Rey Ruiz

Rey Ruiz, born Reinerio Ruiz Santiago on June 21, 1966, in La Lisa, Cuba, is a celebrated salsa singer known as "El Bombón de la Salsa." A child prodigy, Ruiz honed his musical talents at the Conservatory of Music in Havana and began his career performing with iconic Cuban groups like La Riverside and Los Dadas before joining the prestigious Tropicana cabaret. After defecting from Cuba in 1991, he settled in Miami, where salsa music was flourishing. His self-titled debut album Rey Ruiz (1992) achieved platinum status and won him Billboard and Lo Nuestro awards. The follow-up albums Mi Media Mitad (1994), En Cuerpo y Alma (1995), and Destino (1996) cemented his place as a leading figure in salsa, earning gold and platinum certifications across the Americas. In the 2000s, Rey Ruiz continued to evolve with albums like Fenomenal (2000) and Mi Tentación (2004), blending traditional salsa with pop influences. His 2023 release Insuperable reimagined global classics with a Big Band flair, showcasing his versatility. With numerous accolades and a career spanning over three decades, Rey Ruiz remains a salsa icon, captivating audiences worldwide with his romantic melodies and powerful voice, most recently serving as a judge on Colombia’s Yo me Llamo in 2025.