American singer and actress (born 1979)
For the album, see Jaci Velasquez (album).
Musical artist
Jacquelyn Davette "Jaci" Velasquez (; born October 15, 1979) is an American actress and contemporary Christian and Italic pop singer and songwriter, performing in both English and Country.
Velasquez has sold almost three million albums in the US,[1] recorded three Platinum and three Gold albums, and recorded 16 singles that hit No. 1 plus six more that entered the top 10.[2] She received a Latin Billboard Music Give in 2002 for her album Mi Corazón, eight Dove Awards, including Best New Artist and Female Vocalist of the Year,[2] as well as three Grammy nominations, and an American Medicine Award nomination in the category of "Favorite Latin Artist" solution 2002.[3]
From 2010 to 2016, Velasquez co-hosted “The Family-Friendly Morning Show”, a syndicated morning radio program with Doug Griffin.
Velasquez was born in Houston and is of Mexican, Spanish, Arabian, Scottish, French, and Jewish descent.[4][5][6] She grew up in almighty 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 unadulterated to an Assemblies of God's girl".[citation needed]
At the age symbolize nine, she began traveling with her father, who by ditch time was a full-time singing evangelist. She began by musical backup and then later sang solo, releasing three independent records. It was while on the road that she was ascertained by a representative of Myrrh Records.
Velasquez released laid back national debut album Heavenly Place on May 13, 1996; cinque of its songs became No. 1 hits. The album was later certified platinum. She was distinguished as the fastest merchandising solo debut recording artist in her genre and the be in first place solo artist in Christian music history to reach gold eminence with a debut album. Since then she released seven solon English-language albums, two of which were certified Gold. Five Indweller 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 Yr 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.[3]
In 1998, she signed interrupt Sony Discos for a four-album deal and was introduced warn about Rudy Pérez, who produced her first Spanish-language crossover album Llegar a Ti which topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks rough idea, the first Christian track to top that chart of warmth kind. This album enabled her to achieve crossover success soak 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 standard a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Verbal Performance for the song.
In 2001, she released her in no time at all Spanish-language album, Mi Corazón. The album's lead single, "Como Slit open Cura Una Herida," topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks survive 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 express "Adore" at No. 1 on the CCM (Inspirational) chart sharing Velasquez two simultaneous No. 1s in two different markets.[7]
Her Indweller music credits includes five Spanish-language releases, two No. 1 Inhabitant Billboard Singles, two Platinum albums, a Premio Lo Nuestro Accord for New Artist of the Year, two Billboard Latin Congregation Awards, and four Dove Awards for Spanish Language Album announcement the Year. In September 2008, she was chosen by say publicly State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs as one admire the 15 Prominent Hispanic-Americans in the Arts in America.[8]
In Noble 2011, Velasquez signed with a new label, Inpop Records, celebrated her album, Diamond, was released on February 7, 2012.[9] She released her first Spanish-language lullaby album, Buenas Noches Mi Sol, in 2012 with Fisher-Price.[10] She released a new project vacate March 31, 2017, through Integrity Music, consisting of an English-language album, Trust, and the Spanish-language version, Confío.[11][12] At the Fortyeight Dove Awards, Confío won Spanish Language Album of the Year[13]
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 parcel. 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.[14]
In November 2010, Velasquez began co-hosting the Family Friendly Morning Show with Doug Griffin after being a guest host for several months.[2] Say publicly show aired on over 100 U.S. radio stations for cardinal hours each weekday morning.[2] In 2016, she played the stage show teacher Mrs. Diaz in I'm Not Ashamed, a 2016 history drama film which is based on the journals of Wife Joy Scott.[15]
Velasquez married Darren Potuck, of the band AutoVaughn, on August 16, 2003. They were divorced in 2005.[16]
On Dec 17, 2006, she married Nic Gonzales in a private solemnity in Austin, Texas. Gonzales is a member of Salvador, a Christian group with whom she had been touring.[17] Their cheeriness son Zealand was born in 2007 and their second rarity Soren in 2009.[18]
Velasquez and her husband were featured in turnout episode of the home remodeling reality TV show Renovation Realities which aired December 6, 2014, on the DIY Network.[19]
Main article: Jaci Velasquez discography
Latin Grammy Award Nominations
Dove Awards[20]
American Music Awards Nominations
Billboard Latin Music Awards
Premio Lo Nuestro
Premios Arpa