Manny Manuel

Tropical performer Manny Manuel earned the nickname "The King of Hearts" across the Latin pop scene thanks to his signature style of delivering merengues, boleros, and romantic material. Born Cruz Manuel Hernández Santiago in 1972, he launched his professional path as part of Tempo Merenguero before joining Los Sabrosos del Merengue. In 1994 he launched a solo career by signing with a regional imprint and issuing Rey de Corazones, which was followed two years later by Autentico. He also contributed to a Beatles tribute project that included a Spanish-language take on "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

A Grammy Award nomination arrived for Manuel in 1999. From his self-titled 2002 release, the track "Se Me Sube" reached the Top 20 while the full album climbed to number two on the Tropical Albums chart. The 2003 set Serenata yielded "Bajo un Palmar," which charted just inside the Top 40 of the Latin Pop Songs tally, although the project itself performed more strongly overall. Nostalgia appeared in 2004, peaking at number 24 on the Heatseekers chart and drawing enthusiastic notices for its polished treatment of classic standards. Following a period of heavy touring, Manuel stepped away for an extended hiatus before resurfacing with Tengo Tanto in 2007; despite a challenging market, the album achieved solid commercial results and widespread praise from critics. His next studio effort, Rayando el Sol, arrived in 2010 and became a genuine success, reaching number three on the Top Latin Albums chart and entering the Billboard 200, while 2012’s Contra la Marea rose to number five on the Tropical Albums chart.

At that point Manuel maintained strong commercial momentum. His concerts across Latin America and the United States regularly sold out, and his recordings found buyers in both Europe and Asia. The 2014 release Serenata, Vol. 2 topped the Latin Pop Albums chart, surpassing the performance of its 2003 predecessor. Also issued that year, the compilation Merengueando los Clasicos reached number three on the Tropical Albums chart and claimed the top position on multiple digital rankings. Manuel stood out as an uncommon artist whose singles typically registered modest sales near the lower reaches of the Top 40, yet whose albums consistently achieved bestseller status. In February 2016 the single "Por Tu Respiración" appeared ahead of the full project. Pegate de Mi Mambo, which included guest appearances by Tito "El Bambino" and Milly Quezada, came out at the close of April.