Rauw Alejandro Artistfacts

January 10, 1993
Born Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, Rauw Alejandro is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter who first came to prominence with the release of his debut solo single, "Toda," in 2017. The song, featuring fellow Puerto Rican performer Alex Rose, peaked at #29 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs Chart. It took three more years to issue his debut album, Afrodisiaco, a Spanish-language collection of Latin R&B and reggaeton tunes designed to seduce listeners.

"My music is pleasure for you," he told MTV News in 2020. "Rauw Alejandro is the aphrodisiac."
Although Alejandro grew up with a penchant for singing and dancing, he viewed music as just a hobby. His first dream was to become a professional soccer player, but an injury at the age of 20 dashed his hopes. He consoled himself by making music, which his friends encouraged him to share on the SoundCloud platform in 2014. He collaborated with other up-and-coming Puerto Rican acts - including Lyanno, Joyce Santana, and Brray - on a series of remixes that slowly garnered attention on social media.
Alejandro released his debut mixtape, Punto de Equilibrio, in 2016. Two years later, he was enlisted by Sony Music Latin for their Los Próximos project to highlight new urban talent. Alejandro, in particular, benefited from the exposure, which led to a number of fruitful collaborations, including "Luz Apagá" with "La Modelo" hitmaker Ozuna.
The first concert Alejandro ever paid to attend was a Zion & Lennox show when he was around 16 years old. It was a fateful moment, only he didn't realize it yet - the Puerto Rican reggaeton duo went on to guest perform on the Afrodisiaco track "Química."
Alejandro is afraid of flying, which is an unfortunate phobia to have as a touring artist. He copes through prayer, meditation and sleep (with the help of the motion-sickness drug Dramamine).
Alejandro and rapper Anuel AA teamed up on the 2020 hit single "Reloj," among other projects, but they're more than professional collaborators. The pair grew up together in Carolina, Puerto Rico, where they attended the same school.
Alejandro's first six albums - Afrodisiaco, Vice Versa, Saturno, Playa Saturno, Cosa Nuestra, and Cosa Nuestra: Capitulo 0 - all peaked in the Top 5 of Billboard's Latin Albums chart. Cosa Nuestra, released in 2025, made the biggest impression on the all-genre Billboard 200, peaked at #6.
Cosa Nuestra, a salsa and reggaeton album inspired by 1970s New York City, takes its name from a 1969 album by salsa stars Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe. It's also a nod to the Cosa Nostra, a name for the Sicilian Mafia. Alejandro brought the retro concept to life during his concert tour with a Broadway-style production that cast the singer as a Puerto Rican immigrant trying to make a name for himself in a city ruled by the mob. The album features the Bad Bunny collab "Qué Pasaría...," which hints at the star-crossed romance featured in the show.
Alejandro nearly married Spanish singer Rosalia, whom he dated from 2019 to 2023. The pair announced their engagement in 2023, the same year they released the romantic collaboration "Beso," but split just a few months later. Alejandro walked away from the romance with a souvenir - a Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year. He was one of many songwriters to receive the prize for his work on Rosalia's 2022 album, Motomami.
Alejandro can also claim Shakira as one of his exes - but only in song. He portrayed the "Hips Don't Lie" singer's two-faced ex-boyfriend in the hit "Te Felicito," where he raps about missing their steamy love life.
In his 2024 BuzzFeed Celeb interview, Alejandro said his go-to karaoke song is Cher's 1998 chart-topper "Believe."
His Afrodisiaco track "Strawberry Kiwi" was inspired by his favorite beverage: kiwi strawberry Snapple.

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