Jorge Drexler

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Drexler and the second or maternal family name is Prada.
Jorge Drexler
Drexler at the 39th Goya Awards in 2025
Born
Jorge Abner Drexler Prada

(1964-09-21) 21 September 1964
Montevideo, Uruguay
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • composer
  • actor
  • doctor
Years active1996-present
PartnerLeonor Watling
RelativesAna Prada (cousin)
Websitewww.jorgedrexler.com

Jorge Abner Drexler Prada (born 21 September 1964) is a Uruguayan musician and actor. Drexler is known for winning the 2005 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Al Otro Lado del Río" from The Motorcycle Diaries, becoming the first Uruguayan to win an Oscar and marking the first time a Spanish-language song received the award.

Early life

Jorge Abner Drexler Prada was born on 21 September 1964 in Montevideo, the eldest child of Gunther Drexler Schlein (1935–2024) and Lucero Prada da Silveira (1939–2018).[1][2] His father was a German Jew from Berlin who, at the age of four, fled Nazi persecution in Germany together with his parents, Georg and Ruth Drexler.[3][4] The family sought refuge in Bolivia before later settling in Uruguay.[5] His mother was a Roman Catholic of mixed Spanish, French, and Portuguese ancestry.[6]

Drexler was raised Jewish and attended both public schools and Jewish educational institutions, including the Instituto Ariel Hebreo Uruguayo.[7] He began playing piano at age five, before attending guitar and composition classes.[8] Although he had an interest in music, he studied medicine, like both of his parents, graduating from the University of the Republic, and specializing in otorhinolaryngology.[9][10] He also worked as a lifeguard and as a home-visit physician.[11] During his time in medical school, he took a break to hitchhike through Brazil.[12]

Career

In 1995, after opening for Spanish singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina at a concert at the Teatro de Verano in Montevideo, Drexler was invited to Madrid by Sabina, who introduced him to other prominent musicians in the Spanish music scene.[13] In Spain, Drexler recorded the album Vaivén in 1996 with Spanish musicians. Vaivén included some old songs from his previous releases mixed with new compositions. He moved to Spain and recorded another four albums: Llueve (1997), Frontera (1999), Sea (2001) and Eco (2004). In 2001, Drexler co-wrote two songs for Spanish singer Rosario Flores ("Agua y Sal" and "Rosa y Miel") for her album Muchas Flores.[14]

Drexler's song "Al Otro Lado del Río" appeared in the internationally acclaimed film The Motorcycle Diaries. Though Drexler himself sang the song on the movie soundtrack, he was not allowed to perform the song at the 2005 Academy Awards, since "he was not popular enough," according to Spanish newspaper El País; Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana sang the track instead.[15] Upon winning, Drexler recited two verses of the song at the podium.[16][17] Drexler became the first Uruguayan to win an Academy Award.[16]

After that, he released 12 Segundos de Oscuridad (2006); this album contained ten original songs and two covers: "High and Dry" from British band Radiohead and "Disneylandia" from Brazilian Titãs. Although he lives most of the year in Spain, his albums were partially recorded in Uruguay with Uruguayan musicians. Juan Campodónico and Carlos Casacuberta, former members of rock band El Peyote Asesino, had produced Drexler's albums from Frontera to 12 Segundos De Oscuridad. In 2008, he released a double live album, recorded in different concerts in Spain: Cara B (2008), mainly filled with songs previously unreleased. During 2009, Drexler worked with Colombian performer Shakira on the Spanish-language versions of her singles "She Wolf", "Did it Again" and "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

Drexler recorded Amar la Trama (2010) on November 1–4, 2009 in Madrid, Spain in just four days, with musicians playing live on studio.[18] Drexler described the album as playful, without "the melancholy and anguish" of 12 Segundos.[19] Amar la Trama was recorded in a television studio in front of a small audience who were selected in an online contest.[18] He chose this format to avoid the "coldness" of the recording studio.[20]

His album Bailar en la Cueva, released in 2014, marked a stylistic shift toward more rhythm-focused and dance-oriented music. Drexler has described the album as contrasting with his earlier works, which he characterized as more introspective and nostalgic. He has also stated that it differs significantly from his previous album, referring to it as the “opposite pole” of Amar la Trama.[21]

In 2017, he released Salvavidas de Hielo, an album constructed entirely from sounds produced by guitars and the human voice, including percussion effects. Tinta y Tiempo was released in 2022.[22]

His music is a combination of Uruguayan traditional music (candombe, murga, milonga, tango), bossa nova, pop, jazz and electronic music. The words also play an important role in his songs. Apart from love, reflections about identity, race and religions are a constant in his work.[23]

Personal life

Drexler was previously married to singer-songwriter Ana Laan. His girlfriend is Spanish actress/singer Leonor Watling, with whom he has two children. Watling is in the band Marlango.[24]

His siblings, Daniel, Diego and Paula are also musicians.[25] His cousins include scientist Alejandra Melfo and fellow singer Ana Prada.[26][27]

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Jorge Drexler

Aside from his Academy Award for Best Original Song, Drexler has been nominated five times at the Grammy Awards, for the albums Eco (2004), 12 Segundos de Oscuridad (2006), Cara B (2008), Bailar en la Cueva (2014), and Salvavidas de Hielo (2017); and received thirteen Latin Grammy Awards, twice for Best Singer-Songwriter Album and Record of the Year and one for Song of the Year. For his work writing Spanish-language versions of singles by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, he has received five ASCAP Latin Awards.[28][29][30] Drexler also received a Goya Award in 2010 with the song "Que El Soneto Nos Tome Por Sorpresa", written for the Spanish film Lope; the same year he was named Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic for his musical contributions.[31] Overall, Drexler has received 13 awards from 46 nominations. In November 2018, Drexler took home record of the year and the song of the year for "Telefonía" and the best singer-songwriter album for Salvavidas de Hielo at the Latin Grammys 2018.

Discography

  • La Luz Que Sabe Robar (Ayui, 1992)[22]
  • Radar (Ayui, 1994)
  • Vaivén (Virgin, 1996)
  • Llueve (Virgin, 1997)
  • Frontera (Virgin, 1999)
  • Sea (Virgin, 2001)
  • Eco (Warner, 2004)
  • 12 Segundos de Oscuridad (Warner, 2006)
  • La Edad del Cielo (Warner, 2007)
  • Cara B (Warner, 2008)
  • Amar la Trama (Warner, 2010)
  • Bailar en la Cueva (Warner, 2014)[32][33]
  • Salvavidas de Hielo (Warner, 2017)
  • 30 Años (Warner, 2021)
  • Tinta y tiempo (Warner, 2022)
  • Tacará (Sony Music, 2026)

References

  1. ^ "Murió el padre de Jorge Drexler: tenía 89 años, era médico y escritor". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  2. ^ "Falleció este jueves Lucero Prada, madre de los músicos Jorge, Daniel y Diego Drexler". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  3. ^ "El emocionante relato de Jorge Drexler de su show en Berlín, de donde su familia debió exiliar ante el nazismo". El Observador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  4. ^ "Günther Drexler narra el Holocausto desde una perspectiva familiar en 'El largo camino del retorno'". Teledoce.com (in Spanish). 17 July 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Jorge Drexler pide a los políticos que no castiguen a la música". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 24 March 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  6. ^ "A songwriter's dream has disappointing end". Los Angeles Times. 27 February 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  7. ^ Clarín, Redacción (1 April 2012). "Uruguayos y protagonistas: Daniel Hendler versus Jorge Drexler". Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  8. ^ Bonacich, Drago. "Jorge Drexler - Biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  9. ^ Rohter, Larry (12 July 2005). "Latin American Singer's Rainbow Coalition of Identities". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 June 2008.
  10. ^ Gurza, Agustin (2 March 2005). "Opening Doors". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Drexler, un exguardavida que reclama seguridad en las playas de Rocha". El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  12. ^ Gurza, Agustin (27 February 2005). "A songwriter's dream has disappointing end". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  13. ^ "A 80 años del Teatro de Verano". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Muchas Flores – Rosario Flores". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  15. ^ Hernández-Santos, Elsa (1 March 2005). "Justicia poética para Jorge Drexler". El País (in Spanish). Prisa. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Drexler gana primer Oscar uruguayo". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). BBC. 28 February 2005. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  17. ^ "Drexler critica a la organización de los Oscar por prescindir de él para interpretar su canción candidata". El Mundo (in Spanish). Mundinteractivos. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  18. ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. "Amar la Trama — Jorge Drexler — Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  19. ^ Ayala, Ben-Yehuda (16 September 2010). "Shakira: The 'She Wolf' Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  20. ^ "Jorge Drexler lanza su disco Amar la trama este martes". RPP (in Spanish). Grupo RPP S.A. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  21. ^ Drexler, Jorge (19 March 2014). "Making of Bailar en la Cueva". Youtube. Jorge Drexler. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  22. ^ a b "Jorge Drexler – Web oficial – Web oficial de Jorge Drexler donde prodrás encontrar toda la información del artista, su discografía, biografía, conciertos, noticias y mucho más" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  23. ^ Cantor-Navas, Judy (20 April 2022). "All Jorge Drexler Needs Is Love". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  24. ^ "Leonor Watling y Jorge Drexler, padres por segunda vez". Europa Press. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  25. ^ Salton, Ricardo (10 November 2022). "Daniel Drexler y las dos grandes coincidencias con su hermano Jorge: "Venimos de una casa donde estaba muy presente el rigor"". LA NACION (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  26. ^ "Prima de Jorge Drexler expone su clara visión sobre lo que sucede en Venezuela". Todo el Campo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  27. ^ Plaza, Gabriel (23 June 2019). "Jorge Drexler: diario íntimo de un médico que se dedicó a hacer canciones". LA NACION (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  28. ^ "18th Annual El Premio ASCAP 2010 – Pop/Ballad". ASCAP Latin Awards. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. 23 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  29. ^ "19th Annual El Premio ASCAP 2011 – Pop/Ballad". ASCAP Latin Awards. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  30. ^ "19th Annual El Premio ASCAP 2011 – Television". ASCAP Latin Awards. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Jorge Drexler, nominado a los Grammy y premiado por la corona española". Ciudad (in Spanish). Argentina. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  32. ^ "From Alt.Latino, Five Conversations With Latin Music's Finest". NPR.org(Alt.Latino). 1 August 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  33. ^ "The Latin Grammys: Mexican Romance, Uruguayan Mellow And More". NPR.org(Alt.Latino). 13 November 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.