The 38-year-old Latin heartthrob, born Elmer Figueroa-Arce, entered showbiz at age eleven when he joined the Puerto Rican boy band Los Chicos. The group set its sights on overtaking Menudo and came close, eventually settling on playing second-banana to their rivals. Along the way there were five albums, a weekly TV show, and a made-for-TV feature film.
After Los Chicos called it a day in 1984, Chayanne immediately set to work building a solo career, releasing Chayanne Es Mi Nombre for RCA Records. Sangre Latina followed two years later, but stardom still eluded him. It wasn't until he parted ways with RCA and hooked up with Sony that he hit on the right formula, scoring a hit with 1989's "Fuiste Un Trozo de Hielo en la Escarcha," from his second self-titled album. Big on monster ballads and danceable Latin rhythms, Chayanne continues to fill huge venues to this day, despite his forties bearing down on him.
"I don't consider age to be a factor in your ability to do anything," he says. "What's important is to have the agility to continue doing it. I'm a man who exercises a lot — I play basketball, tennis, softball, and golf."
Golf? Like we said, he's almost 40.
But you can't accuse the guy of having lost his mojo just yet. "I'm an uncontainable man, with a great sexual appetite. I can tell you honestly that the favorite part of my body can be found just below my belly button; that I'm romantic, tender, and sensual; that most of the time, I'm uncontrollable, and that I'm also irresistible."
How's that for subtle, ladies?
