What’s new with merengue royalties Johnny Ventura and Eddy Herrera?

When we found out that Dominican merengue stars Johnny Ventura and Eddy Herrera were hitting the 305 for a weekend-long festival, we didn’t hesitate to nab a chance to talk to them.

At the 24th annual ExpoNica: Festival of the Americas, held in Miami, Fla., both merengue singers were invited to perform at the closing night of the three-day long pachanga.

Before a crowd of enthusiastic locals and tourists at Miami’s Marlins Park, Ventura delighted hundreds with his iconic hits such as “Pitaste” and his full-on energy.

“It’s a an immense honor to be here. I also came in 1995, a very long time ago,” Ventura, 74, said to VOXXI of his second time performing at the event. “[The Central American community is] very affectionate, very affable and very expressive. They love Johnny Ventura and it’s something that I really admire.”

The festival is organized by Eduardo Arroyo –a Nicaraguan who resides in the U.S.– who initially called the festival ExpoNica to gather the Nicaraguan community in South Florida.

In recent years it became known as “La feria de las Americas” to celebrate traditions and cultures of Latin America.

Herrera, who headlined the event, also pleased fans with his best known classics such as “Demasiado Romantica,” “Ajena” and “Pegame tu Vicio.”

He mentioned that it’s his third time at the event and he would love to return every year.

“God willing, I will come back here [to the festival], every time that the organizers invite me,” the 50-year-old singer told VOXXI.

Both stars also took the time to let us know about their latest projects and/or upcoming endeavors.

Like Ventura, who recently released a tropical-charged production called “El Viejo ta’ en la Calle” (The Old Man is in the Street).

“That’s my newest album and I’m just enjoying the feedback,” he said of his 2013 album. “People have received it with a lot of enthusiasm.”

But that’s not the only thing Ventura has up his sleeves, he also talked about a forthcoming single with colleague and countryman Juan Luis Guerra.

“We collaborated together in his album, it’s really good and I highly recommend it,” Ventura expressed of the single called “De Moca a Paris.”

As for Herrera, he’s ready to take a loooooong vacation.

At ExpoNica, the merengue singer finalized a three week long tour which embarked in Canada and traveled to New York and South Florida.

“My manager told me ‘this will be the second week in the whole year that you’re free,’” in which not only will Herrera relax and spend quality time with his family in Dominican Republic, but he jokingly said he’ll be eating a lot of mofongo and mangu, as well.

And though he’s taking a break before heading back on tour or to the recording studio, Herrera recently released a music video for his song “Te Voy a Querer,” letting fans know that just like Ventura, there’s more of him in the near future.

Editor’s Note: Originally published by myself on VOXXI.COM

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