Ronnie Romero
Romero performing with the Michael Schenker Group in 2022
Background information
Birth nameRonald Romero
Born (1981-11-20) 20 November 1981 (age 42)
Santiago, Chile
OriginMadrid, Spain
Genres
OccupationsSinger
Years active2010–present
Member of
Formerly of

Ronald Romero (born 20 November 1981) is a Chilean singer and lyricist best known as the vocalist of the bands Elegant Weapons, Lords of Black, Rainbow, the Ferrymen, Michael Schenker Group, and Sunstorm.[1][2][3][4][5] He represented Bulgaria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 as the lead singer of Intelligent Music Project.[6]

Life and career

Early life

Ronnie Romero was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1981. He has lived in Madrid, Spain, since 2009.[7]

Lords of Black

Main article: Lords of Black

In 2014, Romero, together with guitarist Tony Hernando, formerly of Spanish band Saratoga, founded the heavy metal band Lords of Black. Romero left the band in 2019 but returned in 2020.[8][9]

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Main article: Rainbow (rock band)

In 2015, Ritchie Blackmore announced his return to rock with a new lineup for his band Rainbow, with Ronnie Romero as the lead singer.[10][2][4]

Elegant Weapons

In 2022, Romero co-founded the metal supergroup Elegant Weapons with Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner, Pantera bassist Rex Brown, and Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis.[11][12] The band released the album Horns for a Halo in 2023,[13] after which Brown and Travis departed. They were replaced by Accept drummer Christopher Williams and Uriah Heep bassist Dave Rimmer.

Other projects

CoreLeoni

In 2017, Leo Leoni and Hena Habegger of Swiss hard rock band Gotthard formed a side project titled CoreLeoni, with Romero, whom Leoni had met in 2014, joining on vocals.[14] Romero left the project in 2020.

The Ferrymen

Also in 2017, Romero joined the supergroup The Ferrymen, which additionally includes Magnus Karlsson on guitar and Mike Terrana on drums. They released their self-titled debut album the same year.[15] The trio released their sophomore album, A New Evil, in 2019.[16]

Nozomu Wakai's Destinia

In 2018, Romero sang on the album Metal Souls by Nozomu Wakai's Destinia, a project launched by the Japanese guitarist in 2014.[17]

Michael Schenker Group

In 2020, Michael Schenker announced that Romero would be participating in the upcoming MSG album Immortal, which was released in 2021.[18]

Vandenberg

Also in 2020, Adrian Vandenberg recruited Romero to join his band Vandenberg in recording the album 2020.[19]

Intelligent Music Project

Another new musical venture for Romero in the year 2020 was the Intelligent Music Project, an enterprise created by Bulgarian arts patron Milen Vrabevski in 2010. Romero appears on the album Life Motion.[20][21] In November 2021, Romero and the Intelligent Music Project were revealed as Bulgaria's entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, with the song "Intention".[22]

Adrian Benegas

Romero recorded vocals on the second studio album by Paraguayan heavy metal songwriter and musician Adrian Benegas, released in May 2023. The record also features input from Spanish singer Zuberoa Aznárez, German drummer Michael Ehré (Primal Fear, Gamma Ray), German producer Sascha Paeth (Avantasia, Kamelot), Tunisian bassist Anis Jouini (Myrath), and Dutch guitarist Timo Somers (Delain, Ayreon).[23]

Band timeline

Discography

Date Artist Album title Notes
2010 Santelmo La Tempestad Demo
2012 Jose Rubio's Nova Era Nova Era Studio
2013 Jose Rubio's Nova Era After All Single
2014 Lords of Black Lords of Black Studio
2016 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Memories in Rock – Live in Germany Live, CD & DVD
2016 Lords of Black II Studio
2017 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Live in Birmingham 2016 Live
2017 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow I Surrender Digital single
2017 The Ferrymen The Ferrymen Studio
2018 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Memories in Rock II Live
2018 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Waiting for a Sign Digital single
2018 Lords of Black Icons of the New Days Studio
2018 Nozomu Wakai's Destinia Metal Souls Studio
2018 CoreLeoni The Greatest Hits Part 1 Studio
2019 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Black Sheep of the Family Digital single
2019 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow The Storm Digital single
2019 Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Rainbow Vorwärts EP
2019 CoreLeoni II Studio
2019 The Ferrymen A New Evil Studio
2019 Michael Schenker Fest Revelation Studio, track 9
2020 Vandenberg 2020 Studio
2020 Lords of Black Alchemy of Souls, Part 1 Studio
2020 Intelligent Music Project Life Motion Studio
2021 Michael Schenker Group Immortal Studio, tracks 3, 6, 8, 10
2021 Sunstorm Afterlife Studio
2021 Intelligent Music Project The Creation Studio
2021 Nozomu Wakai's Destinia Tokyo Encounter Live
2021 Lords of Black Alchemy of Souls, Part 2 Studio
2022 The Ferrymen One More River to Cross Studio
2022 Ronnie Romero Raised on Radio Studio, cover
2022 Michael Schenker Group Universal Studio
2022 Sunstorm Brothers in Arms Studio
2022 Ronnie Romero & Nozomu Wakai Metal Souls Memories of Metal Weekend Live, cover
2023 Ronnie Romero Raised on Heavy Radio Studio, cover
2023 Elegant Weapons Horns for a Halo Studio
2023 Adrian Benegas Arcanvm Studio
2023 Ronnie Romero Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters Studio
2024 Lords of Black Mechanics of Predacity Studio

Guest appearances

Date Artist Album title
2013 Aria Inferno The Starring Serpent (single)
2014 Sacramento A sangre Y fuego
2014 Legado De Una Tragedia Legado De Una Tragedia II
2016 Legado De Una Tragedia Legado De Una Tragedia II
2017 FB1964 Störtebeker
2018 Renegade Given Work?
2019 Chaos Magic Furyborn
2019 Sinner Santa Muerte

References

  1. ^ Rainbow's Ronnie Romero covers Queen with Lords Of Black
  2. ^ a b Review: Ritchie Blackmore triumphs as Rainbow play Deep Purple hits at Genting Arena – with setlist, pictures and reactions
  3. ^ Joe Lynn Turner über Rainbow-Comeback: "Die Fans verdienen etwas Besseres als eine Cover-Band"
  4. ^ a b Review: Ritchie Blackmore airs Deep Purple hits as Rainbow thrill Genting Arena
  5. ^ Guitar World: Watch Ritchie Blackmore Rock at First Rainbow Gig in 19 Years
  6. ^ "Bulgaria turns it up to 11 with Intelligent Music Project". eurovision.tv. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  7. ^ Manuel, Jose (17 October 2016). "Entrevista con el valdemoreño Ronnie Romero, cantante de Rainbow | La revista de Valdemoro" (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Rainbow Singer Ronnie Romero Quits Lords of Black". blabbermouth.net. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Lords of Black – Ronnie Romero kehrt zurück" [Lords of Black – Ronnie Romero Returns]. rockhard.de (in German). 11 May 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  10. ^ Ritchie Blackmore Says He'll Tour with Rainbow in 2017
  11. ^ "Pantera, Judas Priest Members Form New Band Elegant Weapons". Revolver. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  12. ^ Qureshi, Arusa (26 October 2022). "Judas Priest, Pantera and Rainbow members form supergroup Elegant Weapons". NME. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Elegant Weapons to release debut album "Horns for a Halo" on May 26th 2023". Grande Rock. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  14. ^ "CoreLeoni – Härter als Gotthard" [CoreLeoni – harder than Gotthard]. srf.ch (in German). 7 March 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  15. ^ "The Ferrymen Feat. Rainbow Singer, Primal Fear Guitarist: Debut Album Details Revealed". blabbermouth.net. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  16. ^ "The Ferrymen Featuring Magnus Karlsson, Ronnie Romero, Mike Terrana Release "No Matter How Hard We Fall Music Video". bravewords.com. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Nozomu Wakai's Destinia Ready to Take on the World". headbangerslifestyle.com. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Michael Schenker's New MSG Album 'Immortal' to Feature Joe Lynn Turner, Ralf Scheepers and Ronnie Romero". blabbermouth.net. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Adrian Vandenberg Recruits Rainbow Singer Ronnie Romero for New Lineup of Vandenberg". blabbermouth.net. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  20. ^ "Intelligent Music Project V "Life Motion" Featuring Members of Rainbow, Toto, Asia and River Hounds". newjerseystage.com. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Intelligent Music Project – Feat. Ronnie Romero – Announce Free Online Concert On December 13th". metalshockfinland.com. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Bulgaria turns it up to 11 with Intelligent Music Project". eurovision.tv. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  23. ^ "Adrian Benegas – Firma per Reaper Entertainment". 25 November 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Elegant Weapons – New Metal Supergroup Featuring Members of Judas Priest, Rainbow, and Pantera to Issue Debut Album in Spring '23". bravewords.com. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.

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