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José Valdes knows what it means to fight. His mother raised him and his two sisters alone in very simple circumstances in Valparaiso, Chile. To be able to send José to a private school, his mother worked double shifts, as private educational establishments are extremely expensive in Chile and she could not count on the support of the father, who, in classic machismo-style, spent the money on gambling and women. José, though being the youngest, took over the responsibility for the family at an early stage, taking care of his siblings and improving the household income with casual jobs. This has shaped José just as much as the realization, that, in times of trouble, he managed to cheer up the family by entertaining them. Upon starting school, he goes from being a “small man " to a happy boy. Surrounded by mostly children from the upper class he goes beyond the usual fun and games and starts to sing and to imitate famous artists of Chilean music like Luis Miguel. One becomes aware of him, and at the age of 7, José joins a singing group with two friends and, under the worried glance of his mother, appears on market places, in cafes, on the streets and in school events. And there in the back row, the smallest had the biggest dream to one day be in the front row, and not to only improve the families pocket money with “Canziones National”, but to be able to support the family with his own music. Under the big resistance of his father, José moves to Germany with his mother when he was 10 years old. A future in Chile had become impossible. José has never returned since. At a Catholic school in Hamburg, José learns to sing and play the guitar and writes his own music, modern pop music, always influenced by his South American background. Immediately after graduation in Hamburg, he applies for a job in music studios. The owner of the Lamplight-Studios, Ingo Schütte, takes him under his wings. He joins the group „boys of k2000 " and gains 2 years of experience in performing live. But he hadn ́t had enough, his hunger was not appeased, because he had not realized his own ideas. Together with the well-known producer Frank Ramond, José works on the new project „Dos en uno". The single „Mujer " reaches No. 3 of the N-Joy-Charts. He collects media-experience in front of the camera on the side and works with the station HH1. He meets the producers Alexander Geringas and Tim Helmers and, for the first time, writes songs only for himself. The single „Chica Chica " becomes a summer hit in different European countries. In 2005, José goes to Spain and writes the song „Gomera de mi amor " for the film Encantada ". The song reaches No. 2 in Spain, the soundtrack rewarded with the INDI in 2006. José returnes to Hamburg and produces a song with Claus-Robert Kruse titled „Mamacita ", released with KONTOR Records. Together with internationally successful producer Toni Cottura he writes “Quieres una aventura ", the song is successful in many European countries, alone in Romania it remains No. 1 for 6 weeks. He sings the title song for the Spanish feature film „Vente conmigo " while at the same time his first solo-album „Samboléo " is released. In 2007 „La Magia " from the project „Clubland records" is released, produced by Stefan Grünwald and O. Backens. The song reaches No. 3 in Canada and Switzerland. 2008 has been the most strenuous year. First he produces the radio-hit „Estoy loco" with Tony Cottura, after that the single „Amor (Top Secret) " with Happy Jay. Simultaneously, he joins the band “Hot Banditoz” during their successful current tour. During the preparation of the feature film „Amor o muerte " of one of Wenders pupils Matthias Stähle José meets the composer and producer of the title-song Klaus Hirschburger and sings two titles. The film is released in February 2009. José Valdes never forgets where he comes from, and so the title song for „Happy-for-life-foundation" premieres in September to support the
cancer help organisation of Schleswig-Holstein. At present, a new album is being created in Hamburg, and one can be curious as to where José Valdes ́ trip from Valparaiso via Hamburg will lead to.