Miranda!

by Evan C. GutierrezElectro-pop group Miranda! were formed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2001. Led by singer/songwriter Alejandro Sergi, the group also consists of Julianna Gattas (backing vocals), Lolo Fuentes (guitar), Bruno De Vicenti (programming), and Nicolas Grimaldi (bass). Coming up through the electronica scene playing small concerts and parties, Miranda! soon developed a reputation as one of the better groups in the sugar-pop and dance world. Showmanship became the bedrock for the success of Miranda!, who became known for their outlandish apparel and stage antics. The group took its name from silver screen-era actor Osvaldo Miranda, star of the 1937 film Los Muchachos de Antes No Usaban Gomina. This aesthetic set the stage for the glitz and glamour that the quintet would seek to emulate. In 2002 they were pleased to meet the actor, who attended one of their concerts in Palermo Viejo, a Buenos Aires neighborhood. Osvaldo was purportedly humbled to realize that he had such young, dedicated fans as these musicians. The group broke through to international recognition in 2005 with the release of its live CD and DVD, Sin Restricciones. The show was recorded at Buenos Aires' Gran Rex Theater. Though the group has charted in some of Billboard's Latin music categories, it has seldom been more than a blip on the radar. In 2006 both Quereme! and Retrospectiva were released.