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 July 21, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is famous as the main singer of the bachata group Aventura. In 2011, the band Aventura took a break. In 2002, their song "Obsesión" was number one in Italy for 16 weeks in a row.
After Aventura, Santos started his own music career. He has had seven number one songs on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. He also had seventeen number ones on the Tropical Airplay chart. Romeo Santos has sold over 24 million records around the world. This makes him one of the top-selling Latin artists ever.
Contents
Early Life
Romeo Santos was born in 1981 in the Bronx, New York City. His father was from the Dominican Republic, and his mother was Puerto Rican. He grew up in a simple home. His father worked in construction, and his mother stayed home to care for the family.
Santos started singing in a church choir when he was very young. His parents introduced him to different types of Latin music early on.
Music Career
Starting Out with Aventura (1994–2011)
Romeo was the main singer, songwriter, and a producer for Aventura. He formed 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. They wanted to make bachata music popular. They mixed bachata with hip hop and R&B. Their first album, Generation Next, came out in 1999. It included their hit song "Cuándo Volverás".
In 2002, their song "Obsesión" became a huge hit. It topped music charts in many countries like France, Germany, and Italy. This song was from their second album, We Broke the Rules. Aventura released more albums and had many famous songs. These included "Hermanita", "Ella y Yo" (with Don Omar), and "Por un Segundo".
Aventura was the first bachata group to sell out Madison Square Garden in 2007. They broke many records in arenas and stadiums worldwide. In 2009, they performed for Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, at the White House. In 2011, Aventura decided to take a break. Romeo said the group was "on pause to do individual projects."
Solo Career Begins (2011–2013)
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In April 2011, Romeo Santos announced he would start a solo career. He signed with Sony Music Latin. On May 9, 2011, he released his first solo song, "You". It reached number one on the Hot Latin and Tropical Billboard charts.
His second song, "Promise", came out in September 2011. It featured R&B singer Usher. This song also hit number one on several Latin Billboard charts. It was certified "Diamond" in the United States, meaning it sold millions of copies.
Romeo released his first solo album, Formula, Vol. 1, on November 8, 2011. It included songs with famous artists like Usher, Lil Wayne, and George Lopez. It also featured bachata legends Antony "El Mayimbe" Santos, Luis Vargas, and Raulin Rodriguez on the song "Debate de 4".
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". Other artists like Wisin & Yandel and Usher joined him on stage. In November 2012, he released The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden. This was a CD and DVD of his Madison Square Garden shows.
In December 2012, he sold out two shows at the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic. Over 50,000 people attended each concert.
Formula, Vol. 2 and Aventura Reunion (2013–2016)
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On July 30, 2013, Romeo released "Propuesta Indecente". This song became a massive hit, reaching number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart. It stayed on the chart for 125 weeks and was number one for four of those weeks. It is one of his most certified songs, selling millions of copies. The music video for this song has over 2 billion views on YouTube.
His second song from the album, "Odio", came out in January 2014. It featured Canadian rapper Drake. This was the first time Drake sang in Spanish. "Odio" also reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
Romeo's second album, Formula, Vol. 2, was released in February 2014. It had collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj, Marc Anthony, and Carlos Santana. This album became the best-selling Latin album of 2014. In 2020, Billboard named it the Top Latin Album of the decade.
In July 2014, Romeo Santos made history by selling out two shows at Yankee Stadium in New York City. He was the first Latin artist to headline a show there. During the second night, Aventura reunited for a special performance. In November 2014, he performed at the White House again for war veterans.
In December 2015, Aventura announced they would reunite for a series of concerts in February 2016. They performed at the United Palace Theater in New York City. After these shows, Romeo continued his "Vol. 2" tour until August 2016.
Golden Album (2017–2018)
On February 10, 2017, Romeo released "Héroe Favorito". This was the first song from his third album, Golden. He worked with Marvel Comics to create the artwork for the song. The song reached number one on the Latin Airplay and Tropical Airplay charts. The music video featured American actress Génesis Rodríguez.
His second song, "Imitadora", came out in June 2017. It also reached number one on the Latin Airplay and Tropical Airplay charts. The music video won "Best Bachata Video" at the Videoclip Awards in 2018.
Romeo released his third album, Golden, on July 21, 2017. It included songs with Juan Luis Guerra, Ozuna, Nicky Jam, Daddy Yankee, and Julio Iglesias. This album was nominated for "Best Latin Album" at the Billboard Music Awards in 2018.
In February 2018, Santos started his "Golden Tour". He sold out Madison Square Garden three nights in a row again. The tour ended in February 2019.
Utopía and More Reunions (2019–2021)
On April 5, 2019, Romeo released his fourth album, Utopía. For this album, he worked with many famous traditional bachata artists. He wanted to show that unity is possible in bachata music. The band Aventura also released a new song on this album called "Inmortal". This song reached number one on the Latin and Tropical charts.
On September 21, 2019, Romeo Santos sold out MetLife Stadium. He was the first Latin artist to do this. The concert was based on his Utopía album. Almost all the bachata artists from the album performed, including the other members of Aventura. The concert also featured artists like Cardi B and Ozuna.
In November and December 2019, Santos did a free tour around the Dominican Republic. On December 8, 2019, Romeo announced that Aventura would go on a tour in the United States in 2020 called "Gira Inmortal". They had to cancel some shows because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, Aventura released the song "Volví" with Bad Bunny.
In 2021, Romeo and Aventura finished their tour, performing in stadiums like Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. They ended the tour with two shows in the Dominican Republic.
Formula, Vol. 3 (2022–2023)
On February 8, 2022, Romeo Santos announced a new album, Formula, Vol. 3. Fans were excited because they thought the "Formula" series was over. The first song from the album, "Sus Huellas", came out on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2022. It reached number one on the Latin and Tropical Airplay charts.
Formula, Vol. 3 was released on September 1, 2022. It included a music video for the song "Sin Fin" with American singer Justin Timberlake. The album featured collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Rosalía, and Christian Nodal. It also brought together merengue legends Fernando Villalona, Rubby Pérez, Toño Rosario, and Ramon Orlando for the song "15,500 Noches". Romeo also included his three sons in the album's intro. He said this album was very personal because his sons were involved.
In February 2023, Santos started his "Formula, Vol. 3 Tour". He sold out four shows at the National Stadium of Peru in Lima. He also sold out nine shows at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, in March 2023. In May 2023, he sold out two shows at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
On June 9, 2023, Romeo Santos performed at Citi Field in Queens, New York. He made history by being the first Latin artist to sell out the stadium. The show included other Dominican artists like Natti Natasha and the merengue legends from his album. In November 2023, Formula, Vol. 3 won "Best Merengue/Bachata Album" at the 2023 Latin Grammys. This was his first Latin Grammy win.
Final Aventura Reunion Tour (2024–Present)
On February 25, 2024, Romeo and the other members of Aventura announced they were back together. The next day, they announced dates for their "Cerrando Ciclos" tour. This tour is considered the group's final tour. On April 2, 2024, they released their first new song since 2021, "Brindo Con Agua". This is the first bachata song from the group since 2019.
Concert Films and Documentaries
On November 6, 2012, The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden was released on DVD. This was Romeo's first concert film as a solo artist. It showed his three performances at Madison Square Garden in February 2012. It included performances by other artists and behind-the-scenes footage.
On June 25, 2021, Romeo Santos: Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium was released. This film was based on his September 2019 concert at MetLife Stadium. On the same day, a documentary called Romeo Santos: King of Bachata was released. This film explored the history of bachata music and followed Santos on a trip to the Dominican Republic. It featured celebrities like Cardi B, Daddy Yankee, and Marc Anthony. Both films were later released on HBO Max.
Music Style
Themes, Genres, and Musical Style
Romeo, along with Lenny, Henry, and Max from Aventura, helped create the "urban" style of Bachata. When they first started as Los Tinellers, they played traditional bachata. Later, as Aventura, they began to mix bachata with American styles like R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, and Rock.
When Romeo became a solo artist in 2011, he developed his own bachata style. His music is a romantic mix of Pop and Contemporary R&B.
Musical Influences
Romeo Santos has been inspired by many musicians. He admires artists like Shakira, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Julio Iglesias. In bachata music, he looks up to artists like Anthony Santos, Juan Luis Guerra, Luis Vargas, and Raulín Rodríguez.
Romeo started focusing on bachata after his father bought an Anthony Santos cassette. Romeo noticed the artist had the same name as him. He listened to the music and immediately loved it. This inspired him to become a bachata singer.
Acting Career
Romeo Santos first appeared in a film in 2007. He was in the Dominican movie Sanky Panky with Aventura, performing live. In 2013, he was on an episode of Sesame Street. He sang a song called "Quiero Ser Tu Amigo" (I Want to Be Your Friend).
Romeo Santos made his Hollywood debut in the movie Furious 7, released in April 2015. He appeared alongside Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. He was nervous about acting but felt welcomed by the cast. In 2016, Santos voiced the character Early Bird in The Angry Birds Movie.
Legacy
Romeo Santos is known as the "King of Modern Bachata". He and Aventura are seen as the main reasons bachata music is known worldwide. They made it more popular with younger audiences. Their 2002 song Obsesión helped launch their careers. The group inspired many urban bachata artists like Prince Royce and Leslie Grace.
In his solo career, Santos continued to be successful. He worked with many mainstream artists and brought them into bachata. His songs with Usher ("Promise") and Drake ("Odio") both sold millions of copies. His song "Propuesta Indecente" is his most certified song, selling even more.
Santos has broken many records by selling out famous venues. He sold out Madison Square Garden three nights in a row in 2011 and 2018. He also sold out stadiums like the Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic and Yankee Stadium in New York City. In 2019, he sold out MetLife Stadium. His album Utopía brought unity to bachata by featuring many pioneers of the genre. His fifth album, Formula, Vol. 3, has also been very successful. Many people consider Romeo Santos to be one of the greatest bachata artists and one of the greatest Latin music artists of all time.
Personal Life
Romeo Santos has five children. He has shared that he is a father and that his children are very important to him. He has mentioned that his sons are involved in his 2022 album Formula, Vol. 3.
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 |
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| 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
Images for kids
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Santos in 2023
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Santos in 2011
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Romeo Santos at Walmart Acceso Total in 2011
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Santos performing in Chile in 2015
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Romeo Santos in the UK
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Anthony Santos
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Juan Luis Guerra
See Also
In Spanish: Romeo Santos para niños
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
