Tengo Ganas

Background:

Latin Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter Victor Manuelle made his debut in 1993 with “Justo a Tiempo.” His big breakthrough arrived with his third album, “Victor Manuelle” (1996), which went platinum two times. He had his first No. 1 hit album with “Ironias” (1998), which was a number one on the Billboard Tropical Albums chart. It was followed by a string of No.1 hit records, including “Inconfundible” (1999), “Instinto Y Deseo” (2001), “Le Preguntaba A La Luna” (2002), “Travesía” (2004), “Dos Soneros...Una Historia DVD” (2005), “Decisión Unánime” (2006) and the Latin Grammy nominated album “Soy” (2008). “Instinto Y Deseo” and “Travesía” rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and the Tropical Albums charts, His hit singles include “Hay Que Poner el Alma” (1996), “Dile a Ella” (1997), “Así Es La Mujer” (1998), “Pero Dile” (1999), “Me Da lo Mismo” (2001), “En Nombre de los Dos” (2002), “El Tonto Que No Te Olvido” (2003), “Tengo Ganas” (2004), which was also a No. 1 hit on the Hot Latin Songs, “Nuestro Amor Se Ha Vuelto Ayer” (2006), “Nunca Habia Llorado Así” (featuring Don Omar, 2007), “Yo No Se Perdonarte” (2008) and “Mirame” (2009).

Manuelle is the divorced father of three children.

Binki

Childhood and Family:

Victor Manuelle was born Víctor Manuel Ruiz on December 27, 1963, in the Bronx in New York City, New York. He, however, was primarily raised in Añasco and Isabela, Puerto Rico. While in Puerto Rico, young Victor developed an interest in salsa music and his entrance into the music industry came accidentally in a concert at his high school's graduation party by Gilberto Santa Rosa. The salsa icon invited the teen to perform with him on stage. Impressed by Victor's talent, Santa Rosa recommended him to Puerto Rican bandleader Don Periñon and the rest is history.

Victor is a father of three (a boy and two girls) and divorced. He enjoys spending time with his children and is known to his family by the nickname Binki.

Soy

Career:

Teen Victor Manuelle began his professional career as a backup singer for bandleader Don Periñon. During these apprenticeship years, Manuelle had the opportunity to perform with a number of salsa stars. He eventually scored a recording contract as a solo artist with the Sony Tropical division of Sony Discos. His first studio album, “Justo a Tiempo,” was released on June 1, 1993. Produced by Gilberto Santa Rosa, the album generated two modest hit singles with “Estas Tocando Fuego” (1993) and “Me Dará el Consentimiento” (“She Will Give the Consent,” 1994), which peaked at No. 27 and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs, respectively. His sophomore effort, “Solo contigo,” followed on September 13, 1994. The first single, “Apiadate de Mi” (“Pity Me”), made the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs (#16) and became his first entry to Billboard's Tropical Songs (formerly known as Tropical/Salsa and Latin Tropical Airplay), where the song peaked at No. 3. The next single, “Por Ejemplo,” rose to No. 10 on the Tropical Songs chart.

Manuelle's massive breakthrough arrived with the album “Victor Manuelle,” which was produced by Sergio George. Released on January 23, 1996, the album went to No. 42 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and No. 8 on the Billboard Tropical Albums. The lead single “Hay Que Poner el Alma” (1996) achieved the Top 10 on the Hot Latin Songs (#6) and topped the Tropical Songs chart, becoming Manuelle's first No. 1 hit on the chart. He enjoyed further success with the hit singles “Pensamiento y Palabra,” which went to No. 17 on the Hot Latin Songs, No. 2 on the Tropical Songs and No. 18 on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs, “Todo Quedo, Quedo,” a Top 10 hit on the Latin Tropical Airplay, and “Como Una Estrella,” which peaked at No. 29 on the Hot Latin Songs, No. 4 on the Tropical Songs and No. 13 on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs. The singer scored another No.1 hit with “Volverás,” which also charted at No. 17 and No. 12 on the Hot Latin Songs and the Latin Pop Songs, respectively. “Victor Manuelle” was eventually certified double platinum by RIAA.

The fourth album, “A Pesar de Todo,” was released on June 3, 1997. Also produced by George, along with co-producers Ramón Sánchez and Humberto Ramírez, the album peaked at No. 9 on the Top Latin Albums, No. 2 on the Top Tropical/Salsa and No. 5 on the Top Heatseekers (South Atlantic). “A Pesar de Todo” spawned three No. 1 hits on the Latin Tropical Airplay with “Dile a Ella” “He Tratado” and “Así Es la Mujer” and only one single, “El Aguila” (1998), fell short to No. 2. All of the songs successfully made it to the Top 10 of the Top Latin Song and charted on the Latin Pop Airplay.

On May 12, 1998, Manuelle launched the album “Ironias,” which was produced by Ramón Sánchez. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Albums and No. 4 on the Top Latin Albums charts. The lead single, “Se Me Rompe el Alma” (“It Breaks My Heart”), peaked at No. 1 on the Latin Tropical Airplay charts and No. 3 on the Hot Latin Tracks. The second single, “Que Habria Sido de Mi (“What Would Be of Me”), rose to No. 1 on the Latin Tropical Airplay and No. 5 on the Hot Latin Tracks. The third single, “Que Te Han Dicho” (“What I've told you”), peaked at No. 16 on the Latin Pop Airplay and No. 35 on the Hot Latin Tracks. The song “Al Igual Que Yo” peaked at No. 28 on the Hot Latin Tracks, No. 39 on the Latin Tropical Airplay and No. 9 on the Latin Pop Airplay.

Manuelle was reunited with producer Ramón Sánchez for the album “Inconfundible” (“Unmistakable”) which was released on September 28, 1999. It peaked at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums and No. 1 on the Top Tropical/Salsa. The album was certified platinum by RIAA and produced the No.1 hit single “Pero Dile,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Hot Latin Songs and No. 11 on the Latin Pop Songs. Other charting singles were “Si La Ves” (#20 Hot Latin Songs; #5 Tropical Songs), “Como Duele” (#11 Hot Latin Songs; #3 Tropical Songs) and “Como Quiseria Decirte” (#35 Tropical Songs).

On January 30, 2001, Manuelle released the album “Instinto Y Deseo” (“Instinct and Desire”) with producer José Lugo. The album became his first No. 1 album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. It also charted at No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Albums and at No. 197 on the Billboard 200. The album received platinum certification and was nominated for a Billboard Latin Music Award in the category of Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year, Male. “Instinto Y Deseo” produced three singles. The first single, “Me Da lo Mismo,” rose to No. 1 on the Latin Tropical Airplay, No. 5 on the Hot Latin Songs and No. 18 on the Latin Pop Airplay. The second single, “Como Se Explico al Corazon,” peaked at No. 1 on the Tropical Songs, No. 13 on the Hot Latin Songs and No. 32 on the Latin Pop Airplay. The last single, “Quisiera Inventar,” charted on the Tropical Songs charts at No. 13.

Manuelle was reunited with José Lugo for the album “Le Preguntaba A La Luna,” which was released on October 29, 2002. It peaked at No. 1 on the Tropical Albums, No. 12 on the Top Latin Albums and No. 175 on the Billboard 200. The album produced two No. 1 singles on the Tropical Songs charts with “En Nombre de los Dos” (2002) and “El Tonto Que No Te Olvidó” (2003), which also rose to No. 14 and No. 22 on the Hot Latin Songs, respectively. The third single, “Poco Hombre,” peaked at No. 3 on the Tropical Songs and No. 37 on the Hot Latin Songs. Manuelle also wrote four of the eleven songs on the album.

Released on March 2, 2004, “Travesía” (“Crossing”) rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and the Billboard Tropical Albums charts. It also peaked at No. 177 on the Billboard 200. The first single, “Tengo Ganas,” peaked at No. 1 on the Top Latin Songs and the Latin Tropical Airplay and also charted at No. 11 on the Latin Pop Airplay. The follow-up singles “Lloré, Lloré” and “Te Propongo” went to No. 2 and No. 6 on the Latin Tropical Airplay, respectively. “Travesía” was eventually certified platinum by RIAA and sold over 300,000 units worldwide.

Manuelle's first live album, “En Vivo Desde Carnegie Hall,” was released on March 1, 2005. It peaked at No. 12 on the Top Latin Albums and No. 4 on the Top Tropical Albums. A cover of Celia Cruz's song “La Vida Es Un Carnaval” charted at No. 14 on the Tropical Songs chart. Later that same year, Manuelle released “Dos Soneros...Una Historia DVD,” a live DVD with Gilberto Santa Rosa. The record rose to No. 18 on the Top Latin Albums and No. 1 on the Top Tropical Albums.

Manuelle released the tenth studio album, “Decisión unánime,” on May 9, 2006. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Albums and No. 6 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums charts. It also peaked at No. 140 on the Billboard 200 and yielded the singles “Nuestro Amor Se Ha Vuelto Ayer” (featuring Yuridia), which went to No. 8 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs and No. 1 on Billboard's Tropical Airplay, “Maldita Suerte” (featuring Sin Bandera), which rose to No. 17 on the Hot Latin Songs and No. 7 on the Tropical Airplay, and “Nunca Habia Llorado Asi” (featuring Don Omar), which went to No. 1 on the Tropical Airplay. The album won a 2007 Billboard Latin Music for Tropical Album of the Year, Male, and Manuelle received a 2008 Premio Los Nuestro for Tropical Salsa, Artist of the Year.

On November 7, 2007, Manuelle released the Christmas album “Navidad a mi estilo” under the Machete Music label. It peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums, No. 2 on the Billboard Tropical Albums and No. 42 on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums. It was also nominated for a 2008 Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album. The only single, “Yo Traigo la Parranda,” peaked at No. 16 on the Tropical Airplay.

“Soy” (“I Am”) hit the music stores on June 10, 2008. Released on Kiyavi Records, the album rose to No. 9 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums, No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Albums and No. 159 on the Billboard 200. “Soy” received a 2008 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Salsa Album, while the song “Llegó El Amor” was nominated for the Best Tropical Song at the same gala. The lead single, “Yo No Se Perdonarte,” peaked at No. 1 on the Latin Tropical Airplay and No. 14 on the Hot Latin Songs. Also in 2008, Manuelle collaborated with Yolandita Monge on the song “Oportunidad Perdida,” which was included on Monge's album “Mala” (2008).

On November 10, 2009, Manuelle released the album “Yo Mismo,” which produced the Latin Tropical Airplay No. 1 hit “Mirame” (featuring Yomo). The song also rose to No. 41 on the Top Latin Songs and No. 35 on the Latin Pop Airplay.

Awards:

• Premio Los Nuestro: Tropical Salsa, Artist of the Year, 2008

• Billboard Latin Music: Tropical Album of the Year, Male, “Decisión unánime,” 2007