Salsa romántica

Salsa romántica is the romantic style of salsa that dominated the genre commercially from the mid-1980s into the 1990s, softening salsa dura's street aggression into polished songs of love and desire. Arrangements keep the clave-based Afro-Cuban rhythm section and brass of salsa but ease the attack, sweeten the harmonies and place an emotive lead singer at the centre, frequently adapting Latin pop ballads and bolero material. *Eddie Santiago*'s "Atrevido y Diferente" opened the era in 1986, and *Frankie Ruiz*, *Gilberto Santa Rosa* and *Jerry Rivera* made its singer-led format salsa's mainstream face for a decade.