In 2003, Jesus Navarro and Julio Ramirez,two friends in Mexcali, Baja, California, were working on a music project.  They added Gilberto Marin Espinoza, and called themselves Reik.  That year, they produced several demos of their music and began to seek a record deal.

Reik

Last night I fell in love. With their puppy dog eyes, matching v-necks, peeking chest hair and coy smiles, Reik was nothing short of boy-band godliness. Oh and did I mention they are Latino?

Getting Started

In 2003, Jesus Navarro and Julio Ramirez,two friends in Mexcali, Baja, California, were working on a music project.  They added Gilberto Marin Espinoza, and called themselves Reik.  That year, they produced several demos of their music and began to seek a record deal.  They released the demos through the underground Mexican music scene and eventually attracted the attention of several recording companies.  They ultimately signed with Sony Music.

In 2005, they released their first album, entitled simply Reik.  The album peaked at #13 on the Latin Pop Album charts and Latin Pop charts.  The first single from the album, Yo Quisiera enjoyed frequent air play on Mexican pop stations, bolstering the sales of subsequent singles.  The single hit #1 on Latin charts, as did the following two releases, Que Vida La Mia and Noviembre Sin Ti.

Building Momentum

By mid-2005, their debut album had certified gold.  Reik toured Florida, Texas, New York, and Puerto Rico, to promote the album.  The album certified platinum by the middle of 2006.  Their second album, Secuencia, was released in 2006, peaking at #12 on the Latin Pop Album chart.  In July of 2007, the trio performed in the Alltel Mi Circulo, Mi Musica (My Circle, My Music) Festival in El Paso, Texas.

Also in 2006, Reik released the compilation album, Sesion Metropolitanata, a live album they had taped in 2005.  Their next studio album, Un Dia Mas, featured their hit single, Inolvidable,  Spanish for “unforgettable,” which is one of their most popular singles.  Reik had become an extremely popular boy band, especially in Mexico and Southwest United States.  

Here and Now

In the short time Reik has been recording and performing, the have been nominated for a Latin Grammy award for Best New Artist; they have been nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, winning three of them; and they have won Mejor Cancion Latina Del Ano at the Premios Orgullosamente Latino 2009.  Also in 2009, Reik won Best Pop Art at the Los Premios MTV, and a Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group for Un Dia Mas.

Their music is available for mp3 download or free streaming at multiple music sites.  They are back from their tour promoting Un Dia Mas, and plan to be back in the studio soon, to work on their next release.  No release date has been predicted at this time.

Did you know . . .

1. The name, Reik, means “rake,” as in raking the strings on a guitar.

2. Both Reik and Un Dia Mas were released as special editions with an enclosed DVD.

3. All three of Reik's albums have placed in the Top 200 of digital sales.  Their albums have enjoyed frequent requests for mp3 downloads and ringtone downloads.

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