Miguel

Miguel Jontel Pimentel is a US R&B singer from San Pedro, California, in Los Angeles. Born in 1985, he works in alternative R&B, contemporary R&B, psychedelic pop and R&B, and is associated with ByStorm Entertainment.

Career beginnings

Miguel begins his career as a songwriter and collaborator before establishing himself as a solo artist. At 16, he becomes involved with the production company Drop Squad. Three years later, he is offered a place in the R&B group Fatty Koo and appears on the group’s BET reality show, but he declines the position and instead pursues a solo path.

He signs a solo deal with distribution through Universal, then later signs with Jive in 2007. In 2005, he issues the promotional single "Getcha Hands Up!" and a video for the song airs on BET. An album titled Young & Free is planned but never released. During this period, he also gains notice through collaborations with Blu, Exile and Daz-I-Kue.

Breakthrough as a songwriter and solo artist

His first major songwriting hit is Jaheim’s "Finding My Way Back", which reaches number 12 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop chart and is later nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. He also co-writes two songs on Usher’s Raymond v. Raymond, which tops the Billboard 200.

Miguel’s solo breakthrough comes in 2010 with "All I Want Is You", a Top Ten R&B/hip-hop hit. The album of the same name follows later that year and reaches the Top Ten on the R&B/hip-hop albums chart and the Top 40 of the Billboard 200. It also produces "Sure Thing", which reaches number one on the R&B chart and number 36 on the Billboard 200, and "Quickie", which reaches number three on the R&B chart.

Albums and awards

In 2012, Miguel releases a trio of three-song EPs under the title Art Dealer Chic, leading into Kaleidoscope Dream. The album enters the R&B/hip-hop chart at number one and reaches the Top Five of the Billboard 200. It is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. "Adorn" becomes his second number one R&B/hip-hop single, wins the Grammy for Best R&B Song, and is also nominated in three categories. The album’s "How Many Drinks?" is nominated the following year.

His third album, Wildheart, is released in 2015. It reaches number two on both the Billboard 200 and the R&B/hip-hop chart and receives a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. In 2017, he releases War & Leisure, which reaches number one on the R&B/hip-hop chart and number nine on the Billboard 200.

Collaborations and later work

Miguel remains active as a featured artist and collaborator throughout his career. He contributes to recordings by Mariah Carey, A$AP Rocky and Mac Miller, including the platinum single "#Beautiful" with Mariah Carey, the gold single "Everyday" with A$AP Rocky and the platinum single "Weekend" with Mac Miller. He also works with Musiq Soulchild, Asher Roth, J. Cole, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, Jessie Ware, Hudson Mohawke, Dua Lipa, Kygo, Jhené Aiko, Diplo and Alicia Keys.

His featured appearance on Wale’s "Lotus Flower Bomb" helps the song reach platinum status. Kygo’s "Remind Me to Forget" becomes another commercially successful collaboration.

Spanish-language release and later singles

In 2019, Miguel releases the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije, which reaches number 11 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart and marks his Latin chart debut. In the early 2020s, he continues with solo releases and guest appearances, including Jhené Aiko’s platinum "Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E.)".

In 2021, he resumes the Art Dealer Chic series with a fourth volume that includes "Funeral". In 2023, renewed interest in "Sure Thing" through TikTok leads to a new peak for the song on the Hot 100, surpassing "Adorn" as his highest-charting pop single. He follows with "Give It to Me".