Romeo Santos
Romeo Santos | |
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File:Romeo Santos - Coliseo de Puerto Rico.jpg Santos in 2013 | |
Born | Anthony Santos July 21, 1981 |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1995–present Musical career |
Genres | |
Instruments | |
Labels | |
Website | romeosantosonline |
ROlEX (born July 21, 1981),[1] known professionally as Romeo Santos, is an American[2] singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, featured composer and former lead singer of the Bachata group Aventura. He became The King of Bachata, and while he was with Aventura, they were known as The Kings of Bachata. As a member of Aventura, Santos has been a key figure in popularizing Bachata, with hits reaching near the top of the Billboard Latin charts and the top of charts in Europe. In 2002, the band's song "Obsesión" was number one in Italy for sixteen consecutive weeks.[3] After releasing several albums with Aventura, the group went its separate ways. Since then, Romeo has embarked on a solo career which in three years has spawned seven number one songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart and eight number ones on the Tropical Songs chart.
Early life and career
Santos was born on July 21, 1981, in The Bronx, New York City, to a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother. He had a humble upbringing, with his father working construction and his mother staying at home to take care of the family. He joined his church’s choir at age 12. At the same time, he developed a great passion for bachata music (a typical Dominican style with great draw among the working class), long before it became popular around the world, when he was 15.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Romeo_Santos_y_Juan_Luis_Guerra.jpg/220px-Romeo_Santos_y_Juan_Luis_Guerra.jpg)
Before the success of Aventura, Santos founded a group called “Los Tinellers” ("The Teenagers" written phonetically in a Dominican pronunciation), with his cousin Henry and two friends in the early 1990s. The group released an album called Trampa De Amor, and by the end of the decade, they changed the name of the band to Aventura.[citation needed]
Music career
Aventura
The group, for which Romeo was the main songwriter and producer, released 5 studio albums in a decade, spawning many top 10 hits like "Un Beso", “Los Infieles”, “El Perdedor”, “Por Un Segundo”, “Dile Al Amor” and probably their most popular song, “Obsesión”.
Solo career
In 2007 while still with Aventura, he performed a solo show on the popular music TV show, "Pasión De Sábado."[citation needed] In 2009, he was invited to the White House to sing for President Barack Obama.[citation needed]
In April 2011, after his success as a songwriter and the lead singer for Aventura, Romeo announced he was leaving the band to pursue a solo career. On May 9, he released the first single off his debut album Formula, Vol. 1, called “You”.[4] The song went #1 on the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs charts.[5] The second single “Promise”, featured a collaboration with R&B singer Usher.[6] As with the previous single, “Promise” topped the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs charts.[7]
In 2012, he sold out New York City’s famous Madison Square Garden three nights in a row. The performance is then turned into a CD/DVD package released as a live album, The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden.
In 2013, Formula, Vol. 1 received a Grammy nomination for Best Tropical Latin Album.
In 2014, he conquered another New York landmark, Yankee Stadium, selling out an entire double-header show.[8] Those concerts made history for Santos, becoming the first Latin artist to headline at the Stadium. The Fania All-Stars last did so, one block south at the old Yankee Stadium on August 24, 1973.
His sophomore album Formula, Vol. 2 was released February 25, 2014. Featuring collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj, Marc Anthony, Carlos Santana, Tego Calderón, and Kevin Hart.[9] “Formula Vol.2” became the best selling Latin album of 2014.[10]
Santos was one of the most frequently played artists on jukeboxes across New York City neighborhoods, second only to The Rolling Stones. The analysis, by digital jukebox company TouchTunes and the Wall Street Journal, covered listening patterns in from March 2014 to February 2015.[11]
Acting career
Santos made his Hollywood debut in the film Furious 7, released April 2015, alongside Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Paul Walker.[12][13]
Romeo Santos' second acting role will be in the film adaptation of the Angry Birds video game, expected to reach theaters in July 2016, according to the artist's agent.
Romeo Santos was nervous about acting in Furious 7 but the cast made him feel welcome.[14]
Personal life
Santos has a son named Alex Damian Santos. As his relationship with Alex’s mother did not last, it took Santos a few years to recognize the boy as his son.[15]
Discography
Studio albums
- Formula, Vol. 1 (2011)
- Formula, Vol. 2 (2014)[16]
Live albums
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [17] |
US LATIN [18] |
US TROP [19] |
COL [20] |
MEX [21] |
SPA [22] |
VEN [23] | |||||||
"You" | 2011 | 97 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | Formula, Vol. 1 | ||||
"Promise" (featuring Usher) | 83 | 1 | 1 | — | 14 | — | — | ||||||
"Mi Santa" (featuring Tomatito) | 2012 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||||
"All Aboard" (featuring Lil Wayne) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"Rival" (featuring Mario Domm) | — | 42 | — | — | 9 | — | — | ||||||
"La Diabla" | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"Llévame Contigo" | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden | |||||
"Propuesta Indecente" | 2013 | 79 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
|
Formula, Vol. 2 | |||
"Odio" (featuring Drake) | 2014 | 45 | 1 | 1 | — | 25 | 24 | — | |||||
"Cancioncitas de Amor" | — | 9 | — | 3 | 6 | 27 | — | ||||||
"Eres Mía" | 103 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 84 | 8 | ||||||
"Yo También" (featuring Marc Anthony) | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory |
Promo singles/Other charted songs
Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [28] |
US Latin [29] |
US Tropical [30] | |||
2011 | "Que Se Mueran" | — | 29 | 26 | Formula, Vol. 1 |
2012 | "Soberbio" | — | 44 | — | |
"Debate De 4" (featuring Antony "El Mayimbe" Santos, Luis Vargas, Raulin Rodriguez) |
— | 23 | 26 | ||
2014 | "Animales" (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
— | 13 | — | Formula, Vol. 2 |
"Hilito" | — | 4 | 2 | ||
"Inocente" | — | 23 | — | ||
"7 Dias" | — | 35 | — | ||
"Amigo" | — | 31 | — | ||
"No Tiene La Culpa" | — | 49 | — |
Featured singles
Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [28] |
US Latin [29] |
US Tropical [30] |
MEX [31] |
VEN [32] | |||
2006 | "No, No, No" (Thalía featuring Romeo Santos) |
— | 4 | 5 | — | — | El Sexto Sentido Re+Loaded |
2007 | "Me Voy (Remix)" (Hector Acosta "el Torito" featuring Romeo Santos) |
— | 47 | — | — | — | Mitad/Mitad |
2013 | "Reza Por Mi" (Draco Rosa featuring Romeo Santos) |
— | — | — | — | — | Vida |
"Frio Frio" (Juan Luis Guerra featuring Romeo Santos) |
— | 16 | 17 | — | — | Asondeguerra Tour | |
"Loco" (Enrique Iglesias featuring Romeo Santos) |
80 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 70 | Sex and Love |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Furious 7[12][13] | Armando (Mando) | Cameo role |
See also
References
- ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Romeo Santos - Biography". Allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ http://www.npr.org/2011/11/19/142514062/romeo-santos-taking-bachata-mainstream
- ^ Rosen 2009
- ^ "Billboard Bits: Charlie Sheen Releases 'Winning' Single, Bruno Mars Responds to Tyler Dis". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
- ^ "Chart Highlights: Pop, Dance/Club Play Songs & More". 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
- ^ "Romeo Santos junto a Usher en "Promise"". Terra Networks (in Spanish). 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
- ^ "Chart Highlights: Rodney Atkins Takes 'Back Road' To No. 1 On Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011-09-12. Retrieved 2011-09-12.
- ^ "From Corner Delis to Yankee Stadium: Romeo Santos Historic Bronx Gig". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. July 11, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
- ^ "'Fórnula Vol. 2' de Romeo Santos saldrá a la venta el 25 de febrero". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communications. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
- ^ "Romeo Santos, primer lugar en ventas con 'Formula Vol.2'". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communications. April 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
- ^ http://graphics.wsj.com/nyc-jukebox-map/
- ^ a b ""Rápidos y furiosos 7" adelanta su fecha de estreno". El Comercio (in Spanish). Empresa Editora El Comercio. July 4, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
- ^ a b "Fast and Furious 7 Spoilers, Update: 7 Things Fans Need to Know About Paul Walker and Vin Diesel Starrer Movie". International Business Times. International Business Times AU. July 10, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
- ^ Latin Post Staff (March 30, 2015). "Furious7 Cast News&Trailer:Romeo Santos". Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ^ "Romeo Santos presenta a su hijo". People En Español (in Spanish). Time Inc. June 2, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
- ^ "Romeo Santos anuncia el lanzamiento de su nuevo disco "Fórmula: Vol. 2"". Primera Hora. Grupo Ferré-Rangel. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100 for Romeo Santos%5d %5b%5bBillboard (magazine)|Billboard.com%5d%5d "Romeo Santos Hot 100 chart history".
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ Latin Songs for Romeo Santos Billboard.com
- ^ Tropical Songs for Romeo Santos Billboard.com
- ^ Songs of Romeo Santos in National-Report Top 100:
- "Propuesta Indecente":"National Report - Top Nacional" (in Spanish). National Report. 2014-05-05. Archived from the original on 2014-04-28.
- "Cancioncitas de Amor":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. August 11, 2014. Archived from the original on August 23, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
- "Eres Mía":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
- ^ The songs of Romeo Santos appeared in two Mexican charts: Monitor Latino & Billboard Mexican Airplay. For Monitor Latino the references are named with the title of each song, and for the Billboard chart the link is the last:
- "Promise": "Top 20 General". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2011-12-18. Archived from the original on 2011-12-22.
- "Rival": "Top 20 General". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26.
- "Propuesta Indecente": "Top 20 Ingles: Del 23 al 29 de Septiembre del 2013". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- "Loco": "Top 100". Record Report (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2013-11-24. Archived from the original on 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- Billboard Mexican Airplay: Billboard Mexican Airplay for Romeo Santos Billboard.com
- ^ Singles of Carlos Vives in Spanish Singles Chart:
- "Fruta Fresca": "spanishcharts.com - Romeo Santos". spanishcharts.com, Hung Medien. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
- ^ Songs of Romeo Santos in Record Report Top 100:
- "Propuesta Indecente":"Record Report - Top 100". Record Report (in Spanish). R.R. Digital C.A. 2014-03-13. Archived from the original on 2014-03-15.
- "Eres Mia":"Top 100". Record Report. R.R. Digital C.A. 26 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014.
- ^ Certificados Musical Amprofon (2013-01-10). "Certificaciones 2013" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2014-04-13.
- ^ Certificados Musical Amprofon (2014-05-10). "Certificaciones 2014" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "Top 100 Streaming - Semana 26: Del 23.06.2014 Al 29.06.20" (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
- ^ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=Romeo%20Santos
- ^ a b "Romeo Santos Hot 100 chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ^ a b "Romeo Santos Hot Latin Songs chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ^ a b "Romeo Santos Tropical Songs chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
- ^
- Promise: "Top 20 General". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2011-12-18. Archived from the original on 2011-12-22.
- Rival: "Top 20 General". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26.
- Propuesta Indecente "Top 20 Ingles: Del 23 al 29 de Septiembre del 2013". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- Loco "Top 100". Record Report (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2013-11-24. Archived from the original on 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2013-11-21.
- ^
- Propuesta Indecente "Record Report - Top 100". Record Report (in Spanish). R.R. Digital C.A. 2013-12-07. Archived from the original on 2013-12-06.
- Loco "Top 20 General: Del 4 Al 10 de Noviembre del 2013". Monitor Latino (in Spanish). RadioNotas. 2013-11-10. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
Further reading
- Rosen, Jody. "Crossover Dreams of a Bronx Bachatero". New York Times. Arts:Music. June 3, 2009
- Symkus, Ed. "Listen to the Tale of Aventura". The Edge. The Boston Herald.com December 1, 2009
- 1981 births
- American male singers
- American people of Dominican Republic descent
- American people of Puerto Rican descent
- American singer-songwriters
- Aventura (band) members
- American bachata musicians
- ASCAP Award winners
- Hispanic and Latino American musicians
- Living people
- Singers from New York City
- People from the Bronx
- RCA Records artists
- Songwriters from New York
- Spanish-language singers of the United States
- Sony Music Latin artists