One of Spain’s most prolific artists, celebrated singer-songwriter José Luis Perales has composed more than 500 songs, both for himself and other artists. ∙ Starting out as a songwriter, he scored his first hit with Jeanette’s “Porque Te Vas,” an international smash that’s since become one of the most iconic Spanish pop songs of all time. ∙ Persuaded by producer Rafael Trabucchelli to try out singing, a reluctant Perales entered the studio, expecting failure, and instead came out with a hit of his own, 1974’s “Celos de Mi Guitarra.” ∙ “Quisiera Decir Tu Nombre” (1975) and “¿Y cómo es él?” (1982) made him a star, but he also wrote music for such artists as Julio Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Rocio Jurado, and Miguel Bosé. ∙ He penned lyrics for the theme song of ’70s French cartoon series Il était une fois... l'Homme and later helmed the soundtrack for the award-winning 2017 film The Motive. ∙ After nearly 50 years in the music business, he received more than 100 Gold and Platinum records. ∙ Nominated for two Latin Grammys and a Goya Award, Perales was recognized with the Honor Prize at the inaugural edition of Spain’s Odeón Awards in 2020.