Maelo Ruiz

Ismael Ruiz Hernández, known professionally as Maelo Ruiz, was born on October 22, 1966, in New York City. He is an American salsa musician of Puerto Rican descent who began his musical journey at the age of 16 by singing at the Escuela Libre de Música de Caguas. At 19, he became the lead vocalist for Pedro Conga and his Orquesta Internacional, marking the start of his professional career. With Pedro Conga, Ruiz recorded four albums, including No Te Quites La Ropa, which sold over 50,000 units and earned a gold disc in Puerto Rico. Other notable hits with the band included "Atrévete" and "Vicio". After leaving Pedro Conga, Maelo Ruiz released several solo albums, such as En Tiempo de Amor (2003), Regálame Una Noche (2005), and Puro Corazón (2007). The latter was was nominated for the Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album in 2008. The following decade saw the release of several LPs, including Amor y Sentimiento (2010), Lo Mejor de Mi (2012), and Romántico y Boricua (2014). Subsequent releases included the studio set La Única (2020), a live session captured as Maelo Ruiz Live at Sesiones Desde La Loma (2021), and the career-spanning compilation Romántico y Boricua “The Best” (2022). He returned with the full-length Otra Vez (2024) and a run of digital singles—“No Te Olvido” (2023), “La Propuesta” (2024), “Yo Soy El Malo” (2025)—alongside the 2025 collaboration “No Te Vayas” with Servando & Florentino, reaffirming his place in contemporary salsa romántica.