Valentino

Valentino (real name Peter Gonzalez Torres) is a reggaeton singer, songwriter, and producer. Between 1998 and 2013 he was half of the successful reggaeton duo Magnate y Valentino. His smooth, breezy tenor singing voice offered a sharp contrast to Magnate’s grainy rap baritone. While Valentino took part in a successful collaborative project entitled Los Compadres: La Perfecta Occasion with Mario VI and Gocho in 2006, he didn’t begin his solo career until 2014 when he released “No Llores Más” in collaboration with J Alvarez. He followed it with a remix the next year with Nicky Jam and Ñejo. Valentino delivered the hit single “Besame” (feat. Manuel Turizo) in 2017; its video received nearly 200 million views. “Tu y Yo” (feat. Nicky Jam and Justin Quiles) arrived the following year and was a Top 20 hit. “Costa” followed in 2019 and “Hola” in 2020. the follpowing year he issued “Suelta” and “Llamarte.”
Valentino was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1980. He developed his initial passion for music in general and singing in particular at age nine. A fine student, he had his sights set on civil engineering as early as middle school and eventually pursued a degree in it. Together with his friend Ramón del Robledo Nuñez Oliviera (aka Magnate), they formed the reggaeton duo Los Nene and changed their name soon after to Magnate y Valentino. They issued a total of four charting albums between 2002′s Rompiendo el Hielo and 2013′s Imparables, as well as two compilations. During their long run, Valentino and Magnate each issued solo outings. The former released the collaborative Los Compadres: La Perfecta Occasion with Mario VI and Gocho in 2006, while Magnate released Progresivo. They continually toured Latin America and the United States, and charted regularly before calling it a day at the end of 2013.
After the very amiable split, Valentino collaborated with J Alvarez on the 2014 single “No Llores Más” for Warner Music. The following year, he offered a remix and video of the track with Nicky Jam and Ñejo. Not only did the single chart, but the video went viral, garnered nearly 50 million views. It proved a taste of things to come. Valentino spent much of 2016 in the studio as producer and engineer for other artists, though he did release the single and video for “Loco.” In 2017 he teamed with reggaetonero Manuel Turizo for the single “Besame,” whose video went viral and garnered more than 200 million views, driving it up the streaming charts. 2018 saw another charting viral video hit with “Tu y Yo” (feat. Nicky Jam and Justin Quiles); it clocked over 110 million views and 79 million streams on digital platforms to become one of the most popular tracks in his career.
Valentino spent more time lending his technical and production skills to recordings by other artists as well as in public service, encouraging youngsters to stay in school. He re-emerged in 2019 with the smooth, soulful, urbano single “Cosita” (feat. Dalex, Sech, and Lenny Tavarez. The cut hit the club charts and registered more than 40 million streams — without a video (he released one a year later). In July 2020, to celebrate his 40th birthday, Valentino released the single “Hola” (feat. Rauw Alejandro and Darell). ~ Thom Jurek