Childhood & Early Life
Michael Steven Bublé was born on September 9, 1975, in Burnaby city, British Columbia, to fisherman Lewis Bublé and Amber.
Since his father was always at the sea fishing, he was brought up by his mother and Italian grandfather Demetrio Santaga who introduced him to the world of music. His grandfather would play a major role in shaping up his singing career.
He completed his education from ‘Seaforth Elementary School’ and ‘Cariboo Hill Secondary School.’
When he was 13, his talent was noticed by his family when he performed Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas.’ Subsequently, he took singing classes for vocal training. His first performance on-stage was at a nightclub when he was 16.
In order to let the young Bublé perform on-stage with local musicians, his grandfather would offer free plumbing services at clubs.
He participated and won a local talent contest, but was later disqualified as he was underage. However, the organizer, impressed by his talent, suggested him to participate in the ‘Canadian Youth Talent Search,’ which he went on to win.
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Career
He began his career, playing the role of ‘Elvis’ in the 1996 musical ‘Red Rock Diner’ in Vancouver. Here, he met singer and dancer Debbie Timuss with whom he shifted to Toronto in 1998 and performed in the musical ‘Forever Swing.’
He debuted on national television in 1997 with the award-winning documentary ‘Bid Band Boom!’
His major break came in 2000 when he was noticed by Michael McSweeney, advisor to former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who circulated the young aspirant’s albums.
Impressed with his talent, the former prime minister and his wife invited him to perform at their daughter’s wedding. He was then introduced to Grammy-winning producer and Warner Brothers’ music executive David Foster.
He made his film debut with ‘Duets’ (2000), starring alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis. He followed it up with his performance in ‘Totally Blonde’ (2001) and ‘The Snow Walker’ (2003).
David Foster agreed to sign him to his ‘143 Records’ label. Subsequently, he released his major label debut and third studio album ‘Michael Bublé’ in February 2003. The self-titled album became a worldwide hit, topping the Australian, UK, and Canadian music charts.
In 2004, he released his first live DVD ‘Come Fly With Me,’ followed by two-disc Christmas tracks from his previous albums.
His fourth studio album ‘It’s Time’ (2005) surpassed his previous album records, selling more than six million copies worldwide.
His fifth studio album ‘Call Me Irresponsible’ (2007), which reached number one positions on the US and Australian music charts, was adjudged the year’s bestselling album.
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His third DVD ‘Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden,’ a collection of his most significant performances, was out in June 2009.
His sixth studio album ‘Crazy Love,’ which released in October 2009, topped the Billboard’s ‘Canadian Adult Contemporary’ chart and became one of Australia’s best-selling albums.
He appeared as a celebrity mentor in the sixth series of ‘The X Factor’ on ITV network in the UK.
He participated in the torch relay, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2010 ‘Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.’ He then performed a modern version of the song ‘Maple Leaf Forever’ with other Canadian stars at the closing ceremony.
His seventh studio album ‘Christmas,’ which released in October 2011, topped both the US and the UK charts.
His next studio album ‘To be Loved’ (April 2013) opened at number one on ‘Billboard 200,’ and became the fourth consecutive album to top the chart.
‘Nobody but me,’ his ninth studio album, released in October 2016. The same month, his line of perfume went on sale in 30 countries. His tenth studio album ‘Love’ was released in November 2018. It topped the UK and Canadian charts.
After his interview with ‘Daily Mail,’ rumors about his retirement started doing the rounds. However, the talented singer’s management denied the rumors. In January 2019, it was announced that he would be part of a ‘Super Bowl’ commercial for ‘Bubly Sparkling Water.’
Major Works
His album ‘Call Me Irresponsible’ (2007) reached the number one spot on ‘Billboard 200’ within a week of its release, a feat which was associated with only a few legends like Michael Jackson and ‘Sugarland.’
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In 2005, a ‘Starbucks Frappucino’ commercial featured Bublé singing ‘Come Fly With Me.’ It was released in the ‘Starbucks’ edition of ‘It’s Time.’
During his ‘Crazy Love’ Dublin tour, his performance at the ‘Aviva Stadium’ attracted a record 100,000 spectators, his largest ever audience; the tickets for the show were sold out in just one day.
Awards & Achievements
In 2004, he won the ‘New Artist of the Year’ award at the ‘Juno Awards’ for his self-titled album.
In 2006, he was honored with four ‘Juno Awards’ – ‘Best Single of the Year’ (‘Home’), ‘Best Album of the Year’ (‘It’s Time’), ‘Best Artist of the Year,’ and ‘Best Pop Album of the Year’ (‘It’s Time’).
In 2008, he was honored with two ‘Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards’ – ‘Best Male Vocalist’ (‘Michael Bublé’) and ‘Best Original Composition’ (‘Everything’).
In April 2010, he was honored with four ‘Juno Awards’ – ‘Juno Fan Choice Award,’ ‘Single of the Year’ (‘Haven’t Met You Yet’), ‘Album of the Year’ (‘Crazy Love’), and ‘Pop Album of the Year’ (‘Crazy Love’).
His album ‘Christmas’ became the first holiday album to win the ‘Juno Award’ for ‘Album of the Year’ in 2012.
He won ‘Grammy Awards’ under the ‘Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album’ category for the following albums: ‘Call me Irresponsible,’ ‘Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden,’ ‘Crazy Love,’ and ‘To Be Loved.’
Personal Life & Legacy
He broke off his engagement with ‘Red Rock Diner’ co-star Debbie Timuss in November 2005. Soon after, he got into a relationship with British actress Emily Blunt. However, the couple parted ways in July 2008.
He dated Argentine actress Luisana Lopilato with whom he got engaged in November 2009. He married Lopilato in March 2011 in Buenos Aires. They have three children, Noah (born 2013), Elias (born 2016), and Vida (born 2018).
Facts About Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé has a fear of flying, which is why he prefers to travel by bus or boat whenever possible.
He is known for his love of practical jokes and has pulled numerous pranks on friends and colleagues throughout his career.
Bublé is a big fan of hockey and even co-owned a hockey team in Vancouver for a period of time.
He is a talented ice skater and has shown off his skills on the ice in various charity events.
Bublé is a self-professed foodie and enjoys cooking for his friends and family in his spare time.
