RAUW ALEJANDRO
FROM Carolina, Puerto Rico SOUNDS LIKE An eclectic vision of reggaeton with elements of R&B, trap, rock, and more
The 2020 Latin Grammys opened with a splashy, star-studded homage to the salsa legend Héctor Lavoe. While a group of luminaries belted out the lyrics to “El Cantante,” 27-year-old Puerto Rican artist Rauw Alejandro sauntered onstage holding hands with reggaeton matriarch Ivy Queen. Wearing his signature braids and a burgundy suit adorned with gleaming chains, the smooth newcomer showed that although he’s known for R&B and reggaeton, he could just as easily glide in next to seasoned veterans and perform salsa. It was only the latest sign that Alejandro is one of the most charming and versatile stars in the world.
Growing up in Carolina, the Puerto Rican municipality where he still lives, the rapper and singer — whose real name is Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz — had dreams of being a soccer player, before an injury cut his career short and he pivoted to music. Some of his earlier work made it seem as though he would be at the forefront of an R&B wave in Spanish-language music, building on his love of Usher and Michael Jackson. But he also played with trap sounds, and his most recent songs have continued to spotlight reggaeton. “I couldn’t not do reggaeton,” he says in Spanish. “It’s in my culture. It’s in my blood.”
When the pandemic struck, Ruiz rented a house in Miami and hunkered down to finish his first studio album, Afrodisíaco. The record, which features collaborations with J Balvin, Rosalía, Sech, and Camilo, quickly spun off three hits, and it has helped Ruiz rack up the 3 billion-plus views he currently has on YouTube. Since then, he has been hanging out with his schnauzer, Taro; watching anime; jet-skiing with friends; and working on new music. “I have rock mixed with hip-hop, drum and bass, electronic music, even music that’s a bit more classic because I’m a huge fan of boleros, thanks to my dad,” he says. “Fusing modern styles with past roots is something that to me is really beautiful.”
He’d also like to collaborate with Englishspeaking artists like Cardi B, Post Malone, and Bruno Mars. But the most important thing is to keep the momentum he has going until live music returns. “The first party I get called for, the first concert or festival I book, I’ll be there,” he says, “wherever it is.”