Luis Cepeda was born in Orense, Galicia on 26 August 1989 to Encarna Fernández, a teacher, and Luis Cepeda, an architect and luthier. He grew up without a TV, surrounded by music, radio stations and newspapers. He was an autodidact, and started playing the guitar looking at his father and online tutorials. Cepeda was linked to the music and arts through his family careers. His uncle was Alberto Cepeda, bandmate of the rock band, Desmadre 75, a very popular group in Spain in the 1970s. He started to pursue a musical career after leaving home for his studies. Cepeda went to Universidad de La Coruña, where he stayed for three architecture courses. He later moved to Madrid to study technical engineering and industrial design at Alfonso X el Sabio University. At this point, he also pursued one of his passions, basketball, playing for the institution teams. In Madrid, still trying to pursue a musical career, he started to work for an NGO, meeting people at the street singing.
Career
2015-2016: ''La Voz''
In 2015, he joined the auditions for La Voz, looking to improve his musical skills at the talent show. He started singing Wherever You Will Go, by The Calling, and, after three of the show coaches turn around - Antonio Orozco, Laura Pausini and Malú -, he choose Malú. At his first battle on the show, singing "Wake Me Up" from Avicii, he went out of the competition.
In 2017 he entered Spanish talent show Operación Triunfo. During the show, he was selected to sing with Colombian band Morat their song "Yo contigo, tú conmigo" at the second live show,. In the contest, he sang cover songs of "No puedo vivir sin ti", "Reggaetón lento ", "Complicidad", "Dancing on My Own", "Pedacitos de ti", "Quien", "Mi héroe" "Vencer al amor", and "Say you won't let go". He end up in ninth place, as one of the most saved contestans of all time, gaining a loyal fanbase like all of his showmates. After the show, he embarked on a successful tour with his Operación Triunfo showmates from March to December 2019, combining the group live concerts with the start of his solo career. He was one of the group representatives at Premios Dial, a music Award organized by Cadena Dial radio station for Spanish-speaking artists, to receive a special Award as the Music Phenomenon of the Year in Spain in 2018.
2018-2020: Principios (''Beginnings & Values'')
After leaving Operación Triunfo in January 2018, he signed a record contract with Universal Music Group and started the songwriting process of his first album, meeting other songwriters like Andrés Suárez and David Santisteban. Santisteban was also the producer of his first album. In March 2018, Cepeda released a few second of his first original unknown song, "Por ti estaré". On June 1, 2018 he launched his first original song, "Esta vez", reaching number 1 on the Spanish official musical charts for that week. The song was certified platinum. Two days after the single, Cepeda announced tht his first album would be available on June 29, 2018,. On June 22, 208 he launched "Llegas tú", a song he started to write at Operación Triunfo, as a digital pre-sale gift. One week later, his fist album, Principios, was released. He also announced record singning events and the first live concerts os his solo tour. The album was a success in Spain and was certified gold on its first week, topping the Spanish record chart five weeks in a row. He was the guest singer on a number of Spanish singers concerts such as Antonio José, David Otero and Antonio Orozco. On October 10, 2018, his solo tour, "Gira Principios", began in Zaragoza. More than 40 concerts later, the tour ended on January 25, 2020 in Figueres. After the success of his first album, on June 14, 2019 a re-released version was launched, named Nuestros Principios, with nine additional songs. Adding the two version sales, it was certified platinum on its first week on the market; on March 24, 2019, the first single of the new release was launched, "Mi reino". The album includes two featuring songs with Antonio José and India Martínez. On September 28, 2019, he started a joint tour with former Operación Triunfo showmate Ana Guerra, "Gira imginBank". It ended January 21, 2020 after 16 concerts.
2020-present: Con Los Pies En El Suelo (Keeping both fet on the ground)
In 2020, the second studio album from Cepeda will be released, Con Los Pies En El Suelo. Due to COVID-19 health crisis, the initial release planning was changed. On March 13, 2020, "Gentleman", the first new single from the second album was published. The single was receive with positive reviews.
