Romeo Santos

Anthony "Romeo" Santos is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. He first rose to prominence as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and co-producer of the bachata group Aventura, one of the most influential Latin music acts of the 2000s. Santos later established a successful solo career, scoring numerous number-one hits on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Airplay charts and selling over 24 million records worldwide.

Santos was born on July 21, 1981, in the Bronx borough of New York City to a Dominican father who worked in construction and a Puerto Rican mother who was a stay-at-home parent. Raised in a humble household alongside his siblings, he attended public school in the Bronx. Exposed to salsa, merengue, and bachata from a young age due to his parents' love of music, Santos began his musical career singing in a church choir.

In 1994, Santos formed a group called Los Tinellers with his cousin Henry Santos and friends Lenny Santos and Max Santos. Under manager Elvin Polanco, they released their debut album, Trampa de Amor, in 1996. The band was subsequently renamed Aventura under new manager Julio César García and signed with Premium Latin Music in 1998. Aventura released their debut album, Generation Next, in 1999, seeking to fuse traditional bachata with hip hop and R&B. Their 2002 single "Obsesión" from the album We Broke the Rules achieved massive international success, topping music charts across Europe. The group became the first bachata act to sell out Madison Square Garden in 2007, appeared in the Dominican comedy film Sanky Panky, and performed at the White House for President Barack Obama in 2009 before pausing group activities in 2011.

Santos officially launched his solo career in April 2011 by signing with Sony Music Latin. He released his debut solo album, Formula, Vol. 1, in November 2011, which included hit singles such as "You" and "Promise" featuring Usher. Following a sold-out run at Madison Square Garden in 2012, he released his first solo live album, The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden. Santos released his second studio album, Formula, Vol. 2, in February 2014, supported by singles including "Propuesta Indecente" and "Odio" featuring Drake. The release became the best-selling Latin album of 2014, and in July 2014, Santos became the first Latin artist to headline sold-out concerts at Yankee Stadium.

In July 2017, Santos released his third studio album, Golden, which spawned the singles "Héroe Favorito" and "Imitadora." He followed this in April 2019 with Utopía, a collaborative album featuring traditional bachata artists as well as a new Aventura song titled "Inmortal." In September 2019, Santos became the first Latin artist to sell out MetLife Stadium, a concert documented in a 2021 film and live album, Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium. In 2021, Santos released the single "Volví" with Bad Bunny and reunited with Aventura to finish touring.