José González

José González (born José Gabriel González, 31 July 1978) is an Argentinian-Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Raised in a family with Argentine roots, he first made his name in the early 2000s as part of the Gothenburg indie scene before launching a solo career built around spare, fingerpicked nylon-string guitar and a hushed, intimate vocal delivery.

His breakthrough came with the 2003 debut album «Veneer», which featured a stripped-down cover of The Knife's «Heartbeats» that became widely known after being used in a Sony Bravia television advertisement. The song introduced González to a global audience and remains one of his signature recordings. He followed with «In Our Nature» (2007) and later «Vestiges & Claws» (2015), refining a sound rooted in folk, classical guitar technique, and understated melodicism.

Beyond his solo work, González is also known for «Stay Alive», written for the 2013 film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and for his involvement in the band Junip alongside longtime collaborators. His minimalist, contemplative style has made him a touchstone figure in acoustic indie folk, admired for turning quiet arrangements into emotionally resonant, widely covered songs.