'Jaci Velasquez'\ (born October 15, 1979) is a Mexican-American gospel and pop singer. Velasquez grew up attending church, and her parents were singers. When she was ten years old, her parents sold their Houston home and dedicated themselves to touring the United States with their Christian music. It was while on the road that she was discovered by a representant of Myrth Records.

Velasquez released her first cd in 1996, and five of the songs in that cd became hits. In 1998, she was signed over by Sony Latin and introduced to Rudy Perez, who had helped the careers of Jose Luis Rodriguez, Jose Feliciano and Julio Iglesias, among others. After that, Velasquez was able to achieve the crossover appeal she desired, building a fan base among hispanics as well as Americans. After remaining on the public light, Velasquez was given a chance, in 2002, to act in her first Hollywood movie. Chasing Papi, which stars her, Sofia Vergara, Puerto Rico's Roselyn Sanchez and Eduardo Verastegui, was released nationwide in the United States in April of 2003.

Velasquez appeared at the December 2003 issue of Right On! Magazine, where editor Cynthia Horner called her, among other things, a true role model to teens.

Table of contents
1 Discography
2 Filmography
3 Literature

Discography

  • Heavenly Place (1996)

Filmography

  • Chasing Papi (2003)

Literature

  • Heavenly Place (1996)