In the ’90s and early 2000s, Mexican pop vocalist Manuel Mijares rose from backup singer to adult contemporary music superstar, thanks to his suave stage persona and powerful crooning. ∙ In 1985, Mijares represented Mexico at the annual OTI Festival—a spinoff of the Eurovision Song Contest—winning the title Revelation of the Festival. ∙ He fell in love with costar and future duet partner Lucero while making his acting debut in the 1987 musical comedy Escápate Conmigo, and their 1997 wedding drew 40 million viewers. ∙ Amor y Rock ’N’ Roll, the singer’s 1987 album, was his global breakthrough, with the ballad “No Se Murio el Amor” hitting No. 1 in Mexico and going Top 10 in Japan. ∙ He’s one of the few Latin singers to have won the coveted gold medal at the World Popular Song Festival, taking the 1987 title for “El Rey de la Noche.” ∙ Que Nada Nos Separe, from 1991, was his best-selling album to date, spawning the No. 1 Mexican chart smashes “Que Nada Nos Separe” and “Persona a Persona.” ∙ In 2011, he celebrated a quarter-century in music in front of 20,000 fans at Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional—performances released later that year as Zona Preferente 25.