 |
Elsten Torres | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 10, 1965 |
| Origin | Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Website | elsten |
|
Elsten Torres | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 10, 1965 |
| Origin | Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Website | elsten |
Elsten Torres (born Listoriel Leyva Torres, 1965) is a Cuban-American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. He is known for his contributions to Latin rock and alternative music, both as a solo artist and as the frontman of the band Fulano.
Torres was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1965 to parents from Puerto Padre, Las Tunas, in the former province of Oriente. In 1966, at the age of 18 months, he emigrated to the United States with his mother, Elsa Torres, and older brother, Dorian, through the Freedom Flights program. His father, detained by the Cuban government for political dissent, remained in Cuba at the time.
The family settled in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Torres was raised by his mother, who worked in cosmetology after obtaining a professional license. Music played a central role in his upbringing, influenced in part by his uncle Listoriel Torres, a Cuban singer-songwriter who had also relocated to the United States.
Torres began playing guitar at the age of 11 and formed his first band by age 15. He received private instruction in guitar, voice, and songwriting and later studied audio engineering and music production. At 22, he signed a recording contract with an independent Mexican label as a member of the rock band Rebelde Sin Causa, touring in Mexico before returning to New York.
In 1992, Torres moved to Miami to pursue opportunities in the Latin music industry. In 1994, he signed with Radio Vox, an independent label founded by producers Rodolfo Castillo and Gustavo Menendez. His early solo work included the single “Revolución,” a protest song that gained traction in Cuban-American communities.
Following this success, Torres formed the Latin alternative/rock band Fulano, which later signed with BMG/RCA. Fulano released two studio albums and toured throughout the United States and Latin America. Around the same time, Torres signed a publishing agreement with Warner Chappell Music.
After Fulano disbanded, Torres transitioned to writing for other artists. His compositions have charted on Billboard, including the No. 1 single “Todo El Año,” which remained at the top of the Latin charts for five consecutive weeks.
Torres resumed performing as a solo artist and has released 14 full-length albums. He has received two Grammy Award nominations and two BMI songwriting awards. His musical style blends elements of rock, pop, and traditional Latin music.
In addition to his artistic work, Torres has participated in music advocacy and education programs, including Songfest. He has served on the board of the Recording Academy’s Florida Chapter.
As of 2025, Torres is preparing to release an album titled ViceVersa, which incorporates Cuban musical influences with reggae and rock. He is also developing a comic book about a young Cuban musician with supernatural abilities and writing a musical, Mima, based on his mother's emigration story.
His first serious band was called Mistaken Identity, followed by his first Latin rock band, Rebelde Sin Causa. Torres recorded his first professional album, Ataque, with his music partner, Leonardo "Jason X" Perez, on Mexican rock label Discos Gas.
In Miami, Torres first recorded with the independent label Radio Vox, under the artistic name of Fulano de Tal.
His first single was the Cuban protest anthem "Revolucion". With its success he put the band together that would become Fulano De Tal.
The original members were drummer Brendan Buckley, guitarist Julian Adam Zimmon, and bassist Leo Nobre. Nobre left the band right before they were to record their major label debut, Normal, through BMG/RCA. He was replaced by bassist John M. Falcone. Fulano de Tal released two full-length albums, Normal (BMG/RCA), and Etc. (Radio Vox/DLN). The band officially broke up in 2001, after two of its members Zimmon and Buckley joined Shakira's band.
After the breakup of the band, Torres has continued as a solo artist, he has also had success writing for and with other artists such as Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi, Obie Bermúdez, Alejandra Guzmán, Julio Iglesias Jr. Aleks Syntek, Ednita Nazario, Oscar de Leon, David Bisbal, Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, John Rich (Big & Rich) and several others.
Elsten Torres' discography is as follows:
Albums and singles
Compilations
• Latin Laugh Festival – BMG / RCA – 1998
• Tributo to the Cure – WEA Latina – 1999
• Una Decada de Rock – BMG – 2000
• Billboard Magazine (Interview) – 2007
• Al Borde Magazine (cover feature) Interview – 2007
• National Geographic – La Cuba de Hoy – 2017
• Billboard Magazine (Feature) – 2020
• Spanish Model (Elvis Costello) – 2021
• La Banda Elastica Magazine (feature) – 2024
• Radio 3 - Madrid (live interview) – 2025
Notable songs