Stephen Sanchez is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame in 2019 with his viral hit song “Until I Found You”. He was born on April 24, 2000 in Palo Alto, California, which means his nationality is American.
Stephen Sanchez’s Background
Stephen Sanchez was born and raised in Palo Alto, California to parents of Mexican descent. His full name is Stephen Paul Sanchez. Although his parents are Mexican, Stephen himself was born in the United States, making him an American citizen from birth.
At a young age, Stephen developed a passion for music and started playing the guitar. He taught himself how to play by watching YouTube videos. By the time he was in high school, he was performing at local venues in the Bay Area.
After graduating from high school in 2018, Stephen decided to pursue a career in music full-time. He began releasing songs independently and promoting his music on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
The Success of “Until I Found You”
In 2019, Stephen released his breakout single “Until I Found You”. He posted a video of himself singing the song on his Instagram account, and it quickly went viral, gaining over 1 million views in less than a week.
The stripped back, emotional ballad resonated with listeners and continued to gain popularity on social media and music streaming platforms. By December 2019, it had amassed over 100 million streams on Spotify alone.
The song ended up charting globally, reaching #1 on Spotify Viral 50 charts in 7 countries. It propelled Stephen Sanchez into the spotlight and earned him a record deal with Mad Love/Epic Records.
Nationality Confirmed as American
Although Stephen Sanchez has Mexican heritage through his parents, his nationality and citizenship are American because he was born in Palo Alto, California.
He has stated multiple times in interviews that he is proud of his Mexican roots, but identifies as American. When asked about his nationality in an interview with Earmilk in 2019, Stephen responded “I’m American, born and raised.”
In an interview with Billboard in 2020, he reiterated that he is American citizen from birth: “I’m proud to be an American artist, representing my Mexican culture.”
So in summary, despite his Mexican ancestry, Stephen Sanchez is an American singer-songwriter as he was born in the United States.
Other Key Facts About Stephen Sanchez:
- Full Name: Stephen Paul Sanchez
- Date of Birth: April 24, 2000
- Place of Birth: Palo Alto, California, USA
- Ancestry: Mexican
- Nationality: American
- Native Language: English
- Genre: Pop, folk-pop
Stephen Sanchez’s Discography and Awards:
Although he only rose to prominence in 2019, Stephen Sanchez has quickly made his mark with his raw, emotional songwriting and vocals.
His discography so far includes:
- Until I Found You EP (2019)
- I Don’t Really Like Your Boyfriend Single (2020)
- Bad For Me EP (2020)
- When I’m With You Single (2021)
Notable awards and nominations:
- American Music Awards – New Artist of the Year (Nominated, 2020)
- MTV Video Music Awards – Best New Artist (Nominated, 2020)
- Billboard Music Awards – Top New Artist (Nominated, 2021)
At just 23 years old, Stephen Sanchez is still at the start of his career. Given his meteoric rise to fame so far, he certainly seems poised for more success.
Analyzing Stephen Sanchez’s Music Style
Now that Stephen Sanchez’s nationality is established as American, it’s interesting to look at how his Mexican heritage influences his music.
In terms of genre, Sanchez fits broadly into the pop and folk-pop categories. His stripped back ballads feature his raspy vocals over simple acoustic guitar or piano lines.
Lyrically, his songs often focus on intimate, relationship-driven themes. He cites artists like John Mayer, Shawn Mendes and Rex Orange County as influences.
While his music style is not distinctly Latin or Mexican, there are some subtle influences that reflect his cultural roots:
- Occasional Spanish lyrics or song titles (“Para Mi” on Bad For Me EP)
- Minor Latin-inspired rhythms and melodies
- Use of melodic vocal runs and ad-libs
- Soulful, expressive vocal delivery
So while definitively an American artist, Stephen Sanchez’s Mexican heritage can be heard subtly throughout his work.
Stephen Sanchez’s Concert Tours
As Sanchez has quickly amassed a global fanbase, he has already headlined several concert tours in his young career.
His first major headlining tour was the Till I Found You Tour in late 2019, with shows across the United States and dates in Europe. The tour sold out multiple venues, reflecting how quickly his popularity was rising.
In 2020, he headed the Bad For Me Tour with sold-out shows in cities like London, Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam. Again, he connected strongly with fans across Europe.
Most recently in 2022, Stephen embarked on his largest North American tour yet in support of his new album. Some key facts about the tour:
- Name: I Don’t Really Like Your Boyfriend Tour
- Start date: September 2022
- End date: November 2022
- Number of shows: 35
- Cities visited: Major markets across the United States and Canada
- Notable venues: The Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Radio City Music Hall (New York), Budweiser Stage (Toronto)
Now an established headlining act, Stephen Sanchez continues to prove his popularity with arena shows and festival performances.
Analyzing Stephen Sanchez’s Fanbase
Let’s take a closer look at Stephen Sanchez’s fan demographic and what this indicates about his resonance as an American artist:
- Gender: Approximately 65% female, 35% male
- Age range: Primarily between 15-30 years old
- Locations: Very popular in North America, Europe and Latin America
- Platforms: Big followings on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok
What stands out is Stephen Sanchez’s appeal to a diverse, global audience. His vulnerable lyrics and social media presence have made him a Gen-Z favorite. But his fanbase expands beyond just teenagers.
The fact that he has drawn fans from Latin America shows these audiences connect with his Mexican roots. Yet his popularity spans all demographics, underlining his multi-cultural appeal as an American pop artist.
Stephen Sanchez’s Influences
To gain a deeper insight into what shaped Stephen Sanchez as an artist, let’s look at some of his biggest musical influences:
John Mayer
The bluesy singer-songwriter is one of Sanchez’s biggest role models as both a guitarist and lyricist. Mayer’s confessional songwriting style and skilful guitar playing made a big impact.
Frank Ocean
Stephen is a huge fan of Frank Ocean’s progressive, genre-blending R&B albums. Ocean’s vulnerability inspires him to be open and honest in his own writing.
Rex Orange County
The British indie artist’s DIY approach showed Stephen you can find a path in music on your own terms. Their warm styles blend pop, hip-hop and jazz.
Shawn Mendes
As a fellow young guitar-based pop artist, Shawn Mendes paved the way in showing the power of social media and building a youthful fanbase.
Bon Iver
Justin Vernon’s pastoral indie folk band was a big early influence on Stephen’s sound. Their sweeping, emotional music inspires his songwriting.
Each of these artists brings something different to the table. John Mayer represents skilled musicianship. Frank Ocean, creative freedom. Mendes, harnessing online platforms. Rex OC and Bon Iver, independent spirit. Together they capture the eclectic combination that makes Stephen Sanchez’s music special.
Collaborations Stephen Could Do
So far Stephen Sanchez has mostly worked solo, other than remixes by artists like Jai Wolf. But there many exciting collaborations he could potentially do that would be a great fit for his style.
John Mayer
An idol of Stephen’s, the two guitarists joining forces on a duet would be exciting for fans. Their bluesy playing and lyrics would likely blend perfectly.
Shawn Mendes
A duet between these two contemporary pop singer-songwriters would surely be a hit. Their back-to-basics songwriting and incredible vocals would pair nicely.
Julia Michaels
This rising pop storyteller would match Stephen’s confessional lyrics and husky vocals beautifully. A duet could work incredibly well.
Niall Horan
Niall’s folk-pop solo work has similarities to Stephen’s sound. Blending their acoustic guitars and pop sensibilities could lead to great chemistry.
Leon Bridges
The soulful Texas crooner’s vintage vocals would contrast beautifully with Stephen’s raw, contemporary style. There’s lots of potential there.
Hopefully collaborations with artists like these could arise for Stephen Sanchez down the line. The possibilities are very exciting for fans to consider.
Conclusion
So in summary, although Stephen Sanchez has Mexican roots, he was born in California and is definitively an American national. His bicultural heritage flavors his music subtly, while his universal songwriting has enabled him to gain fans globally.
At just 23, Stephen Sanchez’s career is off to an incredible start, with a bright future surely ahead. His nationality may be American, but his music speaks to listeners across all cultures and continents.