Back in 2021, a song released on Marc Anthony’s record label caused a stir among salsa fans.
It was a revamped version of the minor 1993 hit "Hasta el Sol de Hoy," and the track introduced singer/songwriter Luis Figueroa as a messenger of change. It pulsated with the languid vibes of salsa romántica, but also uncoiled a harder, more ferocious groove on the chorus. It sounded like a Marc Anthony hit, but with an added patina of 2020’s urbano slickness. Anthony loved it.
"I realized that there was an open door —the opportunity to add a fresher sound to salsa for a younger audience," Figueroa, 34, tells GRAMMY.com.
Since then, the Philadelphia native of Puerto Rican origin has become one of the few artists who consciously chose the somewhat forsaken mystique of salsa and turned it into a viable pathway for critical and commercial success. His latest recording – a fiery EP of urbano-styled salsa titled Voy A Ti — is nominated for Best Tropical Album at the 2024 GRAMMYs, alongside genre giants such as Rubén Blades, Grupo Niche and Omara Portuondo.
"Salsa is the music that I grew up with, and it was always a natural choice," he says. "I guess I was taken by the passion and purity of the many salsa songs that focus on real love."
Figueroa was just 9 years old when he began singing "music that is meant to be enjoyed mostly at nightclubs," and met many genre legends. Graciela and Joe Cuba became his mentors. It was at that point that he envisioned himself following in the footsteps of Marc Anthony, Eddie Santiago — his sister’s favorite singer — and also his mother’s choice salseros: Frankie Ruiz and El Gran Combo.
"Because I was involved in music at a very young age, people called me el niño mimado de Filadelfia [Philadelphia’s pampered kid]," he recalls. "Artists like Ismael Miranda, Andy Montañez and Michael Stuart would come to the city for salsa fairs and they all wanted to meet the young kid who was singing their music. I got to perform [‘90s mega-hit] 'No Vale La Pena' onstage with Johnny Rivera."
It was only natural that Figueroa would gravitate to the salsa romántica sound that was prevalent at the time. "My all-time favorite singer is Jerry Rivera, so clearly I have a weakness for the romantic side of tropical music," he agrees. "Luis Miguel’s bolero album Segundo Romance (1994) was also an influence."
But then, Figueroa got the chance to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he discovered the complexity of R&B and other genres. A stint touring as backup vocalist with Romeo Santos allowed him to observe the bachata mega-star’s songwriting process. Just like Santos had updated and revolutionized the way bachata was supposed to sound, Figueroa thought that salsa could also benefit from a makeover.
"I realized that I wanted to partake in the evolution and revolution of this traditional genre," he recalls.
Compared to the other nominees, Figueroa sounds like a salsa modernist on Voy A Ti. Its lead single, "La Luz," kicks off with a digital loop and a vocal line that could belong in a straight-ahead reggaetón track, before it morphs into salsa and the singer’s impressive soneos anchor the chorus on traditional Afro-Caribbean territory. At times, the melody has subtle points in common with Karol G’s "Tusa," the 2019 urbano anthem. The dramatic pyrotechnics of "A Escondidas," on the other hand, with its smoldering trombone riffs and high-octane emoting, stems from the Marc Anthony school of thought.
Not surprisingly, Figueroa became a Latin GRAMMY regular. In 2022, his self-titled album and the song "Fiesta Contigo" were nominated (he lost both to label boss Marc Anthony.) Voy A Ti was also nominated for a Latin GRAMMY a few months ago.
These accolades confirmed the prophetic worlds of salsa diva India, who met Figueroa at the beginning of his career and hailed him as a future star.
"She invited me onstage at the end of a festival," he recalls. "I remember the bright lights and the smoke machines; the electricity of the moment. The keyboardist started playing the intro to 'Dicen Que Soy,' and people were singing the chorus before she stepped onstage. It was an epiphany, because at that moment I envisioned what I wanted my career to look like: to have, one day, people singing along in my own concerts."
Now, Figueroa has become the latest in a distinguished line of salsa singers with boricua roots. From Tito Rodríguez and Héctor Lavoe to Cheo Feliciano and Ismael Miranda, the contribution of Puerto Rico to the salsa mystique is staggering — a reality that baffles the first time GRAMMY nominee.
"I don’t really know how to explain this phenomenon," he says. "Is it something in the water? Is it the air? Is it the privileged location? If you ever understand it, please let me know." [Laughs.]
While Figueroa craved the acceptance of Puerto Ricans who live on the island, he eventually realized that many salsa icons were born outside of it, including his idols Marc Anthony, India, and Frankie Ruiz.
"Creativity flows naturally in Puerto Rico, it stems from the heart and the soul. We have so many great singers and composers, poets, boxers, tattoo artists. Such a small island, too. It’s one of the great mysteries of the world," he says.