Reservoir Acquires Rights to ‘Conga’ Songwriter Enrique ‘Kiki’ Garcia’s Catalog

Indie euphony institution Reservoir Media has acquired nan authorities to nan afloat catalog of drummer and songwriter Enrique “Kiki” García. García, who was portion of Miami Sound Machine, penned galore of nan group’s biggest hits successful its heyday pinch Gloria Estefan arsenic its lead singer, including nan overmuch synchronized “Conga.”

García besides wrote Miami Sound Machine’s 1984 breakout “Dr. Beat” and co-wrote respective tracks on Estefan, including “1-2-3,” “Give It Up,” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” for nan group’s last album, Let it Loose.

But García is champion known for “Conga,” which he famously penned connected a formation from Utrecht, successful nan Netherlands, aft playing a successful nine show nan nighttime before.

“The capacity stayed connected my mind each night,” García recounted successful nan book Decoding Despacito: An Oral History of Latin Music. “The adjacent day, arsenic we sewage connected nan level and I sat down, this opus comes flying retired of my mind. I commencement tapping connected nan spot array successful beforehand of maine and I’m singing, “Come on, shingle your body, baby, do nan song. The remainder was sketchy, but by nan clip we landed I had it each put together. I sewage up and sang my thought to Emilio and he loved it from nan start.”

“Conga” would spell connected to became an world hit, peaking astatine No. 10 connected nan Billboard Hot 100 connected Feb. 8, 1986.

After leaving Miami Sound Machine, García continued moving pinch apical Latin musicians for illustration Chayanne and Julio Iglesias, while “Conga” and his different hits stay wide and perpetually licensed.

“Kiki has contributed truthful overmuch to nan look of modern euphony arsenic we cognize it. His collaborations pinch nan Miami Sound Machine brought Latin euphony to mainstream audiences,” said Golnar Khosrowshahi, Reservoir’s laminitis & CEO, successful a statement. “Embarking connected this woody pinch Kiki marks a notable description of our authorities successful Latin American euphony and is an breathtaking opportunity to further diversify our catalog while maintaining our attraction connected acquiring nan authorities to evergreen hits.”