A New Sound Emerges, Pee Wee Sets the Trends in Latin Music
Learn more about Pee Wee, a talented young man who started his career as a hard-working kid.
The best description of Pee Wee’s music might not be a description at all. In this age of Twitter and texting, we’ve learned to say a lot with a little. And nothing better encapsulates everything about Pee Wee than three words – “Here we go!” the irresistible refrain from his bilingual smash hit “Live Your Life.”
Now 24, Pee Wee is someone who’s grown up in the spotlight. So his transformation is obvious and remarkable, as he’s gone from the talented, soft-spoken kid in the oversized t-shirt, to the confident adult who’s in charge of every detail on stage.
The prelaunch of Pee Wee began on July 19, 2012, when he debuted the anthemic “Live Your Life” in front of a spellbound audience at the Premios Juventud (Youth Awards) in Miami.
Brimming with big synthesizer sounds that are perfect for the club and the arena, “Live Your Life” is an up-to-the-minute anthem with a seductive message of fun and romance.
He followed that with second single “Duele Decirte Adiós (Time To Let You Go)” which was released in original, mambo, ballad and bilingual versions. He performed it to an enthusiastic response at the 2013 Premios Juventud.
It’s yet another triumph for an underdog artist who keeps beating the odds.
He loved singing, but as a small-town kid just sweating it out every day to support his family, he never saw it as a realistic stepping stone to a career. However, in 2003 Pee Wee was plucked from La Joya and discovered by one of Latin music’s biggest-selling groups of the era, Kumbia Kings, after winning the group over with his boyish charm, positive attitude and crystal-clear vocals.
The group gave Irvin Salinas a new name – “Pee Wee González,” and quickly incorporated him into its recording sessions. As a lead vocalist with Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz from 2003 to 2008, Pee Wee contributed to three RIAA-certified Platinum albums (Live, Duets and Los Remixes 2.0) and one Quadruple Platinum album (Fuego). And, he became the indelible voice of such chart-toppers as “Sabes a Chocolate,” “Na Na Na (Dulce Niña),” and “Chiquilla.”
In early 2008, he unexpectedly and suddenly parted ways with Kumbia All Starz. On his own for the first time in his musical career, he was at risk of losing everything. But he got a team together and worked on establishing himself.
He re-emerged as guest vocalist with reggaetón group Erre XI on the hit “Carita Bonita.” He also won the 2008 Televisa all-star reality show El Show de los Sueños, and acted in the 2009 primetime Televisa novela Camaleones.
Pee Wee points to El Show de los Sueños as an important step forward in his musical evolution, as it gave him the chance to excel at singing romantic ballads.
In a gratifying accomplishment, his solo debut album, Yo Soy (2009), went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart, with 10 of the 12 songs co-written by Pee Wee himself.
The next year, he was awarded Best Vocalist at the Premios Texas awards in Austin, and also received an acting nomination at the Premio TV y Novelas México awards for his work on Camaleones. He worked on social causes, contributing his original song “Una Voz Una Mano” (One Voice, One Hand) to civil rights organization LULAC’s campaign against Arizona’s controversial SB1070 immigration law.
Now, in 2013, he releases his first album on Sony Music, titled Vive2Life. He takes command with a sound that fuses EDM, pop, R&B and Latin. The lyrics occasionally intersperse English into the Spanish flow, just as Pee Wee and millions of Latinos do in their daily conversation.
Pee Wee will be promoting his new album Vive2Life which goes on sale on September 24 in Miami on September 25 to the 27 and September 30 to October 4 in Los Angeles.
Watch Pee Wee’s new single “Duele Decirte Adiós” below.
