Romeo Santos
My dad is Dominican, my mother's Puerto Rican, and I got into bachata at the age of 10 or 11. When I started listening, it had a reputation for being music for hick people. I thought that had to be changed. I was born and raised in the Bronx, and I knew you make something cool if you're cool.Collection: Music
I don't know if I believe in marriage - I believe in love.Collection: Marriage
It's really sad for me that in the United States the Latino community is losing its culture and language, especially among kids born here - a lot of them can't even speak our language.Collection: Sad
I want to touch people's lives with my music and my lyrics.Collection: Music
There really isn't a formula for success.Collection: Success
I definitely need a girl that has a good sense of humor because there are some girls that are just very uptight.Collection: Humor
English is my first language, but musically speaking, I write my music in Spanish.
I really just compete against myself. I look at my previous material and try to surpass what I've done.
I will drink alcohol socially. That's really on the weekends.
I joined the church choir because there were these two hot chicks. Then people started giving me compliments. 'You really have a good voice.' Really? I just joined the choir for these girls.
I don't like my voice, and I don't enjoy my singing voice; I do what I do to bring pleasure and diversion to the fans.
I'm reaching a huge audience. I'm doing what artists like Beyonce are doing in terms of selling out stadiums. The difference is my audience speaks Spanish.
I do proclaim myself king of bachata because I have to represent my genre. I have to always come out and put on the Superman cape. I'm pretty much representing my culture. I'm not going to change that. But I definitely don't want there to be a misconception where people are like, 'The only thing he likes to do is bachata.'
I've always loved acting, and I do respect the craft.
I feel the first award any artist can have is his audience.
In bachata, you had these guys that used to wear suits and had a really traditional style. We looked different. Baggy jeans. We had the Spanglish going on, and I knew that was going to work to our advantage.
I'm not just selling out Yankee Stadium; I'm selling out stadiums in Mexico, in Argentina - with my bachata. I try to stay true to what I do.
I like my music to be like a buffet. If you don't like this plate, there's another one for you.
I love not only the chubby ones, but also the skinny ones, black hair, the blondes... when I get up the stage, I give myself completely.
I was born and raised in the Bronx, and growing up here, you would go down the block, and on one corner you would hear bachata, on another corner some salsa, and of course there was hip-hop and R&B all over the place. So for me, it is very organic to have these combinations.
You have to be confident about the product you're putting out. It's just like when a boxer is promoting a fight. You can't go out there and be like, 'This guy might beat me.'
One day, my father brings a cassette. He's showing me this, and he's like, 'Look at this guy, his name is Anthony Santos, like you.' I popped it on and started hearing the songs, the music, and I was like, 'Wow, this sounds great.'
I grew up in a neighborhood that had a lot of things to offer, good and bad.
I grew up in my neighborhood with salsa, of course bachata, but also hip-hop, Nirvana - it was just like a mixed culture. It was a beautiful thing for me because at the moment I started creating music, having all these different sounds and elements, it was very organic because I grew up with all these types different music.
I've been able to perform in front of thousands of people on stage in a character that's nothing like me. I'm very shy.
I try to transmit emotion and soul in my voice, but my true passion has always been writing. I feel more like a writer than anything else.
I don't tweet very much. I still believe in the mystery of an artist. I believe in going out when I'm ready to sell my product. A lot of artists are out there every day. But I remember the Julio Iglesiases, the Jose Joses - and it was about the music.
I never think about any of my accomplishments and I always get butterflies in my stomach and I never get too comfortable with the status.
My life is nothing like my videos. I'm definitely not walking around with lots of hot women, as I am in my videos.
Part of my success with urban bachata is reinventing yourself as an artist and continuing to give people different kind of fusions, mixing up the elements and concepts without changing the beat.
I want to try different things but, most importantly, always be true to my roots and keep it organic. I'm never going to leave bachata behind. I'm always going to be a bachatero first.
Once an artist makes his personal life public, he can't close that door.
My love life is good, and I feel like part of what's made it good is not talking about it.
Boxing is a really difficult sport! So I don't want to tell you I wouldn't try it, but I guess everybody that does know about it, my friends, they tell me how difficult it is, and I'm like, 'Eh.'
My first meal when I wake up is five boiled eggs, egg whites, and a slice of whole wheat bread.
I run in the West Side highway. I've gotten recognized, but unless you're a runner, you really can't do nothing but just point.
I know what it is to be out entertaining millions and yet wanting to be home because you miss your loved ones.
When I was producing 'Formula Vol. 2,' I knew I needed to come hard with the features and do something I hadn't done with Aventura. Collaborating with Drake was definitely one of those big steps that helped bachata go to the next level.
Usher is so innovative - he's a great performer, a great entertainer.
When I was doing 'Formula Volume 1,' I had so many ideas that I knew one album was not going to be enough.
I grew up listening to bachata, to some of the greats of the genre. But it was very natural for me to create this type of fusion and to incorporate new beats.
I started singing one day along with my cousin, and I didn't take it too seriously. The people started telling me, 'Hey, you have a nice voice.' and I was like, 'Really?'
I always had a passion for writing, but I always visualized other artist singing my lyrics, I never visualized myself.
I was extremely shy. I am still shy, but I won't show it on stage.
I think marriage can sometimes turn things into a business. It stops being about feelings.
There's a misconception in my opinion... and it's that we Latinos have to go do an American album, an English album, an Anglo production, to cross over.
I create the music, and if this artist could complement this record, I reach out.
For me, it's always an organic process. I don't personally reach out to artists without the music being created first.
I go on stage for hours, and I like to give it my all.
When I get on the stage, I try to connect with the fans and offer them the best of the best. I want them to see it as a music journey.