Victor Manuel Ruiz was born in New York City, but grew up on Puerto Rico.  Ruiz, better known as Victor Manuelle, got his start in music by chance.  He had a reputation in his high school as a singer of salsa music.

Victor Manuelle

I'll always be a sonero and will always emphasize that my main genre is salsa. I'm simply just getting a bit more daring with the approach and selection of my music. It's all a part of growing as a musician and as a performer.

The Beginning

Victor Manuel Ruiz was born in New York City, but grew up on Puerto Rico.  Ruiz, better known as Victor Manuelle, got his start in music by chance.  He had a reputation in his high school as a singer of salsa music.  At a dance where salsa superstar Gilberto Santa Rosa was performing, his friends arranged to have Santa Rosa call Manuelle up on stage.  Manuelle sang the song and improvised the solo, leaving an impression on Santa Rosa.

Soon after the dance experience, Gilberto Santa Rosa recommended Victor Manuelle to his associate, Puerto Rican bandleader Don Perinon.  Perinon hired Manuelle as a backup singer.  Manuelle apprenticed under Perinon for several years, learning about salsa music, and performing with many famous musicians.

The Recording Years

Victor Manuelle released six albums in the 1990s, the latter four of which all appeared high on the Latin and tropical charts and certified platinum.  During this time, he had eight #1 hits and seven more hits in the Top 10.  During the 1990s, every album Manuelle released offered at least one #1 single.

Already on a roll, Manuelle's career continued successfully in the early 2000s.  He released nine more albums in between 2000 and 2009, as well as appearing on soundtracks for So You Think You Can Dance, Bordertown, and Anita, no te rajes!  Also in 2003 and 2005, Manuelle appeared in the Puerto Rican television shows, Cuando el universo conspira and Nuestra Navidad 2003. In 2004, Manuelle performed an a capella rendition of salsa great Celia Cruz's signature song, La Vida Es un Carnaval, at her funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.  Later, he would perform the song at Carnegie Hall in New York to a highly moved audience.

What's Next

Victor Manuelle has grown from the high school kid singing with his idol at a school dance to a respected and renowned salsa musician in his own right.  In 2005, he and Gilberto Santa Rosa released a joint album, titled Dos Soneros, Una Historia (Two Soneros, One History).  In 2006, he co-hosted the Latin Grammy Awards and co-hosted of the 2010 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, in Miami, Florida, in early 2010.

Manuelle has a United States tour scheduled for much of 2010.  Upon his return home, he will continue to work on original music for recording purposes.  His current hits are offered on multiple music sites for streaming or for mp3 download.

Did you know . . .

1. The title. Bestowed on Victor Manuelle by his fans, El Sonero de la Juventud, means The Sonero of the Youth.  A sonero is an improvisational salsa singer.

2. Manuelle appeared, uncredited, as a salsa bandleader in the movie, El Cantante, in 2007. The movie starred Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez.

3. Victor has never recorded in English or released a Latin pop album.

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