Sergio Vargas

Sergio Pascual Vargas Parra, born on March 15, 1960, in Villa Altagracia, Dominican Republic, is an acclaimed merengue and bolero artist. Affectionately known as El Negrito de Villa, he peaked in popularity during the "golden age of merengue" in the 1980s and 1990s. Sergio Vargas's early claim to fame was securing the second position at the Festival de la Voz, orchestrated by the renowned Dominican musician Rafael Solano. By 1982, he had joined the Dionis Fernández orchestra, lending his voice to hits like "Los Diseñadores" and "Un Hombre y una Mujer." He later joined the merengue ensemble Los Hijos del Rey as their lead vocalist, an orchestra once steered by musical icons Fernando Villalona and Raulín Rosendo. With the group, Sergio Vargas' popularity surged, growing a large fan base throughout Latin America and the United States. 1986 saw him release his debut LP with Karen Records, which featured the sensational "La Quiero a Morir," a Spanish rendition of Francis Cabrel's "Je l'aime à mourir." A subsequent 1987 album with Los Hijos del Rey, La Tierra Tembló, further solidified his status, producing classics like "Ciclón (Fiesta de Interior)," "Marola," and "Perla Negra." In 1991, he signed with Sony and issued the album Este Es Mi País, which achieved gold certification in the US. Over the following decades, the artist produced an impressive catalog that mixed his trademark merengue style with other genres such as bolero and Latin pop music on albums like Como un Bolero (1994), Mi Propuesta (1996), Otra Época (1999), and Bohemio (2004). In addition to his musical journey, Sergio Vargas served as a deputy for the Dominican Liberation Party, representing Villa Altagracia from 2006 to 2010. After a 12-year absence from the music industry, he returned in 2021 with the LP Sergio Vargas es Merengue ¿Algún Problema?