Artist Biography

Colombian music icons Aterciopelados aggressively build upon the creative momentum of their last album 'Oye' with their latest critically-acclaimed new work, 'Rio.' While Latin Grammy-winning 'Oye' helped re-establish the band, 'Rio' finds Aterciopelados at a creative peak with more politically and socially-charged lyrics than ever before. 'Rio' is a true call to action - to their native Colombia, but also for Latin America and the rest of the world.

The band also recently joined forces with Amnesty International to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, creating a new version of the song 'Cancion Protesta'. The single, 'The Price of Silence', features Aterciopelados along with artists like Stephen Marley, Natalie Merchant, Angelique Kidjo, Julieta Venegas and Chali 2na (Jurassic 5). Aterciopelados have continued their relationship with Amnesty International as spokespeople for several campaigns, including raising awareness about the International Violence Against Women Act.

New album 'Rio' is evidence that, as VIBE put it, 'For Aterciopelados, maturity has become a form of liberation.' The album was recorded in the band's hometown of Bogot and mixed by Hctor Castillo (Brazilian Girls, David Bowie, Gustavo Cerati) in New York City. It is an impassioned, socially conscious record with the group's signature organic rock sound.

''Ro' is our creative inspiration of the moment, it is helping us to confront many issues in the world,' explains bassist / producer / songwriter Hector Buitrago. 'On a personal level and on the political level, I think it's taking us one step further with our rivers and the rivers of Latin America. 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 Bogota's river, as it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world.'

Essentially a collaboration between vocalist/guitarist Andrea Echeverri and bassist/arranger Hector Buitrago, Aterciopelados, 'The Velvety Ones', has recorded eight critically-acclaimed albums since they originally teamed up in Bogota, Colombia in the early '90s. 'Hector was an essential revelation in my personal and musical life,' Echeverri says. 'He brought new aesthetics, unsuspected rebellion, and truckloads of music.' Buitrago came from a hardcore rock background, while Echeverri had been drawn into the fledgling scene through art school friends. 'When I was young I listened to boogaloo by Richie Rey and later stuff like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Yes,' Buitrago says. 'The first time I bought a bass guitar, I'd never had one in my hands before. I began to write songs by ear.' Buitrago and Echeverri went on to open one of Bogota's only rock clubs, and their relationship has become one of Latin rock's most successful artistic partnerships.

Aterciopelados, having played in prestigious venues and festivals such as Madison Square Garden, The Kennedy Center, the Hollywood Bowl, Central Park Summerstage, Austin City Limits and Prospect Park, to name a few, continues to tour throughout the U.S., Europe, Central America, South America and Australia.

The longtime creative relationship between Echeverri and Buitrago proves to be the source for the Aterciopelados' musical genius. 'We have had quite a musical career, which has evolved over the years through our own identity search and experimentation, finding our own sound,' Echeverri says. 'I do some things, like writing the songs and he does the other things, such as producing and imagining the musical vision for the song. We really complement each other musically in a way that works. And more important than anything, we have love and respect for each other.'