In a career spanning well over a decade, Carlos Ponce has successfully employed his talents in numerous  facets of entertainment, proving himself to be a formidable figure with vast talent. Having released four albums and appeared on countless television shows as an actor and host, he has raised the bar in this competitive arena and proven that the range and possibilities of creativity can go well beyond common expectations. Emerging as a credible and talented entertainer, he has won the hearts of millions around the world breaking language barriers and opening new doors. 

Recent Endeavors

Carlos opened 2004 playing the role of “Ricky” opposite Salma Hayek in the animated feature film, “Sian Ka’an.” Scheduled for release in 2005, this film stars many talented Hispanic actors including Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Rodriguez, Placido Domingo, Ruben Blades, Cheech Marin and Eduardo Verastegui, to name a few. Carlos has dual roles in this project, also playing the part of “General Cupido.” Additionally, Carlos lent his voice to the new animated PBS series, “Maya and Miguel” which will air daily beginning in the fall of 2004. He also reprised his role on “7th Heaven” with recurring appearances on the WB network’s most watched show.

As an “Entertainment Tonight” personality, fans are able to see Carlos’ lighter side as he sits down and chats with some of Hollywood’s most important figures in an intimate casual setting. In May of 2003 he also hosted the “Premios Billboard de la Música Latina.” And when the “Miss Universe” pageant debuted in Spanish on the Telemundo network, Carlos was called in to host the event which obtained the highest ratings for a television special that year. Last winter he performed at Disney’s annual Christmas Parade which aired on Christmas Day on ABC and was a phenomenal ratings success. Other recent activities include a special cameo role in the comedy “Chasing Papi” as well as a guest appearance on the ABC drama, “Karen Sisco.” And as if all of that wasn’t enough, in 2004 EMI Latin released “La Historia,” a collection of Carlos’s greatest hits from his prior CDs.

It is obvious that for Carlos Ponce there exist no barriers. His talent has spanned the gamut and crossed well-defined borders ranging from guest appearances on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” (FOX) “7th Heaven,” (WB) and “Once and Again” (ABC) to extensive musical tours through Latin America and Europe where his song, “Amelia” was chosen as the theme song for the World Athletic Games in Sevilla, Spain. Back home in the U.S., he has performed on “Live! with Regis & Kathie Lee” and “Donny & Marie” as well as the “Stars on Ice” series, which aired on NBC. This network also saw Carlos host the Hispanic Heritage Awards in 2002. As a follow-up, he was invited to emcee a special ceremony held at the White House hosted by President Bush in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Rounding out the year, Carlos hosted Telemundo’s hit reality show, “Protagonistas de La Música.” As viewers called in their votes for their favorites, Carlos took on the role of mentor to the aspiring group of singers in what became the network’s highest rated prime time show.

Teaming up with Joy Enriquez, in 2001 Carlos recorded a duet of the renowned Walt Disney classic, “Bella Notte” for “Lady and the Tramp II, Scamp's Adventure” in both English and Spanish. He later volunteered his time, along with over 100 of the best-known Latin artists, to record a song entitled “El Ultimo Adiós” (“The Last Goodbye”) whose proceeds benefited the families of the victims of the September 11th tragedy. Giving back to the communities that have helped him, Carlos lent his image to HBO Latino, AOL and People en Español for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund campaign which was aimed at motivating the Hispanic youth to continue their education. And, most recently he has begun aggressively campaigning and working with “Amigos Together for Kids,” an organization whose primary goal is to respond to the diverse needs of South Florida’s abused, abandoned, neglected and less-fortunate children. Carlos was also featured as the first and only Hispanic to participate in the got milk?® “Ode to Mom” radio campaign in English and Spanish.

Telenovelas have played a key role in Carlos’s international exposure. Most recently he made a guest appearance on “Mi Dulce Compañía” which will begin airing on the Telemundo network in the U.S. in the near future. Previously he was the lead actor on “Sentimientos Ajenos” and “Sin Pecado Concebido” which aired in numerous countries including the U.S. Carlos wrote and performed the title track for the latter, which was included on his third album and he performed on the soundtrack for “Sentimientos Ajenos” as well. Additionally his song, “La Venganza” was featured as the title track of the soap opera by the same name.

His penetrating blue eyes and unassuming sex appeal have made him a favorite on well over 100 magazine covers. Being selected to grace the pages of People en Español’s 25 Bellezas (Most Beautiful People) issue once again, Carlos has been the only artist featured three times on the cover of this highly celebrated magazine. He was also chosen for the cover of “Vogue Hombre,” a special annual edition of “Vogue en Español” magazine, not to mention countless other important publications.

How it all Began

Carlos’s successful career thus far has been no coincidence. Since his birth on September 4, 1972 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Carlos has been preparing himself for the spotlight. He first appeared on television in commercials in his native homeland at the age of 6. In his teens, he began studying the craft that would later become his profession, and after high school, he went on to study at the Miami-based conservatory, New World School of the Arts. Around this same time he made his first appearance as a television host on the morning program “Hablando” for the Univision Television Network.

It was a supporting role in the Spanish-language soap opera, “Guadalupe” which first introduced audiences to the good looks and charm of the then 18-year-old actor. Immediately thereafter Carlos lent his skills to hosting and producing a Spanish-language magazine-style television show geared at the Latin youth population entitled “Control.” His work on the show over the next four years earned him two regional Emmy’s for his participation as host and producer as well as an ACE award for “Best Host.”

While working on “Control,” in 1996 Carlos began filming his first starring role as an actor in “Sentimientos Ajenos.” This breakthrough role further demonstrated his skills as an actor, an ability recognized by the industry which bestowed upon him numerous awards including “Revelation of the Year,” by TVyNOVELAS magazine and “Best New Actor” by ERES magazine. Audiences seemed to agree with the accolades. The soap opera broke previously established audience record levels in dozens of countries worldwide. Carlos’s participation on the soundtrack for the soap opera brought him to the attention of executives at the record label EMI Latin who signed him to a multi-album contract in 1997.

Musically Speaking…

In 1998 Carlos released his self-titled first musical project which was a remarkable success worldwide earning him a double platinum award in the U.S. and numerous gold records in Latin America. On his first undertaking, he presented his songwriting ability on the first single released, a song with the title, “Rezo,” or “I Pray,” which catapulted to the number-one slot on Billboard magazine’s Hot Latin Tracks just three weeks after its release and remained at the top of the charts for the next nine weeks. Firmly cementing his position in the world of Latin stardom, the industry awarded him accordingly with “Best Pop Album, New Artist” and “Best New Artist” honors at Billboard magazine and “Premio Lo Nuestro’s” annual award ceremonies, respectively, among others.

In 1999 Carlos's album entitled “Todo Lo Que Soy,” or “All That I Am” hit music stands. True to its title, Carlos wrote or co-wrote nine of the 11 tracks on the album and worked as co-producer on one song. As with his first album, the Executive Producer of this second project was Grammy-award winning producer, Emilio Estefan, Jr. The first single, “Escúchame” shot to number one on Billboard’s Hot Latin Tracks demonstrating that, once again, Carlos was on the right track. 

In 2002 Carlos enjoyed one of his most fruitful and exciting years with the release of “PONCE.” Making use of personal experiences acquired abroad throughout the years, Carlos was inspired to create an entirely new musical persona for himself. “PONCE” showcased a new cutting edge maturity for the singer-songwriter which was applauded by audiences and critics alike. The first single from this CD was the highly successful “Mujer Con Pantalones” which became an anthem for independent women everywhere.

More to Come

Carlos’s perseverance of his childhood dream has been relentless. With every new project he has received acceptance and success making him one of the most beloved and hard-working Latin entertainers in recent years. With his talent, good looks, determination and charm, he has broken stereotypes to become an icon for the new generation of Latin men. As he carves his way through the new millennium Carlos is leaving an indelible mark in the competitive arena which he has helped mold. And as he grows artistically, his fans can only wait and watch and know with certainty that there will be much more to follow as he continues outdoing himself at every turn.

Carlos recorded  a beautiful version of the song "You'll Be In My Heart" , written by Phil Collins for the Golden Slumbers album.

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