Gian Marco

Gian Marco, a Peruvian singer and songwriter whose professional path has unfolded across several decades, first gained notice through solo releases yet achieved his greatest impact composing material for others. Early on he enjoyed moderate recognition with the albums A Tiempo (2002) and Resucitar (2004), both helmed by Emilio Estefan, Jr., though his songwriting credits proved far more prominent. Performers who interpreted his work include Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Alejandro Fernández, Obie Bermúdez, Jon Secada, and Cristian Castro.

Born Gian Marco Javier Zignago Alcóver in Lima, Peru, on August 17, 1970, he is the child of actress Regina Alcóver and singer/songwriter Joe Danova. His first recording, the independently issued Gian Marco (1990), was followed during the 1990s by Personal (1992), Entre la Arena y la Luna (1994), Señora, Cuénteme (1994), and Al Quinto Día (1997). Seeking wider opportunities, he relocated from South America to the United States.

Settling in Miami, Florida, he established a productive partnership with producer Emilio Estefan, Jr. The resulting projects A Tiempo (2002) and Resucitar (2004) became his strongest-selling efforts, generating the hit singles “Se Me Olvidó,” “Lamento,” and “Resucitar.” These releases earned three Latin Grammy nominations in 2003 and a Latin Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Singer/Songwriter Album. During the same period he supplied songs to numerous Estefan-associated artists, among them the hit singles “Hoy” and “Tu Fotografía” for Gloria Estefan, “Hasta Que Vuelvas Conmigo” for Marc Anthony, “Canta Corazón” for Alejandro Fernández, “Me Cansé de Ti” and “Todo el Año” for Obie Bermúdez, and “Si No Fuera Por Ti” for Jon Secada.

In 2006 Marco shifted direction by moving from Sony to EMI and issuing 8 (2006), produced by Kiko Cibrian instead of Estefan. The next album, Desde Adentro (2008), produced by Aureo Baqueiro, proved more commercially effective and brought Latin Grammy nominations for Best Male Pop Vocal Album and Song of the Year for “Todavía.” His 2011 release Dias Nuevos captured the Best Singer/Songwriter Album award, as did 2012’s 20 Años. The latter project marked two decades in the music industry and combined newly written tracks with re-recorded fan favorites.