Sunday, November 10

Wilove, a bachatero who does not throw in the towel

Wilove thought that the doors of success had been opened wide after participating in a major singing contest in his native Dominican Republic. He was in third place out of a total of 5,000 participants.

“I have been singing since I was 5 years old,” said the artist, whose first name is Wilson Abreu. “When I won, I recorded the single ‘Qué sera’, a vallenato that made me known.”

However, at that time, fame was short-lived for Wilove. The record company that was in charge of its promotion “shelved” it and did nothing with it for seven years. From 2005 and until 2012, the bachata interpreter had no choice but to perform at parties private, clubs, discos and in restaurants. It was not until after a long legal dispute that he was able to free himself from the contract that had him tied to the record company.

While that was happening, in 2010 Wilove immigrated to the United States. His first stop was Los Angeles, where his partner lived and for whom he moved to this country. In that city he worked as an extra in Hollywood, until he decided to resume his career in music and flew to New York, where bachata was more in demand because there are more Caribbean inhabitants in that region.

“I was a little frustrated,” said the artist, from 39 years. “But I didn’t throw in the towel.”

Finally, in 2019 premiered “My dreams”, his first album, and in 2020 he planned to release his second album, but the pandemic ruined his project. So he changed his strategy and decided to reveal cut by cut; the first, which is already available on virtual platforms, is “Suerte”, and it will be part of “Evolution Volume 1”, an album that does not yet have a release date and that will include 10 issues.

When the pandemic allows it, Wilove, who is originally from Jarabacoa, plans to resume his career, which was going just uphill. I already had several dates scheduled; they had hired him to open the shows of great singers, among them Marisela, Ángela Carrasco and Pedro Fernández.

While that is happening, he continues with his career as an entrepreneur, he has a franchise for the sale of products from cooking, an activity that goes hand in hand with her activities as a singer. That’s where he has sustained his life as an artist, his true passion.

“Before, bachata was considered cabaret music,” he said. “Now it is different; I have survived singing this music. ”