Latin rocker Juanes projects political voice in U.S.

By Mary Milliken

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Eight years ago, Colombian rocker Juanes was an immigrant seeking opportunities in Los Angeles before he found a music producer who gave him his big break.

Today, Juanes is probably the most universal of Latin America's stars, having sold 10 million records worldwide from Japan to Germany with his fusion of Latin folk music and rock, sung in Spanish.

At 35, he's determined to put that clout to good use, whether to push for peace on Latin America's borders or, while on his U.S. tour, to prod immigrants to get politically involved in this year of elections and immigration crackdowns.

"The economic situation, the elections and the immigration issue are really serious and affecting many immigrants," Juanes told Reuters ahead of four shows in Los Angeles to promote his fourth album "La Vida ... Es Un Ratico" (Life Is A Moment). "I think people are more reserved and scared."

At his two-hour concert at the Nokia Theatre on Wednesday, the black-clad rocker urged the heavily Hispanic audience in the most Hispanic of big U.S. cities to keep fighting for immigrant rights and told them how Los Angeles inspired him.

He is also working with the Rock the Vote campaign to get U.S. citizens of Latin American origin to register to vote in November's presidential and congressional elections.

"Those who can vote are the voice for those who don't have the possibility," said Juanes, whose full name is Juan Esteban Aristizabal.

Since his launch in Los Angeles, the singer and guitarist has made four albums with Argentine producer Gustavo Santaolalla, two-time Oscar winner for the soundtracks of "Brokeback Mountain" and "Babel," and won 12 Latin Grammys with hits like "La Camisa Negra" and "A Dios Le Pido."