Aterciopelados ( en, The Velvet Ones), also known as Los Aterciopelados, is a

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two gui ...

from

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the ...

, led by

Andrea Echeverri Andrea Echeverri Arias (born September 13, 1965) is a Colombian rock/pop singer and guitarist. She holds a degree in Fine Arts from University of Los Andes and was a ceramist before becoming a musician. She is the lead singer in Aterciopelados ...

and

Héctor Buitrago Héctor Buitrago is the co-member of the multiple Grammy winning Colombian Latin alternative band Aterciopelados. Buitrago came from a hardcore rock background, heading a group called La Pestilencia, while co-member Andrea Echeverri had been dr ...

. Their music fuses rock with a variety of Colombian and Latin American musical traditions. Aterciopelados have recorded eight albums. The group has won four

Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards are an award by The Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around the world that has been ...

s from eight nominations, including Best Alternative Album in 2007 for '' Oye'', as well as four

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

nominations. Their song "Bolero Falaz" topped Canal Viva Colombia's list of the 1,000 most important songs of

Colombian rock Colombian Rock is rock music from Colombia. The most common styles of Colombian rock are based on Rock en Español, indie rock, as well as the traditional focus of hard rock Colombian bands. History In the 1960s a boom in rock music happened in Co ...

, and several more of their songs also made the list, including "Maligno", "El Estuche", "Mujer Gala" and "Sortilegio". Aterciopelados are internationally recognized for their socially conscious message, and regularly discuss issues including political injustice, women's rights, and environmental destruction. They were honored by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...

for their work denouncing violence in

Background

Primarily a collaboration between vocalist/guitarist

and bassist/arranger

, who began collaborating in

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city of Colombia, and one of the larges ...

, in the early 1990s as "Delia y los Aminoácidos".Nacional Records (August 2006). "Aterciopelados Nominated for Two Latin Grammy Awards". Press release. Retrieved on November 2007. Buitrago came from a

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...

background, leading a group called La Pestilencia, while Echeverri had been drawn into the nascent scene through art school friends. Buitrago had been a fan of

boogaloo Boogaloo or bugalú (also: shing-a-ling, Latin boogaloo, Latin R&B) is a music genre, genre of Latin music and dance which was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City mainly among teenage African Americans ...

Richie Ray Ricardo "Richie" Ray (born February 15, 1945) is a Nuyorican (a New York-born Puerto Rican) virtuoso pianist, singer, music arranger, composer and religious minister known for his success beginning in 1965 as part of the duo Richie Ray & Bobby ...

in his childhood, and later bands including

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Originally formed as ...

, and

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * YES (Your Extraordinary Saturday), a learning program from the Minnesota Institute for Talent ...

, and taught himself bass guitar by ear. Together they went on to open a rock club in Bogotá.

Music and albums

Aterciopelados have recorded eight albums. Their first album, '' Con El Corazón en la Mano'' ("With my Heart in my Hand"), features heavy distorted guitars and a loud punk drumbeat. On their second album, ''

El Dorado El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king ...

'' ("The Golden One"), Aterciopelados began including traditional llanera rhythms of the Colombian countryside. Their first major hit single, "Bolero Falaz" ("Phony Bolero"), featured a rock–

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

sound, and broke the band on

MTV Latin America MTV is a Latin American pay television network that was launched on 1 October 1993 as the Hispanic American version of MTV. It is owned by Paramount Networks Americas, a subsidiary of Paramount Global. The channel broadcasts music videos as wel ...

. Their third album, '' La Pipa de la Paz'' ("The Pipe of Peace"), was recorded in London with

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (saxophone ...

guitarist

Phil Manzanera Phillip Geoffrey Targett-Adams (born 31 January 1951), known professionally as Phil Manzanera, is an English guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music, and was the lead guitarist with 801, and Quiet Su ...

producing. Signature songs from the album included "Cosita Seria" ("A Little Something Serious"), "Chica Difícil" ("Difficult Girl"), and "Baracunatana". After the release of the album, Aterciopelados toured the United States, recording an

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...

appearance in early 1997. The following year the band released '' Caribe Atómico'' ("Atomic Caribbean"), recorded in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

with guest appearances by guitarists Arto Lindsay and Marc Ribot, which broadened their sound with electronic influences. '' Gozo Poderoso'' ("Powerful Joy"), their fifth album, was recorded in Bogotá and produced by Buitrago. Following the album's release, Aterciopelados won a

for Best Rock Group. The album was followed a couple of years by ''Evolución'', a collection of greatest hits. In 1996, Aterciopelados performed "Una Hoja, Una Raiz (One Leaf, One Root)" with Diego Frenkel and

Laurie Anderson Laurel Philips Anderson (born June 5, 1947), known as Laurie Anderson, is an American avant-garde artist, composer, musician, and film director whose work spans performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and ...

for the

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

benefit album '' Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin'' produced by the

Red Hot Organization Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...

. In 2006, Aterciopelados released '' Oye'' ("Listen") on

Nacional Records Nacional Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. It is home to numerous artists including Manu Chao, Grammy-nominated Mexican electronica group Nortec Collective, Colombian rock band Aterciopelados, Argentine rock ...

, a return to the rock sound of their earlier work on albums such as ''La Pipa de la Paz''. Produced by Buitrago and mixed by

Thom Russo Thomas "Thom" Russo is an American record producer, composer, engineer, mixer and songwriter.United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...

in recognition of its advocacy against gun violence in

. During this period the band played shows in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

, Central and South America, Europe and the U.S. On 21 October 2008, Aterciopelados released their 7th album ''

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

'' ("River") on

, recorded in

and mixed by Héctor Castillo in New York City. The album's opener and title track is a reference to a proposed Colombian constitutional referendum to declare access to clean drinking water as a fundamental right for all Colombian citizens, and provide maintenance and preservation rights.Aterciopelados to Release New Studio Album Rio October 21 on Nacional Records. Press release. Retrieved on October 2008. The track "Bandera" ("Flag") discusses immigration issues, inspired by the difficulties the band had experienced entering certain countries while touring. Guests on the album include rapper Gloria "Goyo" Martínez of Colombian hip hop act

Choc Quib Town ChocQuibTown (sometimes written as Choc Quib Town) is a Colombian hip-hop group that fuses various musical genres. Although the band formed in Cali, the members are originally from the Colombian department of Chocó. The group consists of Carlo ...

on "28", Andean group Kapary Walka on "Madre" ("Mother") and "Aguita" ("Little Water"), and Echeverri's daughter on "Ataque de Risa" ("Laughing Fit"). The album was received positively by ''Rolling Stone'', ''The Washington Post'', ''Billboard'',

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

's ''

All Things Considered ''All Things Considered'' (''ATC'') is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio (NPR). It was the first news program on NPR, premiering on May 3, 1971. It is broadcast live on NPR affiliated stations in the United ...

'', and ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...

'' magazine. Aterciopelados launched an extensive tour of the United States in April 2009 in support of the album.Aterciopelados Announce Extensive Spring 09 Tour Across the U.S. Their most recent album '' Claroscura'', from 2018, won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album, and was nominated in the Grammy awards 2019 as Best Latin alternative, Urban album.

Solo albums

In 2005 and 2006, Echeverri and Buitrago made solo albums: Echeverri's self-titled ''Andrea Echeverri'' and Buitrago's ''ConEctor''. ''Andrea Echeverri'' is centered around Echeverri's experiences of pregnancy and becoming a mother. ''ConEctor'', which translates as "with Héctor" or "connector", explores themes of contemporary spirituality, and features several guest artists including Echeverri,

Alex Ubago Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple peo ...

and

Julieta Venegas Julieta Venegas Percevault (; born November 24, 1970) is an American-born Mexican singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer who sings pop-rock-indie in Spanish. She went on to join several bands including Mexican ska band Tijuana No!. Ve ...

Political views and activism

The band has a strongly socially conscious message. They regularly discuss social issues publicly, and have been involved in a range of projects related to progressive causes. They have been honored by the

for their work denouncing violence in

. Andrea Echeverri said in 2008: "If we are invited to a worthy cause, we are there. Only by respecting Mother Earth and the rights of everyone can the world truly live in harmony".

Water rights activism

Aterciopelados' album ''Rio'', released 21 October 2008, coincided with discussion of a proposed Colombian constitutional referendum to declare access to water as a fundamental right for Colombian citizens. "When I was growing up, the Bogotá River was considered a mythic and iconic place, and now it's a tiny stream", said Echeverri. Buitrago noted, "While on previous albums, we may have simply declared many of the world's problems, we now strive to work in a more active way. In this case, it is with the recovery of Bogotá's river, as it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world." The album features a strongly environmentalist message. In the song "Aguita" ("Water"), Echeverri sings that "the water belongs to everyone / Not to the highest bidder." In August, the band raised awareness of the issue by traveling down the Bogotá River gathering signatures for the referendum. By 15 September, over two million signatures had been collected, advancing the referendum to the next phase of the process. Since 2010 the band have been organizing a global initiative called Cantoalagua, highlighting the importance of the planet's water on the planet.

Amnesty International

Aterciopelados collaborated with

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and s ...

and

Link TV Link TV, originally WorldLink TV, is a non-commercial American satellite television network providing what it describes as "diverse perspectives on world and national issues." It is carried nationally on DirecTV (ch. 375) and Dish Network (ch. ...

for a human rights project featuring a new version of "Cancion Protesta", from their 2006 album, ''Oye'', to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt ...

. The song was re-written to address issues of human rights, under the title "The Price of Silence". The

granted unprecedented access to the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

for the filming of the video. Other artists involved included Stephen Marley (

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration ...

(Brazil),

Angélique Kidjo Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo (; born July 14, 1960), known as Angélique Kidjo, is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. ...

(

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...

), Yerba Buena (PanLatin),

(

Emmanuel Jal Emmanuel Jal (born Jal Jok 1 January 1980) is a South Sudanese-Canadian artist, actor, former child soldier, and political activist. His autobiography, ''War Child: A Child Soldier's Story'', was published in 2009. Childhood Jal was born to ...

(

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

(

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

) and

Rachid Taha Rachid Taha ( ar, رشيد طه, Latn, ar, Rashīd Ṭāhā, ; 18 September 1958 – 12 September 2018) was an Algerian singer and activist based in France described as "sonically adventurous". His music was influenced by many different styles ...

(France/

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Destierro y Reparación

In Colombia, Aterciopelados is involved with the Destierro y Reparacion (Displacement and Reparations) project, which addresses the issue of displacement of native peoples. Promoted by the Museum of Antioquía, the project aims to raise popular awareness of the dimensions and implications of forced displacement, as a phenomenon weakening social stability. Additionally, the project aims to identify possible methods and forms of reparation that would ensure the application of fundamental rights and protect the culture of the affected communities. The project features discussions, workshops, exhibits and concerts and includes the participation of more than 20 institutions. Aterciopelados contributed the song "Errante Diamante" (Wandering Diamond) in support of the project.

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Aterciopelados have received five

nominations from the U.S.

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy Aw ...

. In 2006, Andrea Echeverri received her first solo nomination. , - , 1998 , , '' La Pipa de la Paz'' , , Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album , , , - , 1999 , , '' Caribe Atómico'' , , Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album , , , - , 2002 , , '' Gozo Poderoso'' , , Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album , , , - , 2006 , , ''

'' , ,

Best Latin Pop Album The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors in ...

, , , - , 2010 , , '' Río'' , , Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album , , , - , 2019 , , '' Claroscura'' , , Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album , ,

Latin Grammy Awards

The band have received four Latin Grammy Awards from eight nominations from the

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. , - ,

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...

, , ''El Album'' , ,

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

, , , - ,

, , '' Gozo Poderoso'' , , Best Rock Vocal Album, Duo or Group , , , - ,

, , ''El Album'' , ,

Best Rock Song The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre. Honors in several ...

, , , - ,

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...

, , ''

'' , , Best Female Pop Vocal Album , , , - ,

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...

, , '' Oye'' , ,

Best Alternative Music Album The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums in the alternative genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. H ...

, , , - ,

, , ''Complemento'' , ,

, , , - ,

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...

, , ''Pombo Musical (Varios Artistas)'' , , Best Latin Children's Album , , , - ,

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

, , '' Claroscura'' , ,

, ,

Other recognition

In 2001, Aterciopelados was recognized by the writers of ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

'' magazine as one of the top 10 contemporary global bands (outside of the United States), which included U2 and the Rolling Stones. In 2006, the magazine wrote that "Aterciopelados's true skill lies in its ability to take north-of-the-border musical styles ... and breathe new life into them, all while giving them a distinctly Colombian sheen." ''Oye'' won a Premio

Lo Nuestro The Lo Nuestro Awards or Premios Lo Nuestro (Spanish for "Our Thing") is a Spanish-language awards show honoring the best of Latin music, presented by Univision, a Spanish-language television network based in the United States. The awards began in ...

award in 2008 for Album of the Year. Their song "Bolero Falaz" topped Canal Viva Colombia's list of the 1,000 most important songs of

, and several more of their songs also made the list, including "Maligno", "El Estuche", "Mujer Gala" and "Sortilegio". In 2010 at "Premios Shock" event, they received a tribute produced by

Cesar Lopez Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * Ces ...

and Julio Monroy, with artists including Juan Galeano and EsteMan playing their songs.

Discography

Studio albums

*1993 - '' Con el Corazón en la Mano'' *1995 - ''

'' *1996 - '' La Pipa de la Paz'' *1998 - '' Caribe Atómico'' *2000 - '' Gozo Poderoso'' *2006 - '' Oye'' *2008 - '' Río'' *2018 - '' Claroscura'' *2021 - '' Tropiplop''

Compilation albums

*2000 - ''Serie 2000'' *2002 - '' Evolución'' *2004 - ''The Best of Aterciopelados: Ultimate Collection'' *2005 - ''20 Éxitos Originales'' *2007 - ''Lo Esencial''

Live albums

*1997 - ''

'' *2016 - ''

Reluciente, Rechinante y Aterciopelado ''Reluciente, Rechinante y Aterciopelado'' is the first live album by Colombian band Aterciopelados. It was recorded before a live audience of 140 guests in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 2, 2015 and released as a CD and DVD on April 22, 2016. Direct ...

References

Sources

* * * * * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aterciopelados Rock en Español music groups Musical groups established in 1992 Grammy Award winners Musical trios Latin Grammy Award winners Colombian rock music groups Musical groups from Bogotá Nacional Records artists