Remember the song, “Like a Cannonball” from the film,
Cannonball Run 2? Or how about the remake of “If You're Not Here?” Perhaps, “Livin' La Vida Loca” and “The Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida)” and the Latin heartthrob who sang both of them, Ricky Martin. Well, before Martin became the swoon-worthy solo artist that he now is, he first got a taste of fame as part of the all-Latino male five-member singing group, Menudo.
Aside from Martin, Menudo also produced other talents like Robi Draco Rosa and Sergio Blass. Following a successful run in the `80s, Menudo went dormant for several years until now. MTV is bringing back the boy band via its reality search,
Making Menudo, which begins tonight.
Menudo began some 30 years ago with a unique policy that its members had to leave once they turned 16. This effectively assured that the group would always remain young and fresh. It's been a while since the days of Robi Rosa and Ricky Martin, who gave the group its highest peak thanks in part to the release of its first English album.
With the help of today's reality show genre, MTV has embarked on a search for five new faces to form the new band.
The search began early this year when MTV held auditions in different cities to find talented male singers and dancers between the ages of 13 and 19. Hundreds of young lads tried their luck but in the end, only 15 young men made it through the first round of screening. The lucky 15 will now head to Miami for a serious crash course into what it takes to be part of Menudo. Conducting their
Making Menudo boot camp will be manager Johnny Wright (*NSync, Backstreet Boys), vocal coach David Coury and a team of choreographers.
Each week, selected finalists will be grouped together to learn a song and dance number which they will then perform in front of a live audience. Afterwards, Johnny Wright and his panel of judges will pick who to keep and who to send packing.
Making Menudo premieres tonight at 10:30 ET.
-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: MTV
(Image Courtesy of MTV)