Mario Enrique Rivera Godines, widely known as Mayito Rivera, is a prominent Cuban vocalist and percussionist born on January 19, 1966, in the province of Pinar del Río, Cuba. He began his musical studies in percussion at a young age at the Raúl Sánchez school in his hometown before perfecting his training in Havana at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA) and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA). Rivera achieved international recognition as the lead singer of the legendary Cuban band Los Van Van, fronting the group for nearly twenty years and showcasing his versatility across genres such as timba, son cubano, salsa, rumba, and bolero.
After departing Los Van Van in 2011, Rivera embarked on a solo career. He formed his own band, Sons of Cuba, presenting a blend of modern and classical Cuban rhythms including salsa, timba, rumba, jazz, and funk. In 2013, he collaborated with the group Soneros de Verdad to release "Alma de sonero," an album dedicated to traditional Cuban dance music.
Rivera has maintained a highly active recording career spanning from 1999 to 2025. In recent years, he has continued to release new music within the salsa, son cubano, and timba genres, including the 2024 album "Tiempos de Gozadera" and a succession of singles such as "Mi Changomania" (2023), "Negro Pega Con To'" (2024), "Un Mal Sueño" (2025), and "La historia del Panga" (2025).
