Romeo Santos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Romeo Santos
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Santos in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anthony Santos |
| Born | July 21, 1981 New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Anthony "Romeo" Santos, born on July 21, 1981, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is famous for being the lead singer of the bachata group Aventura. Bachata is a popular music style from the Dominican Republic.
In 2002, Aventura's song "Obsesión" was a huge hit, staying at number one in Italy for 16 weeks. After Aventura took a break in 2011, Romeo Santos started his solo career. He has had many number-one songs on the Billboard Latin charts. He has sold over 24 million records around the world, making him one of the top-selling Latin artists ever.
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Early Life and Music Start
Romeo Santos was born and grew up in the Bronx, New York City. His father was from the Dominican Republic, and his mother was from Puerto Rico. His family had a simple life, but they always managed.
Romeo started singing in a church choir when he was very young. His parents loved Latin music like salsa, merengue, and bachata, so he grew up listening to these styles. This helped him discover his passion for music.
Music Career Highlights
Forming Aventura
Romeo Santos was the main singer, songwriter, and co-producer for the band Aventura. He started the group in 1994 with his cousin Henry Santos and friends Lenny Santos and Max Santos. They first called themselves Los Tinellers.
In 1998, they signed with Premium Latin Music and changed their name to Aventura. Their goal was to make bachata music popular everywhere. They mixed traditional bachata with hip hop and R&B.
Aventura's Big Success
Aventura released their first album, Generation Next, in 1999. It included their well-known song "Cuándo Volverás". In 2002, "Obsesión" became a massive hit, reaching number one in many countries.
The group released more albums and had many famous songs like "Hermanita" and "Ella y Yo" with Don Omar. Aventura was the first bachata group to sell out Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2007. In 2009, they even performed for President Barack Obama at the White House. In 2011, Aventura decided to take a break so members could work on their own projects.
Romeo's Solo Journey Begins
In April 2011, Romeo Santos announced he was starting his solo career. He signed with Sony Music Latin. His first solo song, "You", came out in May 2011. It quickly became number one on the Latin and Tropical Songs charts.
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His second single, "Promise", was released in September 2011. It featured R&B singer Usher and also reached number one on several charts. This song has been certified Diamond, meaning it sold millions of copies. His first solo album, Formula, Vol. 1, came out in November 2011. It included songs with famous artists like Usher, Lil Wayne, and George Lopez.
Selling Out Stadiums
In February 2012, Romeo Santos sold out Madison Square Garden three nights in a row. This was part of his first solo tour, called "The King Stays King." Many guest artists joined him, including Usher. Later that year, he released a live album and concert film from these shows.
In December 2012, he made history by selling out the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic twice. This stadium holds over 50,000 people for concerts.
Formula, Vol. 2 and More Success
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In July 2013, he released "Propuesta Indecente", the first song from his second album. It became a massive hit, staying at number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart for weeks. This song is one of his most certified songs ever. The music video for "Propuesta Indecente" has over 2 billion views on YouTube.
His second album, Formula, Vol. 2, was released in February 2014. It featured collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Marc Anthony. This album became the best-selling Latin album of 2014.
In July 2014, Romeo Santos became the first Latin artist to headline a show at Yankee Stadium in New York City. He performed two nights, and Aventura even reunited for a special performance on the second night.
Golden and Utopía Albums
In 2017, Romeo Santos released his third album, Golden. The first song from this album was "Héroe Favorito". He worked with Marvel Comics for the song's artwork. The album included songs with artists like Juan Luis Guerra and Daddy Yankee.
His fourth album, Utopía, came out in April 2019. For this album, he worked with many legendary traditional bachata artists. Aventura also released a new song called "Inmortal" as part of this album.
MetLife Stadium and Recent Tours
In September 2019, Romeo Santos sold out MetLife Stadium, becoming the first Latin artist to do so. This concert celebrated the history of bachata and featured almost all the artists from his Utopía album, plus special guests like Cardi B.
In 2022, he released Formula, Vol. 3, which continued his popular "Formula" album series. This album featured collaborations with Justin Timberlake and Rosalía. In 2023, he started his "Formula, Vol. 3 Tour," selling out multiple nights in stadiums in Peru and Chile. He also sold out Citi Field in New York, making history as the first Latin artist to do so. In November 2023, Formula, Vol. 3 won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Merengue/Bachata Album, his first Grammy win.
Aventura's Final Tour
In February 2024, Romeo Santos and the other members of Aventura announced their "Cerrando Ciclos" (Closing Cycles) tour. This tour is considered the group's final one. In April 2024, they released a new song called "Brindo Con Agua".
Concert Films and Documentaries
Romeo Santos has released concert films that let fans experience his live shows. The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden (2012) shows his performances at Madison Square Garden.
In 2021, Romeo Santos: Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium was released, based on his huge 2019 concert. At the same time, a documentary called Romeo Santos: King of Bachata came out. This film explored the history of bachata music and Romeo's journey.
Music Style and Influences
Romeo Santos and Aventura are known for creating the "urban bachata" style. They mixed traditional bachata with R&B, pop, hip-hop, and rock. When Romeo started his solo career, he developed his own romantic style of bachata, blending it with pop and R&B.
Romeo Santos has been inspired by many artists, including Shakira, Ricky Martin, and Marc Anthony. Within bachata, he especially admires Anthony Santos and Juan Luis Guerra. He once heard an Anthony Santos cassette and was immediately inspired to become a bachata singer himself.
Acting Career
Romeo Santos has also appeared in movies. His first film role was in the 2007 Dominican movie Sanky Panky, where he appeared as himself with Aventura.
In 2013, he was on an episode of Sesame Street, singing a song about friendship. He made his Hollywood debut in the 2015 film Furious 7 alongside Vin Diesel. In 2016, he voiced the character Early Bird in The Angry Birds Movie.
Legacy and Impact
Romeo Santos is often called the "King of Modern Bachata." He and Aventura are credited with making bachata famous worldwide and appealing to younger audiences. Their song "Obsesión" helped launch their careers and inspired many new bachata artists.
In his solo career, Romeo continued to break records. His songs "Promise" and "Odio" (with Drake) have sold millions of copies. "Propuesta Indecente" is his most certified song ever. He has sold out major venues like Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, and MetLife Stadium. His album Utopía brought together many bachata pioneers, showing unity in the genre. Romeo Santos is considered one of the greatest bachata artists and a significant figure in Latin music history.
Personal Life
Romeo Santos has four children. His first son, Alex Damian, was born in 2002. Romeo later became a more active part of Alex's life. He also has three other sons with his long-time girlfriend. He even included the heartbeat of his fourth son in the intro of his 2022 album, Formula, Vol. 3, making it a very personal album for him.
Discography
- Formula, Vol. 1 (2011)
- Formula, Vol. 2 (2014)
- Golden (2017)
- Utopía (2019)
- Formula, Vol. 3 (2022)
Tours
- The King Stays King (2012–2013)
- Fórmula, Vol. 2 Tour (2014–2016)
- Golden Tour (2018–2019)
- Utopía Tour (2019)
- Fórmula, Vol. 3: La Gira (2023)
Filmography
Live Concerts
- The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden (2012)
- Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium (2021)
Documentary
- Romeo Santos: King of Bachata (2021)
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sanky Panky | Himself with Aventura | Cameo |
| 2015 | Furious 7 | Armando (Mando) | Cameo |
| 2016 | The Angry Birds Movie | The Early Bird | Cameo |
Awards and Nominations
See also
In Spanish: Romeo Santos para niños
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
