# Lester Mendez

Lester Mendez is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning record producer, songwriter and composer. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits with Shakira, Jewel, Nelly Furtado, Jessica Simpson, Enrique Iglesias, and others.

## Career

Starting out professionally as a session musician and programmer, he worked on a variety of music and genres, including Hip hop, Miami bass, Freestyle music, House music / Deep house, World music, Pop music and Latin pop. Mendez's keyboard, programming, arranging, and remixing credits include artists such as: Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, David Byrne, Spice Girls, Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones, PM Dawn, Bee Gees, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Babyface, Martika, Chris de Burgh, Johnny Mathis, Will Smith, Collective Soul, Angélique Kidjo, Byron Stingily, Exposé, Paris by Air, Gloria Estefan, Chynna Phillips, Regina Belle, Gerald Alston, Phyllis Hyman, Jaydee, Haddaway, Deep Forest, Lonnie Gordon, Cerrone, Jimmy "Bo" Horne, Murk (band), Funky Green Dogs, Qkumba Zoo, Wubble-U, Nuclear Valdez, Afro-Rican, Lulu, the seminal freestyle band Will To Power (band), and many others.
His early production / songwriting career saw him working with Chris Blackwell's Island Records artists Grace Jones, Angélique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Dominican-born rapper Mangu (rapper) [fr], and others.
As his career continued to grow as a producer & songwriter, he went on to work with a number of artists, including: Carlos Santana, Jason Mraz, Josh Groban, Dido, Sia, Nelly Furtado, Shakira, Seal, Donna Summer, Anastacia, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Sean Paul, Jem, Kerli, Oh land, Ladyhawke, Mike Posner, Sam Sparro, Mr Little Jeans, Adam Lambert, PlayRadioPlay!, Tarkan, Mark Feehily, Skylar Stecker, Rittz, She Is We and others. Most recently, he founded a project called Gemini Rising, in which he writes and produces all the music. Fellow collaborators on the project are Fiora (musician) and Tensnake. He also produced and co-wrote all 10 songs on the debut album by Claude Fontaine, a project he co-developed and co-conceived with Claude. The album was released on Innovative Leisure Records in the spring of 2019.

## Awards

| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result |
| Grammy Awards | 2006 | Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album | Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 | Won |
| Latin Grammy Awards | 2006 | Album of the Year | Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 | Won |
| Latin Grammy Awards | 2006 | Best Female Pop Vocal Album | Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 | Won |
| Latin Grammy Awards | 2006 | Record of the Year | "La Tortura" | Won |

## Discography (select)

| Artist | Song | Album | Producer | Co-Writer |
| Claude Fontaine | Lover's Vow | La Mer | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Laissez-Moi L'aimer | La Mer | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Love The Way You Love | La Mer | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Vaqueiro | La Mer | × | × |
| Niko Rubio | Feliz Por Conocerte | Mar y Tierra EP | × | |
| Niko Rubio | 30 Mil Pies | Mar y Tierra EP | × | × |
| Niko Rubio | Sirena (feat. Cuco) | Mar y Tierra EP | × | × |
| Niko Rubio | Besito | Mar y Tierra EP | × | × |
| Loyal Lobos | Una Bitch | Single | Co-Producer | |
| Loyal Lobos | Pienso En Ti | Single | Co-Producer | |
| Loyal Lobos | Si Tu No Esta Aqui | Single | Co-Producer | |
| Haley Reinhart | Off The Ground | Off The Ground - Single | | × |
| Tensnake | Nightshift (feat. Fiora) | L.A. | Co-Producer | × |
| Coco Morier | After Hours | After Hours - Single | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Best Case Life | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Speed Of Sound | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Sunrise Boulevard | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Just Because | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | After The Rain | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Orbit | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Morph | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Stars Come To An End | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Close Enough To Breathe | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | The Future | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Tangy | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Nightsky | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Let It Go By | Best Case Life | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Cry For Another | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Hot Tears | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Little Sister | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Love Street | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Play By Play | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Pretending He Was You | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | I'll Play The Fool | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Strings Of Your Guitar | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Footprints In The Sand | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Claude Fontaine | Our Last Goodbye | Claude Fontaine | × | × |
| Josh Groban | Musica Del Corazon | Bridges | × | × |
| Delhia De France | Waterfalls | Moirai EP | Co-Producer | × |
| Tensnake | Hello? | Hello - Single | Co-Producer | × |
| Gemini Rising | Best Case Life | Gemini Rising-EP | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Sunrise Boulevard | Gemini Rising-EP | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Stellaris | Gemini Rising-EP | × | × |
| Gemini Rising | Better Days | Gemini Rising-EP | × | × |
| Svala | Paper | Eurovision Song Contest 2017 | × | × |
| Skylar Stecker | Everlasting | This is me | × | × |
| Kerli | Feral Hearts | Deepest Roots | × | × |
| Kerli | Walking on Air | Love is Dead | × | × |
| Kerli | Hurt Me | Love is Dead | × | × |
| She is We | Blue | War | × | × |
| Marcus Feehily | Find My Way | Fire | × | × |
| Coco Morier | No Pressure | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | Dreamer | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | World on Fire | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | No Stranger(To Love) | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | Walking In Our Sleep | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | All Cats Are Grey | Dreamer | × | × |
| Coco Morier | Blood Moon | Dreamer | × | × |
| Dido | Stoned | Life For Rent | | × |
| Dido | Just Say Yes | Girl Who Got Away | | × |
| Santana | Saideira feat. Samuel Rosa | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | La Flaca feat. Juanes | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Mal Bicho feat. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Iron Lion Zion feat. Ziggy Marley & ChocQuibTown | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Una Noche en Nápoles feat. Lila Downs, Niña Pastori & Soledad | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Margarita feat. Romeo Santos | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Feel It Coming Back feat. Diego Torres | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Amor Correspondido feat. Diego Torres | Corazón | × | |
| Santana | Cry Baby Cry feat. Joss Stone & Sean Paul | All That I Am | × | × |
| Santana | Brown Skin Girl feat. Bo Bice | All That I Am | × | |
| Santana | I Am Somebody feat. Will.I.AM | All That I Am | × | |
| Santana | Amore (Sexo) feat. Macy Gray | Shaman | × | × |
| Santana | Satellite feat. Marc Anthony | Shaman | × | × |
| Santana | Why Don't You & I feat. Chad Kroeger | Shaman | × | |
| Santana | You Are My Kind feat. Seal | Shaman | × | |
| Shakira | Antes De Las Seis | Sale El Sol | × | × |
| Shakira | Lo Que Más | Sale El Sol | × | |
| Shakira | Illegal feat. Carlos Santana | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | × |
| Shakira | Don't Bother | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | How Do You Do | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | Dreams For Plans | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | Your Embrace | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | Costume For A Clown | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | Timor | Oral Fixation, Vol.2 | × | |
| Shakira | La Tortura feat Alejandro Sanz | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | |
| Shakira | La Pared | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | × |
| Shakira | No feat Gustavo Cerati | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | × |
| Shakira | Obtener Un Si | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | × |
| Shakira | Escondite Inglés | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | |
| Shakira | Las de la Intuición | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | |
| Shakira | Dia De Enero | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | |
| Shakira | Lo Imprescindible | Fijación Oral, Vol.1 | × | × |
| Shakira | Underneath Your Clothes | Laundry Service | × | × |
| Shakira | Objection (Tango) | Laundry Service | × | × |
| Shakira | Rules | Laundry Service | × | × |
| Shakira | Ready For The Good Times | Laundry Service | × | × |
| Shakira | The One | Laundry Service | × | |
| Shakira | Fool | Laundry Service | × | |
| Shakira | Te Dejo Madrid | Laundry Service | × | |
| Shakira | Octavo Día | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | × | × |
| Shakira | Ciega, Sordomuda | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | × | |
| Shakira | Tú | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | × | |
| Shakira | Moscas En La Casa | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | × | |
| Shakira | Que Vuelvas | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | × | |
| Sean Paul | Cry Baby Cry feat. Joss Stone & Sean Paul | The Trinity | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Más | Mi Plan | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Como Lluvia feat. Juan Luis Guerra | Mi Plan | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Silencio feat. Josh Groban | Mi Plan | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Vacación | Mi Plan | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Te Busqué feat. Juanes | Loose | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Undercover | Loose | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | What I Wanted | Loose | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | For Sure | Loose | × | × |
| Nelly Furtado | Stars | The Best of Nelly Furtado | × | × |
| Enrique Iglesias | Sad Eyes | Enrique | × | |
| Enrique Iglesias | "Quizás" (Enrique Iglesias song) | Quizás | × | × |
| Enrique Iglesias | Para Qué la Vida | Quizás | × | × |
| Enrique Iglesias | Mentiroso | Quizás | × | |
| Josh Groban | Un Alma Mas feat Arturo Sandoval | All That Echoes | × | × |
| Josh Groban | E Ti Prometerro feat Laura Pausini | All That Echoes | × | × |
| Josh Groban | False Alarms | All That Echoes | | × |
| Josh Groban | Voce Existe Em Mi | Illuminations | | × |
| Sam Sparro | Return To Paradise | Return To Paradise | × | × |
| Adam Lambert | Broken English | Trespassing | × | × |
| Adam Lambert | Shady feat Nile Rodgers & Sam Sparro | Trespassing | × | × |
| Donna Summer | Be Myself Again | Crayons | × | × |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Loco Motion | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Madi | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Pirate & Princess | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | See U Soon | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Tooth Decay | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Attendance | Texas | × | |
| PlayRadioPlay! | Texas | Texas | × | |
| Jason Mraz | Mr.Curiosity | Mr. A–Z | | × |
| Madi Diaz | Ghost Rider | Phantom | × | × |
| Jewel | Forever and a Day (Always) | Lullaby | | × |
| Jewel | Drive To You | Goodbye Alice In Wonderland | | × |
| Jewel | Stand | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Run 2 U | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Intuition | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Leave The Lights On | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | 2 Find You | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Fragile Heart | 0304 | × | |
| Jewel | Doin' Fine | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | 2 Become 1 | 0304 | × | |
| Jewel | Haunted | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Sweet Temptation | 0304 | × | |
| Jewel | Yes U Can | 0304 | × | |
| Jewel | U & Me=Love | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | America | 0304 | × | × |
| Jewel | Becoming | 0304 | × | × |
| Rittz | Switch Lanes feat Mike Posner | The Life and Times of Jonny Valiant | × | × |
| Oh land | Helicopter | Oh land | × | × |
| Ladyhawke | Human | Anxiety | | × |
| Mr Little Jeans | Back To You | Pocketknife | × | × |
| Mr Little Jeans | Far From Home | Pocketknife | × | × |
| Katie Noonan | Sweet One feat. Sia | Emperor's Box | | × |
| Lamya | Black Mona Lisa - Single Mix | Learning from Falling | × | |
| Anastacia | You'll Be Fine | Heavy Rotation | × | × |
| Anastacia | Naughty | Heavy Rotation | × | × |
| Anastacia | Same Song | Heavy Rotation | × | |
| Anastacia | All Fall Down | Heavy Rotation | × | |
| Anastacia | The Way I See It | Heavy Rotation | × | |
| Wyclef Jean | Three Nights In Rio feat. Carlos Santana | The Preacher's Son | × | |
| Mýa | Do You Only Want To Dance | Dirty Dancing : Havana Nights | × | × |
| Jem | It's Amazing | Down To Earth | × | × |
| Jem | I Want You To | Down To Earth | × | × |
| Jem | I Always Knew | Down To Earth | × | × |
| Jem | On Top OF The World | Down To Earth | × | × |
| Jem | Once in Every Lifetime | Eragon | × | × |
| Jeffree Star | Get Physical | Beauty Killer | × | × |
| Jeffree Star | Gorgeous | Beauty Killer | × | × |
| Jeffree Star | Kiss it Better | Single | × | × |
| Jessica Simpson | A Public Affair | A Public Affair | × | × |
| Jessica Simpson | The Lover In Me | A Public Affair | × | |
| Jessica Simpson | Let Him Fly | A Public Affair | × | |
| Paulina Rubio | Algo De Ti | Gran City Pop | × | |
| Paulina Rubio | A Contra Luz | Gran City Pop | × | |
| Paulina Rubio | Escaleras De Arena | Gran City Pop | × | |
| Angelique Kidjo | Fifa | Fifa | | × |
| Angelique Kidjo | Akwaba | Fifa | | × |
| Baaba Maal | Yele ( Hamady Bogle) | Single | × | |