RBD is a pop phenomenon, a sextet consisting of 3 boys and 3 girls. It’s easy to think of the group as engaging in a “performance piece” rather than a band creating music. It has its roots in the popular teenage telenovela Rebelde and its creative spark in the world of clever marketing.
RBD has its proponents and detractors. But one thing is clear. The millions of fans that see their favorite television high school crew come to life when they perform feel they know them. And with their fans numbering in the millions, all that love translates into superstar status.
Rebelde - The Show:
Rebelde (Rebel or Rebellious) is a Mexican, primetime telenovela produced by Televisa that follows a group a teenagers at an elite high school. The high school is not your ordinary public school, but an establishment where the wealthy send their children for a great education and even greater contacts. And in the show, there’s a band formed to rebel against all that elitism.
The band was named RBD, an acronym for 'Rebelde" in order to distinguish it from the television program.
The telenovela was cloned from an earlier, popular Argentinean telenovela called Rebelde Way. It was reset in Mexico City and the characters were changed to fit the Mexican audience. It ran from October 2004 to June 2006, offering 440 episodes over 88 weeks. It is arguably the most successful teenage telenovela of all time.
The Cast:
The six main Rebelde characters all have their distinctive look and character. Anahi is the cute, sexy blond. Dulce is a redhead with the soul of a rebel while Maite’s brunette good looks offers a kind word and shoulder to cry on. The boys, too, have their distinctive type with Christian – currently sporting neon-red hair, although that can change – playing the kid at the edge of what’s hip. Alfonso (‘Poncho’) is brave; Christian is always ready with a quip.
Their teenage fans model themselves after whichever character most fits their current or would-be self-image. When that many teens want to emulate a character, there’s a lot of potential for marketing.
That’s probably the reason that Toy giant Mattel just announced the creation of the RBD/Rebelde Barbie dolls at the 2007 International Toy Fair. The three new dolls (named Mia, Roberta and Lupita) will be dressed in their signature schoolgirl uniform consisting of a red blazer, tie and tiered denim skirt and is advertised to ‘sport the character’s unique personal style’.
The Music:
RBD's music is a light pop that does not bring much of a Latin tinge to the table; it could be music from anywhere in the world. Much of it is music that was composed for the telenovela and thereby familiar to the musical audience. The albums are primarily in Spanish, although the latest album Rebels is in English. But owing to the crossover appeal of the music, RBD has recorded albums in Portuguese for their huge fan base in Brazil.
The band does not write the songs; they don't really play instruments. They do the vocals which luckily are not very demanding. Where they excel is on the stage where their personalities shine. They dance, strut, play against each other and look really good
Listen to RBD:
If you're not familiar with the musical phenomenon that is RBD, try listening to a sample and see what you think.
Partial Discography
Rebelde (2004)
Buy
Nuestro Amor (2005)
Listen | Buy
Rebels (2006)
Listen | Buy
Celestial (2006)
Listen | Buy
Of course, RBD was meant to be seen, not just heard, so here are a couple of DVDs that will guarantee you get the full effect of the group:
RBD Live in Hollywood
RBD - Tour Generacion En Vivo
If you're interested in watching the telenovela Rebelde, the first season is now available on DVD.
Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:20 am nga Vizitor
iga
:D