Eddie Santiago: “I Am Reaping What I Sowed”
“I started working very hard from the bottom and despite stumbling and the bitter moments that life gives you, I have had and have a wonderful life”. Eddie Santiago
Known as the “King of the Romantic Salsa,” Eddie Santiago is at a stage of his life when he is more at leisure. With a jovial and friendly attitude, he told us what he is doing today and what his future projects are.
The 60-year-old Puerto Rican singer told us that he is still working, but at a much slower pace. Most of his appearances are in Florida, although he continues singing in different countries of South and Central America, but not as often as he did in the past.
“I am still a salsa singer and that’s not going to change. Today I am reaping what I sowed for over 30 years,” said Santiago, who is without a doubt one of the most prominent romantic salsa soloists of the late 1980s.
Two major projects are keeping busy the interpreter of the song “Tu me quemas,” the song that took him out of anonymity. The first project is the recording of new material, and this will take time because he wants to be completely satisfied before releasing it.
The purpose of this work is to record something before his retirement or he passes to “another life.”
Although the subject of his retirement has gone through his mind a couple of times, he is convinced that he will never do it because work is the incentive that energizes this salsa lover who also likes chocolate and sweets. He avoids temptation and follows a very healthy diet, hence his secret to staying slim.
The second project is a book that he has been writing for some time, and although he did not disclose to us what it is about, he clarified that it is not autobiographical. Santiago said that the book about his life, which brings his story from childhood, is ready and it will be published by his family at the proper time.
The Puerto Rican vocalist, who contributed greatly to the success of this genre in the international recording market, was nominated in 1988 at the Grammy Awards in the category of Tropical Music and in 1989 for Best Latin Artist of the Year.
He has lived in Miami since 1998; therefore, it is not unusual to see him in the Kendall area along with his wife and their three children. And it is precisely they who, along with his other three children from a previous marriage, fill his life with happiness. He proudly told us that he is a grandfather, has a daughter who is a singer and another one who wants to become an actress.
Among his famous songs that are still playing today at parties, in houses and in cars are “Lluvia,” “Que locura enamorme de ti,” “Antidoto y veneno,” “Mia,” “Nadie mejor que tu,” “Me haces falta,” “Me fallaste.” The latter was written by him and won him a Platinum Pen.
And now, knowing that there is no intention to retire, and that he does not know any other life but being a singer, we can say without a doubt that we will have romantic salsa for a long time.
Eddie Santiago: “Estoy recogiendo lo que sembré”
