Yotuel Romero

Yotuel Omar Manzanarez Romero is a Cuban singer, songwriter, actor, model, and music producer born on October 6, 1976, in Havana, Cuba.

His journey in the music world began at the age of 18 when he joined Hiram Riverí (Ruzzo) and Joel Pando (El Pionero) to form the group Amenaza, a pioneering band of Cuban hip-hop that rescued and blended the oral tradition of Cuba with rap, laying the groundwork for what would later become the group Orishas. The band performed in the 90s at several prominent venues, including Café Cantante, a gathering place in the gardens of the Teatro Mella, the Casa de la Música, and the Casa de la Cultura in Centro Habana, among others.

In 1997, they were awarded First Prize at the semi-clandestine Cuban Rap Festival in Alamar. By that time, they were already featured on the island's radio and televisión. Later, thanks to an exchange with a French solidarity association with the Cuban people, the members of Amenaza traveled to France, where they eventually settled to continue their musical project, welcoming Roldán González Rivero, who sang traditional Cuban music with the group Rico Son. Under the name Orishas, the new group signed with the record label EMI and in 1999 released their debut studio album A Lo Cubano, which brought them international fame, establishing them as the leading figures in Cuban hip hop. In 2002, they released Emigrante, followed by El Kilo in 2005, Antidiotico in 2007, and Cosita Buena in 2008. After ten years during which each member pursued separate paths, they reunited to launch Gourmet in 2018.

With Orishas, Yotuel toured stages around the world and sold over 750,000 copies in Europe.

In 2003, "Time" magazine listed Orishas among the 10 most important bands outside the U.S.

Emigrantes received a nomination for the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album and won the award for Best Hip Hop/Rap Album.

In 2005, El Kilo was nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards for Best Urban Music Album and for the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.

In 2008, the song "Pal Norte," by the Puerto Rican group Calle 13, won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song. They were also nominated for "Antidiotico" for Best Urban Music Album and the song "Hay Un Son" for Best Video.

In addition, Orishas' music received awards in Spain, where they achieved several gold and platinum sales records.

The theme "A lo cubano" is one of the most commonly used backgrounds in series, contests, and movies where a character from the island is introduced.

Additionally, their music has been featured in various soundtracks such as Kubaner Küssen Besser Germany 2002, Fast & Furious II 2003, Bad Boys II 2003, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights 2004, Perfecto Amor Equivocado Cuba-Spain 2004, and El Benny Cuba 2006.

On December 12, 2009, Orishas held their final concert as a group in Zurich, Switzerland. After that, each member of the group pursued their own path to work on solo albums.

As an actor, Yotuel has participated in series and films such as the popular "Un paso Adelante," where he met his partner, the Spanish actress, dancer, composer, and singer Beatriz Luengo. Additionally, he has appeared in Cuban cinema in "Color Habana," "Perfecto amor equivocado," and "El Baile de San Juan."

As a solo artist, Yotuel has collaborated with singers such as Ricky Martin, with whom he teamed up for the single "Una mordidita" from the Puerto Rican artist's album "A quien quiera escuchar" (2015). The song, which has garnered over 1.2 billion views on YouTube, won the Premio Lo Nuestro for Video of the Year.

In January 2021, together with Beatriz Luego, he released the music video for his single "Rebelde" on his YouTube channel, in collaboration with the popular Spanish singer and influencer Omar Montes.

In January 2020, along with Orishas and Beatriz Luengo, he released "Ojalá pase," in which Luengo sings precisely the chorus of the song "Ojalá" by Silvio Rodríguez. This generated significant controversy with Silvio, and ultimately, the song was removed from all platforms.

In 2021, Yotuel made headlines again for using the same lyrics to create the song "Patria y Vida," collaborating with Gente de Zona, Decemer Bueno, and the rappers Maykel Osorbo and Funky, who are two of the most prominent figures in the San Isidro Movement and the fight against repression on the island. Additionally, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, another member of the MSI, appears in the audiovisual.

With this song, which has garnered over 4 million views, the musicians have made history by creating an anthem of freedom that resonates with all Cubans both on the island and abroad. It has strongly irritated the Cuban regime, leading to increased repression against any citizen who sings or publicly shares any of its verses.

Yotuel himself was subjected to insults from the Cuban government, which labeled him a pimp due to his relationship with Spanish singer Beatriz Luengo.

In February, along with other Cuban artists and personalities, he addressed the European Parliament to discuss the situation in Cuba, as well as with members of the Joe Biden administration, regarding the impact that the song has had.

In January, he announced that he was working on a project with Spanish singer-songwriter Rozalén titled "Propuesta indecente."

Yotuel resides in Miami with his wife Beatriz Luengo, with whom he is expecting their second child together, a girl who will be born in 2021. He also has a third child from a previous relationship. It is common to see him sharing family moments and he is often accompanied by his mother, with whom the Cuban artist is very close.