Although born in New York, Víctor was raised primarily in Añasco and Isabela, Puerto Rico. Growing up in Puerto Rico had a great impact on his youth as he enjoyed salsa music (which was immensely popular in Puerto Rico at the time). His singing career began by chance, during a concert at his high school's graduation party by salsa superstar Gilberto Santa Rosa. At the instigation of classmates, who were going on about their friend the sonero, Santa Rosa invited Víctor to jump up on stage and sing a song with him. To Santa Rosa's surprise, not only could Victor sing, but he "free-styled" the improvisational soneo lyrics in the song, and traded soneos with Santa Rosa. Shortly thereafter, on Santa Rosa's recommendation, Puerto Rican bandleader Don Periñon hired teenage Victor as a backup singer. During these years of apprenticeship he performed with numerous salsa greats.
Thanks again to Santa Rosa, Manuelle was eventually signed as a solo artist to Sony Tropical. His debut album, Justo A Tiempo ("Just in Time"), which Santa Rosa produced, was released in 1993.
Ahora Me Toca A Mi
Victor Manuelle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y que si hay ritmo en cada latido de tu corazón eres sonéro, sonéro bueno
Me han dicho que si tienes alma de tambor
Y un sabor callejero en su voz
Serás un gran sonéro
Como fue aquel sonéro mayor
Fue el cantante de cantantes
Lavoe
Que se fueron pero se quedaron grabados en mi alma
Y todos los pueblos.
Como cheo feliciano el borincano
Como justo betancourt
El matancero
Que todavía siguen alegrando con sus melodías
El mundo entero.
Ahora me toca a mí
Cantar el son para ti
Por eso vengo a inspirar
Cantarles es lo que quiero.
Ahora me toca a mí
Vengo con el alma de rumba
Y no quiero que nunca, nunca
Nadie se olvide de mí
The lyrics of Victor Manuelle's song "Ahora Me Toca A Mi" talk about the joy and blessing of singing, particularly in the genre of salsa. The song celebrates the qualities that make a good "sonero," or salsa singer, such as having rhythm in their heartbeats and a streetwise flavor in their voice. The song also pays homage to influential salsa singers who have come before, such as Maelo and Lavoe, who have left a lasting impression on the genre and on the artist's own soul.
The singer states that now it is his turn to take up the mantle of salsa and offer his own melodies to the world. He comes with the spirit of rumba and a desire to inspire, with the hope that he will never be forgotten. Ultimately, the song captures the spirit of salsa as a joyful celebration of life, music, and the unique qualities that make each singer special.
Line by Line Meaning
Dicen que cantar es una bendición
People say that singing is a blessing
Y que si hay ritmo en cada latido de tu corazón eres sonéro, sonéro bueno
If there's rhythm in every beat of your heart, you're a great sonero
Me han dicho que si tienes alma de tambor
I've been told that if you have a soul of a drum
Y un sabor callejero en su voz
And a street flavor in your voice
Serás un gran sonéro
You'll be a great sonero
Como fue aquel sonéro mayor
Like the great sonero before
Maelo
Maelo (nickname for Ismael Rivera)
Fue el cantante de cantantes
The singer of singers
Lavoe
Lavoe (nickname for Héctor Lavoe)
Que se fueron pero se quedaron grabados en mi alma
Who are gone but remain engraved in my soul
Y todos los pueblos.
And in every town
Como cheo feliciano el borincano
Like Cheo Feliciano, the Puerto Rican
Como justo betancourt
Like Justo Betancourt
El matancero
The man from Matanzas (a Cuban city)
Que todavía siguen alegrando con sus melodías
Who still bring happiness with their melodies
El mundo entero.
To the whole world
Ahora me toca a mí
Now it's my turn
Cantar el son para ti
To sing the son for you
Por eso vengo a inspirar
That's why I come to inspire
Cantarles es lo que quiero.
To sing for you is what I want
Vengo con el alma de rumba
I come with the soul of rumba
Y no quiero que nunca, nunca
And I don't want ever, ever
Nadie se olvide de mí
For anyone to forget me
Contributed by Sophie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ivanfarfan4067
Esto es un tema único 🎊 🎉grande Víctor Manuelle
@ilhamben.ghazi.andalousi1769
Se fue el primer cancion en la que yo estaré a bailar la salsa de Puerto Rico a la edad de 12 años gracias a tu arte te quiero desde Marruecos
@elnegrochristian
Que tema 20 años y lo escucho 👏👌😎😍🙏
@greidimarmarino6422
Quien no puede amarte si eres lo mejor de la salsa Víctor Manuel ..
@eddiecheeva2050
One of the greatest soneros ever Victor Manuelle saludos desde el condado de la salsa Bronx NY
@mextret
Simplemente majestuosa.
¡Grande Victor M.! Eres ahora uno de los grandes.
@reitrujillomontoya531
Mi gran. Inspiration al cantar salsa mi ejemplo a seguir es como si fuera mi hermano y eh hido a sus conciertos y la salsa es lo mejor soy venezolano con ese ritmo llamado salsa
@luisavalos2569
Una tremenda desacarga en homenaje a todos esos grandez de la salsa pa gozarrr
@kater329
This was the best part of the album
@JoseGomez-ys3zs
Agreed