Some men are born under a lucky star… others are destined to be one and they have wonderful lives. That is the case of Joan Sebastian, a remarkable, appealing, and inspiring performer who won a place among the greatest icons in Mexican popular music.

José Manuel Figueroa Figueroa started by selling jello, shining shoes, sowing the land, and delivering milk to support his family, who wanted him to be a priest, but he quit everything for his two big passions: women and music.

His first love dumped him and such hard blow contributed to reinforce his destiny: expressing his feelings through words and music.

A renowned and famous celebrity gave him his first boost in the music industry when he was working at a resort. He recorded his first album, but it wasn’t a categorical success, so he moved to Chicago, in the US, to try his luck. While he was there, he changed his name at the request of his manager and that is how Joan Sebastian came to life. 

At his return to Mexico, married and with three children, his professional success began to take off, the same as his personal problems. He had an illegitimate daughter, which drove him to get divorced. Alongside, his talent as a singer and songwriter began to be praised since he had the skill to perform many music styles, from ranchera to pop and tropical.

His next love put him at the center of gossip. He married for the second time, now with a renowned and beautiful actress, and former beauty queen. He had another child with her and they starred a successful telenovela together. Their relationship was going well, but it all ended when he had an affair with a younger actress who also performed in the melodrama with them.

He never gave up on music and music always helped him get ahead, but along with the sorrow came the health problems, consequence of a bone cancer he was suffering.

He left the hospital and battled the disease with alternative treatments. He faced some rather difficult moments as when he fell in a coma, but he managed to recover and was able to start a new relationship from which a new daughter was born. Over time, he had two more daughters, product of another new love.

He never stopped working and he served as an example of struggle for over a decade. Nevertheless, misfortune never stopped haunting him and it forced him to tackle, not once but twice, one of the most devastating pains there is: losing a son. The first was murdered in 2006 and the second one three years later.

Despite the blows, Joan Sebastian never gave up and continued fighting and collecting national and international awards, which made him one of the most awarded Mexican singers and songwriters, winning everyone’s recognition and respect.

He died in July 2015 at the age of 64, but his life full of passion and struggle, pain and joy, love and heartbreak, lyrics and music, make of Joan Sebastian one of the most renowned Mexican icons, praised by and beloved of millions of fans.