Leslie Grace Bio
Leslie Grace Martínez, known professionally as Leslie Grace, is an American singer and actress. Born on January 7, 1995, in The Bronx to Dominican parents and raised in Davie, Florida, she has built a career that bridges English and Spanish-language pop, bachata, and R&B. She first gained widespread recognition for a bilingual cover of the 1961 Shirelles classic “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” and later expanded into acting with a leading role in a major Hollywood film. Beyond music and film, she has worked as a model and continues to be a prominent figure in Latin entertainment.
Early Life and Background
Leslie Grace Martínez was born to Dominican parents on January 7, 1995, in The Bronx, a borough of New York City. She is the youngest of six children, and her mother runs a hair salon in South Florida. Grace was raised in Davie, Florida, where she attended Indian Ridge Middle School and Western High School, participating in musicals, talent shows, and choral performances throughout her school years.
Singing and dancing from a very young age, Grace entertained her family alongside her five older siblings beginning when she was two years old. She grew up speaking both English and Spanish, a bilingual foundation that would later shape her distinctive musical style. Her early exposure to Christian music and her family’s support encouraged her to record and release an independent Christian album on CD Baby while she was still in middle school.
Path to Music
Grace’s mainstream breakthrough came with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” a bilingual bachata-tinged cover of the 1961 Shirelles hit. The track peaked at number one on both the Billboard Tropical Songs chart and the Billboard Latin Airplay chart, making her the youngest female artist to reach the top of those rankings. That single established her as a rising voice in the Latin music scene and drew attention from major Latin labels.
She signed with Top Stop Music, where she released her self-titled studio album, Leslie Grace, in 2013. The album reached number four on the Billboard Latin Albums chart and number three on the Billboard Tropical Albums chart, further cementing her presence in the tropical and Latin pop markets. By 2015, she had transitioned to Sony Latin, continuing her growth as one of the prominent young bilingual artists of her generation.
Leslie Grace Career
Early Career (2009–2012)
Grace began her professional music career in 2009, releasing independent material and developing her vocal style in the tropical and Latin pop genres. Her early work on CD Baby introduced her to a small but dedicated audience and laid the groundwork for her mainstream transition. By her late teens, she had already built a reputation for heartfelt performances and a fresh take on classic songs.
Her bilingual approach to covers and originals quickly caught the attention of industry executives, leading to her signing with Top Stop Music in 2012. During this formative period, she performed at events such as Sábado Gigante with Don Francisco and at the Chile Telethon, where she sang in front of approximately 60,000 people at the National Stadium of Chile. She also toured the United States with musical director Rayner Marrero and several bachata musicians in 2013.
Breakthrough (2013–2018)
The release of her self-titled studio album, Leslie Grace, in 2013 marked her arrival as a major Latin artist. The album’s chart performance on Billboard’s Latin and Tropical album lists confirmed her commercial momentum. Among her notable nominations during this period were “Best Contemporary Tropical Album” at the 14th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, “Female Tropical Artist of the Year,” and “Tropical Album of the Year” at the 26th Premio Lo Nuestro. In 2014, she also earned Billboard Awards nominations for “New Artist of the Year” and “Hot Latin Songs, Artist of the Year, Female.”
Throughout 2016 and 2017, Grace expanded her reach across genres and platforms. She served as a captain on the Univision reality show Va por ti alongside Luis Coronel, Chiquis Rivera, and host Galilea Montijo. She released “Aire” with Maluma, launching a fourteen-concert tour of Mexico, and followed it with the single “Nada de amor.” In 2017, she collaborated with Play-N-Skillz, Wisin, and Frankie J on a reggaeton-style cover of Selena’s “Si una vez,” earning another Premio Lo Nuestro nomination. In 2018, she collaborated with Super Junior on “Lo Siente,” released through S.M. Entertainment’s YouTube channel.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among Grace’s most recognized achievements is her starring role as Nina Rosario in Jon M. Chu’s 2021 film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights. The film, released theatrically and on HBO Max, received near-universal acclaim, with critics highlighting her performance. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote that she “shined” in the role, while Rolling Stone’s K. Austin Collins praised the film as a successful star vehicle. In July 2021, she was cast as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in HBO Max’s Batgirl, though Warner Bros. Discovery later cancelled the film’s release in August 2022.
Leslie Grace Award Nominations
Leslie Grace has received three Latin Grammy Award nominations, along with multiple nominations at Premio Lo Nuestro, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, and the Billboard Music Awards. Her Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Contemporary Tropical Album” at the 14th Annual Latin Grammy Awards came during the same period as her nominations for “Female Tropical Artist of the Year” and “Tropical Album of the Year” at Premio Lo Nuestro. Additional nominations include a 2014 Billboard Award nod for “New Artist of the Year” and a 2017 Premio Lo Nuestro nomination in the category of “Female Artist of the Year – Pop / Rock.”
Leslie Grace Awards Won
Leslie Grace has earned recognition across major Latin music award ceremonies, including nominations at the Latin Grammy Awards, Premio Lo Nuestro, and the Billboard Latin Music Awards. Her chart-topping single “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and her self-titled album Leslie Grace anchored her reputation as a leading voice in tropical and Latin pop. While specific wins are not detailed in verified sources, her consistent presence on major nomination lists reflects sustained industry acknowledgment throughout her career.
Leslie Grace Family
Leslie Grace Martínez is the youngest of six children, with five older siblings who encouraged her early passion for music and performance. Her mother, who runs a hair salon in South Florida, raised Leslie alongside her Dominican-rooted family in Davie, Florida, after the family relocated from The Bronx. Her bilingual upbringing and Dominican heritage remain central to her artistic identity and public persona.
Personal Life
Grace speaks both English and Spanish, reflecting her Dominican-American background and her upbringing in two cultural hubs. She has continued to reside in the United States, balancing her music career with her acting work. Her public presence has focused primarily on her professional projects, with limited verified information available regarding long-term partners or children.