- Dulce Maria (Dulce Maria Espinoza Savinon)
- Anahi (Anahi Giovanna Puente Portillo)
- Maite (Maite Perroni)
- Alfonso (Alfonso Herrera)
- Christopher (Christopher Uckermann)
- Christian (Christian Chavez)
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 (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 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.
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.
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:
If you're interested in watching the telenovela Rebelde, the first season is now available on DVD.
