Tulile Says Street Merengue "Needs a Tulile
Merengue star "El Rey Tulile" is back with "Desahogo," a merengue take on a Roberto Carlos classic, and says he wants to win back the Dominican market.
Key points
- "Desahogo," a merengue version of the Roberto Carlos song, is now available on digital platforms.
- Tulile says he kept working in the United States but now is focused on the Dominican Republic.
- He says street merengue needs the "spark" and "freshness" he brought to it.
- He became most popular between 1999 and 2000 with hits like "La Loquera" and "Cuca."
Tulile, known as "El Rey Tulile," is preparing a new chapter in his career with the release of "Desahogo," a merengue version of the song made famous by Brazilian singer Roberto Carlos.
In an interview with El Nacional, the artist, whose given name is Manny Rivera, said his musical presence in the Dominican Republic had declined, but that he never stopped working, continuing in the United States. He said his goal now is to "conquer the Dominican Republic market."
About choosing the song, he said he had been considering it for two or three years and decided to take the risk. The track is already available on digital platforms.
Tulile rose to fame between 1999 and 2000 with hits such as "La Loquera," "Cuca," "Plátano Majao," and "Una Culebra." According to El Nacional, his approach aimed to break away from the musical norms of the time, and he said he pushed merengue's tempo from 125 or 130 BPM up to 175 and 180.
For the artist, the genre needs to recover the freshness and irreverence that defined earlier stages. "I think street merengue needs a Tulile," he said.