Rubby Pérez was more than a singer. He was a voice of a people, a bridge between generations of merengue dancers, and a presence that shaped the genre’s very soul. Known across the Caribbean and Latin America as “la voz más alta del merengue,” Pérez’s music became part of life’s most unforgettable moments — from crowded dance floors to quiet memories of home. People.com
His career stretched back decades, rooted in the rhythms of the Dominican Republic and carried by audiences far beyond its shores. He rose to prominence singing with the Wilfrido Vargas Orchestra in the 1980s before launching a standout solo career in 1987. Over 13 albums and countless performances, his voice helped define what merengue felt like — joyful, commanding, passionate, and deeply human. ElHuffPost
Some of his most beloved hits, like Volveré and Buscando Tus Besos, live on in playlists, parties, and memories around the world. His version of De Color de Rosa became especially iconic, a song that captured love and longing with that unmistakable merengue swing. Wikipedia
Rubby’s life was tragically cut short in April 2025 when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed during his performance, taking his life and hundreds of others. The news sent shockwaves through the community and the music world, prompting tributes from fellow artists and entire nations mourning the loss. ElHuffPost
Today we remember him not for how he left us, but for what he gave us: a voice that carried merengue across oceans, into hearts, and into history.
