Ricardo Arjona

Guaemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona is known for his socially aware lyrics and protest songs. The young Arjona gave up a career as a basketball player to pursue his love of music. He moved to Mexico City for the opportunities that the city afforded and secured a deal with Polygram for the release of his first album. The record company cast him in the role of romantic, but his first album Dejame Decir Que Te Amo (Let Me Say I Love You) sank without trace. Arjona went back to the countryside and spent the next five years teaching at a primary school and writing songs for other artists.

He decided to try again and moved to Buenos Aries, this time with the courage of his convictions, and he began to write songs about the things he believed in. His subsequent releases, including Animalo Nocturno and the Grammy nominated Adrento, sold well and established Arjona amongst Latin America's most popular protest singers.