Latin charts, including 2013’s “Propuesta Indecente,” which has racked up more than 1.1 billion views on YouTube. Since going solo in 2011 he’s had seven No. and throughout Latin America, as well as in Europe.
Formerly as the vocalist and main songwriter for the hit band Aventura and currently as a solo artist, he consistently dominates charts in the U.S. The 35-year-old singer is, without exaggeration, one of the most influential musicians in the Western Hemisphere. But the fact that he can remain anonymous is a sign of the unique kind of American star he is. He avoids too much exposure in the press, and has a policy of never speaking publicly about his family or personal life. Not getting stopped by fans for selfies is a perk for Romeo, who is famously private. The Latins that do know me, they express their admiration for me but kind of leave me alone.” “What I like about this place is I don’t really get recognized here,” Romeo says. “Dale, mamí,” shouts Romeo, encouragingly. A few benches down, an extremely fit-looking Latina woman benches a gnarly stack of weights. He works out at the Sports Center at Chelsea Piers in New York City, a massive high-end gym complete with rock walls and an indoor track. Romeo says he’s at the gym four or five times a week, more if he has a photo or video shoot coming up. He’s tall, with sculpted arms worthy of an MMA fighter. If Santos is out of peak condition, you wouldn’t know it. “I know it’s probably just mental, but I feel like I’m getting too chubby or too skinny.”
“If I don’t come here, I feel sick,” he says. He pumps the bar smoothly and effortlessly for a few repetitions and sits up. That is, usually it is, but he’s been hitting the studio so hard that his gym schedule is all messed up, so he’s doing chest day instead. “I’m taking it easy today,” Romeo Santos says. The King of Bachata deftly loads two 35-pound weights and leans back onto the bench.