Mauricio Castillo

One of the best-selling salsa artists in Colombian history, Mauro Castillo was born on June 6, 1978, in Cali, Colombia. He developed an interest in music at a young age, eventually launching a diverse career whose highlights included TV roles, films, bands, and multiple musical projects. He joined the iconic salsa act Grupo Niche in the early 2000s and served as the group's lead singer on two albums — 2002's Control Absoluto and 2004's Imaginación, both of which went gold — before leaving the band and focusing on his work as a songwriting. After composing material for Oscar D'León, Joe Arroyo, and others, he launched a parallel career as an actor, memorably portraying the character of Wilson Manyoma in the telenovela El Joe: The Legend. He launched a solo career, too, making his debut with 2012's Bailá Salsa and earning a national hit single with "Viene y se Va." La Receta followed in 2016, with IDILIOS appearing in 2020. Returning to his acting career, he played Tío Félix in the 2021 Disney film Encanto and contributed to the film's soundtrack, which peaked at Number 1 on the Billboard 200. The Latin pop single "We Don’t Talk About Bruno," which featured the voices of Castillo and several of his cast mates, became an international hit, peaking at Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Number 1 on the UK Singles chart.