Raffy Matías —full name Rafael Enrique Matías Rodríguez, born in Jarabacoa on 26 September 1969, died there on 2 October 2024— was a Dominican merengue and bachata singer, composer and producer nicknamed «la voz más dulce del merengue», the sweetest voice in merengue.

From «Hermanos en la Vía» to «ROL»

He studied piano from a young age and joined the group «Hermanos en la Vía» before forming «ROL» with fellow musicians Olvi and Ludwig, the group’s name taken from their initials. Touring under that name won him recognition in La Vega, Jarabacoa, Santiago and other towns across the Cibao.

A producer, and a signature sound

In 1995 he met the producer Julio Sosa, with whom he recorded his first productions, «Acúsame», «Con Altura», «Volando Alto» and «Bachata de Etiqueta». His best-known songs, «Quiero Saber de Ti», «Amor Ayúdame» and «Ahora Que Te Vas», carried his career across the region in the years that followed.

Legacy

Illness kept Matías off stage in his final months, during which he publicly asked the Dominican government for a pension to help cover his medical costs. He died at his home in Jarabacoa on 2 October 2024 from pulmonary, gastric and colon complications, and the city’s municipal council declared three days of mourning.