Rauw Alejandro

One of Puerto Rico’s foremost pop figures in his era, vocalist and composer Rauw Alejandro has earned acclaim for his silky tenor delivery and a reggaeton approach that weaves together Latin pop, R&B, hip-hop, and nostalgic sonic textures. Following the well-received 2016 release of his debut mixtape Punto de Equilibrio, he joined Ozuna, Lunay, and Lyanno on the track “Luz Apaga,” then appeared with Lyanno, Alex Rose, Cazzu, and Lenny Tavárez on “Toda Remix.” Those joint efforts, among others, led to four nominations at the 2019 Tu Musica Urban Awards in Puerto Rico. The momentum carried him to his first studio album, Afrodisíaco, which entered Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart at number two in 2020. Vice Versa arrived in June 2021 and claimed the top Latin spot, folding electro, drum’n’bass, neo-disco, and mainstream pop into his reggaeton sound. After issuing the 2022 EP Trap Cake, Vol. 2., he returned to the Latin Top Ten with his third album, Saturno. The 2023 collaborative project RR with Rosalía preceded the follow-up Playa Saturno, while Cosa Nuestra, issued in 2024, paid homage to the classic Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe LP of the same title.

Born Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he experienced a brief childhood relocation with his family to the United States before the household returned to the island. Soccer initially claimed his full attention; he pursued the sport seriously while attending the Maria Auxiliadora School. Music remained a secondary pursuit until an injury during his teenage years ended his athletic path. Seeking an outlet for his frustration, he turned to songwriting and began uploading material to SoundCloud. Early exposure to Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, followed by Ricky Martin, Daddy Yankee, and Chris Brown, came through his parents’ musical interests, notably his father’s guitar playing. As he honed his vocal and compositional skills, his natural dance ability led to stage appearances and video work, where he connected with a range of musicians, producers, and dancers, quickly establishing himself as a versatile triple-threat performer.

Under the Under Music Group label, which supported his development as a writer and singer, Alejandro began releasing singles in June 2016, among them “No Me Siento Igual” featuring Joyce Santana, “Días Así,” and “Se Tú” with Lyanno and Sousa. Punto de Equilibrio reached audiences late that year, prompting tours across Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Southeastern United States. Between 2016 and late 2017 he issued 14 singles and videos of his own, separate from guest features. Trade publications and fan outlets spanning the Latin music landscape, along with English-language industry weeklies, took notice. Streaming successes such as “Mi Llamada” with Lyanno, Alex Rose, and Lenny Tavárez, “T.T.I.,” and “Dale” featuring Sousa and Mr. Naisgai, plus guest spots including “Tarde” with Rafa Pabön and “Toda” with Alex Rose, placed him on no fewer than seven singles. His contribution to Ozuna’s “Luz Apaga” reached number 26 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and briefly hit number three on the Latin Digital Song Sales tally.

Alejandro opened 2019 with “Miénteme (Remix)” alongside Sousa, Cazzu, Lyanno, and Álvaro Díaz, then “Es Normal” with Javiielo, Lunay, Lyanno, and Sousa. He also dropped the EP Trap Cake, Vol. 1. and the standalone duet “Que Le Dé” with Nicky Jam, which landed in the Top Ten on nearly every major Latin streaming chart. February brought the club track “Mírame” with Nio García and Lenny Tavárez. Winter and spring found him touring Latin America and the United States, while fall delivered the Farruko collaboration “Fantasias.” “Algo Mágico” surfaced in July 2020. That summer he issued the live album Concierto Virtual en Tiempos de COVID-19 Desde el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, which peaked at number ten on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. November saw the arrival of his Grammy-nominated debut studio album Afrodisíaco, featuring guest appearances by J Balvin, Sech, Anuel AA, and additional artists.

February 2021 paired Alejandro with Selena Gomez on the Hot 100-charting “Baila Conmigo,” which also led the Hot Latin Songs list. Vice Versa followed in June, its production team—including Tainy and Mr. Naisgai (Luis J. Gonzalez)—crafting a set that contrasted his signature urbano reggaeton with neo-disco, electro, drum’n’bass, funky breaks, and further elements. The project debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top Latin Albums chart the following week. Lead single “Todo de Ti” logged five weeks on the Hot 100, while “Desesperados” with Chencho Corleone reached the Latin Top Five. Trap Cake, Vol. 2. arrived in February 2022 and peaked at number six on the Latin chart.

Saturno, an 18-track album released in November 2022, was co-produced under the alias El Zorro with longtime associate Kenobi and Mr. Naisgai, with additional contributions from El Playero and Tainy on select tracks; it juxtaposed reggaeton and trap against funk, classic hip-hop, pop, and retro new wave. Baby Rasta, El Playero, and Arcángel joined as featured artists. The set entered the Billboard 200 at number 25, reached number two on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts, and yielded multiple Top 30 Latin singles such as “Lejos del Cielo” and “Panties y Brasieres” with Daddy Yankee. March 2023 brought the collaborative EP RR with Rosalía, highlighted by the Top Ten Latin single “Beso.” Subsequent pairings with Bizarrap produced “Rauw Alejandro: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 56” and “Baby Hello,” the latter introducing Playa Saturno, which climbed to number four on the Top Latin Albums chart and entered the Billboard 200 Top 30.

April 2024 saw Alejandro reach the upper tier of the Latin songs chart with the non-album release “Santa,” recorded with Rvssian and Ayra Starr. The disco-inflected “Touching the Sky” arrived the following month and announced his fifth studio album, Cosa Nuestra. Referencing the 1969 Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe project of the same name, the record—subtitled “Our Thing”—once more balanced his salsa and reggaeton foundations with excursions into electronic dance music, trap, R&B, and Latin pop. Production credits included El Zorro, Dímelo Ninow, Kenobi, and others, while guest appearances came from Pharrell Williams, Bad Bunny, Feid, and additional artists. It attained number six on the Billboard 200 and topped the Latin Albums chart.