Fandango (band)
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Fandango was a Mexican female pop music group created by Abelardo Leal in 1986 in Monterrey, Mexico. Five unknown girls joined together under the record label EMI and recorded a low-budget debut album Contrastes. The album received little attention or sales.[citation needed]
A year later, with bouncy dance rhythms and colorful pastel outfits, Fandango broke into mainstream with the release of Autos Moda Y Rock and Roll, which many refer to as the debut album. Rocio, Liliana, Moña, Evalinda and Alexa become instant successes. The title track shot to number one, along with the second single "Un Millon De Maneras De Olivdarte".
The group's follow-up album, Hola Que Tal rapidly climbed to the top of the charts, and the girls maintained their popularity and chart position. During this time, Fandango recorded a few songs which were featured on various compilation albums, including La Brujita Buba, Dime Niño De Quien Eres, and Para Ti Para Mi.
In 1988 during the promotion of Hola Que Tal, Alexa left the group to pursue a "normal" life. She would later join the group Timbiriche. Soon after Alexa's departure, Evalinda left for the same reasons. Their replacements were Janett and Sandra. To welcome the new members, the group released their third album entitled Fandango (perhaps better known to fans as Sueños Magicos). The songs "Sueños Magicos" and "Ritmo Del Amor" both appeared on the charts, neither reached number one.
After the promotion was over for the group's current album, EMI decided not to renew the group's contract due to "lack of popularity", which was not entirely true.[citation needed] The girls and Abelardo believed that EMI was not investing an appropriate amount of promotion and publicity for the group. It looked as if Fandango would be disbanding, and not by choice.
Just as EMI was losing interest in Fandango, a businessman from Los Angeles was gaining interest. Seeing potential for the group, Ronald Correa went to Monterrey to have a meeting with Abelardo and the girls. This meeting was successful and the group would continue with or without EMI, but it would be without two of the original members. Liliana and Moña left the group. Liliana went back to school to study fashion, but Moña stayed around as Abelardo's wife. Correa knew that the group needed some fresh faces, so he looked to a younger crowd and placed Anabella and Marlene as replacements.
Without a record label, the group would need to prove to everyone that they had what it took get back on the charts. Correa sought to introduce the group to the American market. As a result, Fandango performed at free open air festivals in Los Angeles. Almost every music festival in Los Angeles in 1990 had Fandango as one of the many performers.
In December 1990, Fandango did something that was unexpected. The group was featured in Teen magazine which was released in the USA, something that no other Latin artist had done. This captured the attention of both EMI and Sony Music. Both record labels produced offers,[citation needed] and Fandango decided to sign for another album with EMI. Volver A Ser Feliz was released in 1991. Along with this new album came a new look which Correa thought would bring them more in touch with the current trends.[citation needed] However, EMI just did not see the group's new image to be bringing in the money and sales, so EMI halted promotion on the album.
At this point, the frustrated girls decided that they had enough, even though Ronald did not think feel the same way. The group disbanded and the girls went their separate ways. Rocio married her longtime boyfriend, and so did Janett. Anabella moved back to Mexico City. Marlene continued to finish high school and Sandra would live a "normal" life.
[edit] Another reincarnation
Desperate to see Fandango succeed, Correa was able to convince the department store Target to have Fandango be the spokewomen for the opening of stores near the US–Mexico border. However, the girls declined the position. Correa was able to convince Janett and original member Liliana to participate in this venture, but he would have to get three more girls to make Fandango whole again. They recruited Janett's younger sister, plus two of her school friends to become the new Fandango.
The group filmed two commercials for the store which aired through the 1991 Holiday season. After the recording of the commercials, Abelardo Leal decided that Fandango was finished and ended his partnership with Correa. As a result, Fandango ceased to exist.
[edit] Criticism
Thinking about the career of Fandango, there were good points and bad points to how they handled the image of the group. The group never allowed the public to get close and personal with the members. Fans did not know simple facts like birthdays or even last names. They could not identify personally with the members. But at the same time, it keep the equality of member popularity. None of the members took the spot light, so they were truly a "group".
