Chichi Peralta

Chichi Peralta is a renowned Dominican singer-songwriter, producer, and percussionist, best known for his unique blend of merengue, salsa, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Born Pedro René Peralta Soto on July 9, 1966, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he embarked on his musical journey during his early childhood, building his first tambora at age 4. In his early career, Peralta gained valuable experience as a percussionist by performing with prominent Latin music artists such as Grupo Fragmento, Trilogía, and Juan Luis Guerra. A few years later, he formed his own band, Son Familia, showcasing his talents as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Following the release of his studio debut Trópico Adentro in 1995, Chichi Peralta made his international debut via Caiman Music with the album Pa' Otro La'o (1997), garnering international attention thanks to hit singles such as "Amor Narcótico" and "Procura." The album reached Number 33 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart and achieved double Platinum status in Argentina. His sophomore effort, De Vuelta al Barrio (2000), won a Latin Grammy for Best Merengue Album, finally establishing him as a leading figure in the Latin music scene. Subsequent releases Más Que Suficiente (2005) and De Aquel La'o del Río (2009) also received both critical and popular acclaim, with the former earning a nomination for Best Contemporary Tropical Album at the 2006 Latin Grammys. Over the following years, the Dominican musician issued his fourth full-length album De Que Viene, Viene (2012), and composed original music for the documentaries Orgullo de Mi Tierra Samaná, Orgullo de Mi Tierra Puerto Plata (2009) and Camino a Higüey (2016).