In 1971, nine-year-old Juan Secada arrived in the United States and settled in Miami after his parents launched a coffee shop. He later adopted the legal first name Jon in 1990. At the University of Miami, he earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in jazz vocal performance. His involvement with Gloria Estefan led him to co-write six songs for her 1991 multi-platinum album Into the Light, including the chart-topping single “Coming out of the Dark,” and to supply backing vocals on the supporting tour that followed. Secada then signed with SBK Records, issuing his self-titled debut album in 1992. That lone release quickly established him as one of the decade’s foremost adult-contemporary artists, generating more than six million units sold around the world. His fluid blend of R&B, pop, and Latin styles drew listeners from varied markets. While achieving major success as an English-language pop act, he also ranked among the most prominent Latin artists of the era; the Spanish-language counterpart Otro Día Más Sin Verte topped Billboard’s Latin album chart in 1992 and captured a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album. His next English-language project, Heart, Soul & a Voice, appeared in 1994 and surpassed one million copies sold. Amor, his second Spanish-language album released the following year, earned him another Grammy. Although 1997’s Secada received favorable reviews, its sales fell short of prior efforts, prompting the singer to join Sony Music’s Epic Records, where he first contributed songs for labelmates Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez. Epic introduced his label debut, Better Part of Me, in July 2000. The 2001 holiday collection The Gift featured Secada performing seasonal standards with a 60-piece orchestra, while 2002’s Amanecer returned him to the lush, meticulously produced Latin pop that marked his earliest work. The mellow, R&B-inflected Same Dream surfaced in 2005, succeeded in 2009 by the similarly oriented Expressions. Secada revisited his Latin heritage on 2011’s Otra Vez and again on the 2017 tribute album To Beny Moré with Love, which honored the iconic Cuban singer, bandleader, and songwriter.
