The Rise Of The Band Aterciopelados

Aterciopelados is a Colombian rock band that began playing in 1992. Their band has been signed by Warner Music, Nacional Records, and Sony BMG labels. They remain one of Columbia’s first serious rock bands to earn an international fan base. They are also one of the most well known musical groups in all of Columbia.

A major selling point for Aterciopelados was their unique sound. The band combined traditional rock music with local music from Columbia and Latin America. They were once mentioned in Time magazine in regards to their sound. The magazine praised their ability to breathe new life into American music styles with Colombian sheen.

Aterciopelados has a total of seven studio albums recorded together. They were also part of two live albums and five compilation albums. Their songs have won several awards over the years, including five Grammy Award nominations and seven Latin Grammy Award nominations, three of which they won.

Both members of the band have also pursued solo careers on the side. In particular, Andrea Echeverri recorded an individual solo album. In 2005, she was the first band member to receive a Latin Grammy nomination for her solo work.

The Start Of The Band

Aterciopelados began as a simple collaboration between two musicians in Colombia. The first was Andrea Echeverri, who played guitar and performed vocals. The second was Hector Buitrago, who was the arranger and played bass guitar. The two teamed up early in the 1990’s and began to play music and local venues. They quickly became known for their punk rock sounds mixed with classical Colombian style.

Their first album was entitled Con El Corazon en la Mano (or “With my Heart in my Hand) was recorded in 1993. Two years later, the band would release their second album, El Dorado. The first album focused more on loud guitars and punk rock drums. It wasn’t until El Dorado that the band really began to incorporate more traditional Colombian sounds.

The Rise To Stardom

The first major hit recorded by the band was “Bolero Falaz” and it was recorded on the El Dorado album. It was regarded as a very unique composition that featured elements of a strong rock ballad, the rhythm of the Colombian countryside, and rock-bolero sounds. It also showcased the voice of Andrea more significantly than the previous album.

“Bolero Falaz” became an overnight sensation. It was played heavily on MTV Latin America, thus turning Aterciopelados into stars that were recognizable throughout all of Latin America. This sudden stardom encouraged a quick release of the third album in 1996: La Pipa de la Paz (or “The Peace Pipe”).

The band’s third album included several new hits that topped the chart. They followed the album with a tour in the United States. During the tour, they were able to record an episode on MTV Unplugged in 1997. Their fourth album was released during the following year and it showcased the band’s new understanding of electronic sounds.

Aterciopelados continued to release multiple albums over the following years. Some of those albums, like Oye released in 2006, focused more so on the band’s traditional rock sounds. Others, like Gozo Poderoso, would focus more on new and unique sounds. Both styles were incredibly successful, often topping the music charts and winning awards.

It was shortly before the release of Oye that the two members also began to expand their solo careers. Echeverri released an album titled Andrea Echeverri and Buitrago released an album titled Connector.

Aterciopelados continues to tour through 2018 and 2019 in the United States and Latin America. No new album has been released in several years, but fans remain hopeful. In addition to touring, the band currently takes time to support a number of projects and causes that are affecting Colombia.