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He didn’t think it would happen — a Grammy-winning R&B crooner dipping his toes into bachata. But when former Aventura frontman Romeo Santos asked Miami-based record producer Rico Love if he could set up a Usher collaboration for his debut solo record, a dream became a reality.
“To be honest, I [thought it’d be difficult] at first,” Santos recently admitted in an interview with Billboard. “I never visualized Usher singing bachata, only because I didn’t think he was going to get it. I didn’t think he was going to understand the whole genre thing.”
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In fact, though, Usher loved Santos’ work so much that he had Love arrange a meeting. “He was amazed that someone was selling out the Staples Center but didn’t know who it was,” Santos quips.
Soon, the three were in the studio recording “Promise,” the second single off the bachatero‘s would-be debut record. The song would eventually top Billboard‘s Latin Songs, Latin Pop Songs, and Tropical Songs chart.
Santos’ solo career was off to great start, but it was only the beginning. Set to release his second solo record this summer, he kicked off 2013 by picking up his third ASCAP Latin Songwriter of the Year award and a few Billboard Latin awards, including Album of the Year.
He also kicked off a North America tour. And it swings through South Florida this Friday.
Romeo Santos. Friday, May 3, at Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. The show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets cost $75 to $150 plus fees via ticketmaster.com. Call 954-797-5531, or visit hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com.
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