Víctor Manuel Ruiz (born September 27, 1968 in The Bronx, New York City), known professionally as Víctor Manuelle, is a successful Latin Grammy nominated American-born Puerto Rican salsa singer, songwriter, and improvisational son singer, known to his fans as El Sonero de la Juventud ("The Singer Of Youths"). He is identified primarily with salsa romantica or "salsa monga", but has also experimented with styles ranging from Colombian vallenato to reggaeton. Unlike other salsa performers such as Marc Anthony, he has neither recorded in English, nor made a Latin pop album, nor (with rare exceptions) ventured into acting, preferring to remain a musician grounded within salsa music. He is currently tied with Marc Anthony for the most number-one singles in the Billboard Tropical Songs chart.
Although born in The New York City borough of The Bronx, Victor was raised primarily in Isabela, Puerto Rico. Growing up in Puerto Rico had a great impact on his youth as he enjoyed salsa music (which was immensely popular in Puerto Rico at the time). His singing career began because of Gilberto Santa Rosa, during a concert at his high school's graduation party by salsa superstar. At the instigation of classmates, who were going on about their friend the sonero, Santa Rosa invited Victor to jump up on stage and sing a song with him. To Santa Rosa's surprise, not only could Victor sing, but he "free-styled" the improvisational soneo lyrics in the song, and traded soneos with Santa Rosa. Shortly thereafter, on Santa Rosa's recommendation, Puerto Rican bandleader Don Periñon hired teenage Victor as a backup singer. During these years of apprenticeship he performed with numerous
Víctor Manuelle is the eponymous third studio album by Puerto Rican salsero Víctor Manuelle. Released in 1996, Víctor Manuelle was the first successful album by the artist to chart including one single that reached in the top ten in the Hot Latin Tracks.
Víctor Manuelle first started his recording career with the release of Justo a Tiempo... (Just in the Time...), which was produced by his protógé, Gilberto Santa Rosa. Despite this, the album did not the chart and the lead single Me Dará el Consentimiento (She Will Give the Consent) only peaked #21 on the Hot Latin Tracks. The follow-up album, Solo Contigo (Only with you), again did not chart on Billboard. However, the lead single Apiadate de Mi (Pity me) was more successful than the previous singles and reached #16 on the Hot Latin Tracks and #3 on the Latin Tropical Airplay chart. With the release of the eponymous album, the album was the first to chart in the Top Latin Albums and Tropical Albums chart. The lead single, Hay Que Poner el Alma also achieved the Top Ten on Hot Latin Tracks peaking at number-six.
Yo conocia como a nadie cada
detalle de ti.
Sabia todos tus defectos y cosas que no he de decir, porque son para mi.
Tu conocias como nadie cada
Rincon de mi ser.
Historias que a nadie le he dicho, secretos que solo a ti te conte.
Me dijiste ya no puedo,
no quiero enganarte mas,
ya no puedo ser Tu amiga,
porque la verdad, es que
siento algo mucho mas.
Extrano no tenerte aqui,
dentro de mi vida y lo
mas triste es que perdi
lo que mas queria.
Debo confesar aqui que nunca
por nadie habia sufrido asi.
Mi major amiga.
Siempre fui claro contigo,
no eras Tan solo una mas,
si me ensenaste a vivir lo
que con nadie he vivido jamas.
Me dijiste dame tiempo para
poderme alejar, tal parece que olvidaste, fuiste tu quien me propuso una Amistad.