{{short description|Spanish singer-songwriter (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}} {{family name hatnote|Martínez de Ubago|Rodríguez|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Alex Ubago | image = AlexUbago (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Alex Ubago | birth_name = Alejandro Martínez de Ubago Rodríguez | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|01|29}} | birth_place = Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain | instrument = {{Hlist|Vocals|guitar|piano}} | genre = {{flatlist| * Pop * pop rock }} | occupation = Singer-songwriter | years_active = 2000–present | current_member_of = Alex, Jorge y Lena | website = {{URL|alexubago.com}} }}
'''Álex Ubago''' (born '''Alejandro Martínez de Ubago Rodríguez''' on January 29, 1981, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain) is a Spanish singer-songwriter. He is especially known for his heartfelt voice and his ballads. He was able to record his debut album ''¿Qué pides tú?'' when manager Iñigo Argomaniz that used to go to Alex's cousin's bar heard a demo that Alex made for his girlfriend. His first album contains songs from that first demo recording; the songs are "Sabes" and "Hay Que Ver". Alex started to tour national radios with his guitar to sing his songs live and get further exposure. Eventually, this strategy worked, and his album finally hit the charts. But he reached absolute fame with the publication of the song "Sin Miedo A Nada", featuring Amaia Montero, which is his biggest hit to date.
==Early life== When he was four years old, his parents moved to San Sebastián. He wrote his first song at the age of 15.<ref name="Gutierrez">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p556858|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Alex Ubago|last=Gutierrez|first=Evan C.|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=May 24, 2010}}</ref>
==Career== Álex Ubago taught himself to sing, and at the age of 20 released his debut album ''¿Qué pides tú?'',<ref name="allubago">{{cite web|title=Álex Ubago – Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alex-ubago-p556858/biography |accessdate=September 14, 2011 |work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation |first=Evan C. |last=Gutierrez }}</ref> which sold 900,000 units in Spain and was certified 9× platinum in Mexico.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite certification|region=Spain|certyear=2004|certweek=01}}</ref><ref>{{cite certification|region=Mexico|title=Que Pides Tu?|artist=Alex Ubago}}</ref> Ubago received a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 2003, but the award was won by fellow Spanish performer David Bisbal.<ref name=LatinGrammy2003>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-23-et-latgramlist23-story.html|title=The nominees are ...|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 14, 2011|date=July 23, 2003}}</ref> Ubago's album ''Fantasía o realidad'' was released in 2003, and was as successful as his first album.<ref name="allubago"/> Ubago was nominated again for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Album for his album ''Calle Ilusión'' which peaked at number three in the Spanish Albums Charts.<ref name=LatinGrammy2009>{{cite web|url=http://www.terra.com/musica/noticias/conoce_a_los_nominados_a_los_grammy_latinos/oci701873|title=Conoce a los nominados a los Grammy Latinos|publisher=Terra Networks México|date=September 19, 2009|accessdate=January 28, 2011|language=Spanish}}</ref><ref name=ilusion>{{cite web|url=http://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Alex+Ubago&titel=Calle+ilusi%F3n&cat=a |title=Alex Ubago – Calle Ilusión |publisher=Hung Medien |work=Spanish Charts |accessdate=September 14, 2011}}</ref>
In 2019, he collaborated in the CD edited by ''La Marató de TV3'', a telethon devoted to raise funds for the research of incurable diseases, with a version in Catalan of his song "Sin miedo a nada".<ref>{{cite web |title=TV-3 celebra el 15º aniversario del 'Disc de la Marató' a lo grande |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/tele/20191115/tv-3-celebra-15-aniversario-disc-la-marato-grande-la-paloma-7737190 |website=El Periodico |accessdate=December 1, 2019 |date=November 15, 2019 |language=Spanish}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=El disc de La Marató fa 15 anys picant l'ullet al Nadal |url=https://www.ara.cat/media/disc-Marato-2019-Nadal_0_2344565555.html|website=Ara.cat|accessdate=December 26, 2019 |language=Catalan |date=November 14, 2019}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |+ List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SPN<br /><ref>After 2005: {{cite web|url=http://spanishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Alex+Ubago|title=spanishcharts.com – Discography Alex Ubago|publisher=Hung Medien|accessdate=May 19, 2017}}</ref>
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| ARG<br /> |- ! scope="row" | ''¿Qué pides tú?'' | * Released: September 23, 2001 | 1 || — | *ARG: Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Argentina|artist=Alex Ubago|type=album}} *MEX: 2× Platinum<ref name=MEX/> *SPA: 9× Platinum<ref name="ReferenceA"/> |- ! scope="row" | ''21 meses, 1 semana y 2 días'' | * Released: July 21, 2003 | 1 || — | |- ! scope="row" | ''Fantasía o realidad'' | * Released: February 24, 2004 | 1 || — | *ARG: Gold{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Argentina|artist=Alex Ubago|type=album}} *MEX: Platinum+Gold<ref name=MEX/> *SPA: 3× Platinum<ref>{{cite certification|region=Spain|certyear=2005|certweek=02}}</ref> *US: Platinum (Latin){{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|artist=Alex Ubago|type=album}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Álex Ubago: En Directo'' | * Released: August 20, 2004 | 6 || — | |- ! scope="row" | ''Aviones de cristal'' | * Released: September 26, 2006 | 3 || 61 | *MEX: Gold<ref name=MEX>{{cite certification|region=Mexico|artist=Alex Ubago}}</ref> *SPA: Gold<ref>{{cite certification|region=Spain|certyear=2007|certweek=01}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Calle Ilusión'' | * Released: March 10, 2009 | 3 || 3 | |- ! scope="row" | ''Mentiras Sinceras'' | * Released: December 4, 2012 | 16 || — | |- ! scope="row" | ''Canciones Impuntuales'' | * Released: May 5, 2017<ref>{{cite web | url=https://music.apple.com/mx/album/canciones-impuntuales/1219365225 | title=Canciones Impuntuales de Alex Ubago | website=iTunes | date=May 5, 2017 }}</ref> | 14<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.promusicae.es/listas/semana/3412-%C3%81lbumes-semana-19-2017|title=Top 100 Albumes – Semana 19: del 05.05.2017 al 11.05.2017|publisher=Productores de Música de España|language=Spanish|accessdate=May 19, 2017}}</ref> || — | |- | colspan="14" style="font-size:9pt"| "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.alexubago.com/ Alex Ubago Official Site] *[http://www.alexubagooficial.net/ Alex Ubago Official Site in English] *[https://www.warnermusic.com.mx/ Alex Ubago's Official Label Site]
{{Álex Ubago}} {{Alex, Jorge y Lena}} {{Portal bar|Biography|Latin music|Pop music|Spain}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ubago, Alex}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Basque singers Category:People from Vitoria-Gasteiz Category:Spanish male singer-songwriters Category:Spanish singer-songwriters Category:Warner Music Latina artists Category:21st-century Spanish male singers Category:Alex, Jorge y Lena members