Biography
Chilean composer, singer, producer, and director Alex Anwandter crafts left-field pop that fuses bright '80s-inspired sounds, dancefloor-ready disco, chilly electronics, and lyrics probing every variety of politics, yielding music that is simultaneously introspective and escapist. Following his time in the well-known group Teleradio Donoso, he launched a solo career that highlighted his abilities behind the boards and at the microphone. By his second album, Rebeldes in 2011, mainstream recognition had arrived along with strong chart placements. With 2023's El Diablo en el Cuerpo, the exuberant stylistic juxtapositions and incisive themes had matured enough to position him among the foremost figures in global pop.
Álex Anwandter Donoso entered the world in Santiago, Chile, in 1984. A classically trained violinist who began lessons at age six, he also absorbed pop music early, with Michael Jackson's sonic and visual approach leaving a lasting imprint on his later output. He completed his secondary education at Santiago College while pursuing psychology, then enrolled at the Escuela Moderna de Música for studies in composition and theory.
In 2005 he co-founded Teleradio Donoso alongside Martin de Real and Juan Pablo Wassaf, serving as vocalist, guitarist, and producer. The band's six-track self-titled EP appeared that year; its blend of quirky new wave rock, funky pop, and hook-driven punk revivalism circulated widely online and on radio. Two full-length releases followed—Gran Santiago in 2007, which expanded the EP by six additional tracks, and Bailar y Llorar in 2009—before the group disbanded in 2010.
Later that year, under the alias Odisea, Anwandter issued a self-titled debut solo album that largely replaced electric guitars with samples and synthesizers while drawing from disco, post-disco, and post-punk. Returning to his own name, he released the single "Tatuaje" in 2011 and the album Rebeldes, whose left-field pop direction evoked artists such as Robyn. The follow-up single "Cómo Puedes Vivir Contigo Mismo" referenced the murder of fan Daniel Zamudio in a hate crime; Anwandter dedicated his Chile Lollapalooza performance to Zamudio's memory.
In 2013 he began a songwriting collaboration with fellow Chilean artist Gepe, whose full name is Daniel Alejandro Riveros Sepulveda, under the moniker Alex & Daniel. Their first single, "Mundo Real," surfaced in November and was followed by a self-titled album in April of 2013. After a short tour, Anwandter turned to directing a film on Zamudio's life and death. The resulting Nunca Vas a Estar Solo y Que Estaba screened at the Festival de Cine de Guadalajara, collected multiple awards, and reached wider release in 2016. That same year he issued his third solo album, Amiga, which grew more overtly political and pop-oriented than earlier work, climbed to the Top 20 of the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart, and earned several Latin Grammy nominations. By the arrival of Latinoamericana in 2018, Anwandter had moved to Los Angeles. The record paired further reflections on his identity as a gay artist with broader commentary on politics and contemporary Latin culture, supported by sleek electronic production and traditional Latin instrumentation; it received two Latin Grammy nominations. His rising profile also led to production work for other musicians, including Francisco Victoria's 2018 album Prenda and Julieta Venegas's Tu Historia in 2022. The latter artist appeared among the guests on Anwandter's 2023 release El Diablo en el Cuerpo, a buoyant collection shaped by '80s pop, classic disco, and timeless romantic ballads that also featured Buscabulla, Christina Rosenvinge, and Javiera Mena.
Álex Anwandter Donoso entered the world in Santiago, Chile, in 1984. A classically trained violinist who began lessons at age six, he also absorbed pop music early, with Michael Jackson's sonic and visual approach leaving a lasting imprint on his later output. He completed his secondary education at Santiago College while pursuing psychology, then enrolled at the Escuela Moderna de Música for studies in composition and theory.
In 2005 he co-founded Teleradio Donoso alongside Martin de Real and Juan Pablo Wassaf, serving as vocalist, guitarist, and producer. The band's six-track self-titled EP appeared that year; its blend of quirky new wave rock, funky pop, and hook-driven punk revivalism circulated widely online and on radio. Two full-length releases followed—Gran Santiago in 2007, which expanded the EP by six additional tracks, and Bailar y Llorar in 2009—before the group disbanded in 2010.
Later that year, under the alias Odisea, Anwandter issued a self-titled debut solo album that largely replaced electric guitars with samples and synthesizers while drawing from disco, post-disco, and post-punk. Returning to his own name, he released the single "Tatuaje" in 2011 and the album Rebeldes, whose left-field pop direction evoked artists such as Robyn. The follow-up single "Cómo Puedes Vivir Contigo Mismo" referenced the murder of fan Daniel Zamudio in a hate crime; Anwandter dedicated his Chile Lollapalooza performance to Zamudio's memory.
In 2013 he began a songwriting collaboration with fellow Chilean artist Gepe, whose full name is Daniel Alejandro Riveros Sepulveda, under the moniker Alex & Daniel. Their first single, "Mundo Real," surfaced in November and was followed by a self-titled album in April of 2013. After a short tour, Anwandter turned to directing a film on Zamudio's life and death. The resulting Nunca Vas a Estar Solo y Que Estaba screened at the Festival de Cine de Guadalajara, collected multiple awards, and reached wider release in 2016. That same year he issued his third solo album, Amiga, which grew more overtly political and pop-oriented than earlier work, climbed to the Top 20 of the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart, and earned several Latin Grammy nominations. By the arrival of Latinoamericana in 2018, Anwandter had moved to Los Angeles. The record paired further reflections on his identity as a gay artist with broader commentary on politics and contemporary Latin culture, supported by sleek electronic production and traditional Latin instrumentation; it received two Latin Grammy nominations. His rising profile also led to production work for other musicians, including Francisco Victoria's 2018 album Prenda and Julieta Venegas's Tu Historia in 2022. The latter artist appeared among the guests on Anwandter's 2023 release El Diablo en el Cuerpo, a buoyant collection shaped by '80s pop, classic disco, and timeless romantic ballads that also featured Buscabulla, Christina Rosenvinge, and Javiera Mena.
Albums
Singles
