The Pratas Islands, also called Dongsha Islands (simplified Chinese: 东沙群岛; traditional Chinese: 東沙群島; pinyin: Dōngshā Qúndǎo), consist of three islands forming from an atoll located in northeastern South China Sea, 340 km (211 mi) southeast of Hong Kong. The islands are governed by the Republic of China (Taiwan). The People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over these islands along with all other territories currently controlled by the Republic of China. It is the seventh national park of the Republic of China. The main island of the group, Dongsha Island, is the largest of the South China Sea Islands.
Lucas Prata is a House musician and DJ born in Bayside, Queens, New York.[citation needed] He has produced several recognizable hits such as "Never Be Alone", "And She Said", "Love of My Life", and "Let's Get It On." Prata and Dan Bălan produced The "Ma Ya Hi Song," an English version of the international hit "Dragostea din tei" by Bălan's original band, O-Zone. "The Ma Ya Hi Song" did not achieve the success of the original, which went to number one in 27 countries and sold over eight million singles throughout the world in various languages.[citation needed]
Lucas Prata at an early age has passionately pursued the stage. Captivating audiences at such venues as MTV, National Television spots for Coca Cola, McDonald's, JC Penney, Seinfeld, TMC, and LA Gear.[citation needed] After accomplishing successful television ventures, Prata went on to his true passion, music.
Prata attended the University of Miami in Florida. During his time at the University he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. In his senior year, Prata won the Mr. University of Miami contest for his vocal ability. This win convinced him to pursue singing as a full-time career.[citation needed]
Anthony "Romeo" Santos (born July 21, 1981) is an American singer, featured composer and former lead singer of the Bachata group Aventura. As a member of Aventura, Santos has been a key figure in popularizing Bachata, with hits reaching near the top of the Billboard Latin charts and the top of charts in Europe. In 2002, the band's song "Obsesión" was number one in Italy for sixteen consecutive weeks.
Santos was born in The Bronx, New York, United States to a Argentinian father and a Puerto-Rican mother. At twelve years of age, he became a member of the church choir. While the group performs in both English and Spanish, their work was widely ignored by the English-language media during the early part of their career. On May 9, 2011, Santos released his first single, "You", from his upcoming solo debut album, Formula. The song became a number-one debut on the Hot Latin Songs and Tropical Songs chart. The second single revealed from his album was "Promise" which features a duet with Usher. The single has peaked at number #1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and number one on the Tropical Songs chart.
Joe "Sonny" Cuba (April 22, 1931 – February 15, 2009) was a Puerto Rican musician who was considered to be the "Father of Latin Boogaloo".
Born "Gilberto Miguel Calderón" in New York City, Cuba's parents moved from Puerto Rico to New York City in the late 1920s and settled in Spanish Harlem, a Latino community located in Manhattan. Cuba was raised in an apartment building where his father had become the owner of a candy store located on the ground floor (street level floor). His father had organized a stickball club called the Young Devils. Stickball was the main sport activity of the neighborhood. After Cuba broke a leg he took up playing the conga and continued to practice with the conga between school and his free time. Eventually he graduated from high school and joined a band.
In 1950, when he was 19 years old, he played for J. Panama and also for a group called La Alfarona X. The group soon disbanded and Cuba enrolled in college to study law. While at college he attended a concert in which Tito Puente performed "Abaniquito". He went up to Tito and introduced himself as a student and fan and soon they developed what was to become a lifetime friendship. This event motivated Cuba to organize his own band. In 1954, his agent recommended that he change the band's name from the Jose Calderon Sextet to the Joe Cuba Sextet and the newly named Joe Cuba Sextet made their debut at the Stardust Ballroom.
Geoffrey Royce Rojas (born May 11, 1989), known professionally as Prince Royce, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from New York City, New York. At an early age, Royce took an interest in music and into his teenage years, began experimenting with music and writing poetry. By age nineteen, Royce met Andrés Hidalgo, who became his manager. Hidalgo later introduced Royce to Sergio George, who immediately signed him to his label after hearing three of his demos.
In March 2010, he released his eponymous debut studio album, which generated two commercially successful singles, "Stand by Me" and "Corazón Sin Cara". Both songs reached number-one on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart while "Corazón Sin Cara" reached number-one the US Hot Latin Songs chart. The album, itself, was a commercial success, reaching number-one on the US Billboard Latin Albums and Tropical Albums charts. The album earned Royce three awards at the Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, including Tropical Male Artist of the Year. He also received three more at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in 2011, which included Tropical Album of the Year for Prince Royce.