Here's Why We Love the Latin Recording Academy's Person of the Year Alejandro Sanz

Brought to you by the editors of People en Español.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Alejandro Sanz, who’s won legions of fans with his sexy Spanish accent and powerful vocals, was named the ‘Person of the Year’ by the Latin Recording Academy at the Latin Grammys last week, where he sang a medley of his hits.

Artists like Camila Cabello and Luis Fonsi serenaded the 48-year-old crooner with their renditions of his classics, such as “Amiga Mía” and “Quisiera Ser” at the annual ‘Person of the Year’ private dinner and concert in Las Vegas.

Here are 5 reasons to become a Sanz fan — if you aren’t already!

1. The singer’s rich repertoire includes ballads sung around the world like “Corazón Partío” and heartfelt duets like “La Tortura,” with Shakira and “Looking for Paradise,” featuring Alicia Keys.

2. He is a mentor to younger generations of artists. Sanz was a coach — along with Ricky Martin and Laura Pausini — on Univision’s talent show La Banda and helped shape the boy band we now know as CNCO. His work shapes and inspires young talents like “Havana” singer Camila Cabello, who recently posted an open letter to the Sanz on Instagram: “Alejandro, my parents have danced and cried and fallen in love to your songs since I was a little girl,” she wrote. “Through your art you have inspired me to love fearlessly, to live intensely and to have the courage to stand with your soul naked in a crowded room.”

3. This Renaissance Man’s authorized biography Vive (Penguin/Random House) was just released this week. When he paints, he often gets ideas for new songs. He once told a publication he’d consider giving up music to be a painter.

4. Sanz shares adorable #TBTs on Instagram. The one below shows him as a child in his native Spain. Even then, he was a ladies’ man! “Here I promised I would be a good boy,” he captioned the photo. In a tender #TBT, he shared an image of himself feeding his first daughter Manuela when she was a baby. In the caption accompanying the photo, he wishes her a happy birthday. “Congratulations my girl Manuela, with you I discovered the purest love one can feel. The food for the soul. Love, dad.”

5. He speaks out against gender violence. The artist did a poignant photo shoot with Spanish magazine Yo Dona (above), wearing lipstick and high heels to put himself ‘in a woman’s shoes.’

The point of the daring shoot was to deliver a strong message against hurting women. “Whomever hits a woman, hits all of humanity,” his caption above reads, followed by the hashtag #YouDon’tDoThat.