Bellini (German group)

Last updated
Bellini
Saarspektakel 2014 (5192), Bellini.jpg
2013–2014 line-up of Bellini, live in 2014 at Saarbrücken
Background information
OriginGermany
Genres
Years active1997–2001, 2004–2010, 2013–2014, 2018–present
Labels
Members
  • Dandara Santos-Silva
    (1997–1998, 2018–present)
  • Lisa Frieg
    (2018–present)
  • Megan Sierz
    (2018–present)
Past members
  • Onni Khoei-Arsa
    (1997–1999)
  • Tanja Niethen
    (1997–1998)
  • Dewi Sulaeman
    (1997–1998)
  • Mustafa Makhloufi
    (1997)
  • Sabrina Schmieder
    (1999–2009)
  • Fabiana
    (1999–2003)
  • Emilia Rizzo
    (2004–2004)
  • Milena
    (2005–2009)
  • Annemarie Carpendale
    (2000–2005)
  • Myrthes Monteiro
    (2013–2014)
  • Tracey Ellis
    (2013–2014)
  • Maria Efeldt
    (2013–2014)
Website Bellini Music

Bellini are a German pop girl group formed in 1997. The group consists of the three members Dandara Santos-Silva, Lisa Frieg and Megan Sierz. They have been produced by the producer duo Ramon Zenker and Gottfried Engels, known as The Bellini Brothers. The group is named in remembrance of the Brazilian football legend, Hilderaldo Bellini.

Contents

History

1997–98: Formation and Samba de Janeiro

The name "Bellini" itself was inspired by the surname of the former Brazilian national football team's captain Hilderaldo Bellini, who first brought his team to world championship in 1958. When they were looking for performers for the Bellini project, they compiled five members into a first mixed band, male dancer Mustafa Makhloufi (born 1974 or 1975 in Morocco) and four female dancers Tanja Niethen (born 1973 in Siegburg [1] ), Dandara Santos-Silva (born 1970 or 1971 in Brazil), Onni Khoei-Arsa (born 1974 or 1975 in Thailand) and Dewi Sulaeman (born 1979 or 1980 in Indonesia). [2]

They released their first single "Samba de Janeiro", which heavily samples Airto Moreira's 1972 song "Tombo In 7/4" from his album Fingers, in May 1997. The song became a massive success, sold five million copies worldwide. In Germany the song peaked #2 in the German Single Chart and stayed in the top ten for thirteen weeks, [3] earning the group an Echo Award for this song in the category "Artist or Group National in the rubric Dance/Techno. Soon after the release in summer of 1997, Makhloufi had been fired by the other members, leaving Bellini as a four piece girl group. [4]

Both, the same titled debut studio album Samba de Janeiro, also known as Samba de Janeiro – The Album, and the second and final single release of the album, "Carnaval", became minor hits, only peaking #63 and #93 in the German Album und Single chart. The third single "Me Gusta la Vida" was released in 1998, first single to be released from their first compilation album Samba de Janeiro – Non-Stop Best of Bellini from 2001. In October 1998, Niethen and Santos-Silva left Bellini, to form the new girl group Bellissima with Mel Roberts from England. [5]

1999–01: Samba de Janeiro – Non-Stop Best of Bellini

Also Sulaeman had to leave the band due to her pregnancy forcing last remaining member Khoei-Arsa to leave as well in 1999. Between 1999 and 2000, the producers held auditions in Cologne for three new dancers and singers to reform Bellini. First selections were Sabrina Schmieder, born 1980 in Salzburg, and Fabiana. In 1999, the second single of the compilation album Samba de Janeiro – Non-Stop Best of Bellini, titled "Saturday Night", a Whigfield cover, has been released, followed by the third and final single "Samba de Amigo".

2002–09: Line-up changes and Singles

In 2000 and 2001, the single only releases "Arriba Allez" and "Brazil (en Fiesta)" followed, all which didn't chart, except "Brazil", peaking #71 in the German Single chart. Annemarie Carpendale joined in 2000 until 2005. Later Milena joined Bellini. Temporarily pop singer Emilia Rizzo was also a member of the band in 2004. [6] In 2004, the two single only releases "Magalenha", a collaboration with the group Mendonça Do Rio, and "Tutti Frutti" have been published. Latter mentioned became a minor hit, peaking only #78 in the Swizz Single chart. In 2005 former member Niethen married Joey Kelly of the Kelly Family. In 2006 and 2007, remixes of "Samba de Janeiro" have been released and the song retitled "Let's Go to Rio", a Peter Allen cover version. In 2008 and 2010, another promotional singles "Hot, Hot, Hot", an Arrow cover version, and "Samba All Night", which samples "Samba de Janeiro", have been digitally released. In 2009, former member Sulaeman married tennis player Philipp Petzschner. [7] Khoei-Arsa made an apprenticeship in physiotherapy and opened a beauty salon in Cologne. [8] In 2009, the members of the band parted ways, Schmieder made an apprenticeship as a businesswoman for audiovisual Media. For 2010, a second Best of album and a reworked version of Samba de Janeiro, titled "Samba All Night", was planned, but was later scrapped for the second studio album. Only the single saw a promotional release.

2013–Present: Festival

After a short hiatus, in 2013, the producers compiled three new singers for the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil, Maria Efeldt, a musical artist from Stage School in Hamburg, Tracey Ellis and Myrthes Monteiro (born in São Paulo and living in Berlin). Former member Schmieder started working as a real estate adviser in Berlin in 2013. [9] The band had their premiere in April 2014 with a live performance at the ZDF-Fernsehgarten with the song "Tic, Tic Tac", a Chilli feat. Carrapicho cover version. In May 2014 the band released the single "Samba do Brasil", a Portuguese language reworked version of Samba de Janeiro. The second studio album titled Festival was released in 2014.

In 2018, the band was revived again with a new line-up, consisting of original member Dandara Santos-Silva, and new members Lisa Frieg and Megan Sierz.

Members

2018–Present

Past members

1997–1999

1999–2009

2013–2014

Discography

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samba</span> The Brazilian musical genre

Samba is a name or prefix used for several rhythmic variants, such as samba urbano carioca, samba de roda, recognized as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, amongst many other forms of samba, mostly originated in the Rio de Janeiro and Bahia states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcione Nazareth</span> Musical artist

Alcione Dias Nazareth is also known as, "Alcione", and "A Marrom" is a Brazilian samba singer. She first gained international recognition in the late 1970 and has had nineteen gold records, as well as five platinum and double platinum records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorge Ben</span> Brazilian musician

Jorge Duílio Lima Menezes is a Brazilian popular musician, performing under the stage name Jorge Ben Jor since the 1980s, though commonly known by his former stage name Jorge Ben. Performing in a samba style that also explored soul, funk, rock and bossa nova sounds, Ben has recorded such well-known songs as "Chove Chuva", "Mas, que Nada!", "Ive Brussel" and "Balança Pema". His music has been interpreted by artists such as Caetano Veloso, Sérgio Mendes, Miriam Makeba, Soulfly and Marisa Monte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skank (band)</span> Brazilian band from Belo Horizonte

Skank was a Brazilian band from Belo Horizonte. Having begun in 1991, they sold approximately 5,200,000 copies of their albums as of 2004. Initially intending to mix dancehall with traditional Brazilian styles, later the band changed its sonority to music closer to Britpop and local movement Clube da Esquina. Their last concert was held on March 26, 2023, at Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O Rappa</span> Brazilian reggae rock band

O Rappa is a Brazilian reggae rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Combining many styles such as rock, reggae, funk, hip hop and samba, Many of O Rappa's songs contain sharp protests against the social problems in Brazil and the members of the band themselves are supporters of numerous social projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seu Jorge</span> Musical artist

Jorge Mário da Silva, more commonly known by his stage name Seu Jorge, is a Brazilian musical artist, songwriter, and actor. He is considered by many a renewer of Brazilian pop samba. Seu Jorge cites samba schools and American soul singer Stevie Wonder as major musical influences. Jorge is also known for his film roles as Mané Galinha in the 2002 film City of God and as Pelé dos Santos in the 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. His musical work has received praise from many of his fellow musicians including Beck and David Bowie.

Paffendorf is a German electronic dance music project. The group consists of Ramon Zenker, also producer of Fragma, Gottfried Engels and Nicolas Valli. The project is represented by the Cologne DJ Christian Schmitz, active on Tiger Records. Paffendorf is best known for their 2000 hit, "Where Are You", although they have had various successful hits across Europe, their best known in the UK being "Be Cool," which peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart in June 2002. Their song, "Under My Skin", had become an Internet meme, featuring Momo, a character from the anime series Sumomomo Momomo repetitively imitating a train engine with her hands and jumping up and down. The song had been sped up to sound similar and rival to a more popular Internet meme, Caramelldansen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Maia</span> Brazilian singer-songwriter

Tim Maia was a Brazilian musician, songwriter, and businessman known for his iconoclastic, ironic, outspoken, and humorous musical style. Maia contributed to Brazilian music within a wide variety of musical genres, including soul, funk, disco, jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, romantic ballads, samba, bossa nova, baião and música popular brasileira (MPB). He introduced the soul style on the Brazilian musical scene. Along with Jorge Ben, Maia pioneered sambalanço, combining samba, soul, funk and rock and roll. He is recognized as one of the biggest icons in Brazilian music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Hermanos</span> Brazilian rock band

Los Hermanos is a rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group was formed in 1997 by Marcelo Camelo (vocals/guitar), Rodrigo Amarante (guitar/vocals), Rodrigo Barba (drums), and Bruno Medina. Currently they are on an extended hiatus, performing some concerts sporadically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elza Soares</span> Brazilian samba singer (1930–2022)

Elza da Conceição Soares, known professionally as Elza Soares, was a Brazilian samba singer. In 1999, she was named Singer of the Millennium along with Tina Turner by BBC Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luiz Melodia</span> Brazilian musician (1951–2017)

Luiz Carlos dos Santos, widely known by his stage name Luiz Melodia, was a Brazilian singer-songwriter whose music was a characteristic crossover of multiple Music genres including Música popular brasileira (MPB), rock music, blues, soul music and samba. He has been described as 'one of the most important Brazilian-born musicians.'

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Bellotto</span> Brazilian musician and writer

Antonio Carlos Liberalli Bellotto is a Brazilian musician and writer, best known as the lead guitarist of Brazilian rock band Titãs. He has also written and released several books.

José Bezerra da Silva was a Brazilian samba musician of the partido alto style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson das Neves</span> Brazilian musician

Wilson das Neves was a Brazilian percussionist and singer from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was a key figure in the history of Brazilian music, having played with many of Brazil's greatest musicians across many decades and featured on numerous important recordings. Wilson was a very important artist specially for Brazilian popular music as a sambista, composer, and instrumentalist, with over 50 years dedicated to music. He can be heard in over 600 records from major Brazilian artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duduka Da Fonseca</span> Musical artist

Duduka Da Fonseca, born Eduardo Moreira Da Fonseca is a Brazilian jazz drummer who is a founding member of Trio da Paz with Romero Lubambo and Nilson Matta. He leads the Duduka da Fonseca Trio, with David Feldman and Guto Wirtti. Duduka is a resident of New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jards Macalé</span>

Jards Anet da Silva, known as Macalé, is a Brazilian composer, singer and actor, known for his influential role in Brazil's tropicália movement in the 1960s.

Nils Ruzicka is a German record producer, remixer, songwriter and musician from Hanover, Germany.

P9 were a Brazilian pop group formed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The group members are Igor Von Adamovich, Jonathan Couto, Guilherme dos Santos, and Michael Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellini discography</span>

The discography of Bellini, a German pop girl group, consists of two studio albums, two compilation albums, 11 singles, including 1 as featured artist, 2 promotional singles and 11 music videos. The first Bellini release was the debut studio album Samba de Janeiro in 1997, preceded by the massive chart hit of the same name "Samba de Janeiro", which heavily samples Airto Moreira's 1972 song "Tombo In 7/4" from his album Fingers, also released in 1997. This release was followed with the compilation album Samba de Janeiro - Non-Stop Best of Bellini and the sophomore studio album Festival in 2001 and 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samba de Janeiro</span> 1997 single by Bellini

"Samba de Janeiro" is a song by German pop group Bellini. It was released on 5 May 1997 in Germany as the lead single from their debut album of the same name (1997). The song was a hit throughout Europe, reaching number-one in Hungary and the top 10 in at least 12 countries. It interpolates the chorus of Airto Moreira's 1972 song "Tombo In 7/4", as well as samples the drum rhythm from Moreira's "Celebration Suite". "Samba de Janeiro" won the award for best dance single at the 7th Annual Echo Awards.

References

  1. "Für Tanja würd ich mein Leben geben". Archived from the original on 2016-01-07. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  2. "SWR1 Rheinland-Pfalz". Archived from the original on 2017-12-05. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  3. "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de". Archived from the original on 2016-12-25. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  4. Bellini-Girls feuerten Mustafa!
  5. "Tanja Niethen Kelly". Archived from the original on 2015-02-14. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  6. "Emiliarizzo.de" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2015-02-14. Retrieved 2015-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. Dewi Petzschner: So tickt mein Philipp
  8. Artesian Well
  9. "TEAM". Archived from the original on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2015-02-26.