Leny

Leny may be a new face to fans of Aventura, Xtreme and Toby Love, but the suave bachatero has a tropical music pedigree that goes back at least a decade.

The fresh-faced Dominican began his singing career as a 13-year-old salsero, alongside his father, Nenito, in the Pimentel family band. Two years later, Leny cut the cord and joined Sin Frontera, a slick merengue quartet that could turn melancholy ballads like Boyz II Men's No Dejemos Que Muera el Amor into club jams. In 2001, Vladimir Dotel of Ilegales recruited Leny to join his group, which, much like Proyecto Uno, blends merengue with house, R&B and hip hop.

Last year, after touring Latin America with Ilegales, Leny went solo and released the singles Carcel de Amor, Debil and "Stop." All three feature slippery guitar lines, rapid-fire hi-hats and baby-te-quiero vocals. His relationship with Ilegales? Just fine. Leny's forthcoming debut, One, is produced by Dotel.

see: myspace.com/lenypimentel