Pop, Into Your Head

"When I was working with Emilio, he wanted me to make an [English-language] American album," he says. "An album should be something that comes from somewhere special. It felt manufactured, and I felt that I was too young and I wasn't sure of who I was."

René did know, however, he wanted to sing only in Spanish. So in 2002 he left the Estefan camp and took his first break from the music industry. "I didn't know if I wanted to be a singer or go back to school," admits René, who took a yearlong hiatus. "And just then my attorney called me, telling me Univision was starting a record label and they where looking for a male singer. By then I felt I had a better idea of what I wanted to do in my songs."

His efforts resulted in the album Daniel René, produced by Rudy Pérez, an in-demand songwriter and producer who has worked with Beyoncé, Luis Miguel, and Luis Fonsi. The all-Spanish record was nominated for two Premios Lo Nuestro and earned René a radio hit, "No Me Tortures," a romantic ballad with a mainstream pop vibe.

By 2007, René was ready to release his sophomore effort, Adicto. But again came more change. He left Univision. "I decided it wasn't a good idea to stick with the same formula," he says. "For the new album, I co-wrote many of the songs, like 'Para Ti Para Mi,' and sang about the things that are close to my heart — my addictions: women, love, music, and God."

Now, after more than a decade in music, René seems content with his position in the business. "Anyone who wants to hear their music on the radio is a pop artist," he says. "If you want the fame, the fans, and the autographs, you have to sacrifice.... Still, I'm finally happy with what I get to sing every day. The songs are me, and it's a piece of my heart."