Juan Antonio Ipiña García, known as Tontxu, was born on August 17, 1972, in Bilbao, Spain. He received his first guitar at a young age and composed his first song at 11. In 1990, he began working as a radio host for 40 Principales in Bilbao. Tontxu's breakthrough came when he moved to Madrid and signed with EMI Odeon in 1996. His debut album Se Vende was released in 1997, earning him a nomination for Best New Artist at the Music Awards. Subsequent albums included Corazón de mudanza (1998) and Con un canto en los dientes (2000). After leaving EMI Odeon, Tontxu founded TOOL Music and released Contacto con la realidad (2004) and Cuerdas vocales y consonantes (2005). He also embarked on international tours. In 2016, he released Cicatrizando.
