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Leiva (singer) facts for kids

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Leiva
Premios Goya 2018 - Leiva.jpg
Leiva at the 32nd Goya Awards in 2018
Background information
Birth name José Miguel Conejo Torres
Born (1980-04-28) 28 April 1980 (age 43)
Madrid, Spain
Origin Madrid, Spain
Genres Rock and roll
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active 2001–present
Associated acts
  • Pereza
  • Rubén Pozo
Pereza
Leiva performing live in Pereza

José Miguel Conejo Torres (born in Madrid, 28 April 1980), better known by his artistic name Leiva, is a Spanish singer, musician and songwriter. Between 2001 and 2010 he led with Ruben Pozo the Spanish rock band Pereza, with which he recorded 6 albums. After the dissolution of the band, he started a solo career with 3 charting solo albums: Diciembre in 2012, Pólvora in 2014 and Monstruos in 2016.

Biography

Leiva was born and raised in the neighborhood of Alameda de Osuna, in the northeast suburbs of Madrid. His great love of football coupled with his strong resemblance to Leivinha, a Brazilian footballer who at the time played for Atlético de Madrid, earned him the nickname Leiva. He would later use it as his stage name.

In Pereza

His first musical activity was in 1994, as he became part of the Malahierba band in which he was a drummer. In 1998 he formed a trio band together with Rubén Pozo and drummer Tuli with the intention of making cover versions of Leño. Subsequently Malahierba would evolve and become the band Pereza. The band released its debut album in 2001, but without much success. From the second album, Algo para cantar in 2003, the formation became a duo of Leiva and Ruben. With Animales in 2005, they gained great fame and consolidated their position as one of the most important Spanish pop rock bands. Pereza had three more albums, Los amigos de los animales in 2006, Aproximaciones in 2007 and Aviones in 2009.

Solo career

The duo split in September 2011 with Leiva continuing as a solo singer, songwriter and musician.

The first solo album of Leiva was Diciembre (2012), that was self-produced and received positive reviews and awards such as the Rolling Stone Award for best album of the year and two Latin Grammy nominations.

In January 2014 Leiva came out with his second solo album, titled Pólvora, a co-production with the Spanish musician Carlos Raya and Joe Blaney as soundman.

Both albums have proven very successful with Leiva releasing three singles charting singles on the Spanish singles market, and charting in PROMUSICAE charts, namely "Eme", "Afuera en la ciudad" and "Terriblemente Cruel" the latter two making it to positions 6 and 5 respectively on the Spanish charts. 'Eme' is a song which was dedicated to Michelle Jenner after a tough breakup. The singer express the left of her girlfriend, his feelings and his thoughts, hoping that she would come back.

In 2016 Leiva came out with "Monstruos". Is a record in which he explains the monsters the common social fears at bedtime.

Discography

Albums and DVDs with Pereza

  • 2001: Pereza (the only album as a trio, Rubén, Leiva and Tuli).
  • 2002: Algo para cantar (as a duo of Rubén and Leiva)
  • 2003: Algo para encantar (DVD)
  • 2004: Algo para cantar (Special edition).
  • 2005: Animales ("Princesas" became a successful single from the album)
  • 2005: Princesas (DVD)
  • 2006: Los amigos de los animales (Album and DVD)
  • 2006: Barcelona (Album and DVD)
  • 2007: Aproximaciones
  • 2009: Baires, libro (Album and DVD)
  • 2009: Aviones (Album and DVD) (notably romantic songs like "Llévame al baile"
  • 2010: 10 años

Solo albums

Studio albums

Year Album Peak positions Certification
SPA
2012 Diciembre 3
2014 Pólvora 1
  • PROMUSICAE: Gold
2016 Monstruos 1
  • PROMUSICAE: Gold
2019 Nuclear 1
  • PROMUSICAE: Platinum
2021 Cuando Te Muerdes el Labio 1
  • PROMUSICAE: Platinum

Live albums

Year Album Peak positions
SPA
2020 Madrid Nuclear (En Directo) 1

Solo singles

  • "Eme" (2012)
  • "Terriblemente Cruel" (2013)
  • "Afuera En La Ciudad" (2014)
  • "Mirada Perdida" (2014)
  • "Sixteen" (featuring Carlos Tarque and Fito Cabrales) (2015)
  • "Sincericidio" (2016)
  • "La Lluvia en los Zapatos" (2016)
  • "Breaking Bad" (2017)
  • "La Llamada" (2017)
  • "No Te Preocupes por Mi" (2018)
  • "Nuclear" (2019)
  • "Lobos" (2019)
  • "En El Espacio" (2019)
  • "Mi Pequeño Chernóbil" (2020)
  • "La Estación Eterna" (2020)

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Goya Awards 2017 Best Original Song "La Llamada" from Holy Camp! Won
2023 "Sintiéndolo Mucho" from Sintiéndolo Mucho (shared with Joaquín Sabina) Won
Latin Grammy Awards 2012 Best Pop/Rock Album Diciembre Nominated
2013 Best Short Form Music Video "Vis a Vis" Nominated
2017 "Sincericidio" Nominated
2018 Best Rock Song "La Llamada" Nominated
2019 "Godzilla" (featuring Enrique Bunbury and Ximena Sariñana) Nominated
Best Pop/Rock Album Nuclear Nominated
Los 40 Music Awards 2014 Best Spanish Act Himself Nominated
Best Spanish Rock Act Won
Best Spanish Album Pólvora Nominated
Best Spanish Song "Terriblemente Cruel" Nominated
2016 Artist of the Year Himself Won
Critic Award Nominated
Album of the Year Monstruos Nominated
Video of the Year "Sincericidio" Nominated
2017 Artist of the Year Himself Nominated
Song of the Year "La Lluvia en los Zapatos" Nominated
Video of the Year Won
Tour of the Year Gira Monstruos Nominated
2018 Song of the Year "La Llamada" Nominated
2019 Artist of the Year Himself Nominated
Album of the Year Nuclear Won
Video of the Year "No Te Preocupes por Mí" Nominated
Festival, Tour or Concert of the Year Tour Nuclear Nominated
2022 Golden Music Award Himself Won
Album of the Year Cuando Te Muerdes el Labio Nominated
Best Collaboration "Premio de Consolación" (with Natalia Lacunza) Nominated
MTV Europe Music Awards 2014 Best Spanish Act Himself Nominated
2015 Nominated
2016 Nominated
2020 Nominated
Premios Odeón 2020 Album of the Year Nuclear Nominated
Best Male Artist Himself Nominated
2021 Best Rock Artist Won
Best Rock Album Madrid Nuclear Nominated

Note: Three albums by Leiva have been nominated for Best Recording Package with the art director of each receiving the nomination; Boa Morente was nominated for Nuclear in 2019 and Cuando Te Muerdes el Labio (Edición Cerámica) in 2022, while Emilio Morente was nominated for Madrid Nuclear in 2021.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Leiva (cantante) para niños

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