Gabriel Ríos

Though born in Puerto Rico, Gabriel Ríos vaulted to stardom while living in Belgium, with a similarly pan-cultural electronic pop approach embracing elements of rock, hip-hop, and salsa. Born in 1978, Ríos learned to play guitar from his father, and as a teen joined his church's choir. At 18 he relocated from Latin America to Ghent, Belgium, with his then-girlfriend, studying painting while playing in local bands including the Nothing Bastards and L. Santo. Over time, Ríos' music began channeling the rhythmic influences of salsa, bomba, and plena, and eventually he befriended ...