Born Vicente Luis García Luis Guillén in Santo Domingo in 1983, he began his musical career as member of funk-soul outfit Calor Urbano and went on to achieve significant local success. After an eight-year stint with the band, García launched a solo career in 2011 with the release of Melodrama. The album put him at the forefront of contemporary bachata and bolero singers, a position reinforced in 2013 by the viral hit single "Te Soñé." Signed by Sony Music, García entered the big leagues of Latin music with A la Mar (2016). Produced by Eduardo Visitante Cabra of Calle 13, the album was rewarded with three Latin Grammys: Best Singer/Songwriter Album, Best New Artist, and Best Tropical Song for "Bachata en Kingston." In 2018, Garcia and Visitante collaborated as a duo named Trending Topics for the album-length project of the same name advanced by the 196 BPM electro merengue single "Elintelné." Produced by Fabrice Dupont, the set also included a slew of guest contributors including Ziggy Marley, Li Saumet from Bomba Estéreo, Pucho from the Spanish indie rockers Vetusta Morla, the traditional Afro-Colombian singer Nidia Góngora, and iLe (Ileana Mercedes Cabra Joglar), Cabra's sister, who sang with Calle 13 for a decade. ~ Mariano Prunes, Rovi