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In the nineties and early aughts, Boyz II Men, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, and *NSYNC reigned supreme. Diane Warren lyrics combined with trendy outfits, synchronized choreography, and sweet harmonies were the recipe for success that garnered global chart-topping hits by these groups. By and large, boy bands’ fame can be attributed to fangirls who once propped up groups like The Beatles in the 1960s, and have in the decades since become the litmus test for mass appeal.
Enter CNCO, the Latine boy band checking off all the boxes (including the Warren co-write) en español for the fangirls in 2021. On a high from the sweeping Latin music wave, the quintet’s rise has transcended borders, thanks to their pop hooks that are irresistible in any language, served with a bad boy reggaetón edge.
In December, CNCO celebrated five years since forming on La Banda, a reality television series created by Simon Cowell and Puerto Rican icon Ricky Martin. The former was behind the success of British-Irish group One Direction, the latter was a member of the hit eighties boy band Menudo. After Menudo became a legacy act in the nineties, there was a void for the next great Latine boy band that CNCO filled under Martin’s stewardship. All teens at the time, CNCO were prime Gen-Z Latine representations for their followers. In the group is: the colorful Richard Camacho (24), who is from New York City with Dominican roots, Christopher Vélez (25), with his signature fringe, was born in New Jersey and grew up in Ecuador, and Joel Pimentel (22) is Chicano, a Californian with Mexican heritage, who smolders under his curls. Erick Brian Colón (20), the baby face with piercing green eyes, was born in Havana and relocated to Miami with his family. The bleach-blonde, stylish Zabdiel De Jesús (23), hails from Puerto Rico.
Through La Banda, CNCO was connected with Puerto Rican rapper Wisin, a reggaetón pioneer from the duo Wisin y Yandel, who shaped much of the group's first album. With the duo Los Legendarios, who have produced hits for Afro-Boricua reggaetonero Ozuna, they buffed the genre with a synth-pop sheen and high-energy ballads that allowed CNCO to stand alongside the J Balvins and Malumas of the world. Their 2016 debut album Primera Cita (First Date), hit No. 1 on Billboard's Latin albums chart, keeping CNCOwners, the band's dedicated fanbase, coming back for more. And 2018’s CNCO LP, filled with romantic, reflective, and guitar-heavy tracks like “Fiesta en Mi Casa,” was also sent to the top of the chart.
On the phone from Miami with Teen Vogue just days before the start of spring there’s a sense of camaraderie among the members. Camacho says they’re like brothers and you can feel that energy. Having spent most of their lives in Latin America, De Jesús, Vélez, and Colón have heavier Spanish accents. Colón lets the Spanish, “Apoyo” slip out at one point and Pimentel quickly translates: “Support!” That’s where CNCO’s charm lies: The five members have lived on both sides of borders, which connects them to Latines in and outside of the U.S. They have that multicultural coolness, yet they’re polished like the old boy bands that appealed to Anglo audiences. As their profile rises, these Latines are breaking through more Anglo spaces, like at last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade alongside the Ninja Turtles.
"Before this CNCO and La Banda stuff I never traveled, so it was blowing my mind when we started traveling the world," De Jesús admits. "In between our five cultures, we have learned a lot about each other," Pimentel adds. "The different ways of speaking in each country. Now we have our own CNCO type of slang."
While competing for a spot in CNCO, Pimentel was also representative of the Latine population of the U.S. that isn't fully fluent in Spanish. We’re negatively referred to as pocho or pocha, but some famous pochas we proudly claim are Tejana legend Selena Quintanilla and Chicana singer Becky G. "That was definitely a challenge," Pimentel says. "I was more closed-up during those times because most of the people were speaking Spanish. I was focused on the show, and afterwards, I learned more Spanish with the guys and from traveling around Latin America."
CNCO’s winning blend of Latin pop with reggaetón culminated in the group’s 2016 breakthrough hit “Reggaetón Lento,” a dembow beat-riding romp that invited fans to dance with them. A year later British girl group Little Mix wanted in on that dance with a bilingual remix that reached No. 5 on the U.K. singles chart. That solidified the Latine boy band as a global force. "After the remix, it was like boom!" Colón says. "Little Mix were super nice and super talented," Vélez recalls. "They showed us mad love," Camacho says.
The guys are all part of the early 20-something club now. "We didn't have a regular teenage life," Pimentel says. "We grew up traveling to different countries. Even our voices changed too in the public eye. I think it's very special that our fans were a part of our growth."
Not only are the guys physically bulking up (they're flexing those quarantine gains in their latest videos), but their music has grown as well. CNCO's "Beso" is a sweet serenade about an innocent kiss leading into the bedroom. "That was probably one of our edgier songs," Camacho says. "We're always focusing on evolving with our music. We like to test the waters and see how it goes and give the fans good vibes too." With "Beso," CNCO made its mainstage debut at last August's MTV Video Music Awards. That was the guys’ return to performing after the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined a planned arena tour last year. After bumping and grinding on top of cars in a New York City drive-in theater, the quintet won a Moon Person award. They defeated big names like Lady Gaga, Post Malone, and John Legend in the fan-voted Best Quarantine Performance category.
"We were like, 'We're definitely not getting this,'" Camacho says. "The CNCOwners went crazy on the votes. If it wasn't for their support, we wouldn't have had this. We're grateful to have such a strong and beautiful fanbase."
Pimentel recently moved CNCO’s LGBTQ fans when he backed up his best friend Yoandri on Twitter. Latine culture is rife with machismo, a form of toxic masculinity that puts down women and queer folks. That’s why it’s appreciated when artists like Pimentel or even Bad Bunny use their platform to push back on misogyny and homophobia. When asked to expand on that tea emoji, Pimentel says, "We love and support everyone. There shouldn't be anyone judging. Live your life the way you want to. We're here with you always."
Another issue being unpacked in the Latin music community is Afro-Latine representation, particularly in Black-rooted reggaetón that is largely dominated by white-passing artists. Akin to the conversations around K-pop groups benefiting from the use of Black popular music, some would argue that part of CNCO’s success can be attributed to the white-passing Latines in the group, who are more “palatable” in selling to the mainstream, predominantly white audiences. While CNCO is just one example of the current state of the industry, it’s important to note that the five members are representative of and highlight the diversity within the Latine community, from the Caribbean with Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, to our southern neighbor Mexico, to Ecuador in South America.
Maria Sherman, author of Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS, adds, “[CNCO] is clearly performing a contemporary version of the popular boy band formula, which comes from Black music — the choreography, the R&B-influenced ballads, the multipart harmonies — but also in their use of reggaetón and dembow, which, of course, has Jamaican dancehall origins, though casual listeners may consider it to be distinctly Puerto Rican music.”
In a post-One Direction world, the boy bands, especially with the explosion of K-pop idols, have become more diverse. Like CNCO, they don't have to sing exclusively in English anymore to be successful. To appease their global fanbase, the guys have also recorded music in Portuguese and Japanese. There’s no limit to these Latines and the places they’re going. “We’re proud to be representing our culture at the end of the day,” Camacho says.
Could singing in Korean with K-pop boy band BTS be next? "Why not?" Camacho says. "We're super down to make good music with them." He adds with a laugh, "There's going to be a lot of people onstage, but we'll figure it out." Vélez says, "We'll make a good team."
After years of working nonstop, the quarantine was a time for the guys to slow down and reconnect with their families. During that time at home, they came up with the idea for Déjà Vu, their covers album of Latin classics from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. Among the acts covered are Martin, Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias, bachata band Aventura, and Argentine icon Ricardo Montaner. "We wanted to keep that essence and that beautifulness of the lyrics, but add a new school vibe to these songs and give them a new life," Camacho says.
Montaner's "Tan Enamorados" was the first song that kicked off the project. CNCO put a reggaetón twist on his heartfelt ballad. In the music video, the guys do their best New Kids on the Block impression. Not only are they bridging a multigenerational gap between their Gen-Z fans and their parents with the music of Déjà Vu, but the guys are also connecting with their Anglo audience through the nostalgic boy band visuals that are embedded with Latine history. It’s something that many Latin artists who want to break into the Western mainstream do for crossover appeal.
"My mom noticed the New Kids on the Block homage right away," Pimentel says. "[NKOTB] replied to us, so that was something super cool. My mom freaked out when she saw that."
In February, CNCO received the ultimate Déjà Vu co-sign when Montaner performed "Tan Enamorados" with them at the Premio Lo Nuestro awards. "We were so nervous singing next to him," Vélez says. "My voice was shaking." Camacho adds, "My family hit me up like, 'Oh, My God! You were with Ricardo Montaner, next to him!'" "That was such a beautiful moment for us because we really admire him," Colón says.
Next up: To safely entertain the CNCOwners during the pandemic, the guys are putting on a global live stream concert on May 14. Vélez says fans can expect music from Déjà Vu, CNCO's own classics, and a few surprises. "We're going to try to incorporate a lot of visuals," says Camacho. "It's going to be a good vibe, so stay tuned."
Credits:
Photographer:Alexander Saladrigas
Photo Assistant: Ben Kasun
Stylist: Alexander Julian Gibson
Stylist Assistants: Carolina Caruso & Gene Pierre-Louis
Groomer: Alexis Renny using Chanel homme, Dior makeup, and Oribe.
Videographer: Kristen White
Video Editor: Melanie Duran
Production: HG Producers
On-set Production: Bernardo Gasparini
Production Assistants: Chad Arrogante, Courtney Poyser
Art Director: Emily Zirimis
Visual Editor: Louisiana Mei Gelpi
Fashion Director: Tahirah Hairston
Fashion Editor: Michelle Li
