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Dr. Flavio Enrique Santander Lora, commonly known as Kike Santander, is a Colombian composer, record producer, arranger and entrepreneur born in Santiago de Cali, Colombia in May 11, 1960 and he raised in La Flora, a typical upper middle class neighborhood of Cali. His father was an odontologist, poet and guitarist Flavio Santander and his mother is Judith. His brother is an arquitect and composer Gustavo Santander. In Cali he spent his first years learning different rhythms and musical skills while studying at Colegio San Juan Berchmans from which he graduated in 1977. He began his musical studies at an early age, playing the accordion and experimenting with instruments like guitar, piano, and later devoted himself to the interpretation of the electric bass. His earliest musical influences came from a wide mix of genres that include indigenous artists of his native country, his main influences were bolero, rock and roll, Anglo-American pop, classical music and jazz. He studied music at the Cali Conservatory and he also graduated as a surgeon from a medical university. In 1978, when he was 18, he began his medical studies at the Central University of Valle del Cauca; institution in which he obtained the professional qualification in medicine and surgery, a career that he exercised for one year before deciding to dedicate completely to his music career. Simultaneously he continued his musical studies in progress, improving his piano playing and studying music synthesis, midi sequencing, sound engineering, arrangements and harmony.

He established in Bogotá in 1987 where he worked as a jazz bassist until he met producer Bernardo Ossa, who introduced him into the "big leagues" of advertising agencies, where he devoted his time and effort to write and produce "commercial Jingles." This work earned him the credibility of the advertising agencies in which he became the leading figure in this genre, Kike wrote and produced over 1500 jingles. In 1993, Kike began his career as a composer and producer, working for various Colombian artists such as Marcelo Cezan , for whom he wrote and produced the hits: " Una en un millón" (One in a million) and "Hierba Mojada" (Wet Grass) as well as several local rock and pop bands. It was precisely in that year when Kike received his first award: This was the BMI for the songs "Boca Dulce Boca" (mouth sweet mouth) song he composed along with Stefano and José Luis Rodríguez, "El Puma". It was then, and due to its already recognized talent, Kike Santander joined forces with Emilio Estefan Jr.. This experience marked the beginning officially on 7 January 1994 to consolidate his career as a composer and music producer. In 1995 Kike received a call of Emilio Estefan, who proposed to write some songs for a Christmas album that would record Gloria Estefan. He agreed and the album became one of the most successful albums of Gloria Estefan, Santander ended up writing all the songs from the production. This was the start of an intense and extremely successful international career as a songwriter,producer and businessman in Miami, Fl,. In 1997 Santander created Santander Music Group, a company that is principally engaged in the production of artists. Kike has won several times in virtually all the prizes and awards that are given in the music industry: Grammy Awards, Billboard, Premios Lo Nuestro, TV y Novelas ", El Heraldo, BMI in which he has received the most awards in BMI's latin division in its history, and many more. After Gloria Estefan's album " Abriendo Puertas " received the Latin Grammy to the Best Tropical Album in 1977 Kike received in 1999 Kike his second Grammy Award for his song "Mi Verdad" (My Truth), performed by Alejandro Fernandez, winner for "Best Regional Song". In 1999 he also won a second consecutive award BMI "Songwriter of the Year" for "Best Latin Song" by "Si tú supieras" (If You Knew). The following year (2000) with the award "Songwriter of the Year" and four honorable mentions . In 2000, was also honored with another Latin Grammy Awards, this time in the "Best Tropical Song" for "Swear" performed by Giselle. In 2001 Kike received the Grammy Award for " Best producer of the year ".

In this year, Kike produced for artists such as Chayanne, Diego Torres, Amaury Gutierrez, Illegal, Jaime Camil and Cristian Castro, whose single "Azul" reached the top in USA and Latin America. This song remained at # 1 place on the Hot Latin Songs of the Billboard (Magazine) for 11 consecutive weeks.

After being one of the founding members and serving as Chairman of the Board of the Latin Grammy Academy for four consecutive years Kike is currently Chairman Emeritus or this prestigious organization. Recently, in 2002, he became chairman of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. , and he is very involved with the talent show Operación Triunfo (program which he became director in 2005 and 2006).

In 2005 Kike moved to Barcelona Spain where he created BATUKA, a group fitness workout method with original music composed by him, BATUKA was launched to the Spanish market in July 2005 and became an instant phenomenon selling more than 1.5 Million DVD's in the first 16 months in Spain only, BATUKA created a new trend in the way to do group fitness and started expanding to other European countries such as Italy, Germany and France. BATUKA is going through an agressive expansion phase with the creation of six new fitness programs for the Health Club markets as well as its own Nutrition method created and developed by Miriam Nelson, one of the most respected authorities in nutrition in the US and its own " Batuka Philosophy " created by Kike Santander, this is a way to educate people about how to achieve a more balanced way of life and a more armonic inner state. BATUKA will be officially launched in the North America and the rest of Europe in March and April of 2011 consecutively.

Kike continued his rising career by producing and writing hit after hit. He produced "Corazón Latino" first album of Spanish singer David Bisbal artist who began his career dramatically and has been one of the most successful Hispanic singers had. In 2003, he settled in Los Angeles. In 2007, he was named the best songwriter of the year by Billboard magazine, which elevated him to the rank of the largest and versatile writer of melodies. Kike Santander also partnered with the renowned musician, composer and producer Mark Portmann to start a company to create music for film and television. In 2008 he presented an autobiography, "Por amor a la música" (For the love of music). The book comes with a CD with the "Cancionero de su vida" (song of his life) in which the composer sings the themes that touch him. The repertoire ranges from a lullaby her mother sang to him, to hits like "I want to get lost in your body" (David Bisbal). ^[1]. In August 2010, he launched his label 'Santander Records", primarily oriented to regional Mexican music, and whose philosophy is to launch and develop the different artists and positioned.

More than 25 of his songs have won the coveted Top Ten, as reflected in the Latin charts for Billboard magazine in the last five years. His songs and productions have surpassed 25 million albums worldwide. His work as songwriter and producer also includes Let's Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez, Abriendo Puertas by Gloria Estefan, Me Estoy Enamorando by Alejandro Fernández, Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor by Cristian Castro, and Premonición by David Bisbal, as well as many songs recorded by Thalía, Natalia Oreiro, Giselle, Edith Márquez, Luis Miguel, Soledad Pastorutti and the Spanish song for Eurovision Song Contest 2004, amongst others.

In 2001 Santander sued to Emilio Estefan for breach of contract, lack of benefit payments and the title of producer records where supposedly he was not physically present, thus ending a successful society which began in 1995.

The legal battle ended in 2002 when Estefan won the final demand which forced the Colombian composer to pay one million dollars, which made this stay in bankruptcy and he had to divorce. But the composer acknowledged that this conflict was at work, never personal. ^[2]. In 2003, the composer settled in Los Angeles.

Santander is married a second time with the Paraguayan Adriana Lopez and they have three children: Sebastian, his son by blood, Andrea, the daughter of his wife, and Alejandro (Born 2008), son of the two. Kike Santander was nationalized in the U.S. in 2004.

• GrandesEstrellas.com – Kike Santander – Biography (BigStars.Com - Kike Santander - Biography)(In Spanish).
• http://www.elespectador.com/impreso/arteygente/gente/articuloimpreso-kike-santander-escribe-su-historia. El Espectador.com: Kike Santander escribe su historia (The Espectador.com: Kike Santander write their own history) (In Spanish).
• Kike Santander explica todo lo bueno y lo malo de su carrera (Kike Santander explains everything good and bad of his career) (In Spanish).
• Kike Santander sustituye a Nina al frente de la Academia de "OT" (Kike Santander replaces Nina at the head of the Academy of "OT") (In Spanish).
• Revista Diners :: La Revista del Mes.Mi primer millón (Diners Journal: Journal of Mes.Mi The first million) (In Spanish).
• Mundo.com (The World.com) (In Spanish)
• ColArte| Colombia| Kike Santander. Compositores (translation: ColArte | Colombia| Kike Santander. Composers) (In Spanish).
• Las lecciones de vida de Kike Santander (The life lessons of Kike Santander) (In Spanish).
• Kike Santander trata de reinventarse en LA - DiarioLibre.com (Kike Santander tries to reinvent itself in LA - DiarioLibre.com) (In Spanish).

• http://www.emimusicpub.com/worldwide/artist_profile/kike-santander_profile.html
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• KikeSantander.com – official Site in Spanish and English.
• Kike Santander Fan Site - news and discography of kike santander (In Spanish).