Romeo Santos, it’s time for a holiday miracle. A little Dominican boy by the name of Odali Ferreras is hoping to collaborate with his biggest bachatero idol after developing some serious bachata fingerpicking skills of his own. He’s even giving Santos a run for his money: 10-year-old Ferreras is so good, he can play the guitar behind his head.
“Right now, my dream is to play a song with Romeo Santos,” he said in an interview with Al Rojo Vivo this week. And it’s not a far-fetched goal — the young boy has been practicing music since he was only six years old, starting first on the piano. After his piano broke, however, his father decided to gift him his own guitar. “I gave him my guitar,” his father explained to Al Rojo Vivo, “and taught him the basics.”
Since then, little Ferreras has cultivated the ability to play everything from bachatas to merengues by ear. That also includes a rendition of “Mi Madre Querida,” which he performed below for Al Rojo Vivo for the most heartbreaking reason: Ferreras’ mother — who encouraged her son’s talents, and according to the young boy, was even teaching him to dance merengue — passed away only four months ago after a serious instance of pneumonia. With a lump in his throat, Ferreras powered through to sing the ballad in her honor.
While Romeo Santos has actually recognized the young boy’s talents with a signed guitar and two Instagram reposts in the past, many are hoping that the world-record-holding star will make the grieving boy’s biggest dream come true this holiday season. Ferreras wishes that one day, like Romeo, he can even help support his father and sister through his music — but first he has to make it to the big concert stage.
Odali’s father also manages an Instagram account for his son, where many new fans have rallied in the comments with messages of support, blessings, and signal boosts directed toward Santos. Here’s to hoping that their comments, along with this story, will reach the legendary bachatero and help Odali along his musical path.