Q&A
with Emmanuel
1)
When did you guys know you wanted to become singers?
When I first saw N'SYNC.
2) Prior to the "Making Menudo"
tryouts/competition, did you ever listen to Menudo before? If so, what was
your favorite song and member?
Yep. Favorite song is "Clara" and member
Ricky Martin.
3) Would you rather have people compare
and relate your "new" makeup of Menudo with the original band members or
would you rather be thought of as a completely different group?
It’s an honor to be compared to the old Menudo.
4) What was the hardest part about the
Making Menudo competition?
Everything, there was so many things going on at the same time.
5) How would you address critics that say
that your band is commercially synthetic, only put together as a gimmick for
the record company to make money off an already existing brand (Menudo)?
When people start talking that’s when you know that you are getting known.
6) How important is your Latino heritage
to each of you personally and for your music?
It’s the most important thing since I am from Puerto Rico, I still live
there, that’s me. And I would not change it for the world.
7) What/Who is your favorite artist, song
and album?
Artist: Justin Timberlake, Wisin y
Yandel, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi. Song: Cry me a river, siguelo, Pegate, Si
tu quisieras Album: Futuresex/Lovesounds, Los Extraterrestres, Unplugged,
Amor Secreto.
8) What types of hobbies do you guys have
outside of music?
It’s hard to do stuff that doesn’t involve music. Play Basketball, go to the
movies.
9) Who are your musical influences?
N'SYNC and my former vocal coach Judith Salgado.
10) What have you found to be the hardest
thing about joining this group? What has been the most enjoyable?
Understanding each other. Performing and recording
11) If you could meet any person (living
or dead) in history, who would each of you want to meet and why?
Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Michael
Jackson.
Q&A with Chris:
1) When did you guys know you wanted to
become singers?
Well, my mom says I've
been singing since I was a baby. But I think I realized that I wanted to
become a singer when I was 6 years old. I was a huge fan of the
Backstreet Boys and they made me want
to be in a boyband.
2)
Prior to the "Making Menudo" tryouts/competition, did you ever listen to
Menudo before?
If
so, what was your favorite song and member?
My mother was a huge fan
of the old Menudo so she had told me stories about them. My favorite member
was Miguel Cancel and my favorite song is "Cuando Pasara."
3) Would you rather have people compare
and relate your "new" makeup of Menudo with the original band members or
would you rather be thought of as a completely different group?
Well, our name will
always remain the same, and it'll always have that history behind it. But
we're in a totally different generation with different styles and different
music. I would probably prefer for people to view us as a new and improved
version of Menudo.
4)
What was the hardest part about the Making Menudo competition?
Even now, it's hard to be
away from my family. I think that might've been the hardest part. If not
that, than the fact that neither of us were safe. It was tough knowing that
you could be sent home at any given moment.
5) How
would you address critics that say that your band is commercially synthetic,
only put together as a gimmick for the record company to make money off an
already existing brand (Menudo)?
I believe that everyone
is entitled to their own opinion and they can say what they want to say. But
until they come to one of our shows and see for themselves that we are
nothing close to fake, they will be missing out on true talent. Some may see
us as just some band that was put together on a reality show, but to be
honest, none of us in the group even remember the TV show part of it. We
just remember the competition. We didn't really care about TV ratings and
such, we just wanted to make our dreams come true. And now we're here. Also,
yes, maybe the old Menudo was successful, but we plan on following in their
footsteps and hopefully becoming even more successful than they were back
then. We're gonna make a name for ourselves.
6) How
important is your Latino heritage to each of you personally and for your
music?
I think that with the
name Menudo on our shoulders it's highly important that we are in touch with
our Latin culture. For me personally, I'm one of two in the group that is
mixed. We're all Puerto Rican, just like the original Menudo. But I'm also
part Venezuelan and Chinese. And to top it all off, I was born and raised in
the U.S.A. So it's hard to keep in touch with my Latin culture when I live
in an all-American community. I lived closest to my Puerto Rican side of the
family. Although I was raised American, I'm proud to be a Latino. Like my
music, my Latin culture is also in my blood. When those two tie together,
you have yourself a voice for the Hispanic community.
7)
What/Who is your favorite artist, song and album?
At the moment
Mario is one of my favorite
artists. His latest album, "Go," has so many great songs. A lot of R&B
nowadays is very urban and sometimes even poppy. And the thing I like about
Mario is that he stays true to the feeling and the soul of R&B. My favorite
song of the album is "Music for Love."
8)
What types of hobbies do you guys have outside of music?
I enjoy writing, not just
music, but also stories and poems. I like to draw cartoons, watch movies and
play sports also.
9) Who
are your musical influences?
Ne-Yo is a big influence for me. He's not only
a great singer, but he's an amazing writer. Another artist that stays true
to R&B. I hope to work with him some day. But mostly, my mom is my biggest
influence. She sings too, so that's where I got my voice from. She taught me
most of what I know about singing.
10)
What have you found to be the hardest thing about joining this group? What
has been the most enjoyable?
Again, I think the
hardest part is being away from my family. The most enjoyable part is being
able to do what I love most. And also that I'm traveling everywhere.
Something most kids my age don't do.
11) If
you could meet any person (living or dead) in history, who would each of you
want to meet and why?
I think I'd want to meet
Walt Disney. Like me, he was a big dreamer, and look at what he achieved. He
dreamed of something that no one believed in and he made it all come true.
He proved the non-believers wrong. That's what I hope to do with my music.
Q&A with Monti
1) When did you guys know you wanted to
become singers?
Ever since I can
remember. Its always been a dream I had and always thought about as a child.
2)
Prior to the "Making Menudo" tryouts/competition, did you ever listen to
Menudo before?
If so, what was your favorite song and member?
Of course! my mom always
talked about Menudo and sang the songs to me. She told me stories of how big
of a fan she was as well as my aunts. My favorite song would have to be "Claridad",
it’s just a cool song and they looked together when they did the
choreography during performance.
3)
Would you rather have people compare and relate your "new" makeup of Menudo
with the original band members or would you rather be thought of as a
completely different group?
We are compared and will
always be compared to past generations of Menudo. Although we are very
different in style I do wish we make the same success as they did in the
past, and we are honored to be part of such a huge name and history.
4)
What was the hardest part about the Making Menudo competition?
Being away from my
family. It was the very first time I've been away from my family, but I’m
glad they supported be 100% and still do.
5) How
would you address critics that say that your band is commercially synthetic,
only put together as a gimmick for the record company to make money off an
already existing brand (Menudo)?
Menudo made such an
impact in the world back in the day. By being part of the new generation of
Menudo we have the privilege to touch lives with our music. We're also part
of many charities and plan to be part of more! We've had fans write us
saying that we have inspired them in some way, they also reach out to us
with family problems, and we help them. It’s such a good feeling when people
can look up to you and you can make an impact in their lives. The brand
Menudo is not commercially synthetic, its there to make an impact in the
world. None of these things would be happening if the brand was just there
for the record companies to make money.
8) How
important is your Latino heritage to each of you personally and for your
music?
Its very important. My
heritage means the world to me and I'm glad we can show it off by being part
of this group. It also opens doors for our music. We don't only record in
English but also in Spanish. And of course we can visit tons of Latin
countries as well which would be awesome.
7)
What/Who is your favorite artist, song and album?
I like way too many
artists. I really like Justin Timberlake and Ricky Martin. "What Goes
Around, Comes Around" is such a strong song and one of my favorites.
8)
What types of hobbies do you guys have outside of music?
Wow, tons. We like to go
to the movies, go to the mall, SLEEP (good one), go to theme parks, swim,
record, dance, travel on the tour bus (because we get beds), and perform.
9) Who
are your musical influences?
I’m influenced by Ricky
Martin and Justin Timberlake. They are very original and put the right
emotion in every song. I think its super cool that Justin and us share the
same manager, Johnny Wright!
10)
What have you found to be the hardest thing about joining this group? What
has been the most enjoyable?
The hardest thing was
when we first moved in together. It was hard learning how to live with each
other with all the different personalities and backgrounds. the most
enjoyable is seeing the fans go crazy at the shows and performing.
11) If
you could meet any person (living or dead) in history, who would each of you
want to meet and why?
Jesus. Jesus rocks why
not wanna meet him!
