Chayanne’s Bailemos Otra Vez Tour comes to the Santander Arena in Reading on Saturday at 8 p.m. Elmer Figueroa Arce, better known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer and actor. Arce’s nickname, Chayanne, was given to him by his mother in honor of his love for the 1950s American television series, “Cheyenne.”
Chayanne is a musician with a passionate style that ranges from sweeping orchestral pop to bachata. He has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and landed multiple albums in the Top 200.
In the late 1970s, he auditioned for Menudo, but the producers told him that he was too young to be in the group. He joined another group, Los Chicos, and they produced several hit recordings, including “Puerto Rico Son Los Chicos” and “Ave Maria.” Los Chicos toured all over Latin America and became a major rival to Menudo when Chayanne was a member.
After Los Chicos separated in 1984, Chayanne began his career as a solo artist. He signed with RCA Víctor and released his debut album, “Chayanne es mi Nombre,” that year. His second album with RCA Víctor, “Sangre Latina,” was released in 1986.
During the late ’80s and early ’90s, he became one of the genre’s premier heartthrobs. After three years with RCA Víctor, Chayanne switched labels to Sony Music and broke out with his first self-titled album in 1987. This album featured a blend of ballads and dance tracks, a formula for which Chayanne would be famous.
It featured two hit songs, the ballad “Peligro de Amor,” written by Michael Sullivan and Paulo Massadas, and a song that would cement him as an overall performer, the upbeat dance track “Fiesta en America,” written by Honorio Herrero.
On Nov. 1, 1988, Chayanne released his self-titled album, “Chayanne.” This album was the first of four Grammy-nominated titles to deliver more than three hit singles.
Chayanne’s 13th album, “Mi Tiempo,” was released in April 2007. The album debuted at number two on the Top Latin Album chart, selling 17,000 copies in its first week of release. The first single off the album, “Si Nos Quedara Poco Tiempo,” reached number one on the Hot Latin Tracks chart.
Following the album’s release, Chayanne began an international tour to promote the album, visiting Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and the U.S.
On Aug. 24, 2008, he began a series of presentations in Spain. When interviewed, he noted the concert would be fluid like a musical and more Latin than his previous presentations, being composed of more pop, Brazilian, Caribbean and reggae rhythms that he would use to dance constantly.
On March 14, 2015, Chayanne released the single “Tu respiración”, serving as the theme song for the 2015 soap opera “Lo imperdonable.”
He remains a viable and celebrated artist. His 2014 album, “En Todo Estare,” topped the Latin Albums chart and landed inside the Top 25 in the U.S. Other than compilations, he didn’t release another album until “Bailemos Otra Vez” in October 2023.
Tickets start at $59. For more information, go to santander-arena.com/events.
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