Jump to content

Romeo Santos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 160.72.129.130 (talk) at 17:46, 6 June 2022 (→Early life). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the footballer, see Anthony Santos (footballer). For the Dominican bachata singer with a similar name, see Antony Santos.

Romeo Santos
Santos performing at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in 2012
Santos performing at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in 2012
Background information
Birth nameAnthony Santos
Born (1981-07-21) July 21, 1981 (age 43)
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
Years active1994–present
Labels
Websiteromeosantosonline.com

Anthony "Romeo" Santos (born July 21, 1981)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, best known as the lead member and vocalist of the bachata group Aventura. In 2002, the song "Obsesión" reached number one in Italy for 16 consecutive weeks. He released several albums with Aventura before the group broke up. Since then, Santos has embarked on a solo career which has spawned seven number one songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart and sixteen number ones on the Tropical Songs chart. Over his career, he sold over 40 million albums and over 100 million singles.[2]

Early life

Santos was born in 1981 in the Bronx, New York City to a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother.[3] He had a humble upbringing, with his father working in construction and his mother staying at home to take care of the family. Santos began his career by singing in a church choir at a young age.[4] Romeo was exposed to Latin genres of music at a young age due to his parents.[5]

Music career

Aventura

Santos in 2011

Romeo was the lead singer, songwriter and co-producer of Aventura. Aventura was formed in 1996 by Anthony "Romeo" Santos, his cousin Henry Santos "Hustle Hard", and friends Lenny Santos "Len Melody", and Max Santos "Mikey a.k.a Max Agende".

Aventura released their debut album in 1999 with the hopes of breaking bachata music into the mainstream from its traditional base and fuse it with hip hop and R&B. In 2002, the song, "Obsesión" achieved huge success in many countries, topping many international charts in France, Germany and Italy. Aventura released five studio albums in a decade, spawning many top 10 hits like internationally famous "Obsesión", "Cuando Volverás", "Un Beso", :Amor de Madre", "Los Infieles", "El Perdedor", "Por Un Segundo", "Dile Al Amor", and many others.

In 2009, Aventura was invited to perform for the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama at the White House.

In 2011 Aventura separated. According to Romeo, the group was "on pause to do individual projects".[6] Romeo, along Lenny, Mikey and Henry (Aventura) reunited to close out the second night of Romeo Santos' sold-out Yankee Stadium concerts on July 12, 2014.[7] It was announced on December 1, 2015, that Aventura would have a set of concerts for the last time as a group for the whole month of February at the United Palace Theater in New York City. Their first concert since their split started with a sold-out crowd on February 4, 2016, with the final concert ending on February 28, 2016. On December 8, 2019, Romeo Santos posted a video saying that Aventura is going on tour around the United States in 2020 called Gira Inmortal.

Solo

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. Romeo Santos signed with Sony records on April 7, 2011.[8]

On May 9, he released the first single off his debut album Formula, Vol. 1, called "You".[9] The song went to number one on the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs charts.[10] The second single "Promise", featured a collaboration with R&B singer Usher.[11] As with the previous single, "Promise" topped the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs charts.[12]

In 2012, he sold out New York City's famous Madison Square Garden three nights in a row. The performance was then turned into a CD and DVD package and subsequently released as a live album, The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden. In 2014, he sold out an entire double-header show at Yankee Stadium.[13] Santos was 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 second album, Formula, Vol. 2, was released on February 25, 2014. Featuring collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj, Marc Anthony, Carlos Santana, Tego Calderón, and Kevin Hart.[14] Formula, Vol. 2 became the best-selling Latin album of 2014.[15]

He released the single "Héroe Favorito" in February 2017, the lead single for his third studio album "Golden". He released his new album Golden on July 21, 2017, featuring collaborations with Swizz Beatz, Juan Luis Guerra, Ozuna, Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee, Julio Iglesias and Jessie Reyez. Winner of Best Bachata Video in the Videoclip Awards 2018 with the music video of the single "Imitadora" directed by Carlos Pérez, also nominated as Best Latin Album in the Billboard Music Awards 2018.

In April 2019, he released his fourth studio album "Utopía" where he united with pioneers and legends of traditional modern bachata. El Chaval De La Bachata, Frank Reyes, Raulin Rodriguez, Elvis Martinez, Kiko Rodriguez, Teodoro Reyes, Joe Veras, Zacarias Ferreira, Luis Vargas, Monchy & Alexandra, and Antony "El Mayimbe" Santos all participated in the album to show that unification within bachata is possible. The band Aventura, as a group, released an official song within this album also titled Inmortal. It was released as the lead single for the album.

In September 2019, Romeo Santos sold out MetLife Stadium. The concert was based on the album "Utopía". A live album was released on September 10, 2021 titled "Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium".[16] It was named after the concert film released earlier that year.

On February 8, 2022, Romeo Santos announced that he would release a new album. It was first rumored, but then confirmed by Santos himself through YouTube and social media. It will be part of the Formula series as this album is titled Formula Vol. 3.[17] Fans expected the third volume to have been his third studio album. However, his third studio album ended up being titled Golden and then Utopía for his fourth. After those two albums, fans never thought Formula would get a trilogy, until now.[18] Its first single, Sus Huellas was released on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022.

Concert film and documentary

In June 2021, Romeo Santos: Utopia Live from MetLife Stadium was released as a PPV event, based on the September 2019 concert in New York that featured guests Cardi B, Daddy Yankee, Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony, Thalía and more.[19] Concurrently, HBO Max released a documentary on Santos called Romeo Santos: King of Bachata which traced the history of Bachata, and showed Santos travelling to the Dominican Republic with The Kid Mero.[20] To promote the documentary, HBO built an elaborate pop-up promotion in Washington Heights, NYC in the form of a bodega, called House of Bachata, with free haircuts, Presidente beer, and karaoke parties honoring Santos. At its center was a PORTL "hologram" device in which Santos appeared in lifelike, lifesized, volumetric 4K to interact with fans.[21]

Acting career

His first film appearance was on the 2007 Dominican film "Sanky Panky" as himself alongside his fellow band members from Aventura performing live at Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic. Romeo Santos made his Hollywood debut in the film Furious 7, released April 2015, alongside Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Paul Walker.[22][23] He was nervous about acting in Furious 7 but the cast made him feel welcomed.[24]

Santos was also the voice of the cartoon character Early Bird in the 2016 film The Angry Birds Movie.

He sang "Quiero Ser Tu Amigo", a song about friendship, on an episode of Sesame Street in 2013.

Discography

Main article: Romeo Santos discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Tours

Filmography

Live Concerts

Documentary

  • Romeo Santos: King Of Bachata (2021)

Movies

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Sanky Panky Himself with Aventura Cameo
2015 Furious 7[22][23] Armando (Mando) Cameo
2016 The Angry Birds Movie The Early Bird Cameo

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Romeo Santos

References

  1. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Romeo Santos – Biography". AllMusic. Rovi. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Romeo Santos estrena Documental sobre Bachata y uno de sus grandes conciertos". EFE (in Spanish). Retrieved January 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Romeo Santos Finds His Own Formula After Aventura Success". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 21, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Romeo Santos | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Quintana, Carlos. "Get Ready to Swoon Over Romeo Santos, Bachata Superstar". LiveAbout. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. ^ Mallenbaum, Carly (January 8, 2012). "On the Verge: 'Bachata King' Romeo". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  7. ^ Feeney, Michael (July 13, 2014). "Romeo Santos joined by Marc Anthony, former Aventura members at sold-out Yankee Stadium show". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  8. ^ "Celebrated Latin Superstar Anthony "Romeo" Santos Signs to Sony Music". www.sony.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "Billboard Bits: Charlie Sheen Releases 'Winning' Single, Bruno Mars Responds to Tyler Dis". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 10, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  10. ^ "Chart Highlights: Pop, Dance/Club Play Songs & More". Billboard.com. May 16, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
  11. ^ "Romeo Santos junto a Usher en "Promise"". Terra Networks (in Spanish). August 30, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  12. ^ "Chart Highlights: Rodney Atkins Takes 'Back Road' To No. 1 On Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "From Corner Delis to Yankee Stadium: Romeo Santos Historic Bronx Gig". Rolling Stone. July 11, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  14. ^ "'Fórnula Vol. 2' de Romeo Santos saldrá a la venta el 25 de febrero". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communications. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  15. ^ "Romeo Santos, primer lugar en ventas con 'Formula Vol.2'". Univision (in Spanish). Univision Communications. April 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  16. ^ "La Mezcla Talks about Utopía Live". La Mezcla.
  17. ^ "Formula Vol 3 Teaser Trailer". YouTube.
  18. ^ "Romeo Santos' 'Formula Vol. 3' Album Is Finally Happening". Remezcla.
  19. ^ Mier (May 14, 2021). "Romeo Santos to Star in Documentary and Concert Film". People.com. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  20. ^ Gomez (May 20, 2021). "King of Bachata will Showcase Rise of Romeo Santos". aldianews.com. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  21. ^ Kaplan (July 26, 2021). "HBO Max Pa'lante's Pop-up Promoting Romeo Santos Shows Is a Love Letter With Holograms". adweek.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ 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. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  24. ^ Latin Post Staff (March 30, 2015). "Furious7 Cast News&Trailer:Romeo Santos". Latinpost.com. Retrieved April 12, 2015.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Romeo Santos.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Romeo_Santos&oldid=1091836598"