El Alfa Announces Retirement Following Grandmother’s Death, Completes ‘Last Dance’ Tour Stop in Los Angeles
Dominican superstar El Alfa performed at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles yesterday, October 17, 2025, in what is slated to be one of his final shows before retiring from a nearly two-decade career following the death of his grandmother, Ramonita.
El Alfa, born Emanuel Herrera Batista, announced his intention to retire in a January 7 Instagram post, stating, “Her happiness was to see me succeed, but I can’t even stay awake! I could have spent more time with her, but my work didn’t allow it. The days of my retirement are getting shorter. On December 18th of this year, I will never sing again. Rest in peace, Grandma. I love you.” The Los Angeles performance was part of his farewell tour, “El Último Baile” (The Last Dance), and showcased his signature high-energy performance style. He has been instrumental in bringing the Dominican dembow genre to a global audience.
The concert, though starting nearly an hour and a half late at 9:45 p.m., featured a setlist including hits like “4K” and collaborations with artists such as Bad Bunny (“La Romana”) and Becky G (“Fulanito”). Special guests Puerto Rican rapper Jon Z and Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz joined El Alfa onstage for performances of “Yo No Cojo Fiao,” “Acapella,” and “Tacata,” respectively. The rise of dembow, originating in the Dominican Republic, has challenged traditional genre boundaries within Latin music, as explored in a recent article by Billboard.
Throughout his career, El Alfa has collaborated with numerous international stars, including Peso Pluma, Kali Uchis, and Cardi B, and in 2021 became the first dembow artist to sell out Madison Square Garden. This retirement marks the end of an era for a musician who championed a genre historically marginalized within his home country, even facing a ban on some of his music in 2018, as reported by Remezcla. Representatives for El Alfa have stated that the artist intends to focus on family and personal projects following his final performance in December.
