Rouge (pop group)

Rouge were a commercially successful girl group, formed in the first season of the Brazilian reality show Popstars, broadcast by SBT in 2002. In four years of career, they achieved four Gold, three Platinum and one Diamond album in Brazil and released various hit singles, becoming the most successful Brazilian girl group of all time. As of August 2010, the Rouge have sold approximately 6 million records.^[1]

Biography

2002: Popstars formation and Rouge

The goal of the first season (2002) of the Brazilian version of the show Popstars was to form a girl group. Thousands of young women participated the first phase of the show, and, through tests, five girls were selected to form Rouge. While Popstars had a good rating for SBT, nobody expected Rouge's album to be as big as it ended up being.

In 2002, they released their debut self-titled album, which was tremendously successful and sold over 1,2 million copies^[2] in Brazil, receiving the Diamond certification.^[3] Part of the unexpected success was due to the song "Ragatanga" (the Portuguese version of Las Ketchup's global hit The Ketchup Song (Asereje)), which became a huge phenomenon in the country when released. Rouge was particularly popular among young girls and shoe-line, dolls, candies, toys, among other licensed products were released targeting the public.

2003-2004: C'est La Vie and Andrade's departure

Their second album came in 2003, named C'est La Vie. The lead single, "Brilha La Luna", performed well on Brazilian charts, but was not as huge as Ragatanga. The album went Platinum (350.000 copies sold).^[3] In February 2004 Luciana left the group before the release of the third album due to personal reasons.^[4][5] She would not reveal what prompted her to leave the group, but many newspapers says the reason was the fights with Fantine. Fantine attacked constantly Luciana in media and claimed that she did not sing good parts in the songs because most solo parts sung by Luciana and Karin. But the Fantine's disgust by Luciana began hearings on Popstars. In 2002 on the Sônia Abrão's program Falando Francamente (en: Speaking Frankly), Fantine said she did not like Luciana and she was the only one she did not want the group, but said they had become friends. Luciana was forbidden to record a solo album for seven years for breaking the contract. The ban was completed in 2010.

2004-2005: Blá Blá Blá, Mil e Uma Noites and breakup

In June 2004 when the public thought Rouge would break up, Blá Blá Blá was released. The title song was also successful. Blá Blá Blá was certified Gold;^[3] although the album sold well, its sales are low in comparison to Rouge's previous albums.

The group released a greatest hits compilation, named Mil e Uma Noites, in 2005. The album featured six previously unreleased songs, featuring the hit song "Vem Habib (Wala Wala)", and went Gold (50,000 copies sold). Since then, any new material from Rouge was announced or released. The group formally broke up in December 2005.

2006–2011: Solo careers and reunion plans

Patricia Martins changed her name to Lissah Martins in 2007. She became a musical actress and starred some plays, including the Brazilian montage of musical Miss Saigon and The Beauty and the Beast. She released few singles by Walt Disney Records as the Brazilian version of the High School Musical's song "Gotta Go My Own Way", entitled "Vou Ser do Jeito Que Sou (en: I'll Be The Way I Am).^[6] In 2011 the Brazilian producer E.Motion released the single "Promise (Till The End Of Time)" featuring Lissah and DJ Tonanni.^[7] Luciana Andrade was prevented from release an album for 7 years, because breaking the contract in 2004. During this period she did backing vocals for famous singers and participated in festivals and music events. Luciana also recorded many live songs for her fans and made some pocket during this years. For a long time she refused to sing Rouge's songs, but in 2008 she returned to sing songs like "Um Anjo Veio Me Falar". In 2010 the ban for breaking the contract in 2004 is over and she released the independent album Tão Diferente (en: So Different) with live songs recorded at pocket shows and 4 studio recordings. In the same year she released a free digital album, Ao Vivo Music (en: Live Music). She also participates in musical, she starred in Cinderella.

Aline Silva change her name to Aline Willy and, in 2006, planned to release a pop album, but was canceled. In 2009 release a samba album Saudade do Samba (en: I Miss the Samba) and received good reviews, but unsuccessfully sales. Currently she participates in musicals such as Hairspray, Hair and Aladdin. Karin Hills tried to release an album, but failed to record. In 2008/2009 worked as a backing vocalist for the rapper Tulio Dek. In 2010 she played a role in the Brazilian montage of Hairspray, as Motormouth Maybelle. In 2012, she portrayed Bernardete in Rede Globo's Aquele Beijo.

Before moving to the Netherlands Fantine formed the Thó Band with her brother Jonathan Thó and release some singles and music videos. Fantine continuously writes and records with artist such as Clay Perry, currently on tour with Julio Iglesias, Jean Dolabella, former drummer of Sepultura and Marcelo Lima who is known to collaborate with George Benson. Her album "Dusty but New" is a live recording session at Sandlane Studios from the Netherlands produced by Joost van den Broek composer and member of the band "After Forever". The album is a combination of songs written between 1996 and now and available for free download on soundcloud. www.soundcloud.com/fantine-tho. Fantine is taking part in The Voice of Holland season 4, singles available for download on iTunes.

In 2010 the fans started a petition to the group's return. The intention of the petition was recording a DVD celebrating 10 years of career in 2012. The petition started on the Internet, but received attention from the television because of the video aired on YouTube and had millions of views. In a few months, the Twitter of 5 members began to have thousands of messages asking for the return of the Rouge. In 2011, Li (formerly known as Patricia), Aline and Karin accepted a return, and Sony BMG showed interest in the DVD recording, but the fight between Luciana and Fantine was a hindrance to the return. Recently, Fantine said she'd stumble back to the group as long as they record new songs. Luciana said in an interview that she had no interest in returning to the group.

2012-15: Comeback attempt and avoidance

In late 2012, rumours about a return restarted on social networks, specially Twitter, as Rick Bonadio, producer of the band and judge of Popstars show, posted the hashtag #VoltaRouge (en: Come Back Rouge). Some meetings of the girls were noticed and published through the web. Officially, a return of the band was confirmed by Bonadio and the girls itself, although Luciana Andrade refused to join the band members, saying that she needed to be truthful with herself and her decision. Luciana also said that "They are Rouge, the girls that stayed. They are the soul of the group, so they are the ones who must come back".

A tour commemorating 10 years of creation of the group was confirmed for 2013, in Brazil. Along with it, a new Realitty Show for Multishow, Fabrica de Estrelas broadcast was announced for Bonadio to select girls for a new girlgroup. Rouge will have some appearances on the show showing the process of composition, recording and release of two new singles.

The new single, "Tudo É Rouge" (en: It's All Rouge) was confirmed for releasing April 2013, along with the start of the new reality show. Fantine shares that she went scouting for songs knowing Rouge would soon be recording, Luke Christopher, songwriter and rapper who works alongside Common, sent them "No Feeling", "love at first sight" said Fantine. Karin and Fantine wrote the Portuguese version of the original song and released "Faria Tudo Outra Vez".

Bonadio and Lissah/Patricia said in interviews that "it's not a goodbye tour. We don't discard the possibility of a definitive come back". The original come back plans include a three months tour in Brazil, a live CD-DVD release, and a few new songs.

Despite all efforts, though, bureaucracy got in their way as they were not the legal owners of the name and brand Rouge, this being owned by their previous recording label. Bonadio and the girls decided on quiting the plans for a return as well as the release of single "Tudo É Rouge", and an apologizing letter for the fans was released through social media.

In 2015, Patricia (now going with stage name Li Martins, her middle and surname respectively) joined the cast for reality TV show A Fazenda (Brazilian version of Swedish Reality Show The Farm) in Rede Record channel. Some comments she made in the show led fans to believe new comeback plans have been discussed with the girls, but no official information was released yet.

Discography

Albums

• Rouge (2002)
• C'est La Vie (2003)
• Blá Blá Blá (2004)
• Mil e Uma Noites (2005)

Tours

Members

Members timeline

Awards and nominations

See also

• List of best-selling girl groups

References

External links

• Rouge Website
• Rouge Blog