Elenita Santos was a foundational figure in Dominican folk and popular music, born in 1933 in Santo Domingo. Her work encompassed Dominican folklore, merengue, and tropical music, and she became one of the most important voices in the preservation and popularization of the island's traditional musical forms.

At a time when Dominican folk music was at risk of being overshadowed by foreign influences, Santos championed the authentic sounds and rhythms of her homeland, recording and performing material that rooted her audiences in their own cultural heritage. Her contribution to merengue as a living folk tradition — rather than merely a commercial product — was significant, and she earned deep respect from scholars of Dominican music as well as from general audiences. Her long career left a lasting mark on Dominican musical identity.