Fito Páez

Rodolfo Páez, popularly known as Fito Páez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈfito ˈpaes]; born 13 March 1963), is an Argentine rock and roll musician and filmmaker. He was member of the "Trova Rosarina" and is known as "The Troubadour of Argentine Rock", and is considered an important figure in Argentinian rock music.^[1]

Fito Páez
Fito Páez in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Rodolfo Páez
Born	(1963-03-13) 13 March 1963 (age 61) Rosario, Argentina
Genres	Rock Pop
Occupations	Musician filmmaker
Instruments	Piano vocals
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Warner Music/Distribuidora Belgrano Norte/Sony Music
Website	www.fitopaezmusica.com

Biography

Early career

Fito Páez in the early 80's

Paez was born in Rosario, Santa Fe; his real name is Rodolfo Paez, like his father. When he was a child, people called him "Rodolfito" (in Spanish, the diminutive of masculine names is formed by adding "ito") to distinguish him from Rodolfo, his father. With time, Rodolfito became just "Fito," and that is where his stage name came from.^[2]

He formed Staff, his first band, when he was 13. In 1977, he played in El Banquete with Rubén Goldín and Jorge Llonch. He began to perform solo in pubs the following year.

Straight out of high school, he began touring with several bands and, soon after that, produced his first solo album, Del '63, which was released in 1984. It was promoted first in his hometown but later earned attention in Buenos Aires. The recording was put together with the help of some of Argentina's most prominent musicians, including Daniel Wirtz, Fabián Gallardo, Tweety González and Paul Dourge. The record won him critical acclaim as a songwriter and helped lead to future projects, including a 1985 album, Giros. The demo of that album earned him the praise of Luis Alberto Spinetta, as well as a partnership – Paez's next album, 1986's La La La was a duet with Spinetta. The duo supported that album with a tour that reached all the way to Santiago, Chile. The same year, he participated in the Thousand Days of Democracy festival.

His 1987 recording, Ciudad de Pobres Corazones, marked a dark, political turn for his work. It was dedicated to the memory of his aunt and grandmother, who were murdered in Rosario. Páez got his first taste of production work with Ey!, which was released in 1988. Recorded in New York City and Havana, it also showcased many musicians with whom he had worked previously.

1990–present

Tercer Mundo, released in 1990, explored Latin American cultural influences and the harsh world of poverty and exploitation. It, too, was critically acclaimed, but it was Páez's 1992 album, El Amor Después del Amor which marked the pinnacle of his commercial success. The album sold more than 750,000 copies, and when Páez toured to support it, he found himself playing sold-out shows for 40,000 people. Shortly after this album's release, he played a benefit concert for UNICEF, which raised more than $420,000.

In 1990, Páez worked as a producer in Sandra Mihanovich and Celeste Carballo's album Mujer contra mujer.^[3][4]

The follow-up, Circo Beat, had impossibly high expectations. Though it had several hit songs, including "Mariposa Technicolor" and "Tema de Piluso," as well as a companion album, Circo Beat Brazil, which featured Brazilian remixes of its hits, it only sold around 350,000 copies. Several other projects were completed in the late '90s, including a live album, Euforia and 1998's Sabina & Páez: Enemigos Intimos, with Joaquín Sabina. The year 1999 brought another balanced, superbly produced album, Abre. He also took home two Grammys at the first annual Latin Grammy Awards in fall 2000. He lived with Argentine actress Cecilia Roth for some years; the couple adopted a child in 1999.

Páez's 2003 album Naturaleza sangre marked a return to his musical past, featuring appearances from Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta and Brazilian artist Rita Lee on the previously unreleased version of "Ojos Rojos." In 2006, Páez was given an escopetarra (a decommissioned AK-47 converted into a guitar) by Colombian musician and peace activist César López in honor of his music.^[5]

The album El mundo cabe en una canción won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Rock Solo Vocal Album at the Latin Grammy Awards of 2007. In 2008 Páez recorded, No se si es Baires o Madrid, in Madrid, Spain. He invited several important musicians such as Pablo Milanés, Joaquín Sabina, and Ariel Rot to participate. In 2010, he released the album Confiá.. In December 2011; he recorded a new album with songs by other artists performed by Páez himself in a release called Canciones para áliens.^[6] This album was presented at la Sala Nezahualcoyolt de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. In January 2012, these "songs for the aliens" were transmitted to space via electromagnetic waves through the Music to Space project.^{[7][circular reference]} In 2021, Páez was presented with the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.^[8]

Discography

Studio albums

Fito Páez at Festival de las Almas (2010), México.

• Del 63 (1984)
• Giros (1985)
• La la la (1986) (with Luis Alberto Spinetta)
• Ciudad de pobres corazones (1987)
• Ey! (1988)
• Tercer mundo (1990)
• El Amor Después del Amor (1992)
• Circo Beat (1994)
• Enemigos íntimos (1998) (with Joaquín Sabina)
• Abre (1999)
• Rey Sol (2000)
• Naturaleza sangre (2003)
• Moda y pueblo (2005)
• El Mundo Cabe en Una Canción (2006)
• Rodolfo (2007)
• Confiá (2010)
• Canciones para Aliens (2011)
• El Sacrificio (2013)
• Dreaming Rosario (2013)
• Yo Te Amo (2013)
• Rock and Roll Revolution – RRR (2014)
• Locura total (2015) (with Paulinho Moska)
• La ciudad liberada (2017)
• La Conquista del Espacio (2020)
• Los Años Salvajes (2021)
• Futurología Arlt (2022)
• The Golden Light (2022)
• EADDA9223 (2023)

Live albums

• Euforia (1996)
• Mi vida con ellas (2004)
• No sé si es Baires o Madrid (2008)
• El amor después del amor 20 años (2012)

Compilation albums

• Grandes éxitos (1990)
• Crónica (1991)
• Lo mejor de Fito Páez (1993)
• Lo mejor de los mejores – Volume 1 and 2 (1995/1996)
• Lo duro/Lo suave de Fito Páez (1996)
• Colección aniversario (1999)
• Fue amor (2000)
• Antología (2002)
• Serie de oro: grandes éxitos (2002)
• Músicos, poetas y locos (2003)
• Super 6 (2003)
• Gran reserva (2005)
• Grandes canciones (2008)

Tributes

• Homenaje a Fito Páez (2006)

Filmography

• Vidas privadas ("Private Lives") (2001)
• ¿De quién es el portaligas? (2007) ("Whose is the garter belt?")
• Women on the Edge (2023) as Director

In fiction

• Páez is portrayed by several actors in the TV series El amor después del amor.

Awards and nominations

Award	Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
Grammy Awards	2001	Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album	Abre	Nominated	[9]
	2021	Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album	La Conquista del Espacio	Won
	2023		Los Años Salvajes	Nominated
Latin Grammy Awards [a]	2000	Song of the Year	"Al Lado del Camino"	Nominated	[10]
		Best Male Rock Vocal Performance		Won
		Best Rock Song		Won
		Best Rock Album	Abre	Nominated
	2001	Best Rock Song	"El Diablo de tu Corazón"	Nominated
		Best Short Form Music Video		Nominated
		Best Rock Solo Vocal Album	Rey Sol	Nominated
	2004		Naturaleza Sangre	Nominated	[11]
	2005		Mi Vida con Ellas	Nominated
		Best Rock Song	"Polaroid de Locura Ordinaria"	Nominated
	2007	Best Rock Solo Vocal Album	El Mundo Cabe en Una Canción	Won	[12]
	2008	Best Singer-Songwriter Album	Rodolfo	Won	[13]
	2009	Best Male Pop Vocal Album	No Sé Si Es Baires o Madrid	Won	[14]
	2013	Best Long Form Music Video	El Amor Después del Amor: 20 Años	Nominated
	2016	Song of the Year	"Hermanos" (with Moska)	Nominated	[15]
	2018		"Tu Vida, Mi Vida"	Nominated	[16]
		Best Rock Song		Won
	2020	Album of the Year	La Conquista del Espacio	Nominated	[17]
		Best Pop/Rock Album		Won
		Best Pop/Rock Song	"La Canción de las Bestias"	Won
	2021	Lifetime Achievement Award	Himself	Won	[8]
	2022	Best Pop/Rock Album	Los Años Salvajes	Won	[18]
		Best Pop/Rock Song	"Babel"	Won
		Best Rock Song	"Lo Mejor de Nuestras Vidas"	Won
	2023	Album of the Year	EADDA9223	Nominated	[19]
MTV Europe Music Awards	2023	Best Latin America South Act	Himself	Nominated	[20]
Premios Gardel	2001	Best Rock Artist	Rey Sol	Won	[21]
		Best Music Video	"El Diablo en Tu Corazón"	Won
	2005	Best Rock Solo Album	Mi Vida Con Ellas	Nominated
	2006	Best Male Rock Album	Moda y Pueblo	Nominated	[22]
	2008	Best Rock Solo Album	Rodolfo	Nominated	[23]
	2009	Best Testimonial Artist Album	No Sé Si Es Baires o Madrid	Won	[24]
		Best DVD		Nominated
	2015	Best Rock Solo Album	Rock and Roll Revolution	Nominated
	2018	Best Male Rock Album	La Ciudad Liberada	Nominated	[25]
	2021	Album of the Year	La Conquista del Espacio	Won	[26]
		Best Rock Album		Won
		Song of the Year	"La Canción de las Bestias"	Nominated
		Collaboration of the Year	"Gente en la Calle" (with Lali)	Nominated
		Producer of the Year	Himself (with Diego Olivero & Gustavo Borner)	Won
	2022	Best Rock Solo Album	Los Años Salvajes	Nominated	[27]
	2023	Best Singer-Songwriter Album	The Golden Light	Nominated	[28]
		Best Conceptual Album	Futurología Arlt	Won
		Best Instrumental Fusion / World Music Album		Nominated
		Best Music Video	"Los Años Salvajes"	Nominated
Premios Quiero	2021	Best Rock Video	"Gente en la Calle" (with Lali)	Nominated	[29]
Rolling Stone en Español Awards	2023	Artist of the Year	Himself	Nominated	[30]
		Album of the Year	Futurología Arlt	Nominated

Notes

1. At the 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Frank Filipetti received a nomination for Best Engineered Album as engineer for Abre. At the 13th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Alejandro Ros received a nomination for Best Recording Package as the art director for Canciones Para Aliens.

References

1. Acústica, Redacción Zona (10 May 2023). "Fito Páez: el prodigio musical de la Trova Rosarina argentina | Zona Acústica". zona-acustica.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 January 2025.
2. Symns, Enrique (1995). Páez. Espasa Calpe, Buenos Aires. ISBN 978-950-852-099-9
3. Mujer contra mujer (LP record) (in Spanish). Carballo, Mihanovich. Argentina: RCA Records. 1990. TLP-80062.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. "Mujer Contra Mujer" (in Spanish). Sandra Mihanovich, official website. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
5. Latorre, Héctor (24 January 2006). "Escopetarras: disparando música". BBC World. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
6. "Sony Music - FITO PAEZ". sonymusic.com.ar. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
7. es:Canciones para aliens
8. "The Latin Recording Academy® to Honor Martinho da Vila, Emmanuel, Sheila E. & Pete Escovedo, Fito Páez, Milly Quezada, Joaquín Sabina and Gilberto Santa Rosa With the Lifetime Achievement Award". Business Wire. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
9. "Fito Páez". The Recording Academy. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
10. Ross, Karl. "Anthony, Shakira, Paez Lead 1st Latin Grammy Nominees". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
11. "Grammy latinos: los nominados". BBC. 1 September 2004. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
12. "Lista completa de nominados al Latin Grammy" (in Spanish). Terra Networks México. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
13. "9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards". Los Angeles Times. 10 September 2007. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
14. "Conoce a los nominados a los Grammy Latinos" (in Spanish). Terra Networks México. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
15. Cobo, Leila (21 September 2016). "Latin Grammys 2016 Nominations: See the Full List". Billboard. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
16. "J Balvin Tops Latin Grammy Nominations, Romantic Singer-Songwriters Edge Out Reggaeton and Trap". Billboard. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
17. Huston, Marysabel (29 September 2020). "Latin Grammy: J Balvin lidera la lista de nominaciones con 13, le sigue Bad Bunny con 9". CNN (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 September 2020.
18. "23rd Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards Final Nominations" (PDF). The Latin Recording Academy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
19. Ratner-Arias, Sigal (19 September 2023). "Edgar Barrera Tops 2023 Latin Grammys Nominees: Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
20. Kaufman, Gil (4 October 2023). "Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA Lead 2023 MTV EMAs Nominations: See List". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
21. "León Gieco recibió la estatuilla de oro de los premios Carlos Gardel". Clarín (in Spanish). 19 April 2001. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
22. "Los nominados a los Premios Carlos Gardel". infobae (in Spanish). 11 March 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
23. "URUGUAYOS NOMINADOS A LOS GARDEL". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). 21 February 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
24. "¿Quiénes son los nominados a los Premios Gardel?". infobae (in Spanish). 8 April 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
25. "Premios Gardel 2018: todos los ganadores de la fiesta de la música". Todo Noticias. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
26. "Premios Gardel | CAPIF | GANADORES & NOMINADOS 2021". Premios Gardel a la Música. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
27. "Premios Gardel 2022: anunciaron las nominaciones y lidera Wos en ocho rubros". Clarín. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
28. "Premios Gardel 2023: Trueno, Dante Spinetta y Babasónicos son los artistas más nominados". Clarín (in Spanish). 11 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
29. "Premios Quiero 2021 - Lista de nominaciones". Q Música TV. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
30. Raygoza, Isabella (11 August 2023). "Bad Bunny & Rosalía Lead Rolling Stone En Español Award Nominations: Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2023.

Further reading

• Horacio Vargas: Fito Páez – La biografía – La vida después de la vida. Homosapiens, Buenos Aires 1994; ISBN 950-808-044-2.

External links

• Official website
• Fito Páez discography at Discogs
• (in Spanish) Fito Páez Biography (1/5) YouTube.com