Kany García

Encarnita "Kany" García de Jesús (born September 25, 1982) is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter. Born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, García first appeared on television in 2004 as a contestant on Objetivo Fama. She is widely considered the most successful non-winner in the history of the show.

In 2006, García signed a recording contract with Sony BMG, releasing her debut album Cualquier Día (2007), which was a commercial success, spawning four top 40 singles on the Billboard Latin Tracks. She has won six Latin Grammy Awards out of twenty nominations and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Encarnita García de Jesús was born on September 25, 1982, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Her father, Antonio García, was a Roman Catholic priest from Spain. He left the priesthood when he fell in love with Kany's mother, Puerto Rican choir director Shela de Jesús. She has two uncles on her father's side who are also priests. García has two older siblings: Marishela and José Antonio, who is the lead double-bass player at the Sinfónica de Puerto Rico. She began studying classical music when she was a child, learning cello, musical theory, solfeggio and chorus. At 13, she attended the school Escuela Libre de Música, where the guitar would win her heart. This was followed by studies at Puerto Rico's Conservatorio de Música.

In her early twenties, following a successful audition for the Puerto Rican television program Objectivo Fama, García fell asleep behind the wheel, barely surviving a near-fatal car accident. The hospital stay cost her the opportunity to appear on Objetivo Fama. She suffered fractures of the pelvis and clavicle and needed forty stitches on her face. She was in intensive care for some time and managed to recover, although sensation in her left toe is limited. This setback did not keep García from the craft that she loved. Continuing to write and perform led to talks with Sony BMG some years later. While García was still being courted by the music industry superpower, Sony invited her to share the stage with Venezuelan singer Franco De Vita at an engagement in Puerto Rico. Her performance was met so warmly, garnering the evening's only standing ovation, that an offer from Sony was quickly forthcoming. She released her first studio album in 2007 titled Cualquier Dia, which she wrote all songs. The album was certified gold in both, United States and Mexico. The album was released to critical acclaim. Kany's second album "Boleto De Entrada" was released in September 2009.

Kany García started recording her debut album during the beginning of 2006. García's debut album, Cualquier Día(lit. Any Day), was released on July 7, 2007, yielding five singles, the first being "Hoy Ya Me Voy" which was released on May 7, 2007. The single became a huge success upon its release peaking at number 22 in the US on Billboard Hot Latin Songs charts. It also became a global hit where it peaked within the top 10 across 4 countries as well as achieving top 20 charts on countries around the world. The single written by Kany herself was described by Billboard Magazine as a "beautiful song that changes the meaning of a break-up". The second single "¿Qué Nos Pasó?" wasn't as successful as her previous release, failing to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot Latn Tracks, however, it became her second consecutive song to reach the Top 30 on Billboard Latin Pop Airplay. In Mexico, Ecuador and in Colombia the single proved to be well received, reaching the top 50 in those countries. It reached the Top 10 in Puerto Rico. The third single, "Amigo en el Baño (lit. Friend in the Bathroom)", was less successful in the states, but a moderate hit in Latin America. The lyrics were written for a music class assignment but later released on Kany's debut album "Cualquier Dia". The song was released in the beginning of February but by the beginning of March, radios stopped playing the songs because some people felt offended. Even though some radios did not play the songs, the song managed to reach the top 50 on Billboard Hot Latin tracks where it peaked at #44 after Kany's performance at the 2008 Latin Billboard Music Awards. It also charted at #22 on the Latin Pop charts. It was a huge success in Dominican Republic, and in Costa Rica where it reach #1 for weeks in both countries.

Later that year, García was asked to write the theme song for the HBO Latino TV show Capadocia. The song is called "Bajo el mismo Cielo". The song was praised by music critics and fans. Kany's fourth single "Esta Soledad", became Kany's best charting song in U.S. The song has peaked at #21 on Billboard Latin Tracks. The song was the most added song on Latin Pop Radio for 4 consecutive weeks. Kany was proclaim by Billboard Magazine, as their 2008 Breakthrough New Artist. Since its release, the album reached the top 10 in U.S. Latin Pop Charts, and has reach the top 50 on Mexico Album Charts. It gained Oro certification from the RIAA for selling 100,000 units. García received the first Gold Disk recognition of her career on July 22, 2008. Sony BMG gave her the award live in "Anda Pal' Cara, En Gala". A special edition of the album "Cualquier Dia" was released on October 21, 2008. The new album "Cualquier Dia: Edicion Especial" included live songs, 4 music videos, pictures, and a video showing Kany's road to success.

On September 10, 2008, Kany received 4 nominations for the 2008 Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of: "Song of the Year", "Album of the Year", "Best New Artist" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album". The fifth single of Cualquier Dia is "Estigma De Amor". On October 3, 2008, García offered her first big concert of her tour in Mexico with over 3,000 attendees. "Estigma De Amor" debuted on Billboard Latin Pop Airplay at #38 and reached #15 becoming Kany's 3rd Top 20 hit. It also charted on Billboard Hot Latin Songs at #43, her 3rd song to enter the chart. Kany's voice, lyrics and music has been compared with others like Shakira and Julieta Venegas. On November 11, 2008, Kany was awarded two Latin Grammys for "Best New Artist" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album". Kany also performed her hit single "Esta Soledad". The album was certified "Disco De Oro" on November by AMPROFON in Mexico for selling over 50,000 in that country alone.

After a successful year, Kany entered the recording studio to record her second album. Garcia started recording new songs, a song called "Todavia", is one of those new songs that will appear on her second album. Kany says about the song that "speaks a little of everything that we still need to be done ... so many trips we have done and what we're back in a myriad of things." According to Kany herself, the album will be more "pop, rock and soft ballads". Garcia is also looking to collaborate with other musicians. She wants a duet with some of her favorite artists like Julieta Venegas, Reyli, Juan Luis Guerra or if the song is in English, with John Mayer. She says that she has written many songs for her next project. Kany received her first nomination for the 2009 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards. She was nominated for "Female Pop Artist of the Year". Kany teamed up with fellow musician, reggaeton artist Tego Calderón for a duet for his upcoming album El Que Sabe, Sabe. The song is about a "young girl suffering from sexual abuse".