Quotes from Luis Fonsi

The transition to the United States was very interesting. I learned the language. I kind of got into the R&B. I'm a huge fan of the '80s, Journey and all that fun stuff. But when I moved to Orlando, it was more like Boyz II Men.

I'm still the same guy who gets in front of the mic and just sings.

I block out a good amount of time - could be 6 or 8 months - and I just write. I do a lot of traveling, and I do a lot of co-writing with different writers just to start getting ideas out and kind of get a little bit of direction as far as where I'm going to go with the album.

I sang in a group for four years, and you just kind of get used to it. You don't really think about being by yourself.

The beautiful thing about it is that 'Despacito' is not really an English crossover. It was just another song that the world made a crossover. I didn't really push it; it just kinda went there.

It's crazy how the world evolves and the audience gives you an opportunity to really grow and live out your dreams.

I wrote 'Despacito' with my guitar, but where you can tweak a lot is in the production.

In my player, I have a Luis Miguel CD as well as a Brian McKnight CD. I'm known for my very romantic ballads as well as the fun, up-tempo pop songs.

I've learned and grown as a songwriter.

When I make albums, I do a lot of songwriting but not necessarily a whole album.

That is the most important thing to me, what happens behind the closed doors in the studio and makes me an artist.

I am 100% proud Puerto Rican but have lived two-thirds of my life in the United States. So, there will be some things I write in English, but my main way of conversing with my audience is in Spanish because, at the end of the day, I'm a Latino.

My style has a lot to do with where I've been brought up. I've lived half my life in Puerto Rico and the other half in Florida, so I listen to music in English as well as Spanish.

At no time was I trying to write a crossover record.

It doesn't matter where we're from, we all have to stick together and help each other out as performers and as human beings.

It's a beautiful thing to be involved with the Special Olympics.

I've worked my butt off. That keeps my feet on the ground - I'm the same Luis Fonsi onstage and at home cooking an omelette in basketball shorts.

Ricky Martin just kind of opened a big door, but it's always been around. Latin artists have always been there, but some of them were never doing it in the U.S.

I am very optimistic, and I always think positive, but within reason and never getting too far ahead of the game.

Whenever I get a little chance to get to Orlando, I like to take a couple days' break with the family, just hang out, go clubbing around town.

I definitely try to be myself and not try to imitate other performers. That's why I got my music degree. I wanted to be prepared and not be a 'product.' I want people to know that I'm not only a singer but a musician as well. I studied guitar, piano, and composition. I believe that it's just about being myself on and off stage.

It's always morning for me until 4 in the afternoon.

I'm not a social singer. But if one can take a social message via the romantic, that's a strong statement.

I've done songs in other languages. I know how hard it is.