Born in Puerto Rico, singer/songwriter Obie Bermúdez moved to New Jersey at the age of 12. A demo was recorded in 1996 and two years later, RCA International issued his debut album, Locales. It drew some attention, but not enough to turn him into a superstar. He took a break from music and worked in a South Bronx laundromat for the next five years. The customers and co-workers' day-to-day lives inspired nearly all the songs on his second album, Confesiones, released in 2004; the kick-off single, "Antes," reached number one on numerous Latin music charts. Todo el Año followed in 2004 and Lo Que Trajo el Barco appeared in 2006. ~ David Jeffries