So far, 2013 has proved to be a great year for Latin Music. We have been graced with the return of Robi Draco Rosa, whose legendary name stresses the impact and importance of having longevity in your career and brings back memories of Menudo and the start of the boy band epidemic.
Robi Draco Rosa started in the late seventies, along with other noteworthy acts like Ricky Martin, in the Puerto Rican pop sensation Menudo, a band that by itself brought boy bands for more than two decades to Latin America. Rosa is an accomplished writer and a talented multi-instrumentalist, a typical chameleon whose versatility ranges from the deepest and darkest of Goth poetry to the energetic and almost cheesy pop anthem “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (a song he wrote for his longtime friend Ricky Martin).
His most famous album, Vagabundo, showcased his darkest side as a composer while simultaneously staking his claim in the industry. The songs on this album left a deep foot print in the 90’s generation of Latin rock stars and fans as it revealed, for the first time, that Puerto Rico wasn’t only about salsa or pop. With rebel spirit Draco built his career at slow pace, sometimes taking years to produce a new album even with thousands of restless fans. But once the final product hit the airwaves, the smooth melodies fused with his husky voice made it clear his music was worth the wait. Draco’s songs are meticulously crafted and his writing is so polished that each word’s weight is lifted by the harmony of the music.
Draco released Amor Vincit Omnia in 2009, an album bursting with great music entrenched in the deep roots of the Caribbean with traces from Cuban son, bolero, salsa and rock. And now in 2013, despite poor promotion for his previous album and after a fierce battle against cancer, Draco has used music as a way to conjure all the ailments and delivered a brilliant album as a sort of testimony of his art. The collection of songs is called Vida and reflects, as the name says, a life dedicated to music. The album perfectly suits any program incorporating oldies and contemporary Latin hits as it features duets with artists like Shakira, Alejandro Sanz, Marc Anthony, Juan Luis Guerra, Mana, Ruben Blades, and of course, Ricky Martin.
– Submitted by Juan Pablo Restrepo, Music Design