Rauw Alejandro Bio
Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, known professionally as Rauw Alejandro, is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter whose theatrical performances and genre-blending sound have made him one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Latin music. Born on January 10, 1993, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he grew up in the nearby municipalities of Canóvanas and Carolina, where exposure to reggaeton, Latin R&B, and dancehall helped shape his musical identity. He launched his career by uploading songs to SoundCloud in 2014 and has since built a catalog of acclaimed albums, including Afrodisíaco (2020) and Vice Versa (2021). Rolling Stone has called him “the greatest showman in Latin music,” and he has earned two Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and an iHeartRadio Music Award.
Early Life and Background
Raúl Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz was born on January 10, 1993, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was raised in Canóvanas and Carolina. His father, Raúl Ocasio, is a guitarist who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, before moving to Puerto Rico, and his mother, María Nelly Ruiz, is a backing vocalist. His brother, Pedro Ocasio Ruiz, also became part of his musical world. Through his parents, he was introduced to artists such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Rihanna, whose styles would later influence his own sound.
Alejandro has spoken publicly about his Italian heritage, noting that his great-grandfather was from Palermo, Sicily. For many years, he and his father also lived in the mainland United States, spending time in Miami and New York City, where he absorbed R&B and dancehall influences. As a child, he competed in school talent shows, where his passion for dancing became clear. He also trained as a competitive soccer player from the age of six until he was twenty, eventually leaving the sport after an injury left him unable to perform at the level he wanted.
Path to Music
After quitting soccer, Alejandro experienced a period of light depression, which prompted him to redirect his energy toward music. In 2014, he began publishing original songs on SoundCloud, marking the formal start of his artistic career. In November 2016, he released his debut mixtape, Punto de Equilibrio, and in January 2017, he signed a record deal with Duars Entertainment. The following year, Sony Music Latin selected him for “Los Próximos,” a development project that introduced him to wider audiences across the Latin music industry.
After high school, Alejandro enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico, balancing his studies with his growing musical ambitions. His early SoundCloud output and mixtape work drew the attention of established artists, leading to collaborations that helped him transition from independent releases to the broader Latin music scene.
Rauw Alejandro Career
Early Career (2014–2019)
In December 2017, Rauw Alejandro released his first single as a lead artist, “Toda,” a collaboration with Alex Rose that eventually peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. A subsequent remix featuring Cazzu, Lenny Tavárez, and Lyanno became a major success, with its music video surpassing one billion views on YouTube by late 2020. In 2018, he gained further visibility through collaborations including “Pa’ Tu Casa” with Kevin Roldán and Khea, and “Luz Apagá” with Ozuna, Lunay, and Lyanno.
His profile continued to rise in 2019 with singles like “Que le dé” alongside Nicky Jam and “Fantasías” with Farruko. The remix of “Fantasías,” featuring Anuel AA, Lunay, and Natti Natasha, became one of his most-viewed videos and helped establish him as a charting force. “Fantasías” and “Tattoo” each spent roughly twenty weeks on the Latin charts, and the song “Tattoo (Remix)” with Camilo later won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance in 2021.
Breakthrough (2020–2021)
Alejandro’s debut studio album, Afrodisíaco, arrived in 2020, preceded by singles such as “Enchule,” “Elegí (Remix),” and “Reloj” with Anuel AA. The album earned him a nomination for Best Música Urbana Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. On May 20, 2021, he released “Todo de Ti,” which reached number 2 on Spotify’s global Top Songs chart and became one of his signature hits.
On June 25, 2021, he followed with his second studio album, Vice Versa, released through Sony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment. The album cemented his reputation as a versatile hitmaker. In July 2021, he joined Jennifer Lopez on “Cambia el Paso” and launched the Rauw Alejandro World Tour, which ran until December of that year.
Continued Success (2022–2024)
In April 2022, Alejandro was featured on Shakira’s “Te Felicito,” which reached number 1 on Billboard’s US Latin Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, and Latin Rhythm Airplay charts while charting in multiple countries. He later contributed to Rosalía’s Motomami album, which won Album of the Year at the Latin Grammy Awards in 2022. On November 15, 2024, he released his album Cosa Nuestra through Sony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment. The 18-track project featured collaborations with Laura Pausini, Romeo Santos, and Bad Bunny, and explored a mafia-inspired concept.
Latest Era (2025)
On September 26, 2025, Rauw Alejandro released his sixth studio album, Cosa Nuestra: Capítulo 0, a sequel to Cosa Nuestra that pays homage to Puerto Rican and Caribbean heritage. The album incorporates bomba, salsa, bachata, reggaeton, plena, and Afro-Caribbean sounds, and includes features with De La Rose, Mon Laferte, Rvssian, Ayra Starr, Wisin, Ñengo Flow, and Jey One. It also features his first bachata recording, “SILENCIO,” with Romeo Santos. During his Cosa Nuestra World Tour, Rolling Stone again praised his live show as comparable to a Broadway production, and he performed a medley at the 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Notable Works and Milestones
Alejandro’s signature recordings include “Todo de Ti,” “Fantasías,” “Tattoo (Remix)” with Camilo, and “Te Felicito” with Shakira. His studio albums Afrodisíaco, Vice Versa, and Cosa Nuestra represent his most ambitious projects to date. His two Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Award reflect sustained industry recognition, while Rolling Stone’s description of him as “the greatest showman in Latin music” captures the scale of his live performances.
Rauw Alejandro Award Nominations
Rauw Alejandro has received recognition from the Latin Recording Academy, Billboard, and iHeartRadio. His debut album Afrodisíaco earned a nomination for Best Música Urbana Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, and his work alongside collaborators has placed him among the most nominated Latin urban artists of his generation.
Rauw Alejandro Awards Won
Alejandro is a two-time Latin Grammy Award winner. He won Best Urban Fusion/Performance in 2021 for “Tattoo (Remix)” with Camilo, and Album of the Year in 2022 as a contributor to Rosalía’s Motomami. He has also won two Billboard Latin Music Awards and an iHeartRadio Music Award, reflecting his commercial and critical impact on the Latin music scene.
Rauw Alejandro Family
Rauw Alejandro was born to Raúl Ocasio, a guitarist originally from Brooklyn, and María Nelly Ruiz, a backing vocalist. He has a brother, Pedro Ocasio Ruiz, who is also involved in music. His parents introduced him to musical influences such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Rihanna, and he has spoken about his Italian heritage through his great-grandfather from Palermo, Sicily.
Personal Life
By the end of 2019, Rauw Alejandro was in a relationship with Spanish singer Rosalía, which he made public in September 2021. The couple announced their engagement in March 2023, but called it off in July 2023. He is also recognized by his nicknames, “El Zorro” and “Rauleeto,” which have become part of his public persona.