, who produced her first Spanish-language crossover album Llegar a Ti which topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, the first Christian track to top that chart of its kind. This album enabled her to achieve crossover success by building a fan base among Hispanics. Her first single, "Llegar a Ti," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became the first Christian song to top that chart. She received a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song.

File:Jacivelasquez.JPG

In 2001, she released her second Spanish-language album, Mi Corazón. The album's lead single, "Como Se Cura Una Herida," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks and became one of the biggest singles of the year, receiving multiple award nominations and wins. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album. "Como Se Cura Una Herida" charted at No. 1 simultaneously with the song "Adore" at No. 1 on the CCM (Inspirational) chart giving Velasquez two simultaneous No. 1s in two different markets.{{cite web|url=https://www.christianactivities.com/jaci-velasquez-no-1-both-english-latin-charts|title=Jaci Velasquez No. 1 on Both English, Latin Charts - Christian Activities|website=www.christianactivities.com|access-date=June 6, 2018}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Her Latin music credits includes five Spanish-language releases, two No. 1 Latin Billboard Singles, two Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Award for New Artist of the Year, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and four Dove Awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year. In September 2008, she was chosen by the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs as one of the 15 Prominent Hispanic-Americans in the Arts in America.{{cite web |url=http://www.america.gov/multimedia/photogallery.html#/30145/hispanic_arts |title=Photo Gallery |publisher=America.gov |date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=September 16, 2011 |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523054638/http://www.america.gov/multimedia/photogallery.html#/30145/hispanic_arts |url-status=dead }}

In August 2011, Velasquez signed with a new label, Inpop Records, and her album, Diamond, was released on February 7, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/jaci.velasquez.signs.to.inpop.records/28482.htm |title=Jaci Velasquez signs to Inpop Records |publisher=Christian Today |date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=September 16, 2011}} She released her first Spanish-language lullaby album, Buenas Noches Mi Sol, in 2012 with Fisher-Price.{{cite web|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/BuenasNochesMiSol.asp|title=Jaci Velasquez - Buenas Noches mi Sol|access-date=March 28, 2017}} She released a new project on March 31, 2017, through Integrity Music, consisting of an English-language album, Trust, and the Spanish-language version, Confío.{{cite web|url=http://www.thechristianbeat.org/index.php/news/3049-platinum-selling-bilingual-recording-artist-jaci-velasquez-to-release-first-new-album-in-five-years|title=Jaci Velasquez To Release First New Album in Five Years|publisher=The Christian Beat|date=January 23, 2017 |access-date=March 28, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://musica.gospelprime.com.br/trust-jaci-velasquez|title=Jaci Velasquez releases the album Trust|publisher=GospelPrime|date=March 31, 2017|access-date=March 31, 2017|archive-date=April 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401233126/https://musica.gospelprime.com.br/trust-jaci-velasquez/|url-status=dead}} At the 48th Dove Awards, Confío won Spanish Language Album of the Year{{cite web|url=http://doveawards.com/2017-winners/|title=2017 Winners - The 48th Annual GMA Dove Awards|website=doveawards.com|access-date=October 19, 2017|archive-date=October 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020034725/http://doveawards.com/2017-winners/|url-status=dead}}

=Acting career=

Velasquez made her acting debut in the 2003 film Chasing Papi, which also featured Sofia Vergara, Roselyn Sanchez, and Eduardo Verastegui, as well as Nicole Scherzinger in a cameo role. It was released nationwide in the U.S. in April 2003. The movie reached No. 11 at the box office grossing $6 million worldwide. Velasquez also starred in the Christian films The Encounter and Jerusalem Countdown, both released in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/article/about-jaci-velasquez/|title=About Jaci Velasquez|date=June 16, 2023 |publisher=Today's Christian Music/CCM Magazine}}

In November 2010, Velasquez began co-hosting the Family Friendly Morning Show with Doug Griffin after being a guest host for several months.{{cite web|title=Jaci Velasquez Announced As New Co-host of The Family Friendly Morning Show with Doug Griffin|url=http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/artists/jaci-velasquez/news/jaci-velasquez-announced-as-new-co-host-of-the-family-friendly-morning-show-with-doug-griffin/|publisher=Today's Christian Music/CCM Magazine|access-date=October 14, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330021027/http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/artists/jaci-velasquez/news/jaci-velasquez-announced-as-new-co-host-of-the-family-friendly-morning-show-with-doug-griffin/|archive-date=March 30, 2012}} The show aired on over 100 U.S. radio stations for four hours each weekday morning. In 2016, she played the drama teacher Mrs. Diaz in I'm Not Ashamed, a 2016 biographical drama film which is based on the journals of Rachel Joy Scott.{{Cite web|url=https://www.patheos.com/blogs/reelfaith/2017/09/jaci-velasquez-question-faith-christian-entertainment.html|title=Jaci Velasquez on 'A Question of Faith,' Christian Entertainment|last=Faith|first=Reel|date=September 29, 2017|website=Reel Faith|language=en|access-date=January 27, 2019}}

Personal life

Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band AutoVaughn, on August 16, 2003. They were divorced in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/news/2005/jacivelasquez.html |title=Jaci Velasquez Divorced |publisher=Christianitytoday.com |date=August 16, 2003 |access-date=September 16, 2011}}

On December 17, 2006, she married Nic Gonzales in a private ceremony in Austin, Texas. Gonzales is a member of Salvador, a Christian group with whom she had been touring.{{cite web |url=http://www.lovetripper.com/newswire07/010707-jaci-velasquez.html |title=Austin Wedding for Jaci Velasquez, Nic Gonzalez |publisher=Lovetripper.com |date=December 17, 2006 |access-date=September 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214060416/http://www.lovetripper.com/newswire07/010707-jaci-velasquez.html |archive-date=February 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }} Their first son Zealand was born in 2007 and their second son Soren in 2009.{{cite web |url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2009/03/02/jaci-velasquez-and-nic-gonzales-welcome-son-soren-arthur/ |title=Jaci Velásquez and Nic Gonzáles Welcome Son Soren Arthur – Moms & Babies – Moms & Babies - People.com |publisher=Celebritybabies.people.com |date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2012 |archive-date=January 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118105752/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2009/03/02/jaci-velasquez-and-nic-gonzales-welcome-son-soren-arthur/ |url-status=dead }}

Velasquez and her husband were featured in an episode of the home remodeling reality TV show Renovation Realities which aired December 6, 2014, on the DIY Network.{{cite web |url=http://www.diynetwork.com/renovation-realities/the-velazquez-job/index.html |title=THE VELASQUEZ JOB Episode DRVD-1309H |publisher=DIYNetwork.com |access-date=January 29, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204053020/http://www.diynetwork.com/renovation-realities/the-velazquez-job/index.html |archive-date=December 4, 2014 }}

Jaci is a vegan.

Discography

My Favorite Songs (1988)
Help Me (1992)
Keep the Fire Burning (1994)
Heavenly Place (1996)
Jaci Velasquez (1998)
Llegar A Ti (1999)
Crystal Clear (2000)
Mi Corazón (2001)
Christmas/Navidad (2001)
Unspoken (2003)
Milagro (2003)
Beauty Has Grace (2005)
Love Out Loud (2008)
Diamond (2012)
Buenas Noches Mi Sol (2012)
Trust/Confío (2017)

Filmography

2003: Chasing Papi
2004: Doc (one episode)
2003: Los Reyes Magos (The 3 Wise Men)
2011: The Encounter
2011: Jerusalem Countdown
2014: Rumors of Wars
2015: VeggieTales: Noah's Ark
2016: I'm Not Ashamed
2017: A Question of Faith
2020: Cover Me
2020: Acquitted by Faith

Bibliography

1996: A Heavenly Place (over 10,000 units sold)
2003: Los Evangelios Toman Vida: The Gospels Come to Life
2012: Coffee and Concealer

Awards

Latin Grammy Award Nominations

2000 Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Llegar A Ti
2004 Best Female Pop Vocal Album Milagro.
2017 Best Christian Album Confío.

Dove Awards{{cite web|url=https://doveawards.com/awards/past-winners/|title=Past Winners - The 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards|website=doveawards.com|access-date=June 6, 2018}}