Miguel Jontel Pimentel (born October 23, 1985), who performs under the mononym Miguel, is an American recording artist, songwriter and producer. Signed to Jive Records in 2007, Miguel released his debut album, All I Want Is You, in November 2010. Although it was underpromoted and performed poorly upon its release, the album became a sleeper hit and helped Miguel garner commercial standing. After Jive’s dissolution in 2011, he moved to RCA Records and released his second album Kaleidoscope Dream in 2012 to critical acclaim.
Miguel Jontel Pimentel was born and raised in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California. He is one of two sons born to a Mexican father and an African American mother. Miguel’s parents divorced when he was eight years old. At a young age, Miguel was introduced to the older R&B his mother listened to, and his father’s musical tastes, including funk, hip hop, jazz, and classic rock. At age 5, Miguel wanted to become a dancer. However, at 13 he began pursuing a career in music. At 14, he was writing songs and developing ideas with a four-track recorder he took from his uncle. In ninth grade, Miguel was introduced by a mutual friend to a member of production company Drop Squad, and he subsequently spent the rest of high school learning his way around a recording studio before seeking a record deal.