Manna (band)

Maná is a Latin rock and pop band of Mexican origin founded in 1986 in Guadalajara, Jalisco. It is currently made up of Fher Olvera (rhythm guitar, harmonica and lead vocals), Juan Calleros (bass and double bass), Álex González (drums and vocals) and Sergio Vallín (guitar and vocals). He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide. the world.

The group has won four Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, five Premios Juventud, twenty-four Billboard Latin Music Awards, one Billboard Icon Award, and fifteen Lo Nuestro Awards. He has also won multiple awards for his work in favor of caring for the environment. In 2012, the members of Maná left their mark on the Rock Walk in Hollywood, United States. Subsequently, on February 11, 2016, Maná became the first rock band in Spanish to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in recognition of their artistic career.

In 2018 the Latin Recording Academy (Latin Grammy) paid tribute to Maná for his musical career, becoming the first Latin group to receive that honor.

His music fuses different musical styles such as soft rock, progressive rock, Latin pop, ballads, Latin rhythms, hard rock, ska and reggae. They initially received international commercial success in Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Germany, Israel, India, Vietnam, and Spain, and have since gained popularity and exposure throughout Latin America, the United States, Western Europe, Asia, and the Middle East..

History of Mana

Green Hat

Fher, vocalist of the group.

The origins of Maná go back to a musical group called Sombrero Verde, whose members Fher Olvera, on vocals, Gustavo Orozco, on electric guitar, and the Calleros brothers, Juan, on bass, Ulises, on electric guitar and Abraham, on drums, were originally from Guadalajara. At first they played in bars. In 1980 they decided to get together to play different songs by groups they admired, including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Police, The Rolling Stones, among others. Initially, they called themselves The Green Hat Spies, but soon the name was shortened to Green Hat and, finally, it was adapted to Spanish as Green Hat, since the band wanted to play rock in their own language, being one of the first groups to venture to compose their own songs even when rock in Spanish was not a trend.

In 1981 they released their first album, Sombrero verde, with the Ariola label; the singles were "Vampire", "Professor", "Long time" and "Wake up".

In 1983 they released A tiempo de rock; the album's singles would be "Laura", "Hechos nada más" and "I am going to the sea". With this production the group achieved little success.

In 1984, Abraham Calleros, the group's drummer, decided to leave the band to continue his musical career in the United States. The group decides to put an ad in the newspaper requesting a new member, thanks to this they find the young drummer of Cuban-Colombian origin born in Miami, Álex González.

The life of Sombrero Verde continued until 1986, when guitarist Gustavo Orozco also decided to leave the group to concentrate on his academic studies. When the group was again as a quartet, Fher decided to close the Green Hat book and form a new band that would fuse rock, pop and Latin rhythms.

At that time, the movement called «Rock in your language» began in Mexico, a commercial strategy of some record companies aimed at attracting the attention of young people to develop rock music in Spanish. The trend, imported from Argentina and Spain, was endorsed by the pioneering work of groups such as Mecano, Soda Stereo, Enanitos Verdes, Olé Olé, Los Prisioneros, Nacha Pop, La Unión, Radio Futura, Hombres G and Zas (Miguel's band Matthews); as a consequence of this, several Mexican bands formed by young people with musical influences from American and European groups appeared. This is how the leading bands of the movement in Mexico emerged: Caifanes, Maldita Vecindad, Café Tacuba and, among them, Maná, who would achieve success not only locally but also internationally.

Manna (1987)

In the midst of this nascent group, the band adopted the name that would give it international projection: «Maná». The name of the group was chosen because of the meaning of the word in Polynesian: "positive energy".

In 1987, the group signed with the Polygram label and released Maná, a record that would strengthen the Rock in your language movement; Among his singles, there were ten songs.

The line-up for the recording of this album consisted of Fernando Olvera as vocalist, the Calleros brothers: Ulises Calleros on guitar and Juan Calleros on bass, leaving Álex "el Animal" Gonzalez.

Despite having obtained some success, that first recording as Maná did not completely satisfy the members of the group. The desire to maintain the identity of the group in the face of commercial interests and the closure of the Latin division of their label led Maná to be left without a record label for a while.

Love is Missing (1990)

With an uncertain future the band is working on new demos and making their own recordings. They search for a new record company and with the support of producer Pepe Quintana they manage to sign with Warner Music Mexico.

After the bad experience of the first album, Fher and Álex were aware of the risks involved in putting themselves in the hands of a producer who did not understand the concept of the group or their artistic proposal, so they decided to start on a path of which they have not departed since then: assume the production of all their records.

With that idea in mind, they released the album Falta amor (1990), which was not successful until a year after its release thanks to the single “Rayando el sol”, which became the first great success for Maná; the singles "Lost on a boat", "I'm exhausted" and "Buscándola" also reach the taste of the people.

The group performs 112 performances in Mexico and its first massive concert outside the borders of their country, at the General Rumiñahui Coliseum in Quito, Ecuador. It was thanks to this presentation that the group realized the potential that the band could have internationally.

Where will the children play? (1992)

Alex, group drummer.

In 1991 Maná faced the first change in its lineup with the departure of Ulises Calleros, who since then has dedicated himself to representing the group. This meant the arrival of two new members: the keyboardist Iván González and the guitarist César "El Vampiro" López. With this new formation they recorded in Los Angeles in 1992 ¿Dónde jugarán los niños? the history of the group and that of rock in Spanish, staying for 97 weeks on the Billboard list of best-selling albums in Latin America. The album was released on October 27, 1992. Currently, Where Will The Children Play? It has sold more than 10,000,000 copies around the world, making it the best-selling album in the history of rock in Spanish.

Eight singles from this production topped the popularity charts throughout Spanish-speaking America and have become classic songs in his repertoire: “Vivir sin aire”, “Where will the children play?”, “From head to toe”, “How I wish you”, “Hey my love”, “How the hell”, “I cried a river for you” and “I'm worth it”.

Maná's globalization began in 1993, with a first-rate promotional machinery and a series of 268 concerts in more than 17 countries. The tour was a success and positioned the band among the Latino community in the United States and in markets such as Chile and Argentina.

Argentina and Spain, two historically difficult territories for non-native Latino artists to reach, were also conquered by the Maná phenomenon thanks to the song “Vivir sin aire” reaching first place on the popularity charts of both countries, which hadn't happened in 26 years. This same theme is worthy of the MTV Latino Video Music Award for best video of the year.

In April 1994 and due to artistic and professional differences, Iván González and César “El Vampiro” López left Maná halfway through the tour. For a second, the future of the band and their tour was in doubt, but they soon showed that the group's formula and its essence were still intact. To finish the tour they hired musicians Juan Carlos Toribio as keyboard support, Gustavo Orozco on guitar and Sheila Ríos in choirs.

Live Manna (1994)

With their new and well-deserved status in the international Latin pop rock scene, the trio made up of Fher, Álex and Juan released the album Maná en vivo in (1994). The idea of releasing a record of their concerts arises as a means to capture the energy and relive each moment, each drop of adrenaline and sweat that are part of the magic of Maná's performances.

The album was recorded between August and September 1994, during the group's performances at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, the Aragon Theater in Chicago, the Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires, the National Stadium of Chile in Santiago and the Standard Room in Barcelona. Once again, Billboard magazine awarded them the award for Best Rock/Pop Album of the Year.

When Angels Cry (1995)

Eager to return to their original line-up as a quartet, Maná has the third and final lineup change. The band auditions more than 80 guitarists from Mexico, Argentina, Chile and the United States, until finally in Aguascalientes, Mexico, they find the talent they were looking for in Sergio Vallín, whose sensitivity, technique and versatility come to give a different luster to the sound of the guitars in the band's productions. With this new formation and with demos made in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, they record and edit the album Cuando los ángeles lloran (1995) between Los Angeles and Puerto Vallarta. This production, released three years after Where will the children play? It is distinguished by a notable evolution in the lyrics and the sound of the group. The singles “Let me in”, “It hasn't stopped raining” and “Como un perro” were not only a hit on the radio, but the corresponding videos were heavily rotated on music channels and won various awards for their quality..

The album allowed them a first nomination for the American Grammy Award, the most important in the recording industry.

With the banner of a new album, the group began its new tour on May 12, 1995, with a total of 52 concerts held in 13 countries, this in a period of less than five months, which showed the phenomenon that by that time it already meant Manna.

During their visit to Spain that same year, the group performed at the Las Ventas Bullring together with Revólver and La Unión, where the audience welcomed the band with open arms. The tour When Angels Cry meant absolute sellouts for the group in every square they visited.

Other achievements were the inclusion of Maná in the Montreaux jazz festival and the Midem conference, which took place in Switzerland and France, respectively, something never before achieved. They also participated with a theme in the film My Family, at the request of director Francis Ford Coppola.

Maná has expressed interest in the problems that the planet is facing in terms of ecology, which is why in September 1995 they created the Selva Negra Ecological Foundation, with the aim of raising awareness on the subject. (www.selvanegra.org.mx)

In mid-April 1996, the group continued an extensive and long-awaited tour throughout Mexico.

During the second half of 1996 the band ventured on a 17-show sold-out tour in Boston, San Diego, Washington DC, Santa Barbara, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, Sacramento, Miami, San Jose, Phoenix, San Bernardino, Tucson, Anaheim and Las Vegas. This tour earned them important articles in prestigious magazines such as Rolling Stone, Time, Details, People Magazine, Newsweek and Pollstar.

On September 7, 1996 the band performs two sold-out nights at the James Knight Center in Miami, a feat never before achieved by a Latin pop rock band. The production earned the group the Billboard Award for Best Latin Rock/Pop Album, which set a record of 6 Billboard Awards received in a 3-year period.

After their presentations in the United States, the band returns to Mexico, where they give 2 successful concerts in the Plaza de Toros of their native Guadalajara. During their stay in that city, the band gave a press conference to announce the launch of their website; While the conference was taking place, the site received 6,000 entries, an astonishing figure considering the time.

In March 1997, the American magazine specialized in drummers and the industry of this instrument, Modern Drummer, published an article about Álex González, in which he points out Maná as a complete success within Latin pop rock in the United States, on par with recognizing Álex as one of the best drummers in the world within the genre. Eleven years later, in March 2008, Álex appears in the magazine again, but this time in an extensive interview.

Liquid Dreams (1997)

Juan, bassist of the group.

After a favorable experience of their previous recording in Puerto Vallarta, a very important place in Maná's creative atlas, the group decides to return to make demos and record their next production. Thus, with the ambition of creating music in an environment where water, a vital element like few others, had a forceful presence, Maná rented a beautiful house overlooking Bahía de Banderas, in Conchas Chinas, and they recorded the album Sueños líquidos in 1997.

Countless sunsets in front of the ocean were the ideal setting to conceive Sueños Líquidos, an album also produced by Fher and Álex, in collaboration with Benny Faccone. The result was an energetic mix of rock, pop and Latin rhythms ranging from bosanova to flamenco, passing through the Caribbean cadence of reggae. Important singles such as "En el Muelle de San Blas", "Hechicera", "Nailed in a bar" and "Como dueles en las labios" come from this production.

The album was released in October 1997 and was released simultaneously in 36 countries; debuted in first place on the Billboard Hot Latin 50 Chart.

The production was also strong in the United States and Maná became the first Spanish-language rock band to perform on El Show de Kathie Lee & Regis, the leading audience broadcast on American television.

On January 30, 1998, the band began their most ambitious tour, Sueños Líquidos World Tour in Chile, to later visit Uruguay and Mexico. After a 4-week hiatus due to the fact that the drummer, Álex González, was diagnosed with hepatitis A, the group resumed the tour of their native Mexico, where they offered 44 concerts.

Among the presentations that stand out on the Sueños Líquidos Tour 98 tour are those from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Chile, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Other of the most important performances are the concerts at the National Auditorium, a venue where Maná broke a record, since it was the first time that a band of this genre performed seven consecutive times on this stage.

Of vital importance for Maná's career was being the first Spanish-language rock band signed by the Creative Artist Agency (CAA), with which Maná joined the important list of those represented that included Bon Jovi, AC/ DC, Alanis Morissette, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Depeche Mode, Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan, George Michael, among others.

His first tour with CAA began on August 21, 1998 in Los Angeles and covered more than 30 cities with a total of 36 concerts in arenas and amphitheatres, most of them sold out. Important performances took place at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles and at the Rosemont Horizon Arena, where they broke records by being the first Latino pop rock group to sell out.

This tour was the largest by a Latin pop rock group in the United States.

The band is nominated for the sixth consecutive time for the awards given by Billboard magazine for Sueños Líquidos, within the Best Pop Rock Album of the Year category, taking the coveted award.

In December 1998, Maná was nominated for the second time at the American Grammy Awards in the category Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Sueños Líquidos, an award they won on February 24, 1999. This is the first Grammy awarded to a Mexican pop rock band.

Also in December 1998, Fher received an invitation from Carlos Santana to participate in his new record material. Fher composes ¨Corazón espinado¨, a theme with which borders are opened for Latin music, after placing this single in the first places in European, Asian, and American countries. The recording was made in the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco (California), where a great friendship between the two musicians was born.

As a result of this collaboration, Álex and Fher received the Grammy Award as producers and writers of said song, in addition to touring the United States and Mexico with Santana. The group shared arenas, auditoriums and stadiums in the United States with Carlos Santana, in an extensive tour that would begin on July 29, 1999 in the city of Houston, Texas, followed by several presentations in different cities of that state, to continue in Phoenix., Tucson, San Diego, Anaheim, Mountain View, Concord, Sacramento, Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Boise, and Denver. The Ozomatli group would open the concerts, followed by Maná and Carlos Santana, alternating the order of these in each of their presentations. Historic concerts are held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, where the group performs four sold-out performances.

The combination of Maná and Carlos Santana undoubtedly left its mark on the Spanish-language rock market, as one of the biggest events in the history of the genre in the United States. In total, Maná and Santana had made 43 presentations throughout the United States, Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey by the end of the tour in December 1999.

MTV "Unplugged" (1999)

The MTV video chain had been asking Maná for several years to participate in the Unplugged recording series, without the band having been able to agree to the request due to the commitments previously acquired in their recordings and extensive concert tours.

Finally, the conditions were met to carry out this project, so on March 9, 1999 the band recorded Maná Unplugged in Miami before an intimate audience of 70 lucky fans. In said material the group includes hits from their repertoire plus 3 acoustic versions; It also contains the musical interlude ¨Coladito¨, a percussion duel between Álex González and the guest musician Luis Conte, where the skill of both performers can be appreciated.

On June 22, 1999, the material was released for sale simultaneously throughout the American continent, reaching first place in sales in the TOP 50 Latino chart of Billboard magazine, with which the band repeats the feat of being the only Latin rock group to achieve it. Until now, this album continues to be one of the best sellers for the television network, in addition to being the first Latin artist to release material of this type (CD/DVD).

The first single that came out of this production, an original song by Juan Gabriel, “Se me olvidó otra vez” remained for more than 5 consecutive weeks in the first place on the radio charts in much of Mexico and Latin America. “Te solté la rienda” by composer José Alfredo Jiménez was another hit single from this recording.

At the beginning of January 2000, Maná received the news of their nomination for the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Pop Album for their album MTV Unplugged, this was the third time in a row that the group had been nominated for such famous awards.

The band with a lot of desire to play starts a tour of South America and the Caribbean on March 17, 2000, visiting countries like Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Uruguay, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic; the presentations in the Argentine capital achieved impressive success and expectation, after offering a concert at the Ferro Stadium in Buenos Aires just a few weeks after having performed 2 previous concerts at Luna Park in the same city; the same thing happened at the Santa Laura Stadium, in Santiago de Chile. The rest of the tour was sold out in all the places where Maná performed.

In mid-April in the city of Miami, the Billboard Latin Music Awards were held, in which Maná received 2 important awards, the first for Best Latin Pop Rock Album for his production MTV Unplugged, and the second prize for the Selva Negra Ecological Foundation, called Spirit of Hope, which is awarded only to those artists who have stood out for carrying out altruistic actions in favor of the environment and human rights.

On these same dates, the group receives recognition that is given to them for the first time, the award granted by the largest video and music rental and sales chain in the United States, the BlockBuster Award for Best Latino Artist.

In June, Maná begins its tour, called Tourriata, through Spain, visiting cities such as: Buenavista del Norte (Tenerife), Pamplona, Zaragoza, Toledo, Santiago, Burgos, Palencia, Zamora, Barcelona, Madrid, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Gijón, La Coruña, Elche, San Javier (Murcia), Valencia, Seville, San Fernando and Málaga.

It is worth mentioning that in the Spanish capital, the two dates in the Las Ventas bullring were sold out, which was a difficult feat even for artists of Spanish origin, and an achievement never before achieved by a band or artist Latin. In the rest of the tour that they carried out throughout the Iberian Peninsula, they also achieved total sales.

In September, the group attended the first Latin Grammy Awards, where together with Carlos Santana they performed the song "Corazón espinado", this being one of the most memorable moments of the night. In said ceremony, Maná was the winner of 3 Grammys for his participation in the guitarist's album.

During his stay in the city of Los Angeles, Maná is invited to perform the song “Corazón Espinado” alongside Carlos Santana on the number 1 talk show in the United States “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, who recognized Maná as the most important Latin pop rock group.

The band does not stop and releases the compilation titled Grandes Maná, whose edition was only made for Europe and Scandinavia; A few weeks after it went on sale, it occupied the top positions on the radio, mainly in the Italian Peninsula with the song “En el Muelle de San Blas”. With this event, Maná visited Italy for the first time in November 2001, on a promotional tour in which they held a showcase in Milan for the media, personalities and the general public. Italy adopted Maná, the language barrier is broken and they enter directly to the first places of the radio, appearing on the front pages of the Italian national press.

Love Revolution (2002)

Sergio, group guitarist.

At the beginning of 2002 the band locked up to compose and make demos for what would be their next studio album five years after the release of Sueños líquidos. They release Revolución de amor on August 20, 2002, an album that shows the band's search for mixing its essence with the rock sound of the sixties and seventies, as well as other fusions of Latin music. The result was a collection of fully energetic recordings, with a sound that favors that of guitars but that does not renounce search and fusion.

This, his sixth studio album, was recorded entirely in Los Angeles between February and May 2002 and included the participation of Carlos Santana and his guitar on the song “Justicia, Tierra y Libertad”, as well as that of Rubén Blades in “Sábanas frías”. It should be noted that the guitarist of the group, Sergio Vallín, participated singing the song "Why are you leaving?", Dedicated to his parents.

Revolución de amor reached first place in sales in Spain, Latin America and the United States for five consecutive weeks. It had the most outstanding singles "Ángel de amor", "Eres mi religión" and "Mariposa treachera".

Thanks to the success obtained in Italy, the singer Zucchero invites them to participate in the song “Baila morena”, a duet that is a success both in America and in Europe. Maná returns the singer's gesture by inviting him to participate in the song "You are my religion" but now in Italian, which was later included in a special edition of the album Revolución de Amor released in Europe.

On September 29, 2002, Maná embarked on a new two-year tour that would take them to the international market like never before. The tour took the group not only to cities in the United States, Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, but also to to new places like Rome, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Eifel, Nuremberg, Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The band's first foray into the difficult Brazilian market was sold out; the same happened in their presentations in Italy, France and Germany where they reached a place among the 30 best albums in terms of sales. In total, the group performed more than 100 concerts in 24 countries.

During their stay in Europe, the band participated in the special Pavarotti & Friends alongside Zucchero, where they performed with stars such as Bono, Eric Clapton, Lionel Ritchie, Queen, Deep Purple, Ricky Martin and Andrea Bocelli. Maná receives two nominations at the 4th Latin Grammy Awards that were held in Miami on September 3, 2003, in the categories of Best Recording Engineering for an Album and Best Rock Album by a Duo or Group, taking this last prize.

Essentials (2003)

On November 18, 2003 the group, tired of so many years of work, decides to take a sabbatical year and they take the opportunity to launch the Essential compilations in three versions: Sol, Luna and Eclipse, which include their most successful songs and other collaborations of the band, such as the version of “Fool in the rain”, an original song by Led Zeppelin included in the Encomium tribute to the legendary English group and where Maná was the only invited Latino artist. Also on the compilation is the unpublished song “I will take you to heaven”, a song that became a success, quickly reaching the top spots on radio and television.

As a way of thanking their followers, they decided to put on sale on December 12, 2004 the DVD called Acceso Total, which includes images of the Revolución de Amor Tour (2002-2003) plus scenes never seen before in dressing rooms, allowing fans to have 'full access' to the Maná experience on tour.

To love is to fight (2006)

Juan, Sergio and Fher in concert.

Almost 5 years had passed since the band's last studio album, Revolución de amor, so there were already rumors and speculations about the group's separation. What nobody knew was that after his sabbatical year and since the beginning of 2005, Maná got together to start composing his seventh studio album, Amar es combatar.

In February 2006 the band decided to travel to Miami, a city embraced by the tropical environment and with a Latin essence that is breathed in the air, an ideal communion to inspire the recording of this CD in which the band carried out a fusion of rock, pop, latin music, reggae, even drum and bass. Produced by Fher and Álex, like their previous albums, Amar es combatar was released on August 22, 2006 and is released in 40 countries around the world, reaching number 4 in the Top 200 Albums of Billboard magazine. in the United States, a record only achieved for a production entirely in Spanish by the album Fijación oral vol. 1 for Shakira.

His first single, “Labios compartidos”, remains at the top of the Latin radio charts for eight consecutive weeks and is named among the most recognized Latin media in the United States as one of the most listened to and awarded songs of 2006.

The singles that followed, “Bendita tu luz” (a duet with Juan Luis Guerra), “Send a signal” and “I wish I could erase you” also reached the top of the popularity charts, which was an achievement to highlight since it became increasingly rare for more than 3 singles to become a success from a musical production by an artist or group, given the complicated situation that the music industry was already beginning to experience on the planet with the increase in unauthorized CD and/or DVD reproductions (pirated reproductions) and unauthorized downloads over the Internet. A fifth single would be added as the band's hit on this album, "The Shark King".

In November 2006, the group participated in the 7th edition of the Latin Grammy Awards, where in addition to performing together with Juan Luis Guerra with an excellent interpretation of their hits, which earned them a hearty ovation from the attendees to the event and which was one of the climax moments of the evening, receive a tribute for their artistic career and achievements in music.

In February 2007, and after receiving 5 nominations for the Latin Billboard Awards, 4 nominations for the Lo Nuestro Awards, and one for the American Grammy for Best Alternative or Urban Rock Album, Maná began his Amar es Combatir Tour, with the largest production the group has had so far (more than 60 tons of equipment), which would lead them to give 116 concerts over a period of a year and a half.

Maná's concerts in the United States and Puerto Rico included concerts in cities such as San Diego, Los Angeles, Laredo, Houston, Corpus Christi, Miami, Orlando, New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta and San Juan de Puerto Rico. Maná becomes the first Spanish-language pop rock band to fill Madison Square Garden in New York for three nights (two in a row). His four consecutive sold-out concerts at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, three at the AmericanAirlines Arena, three more at the Toyota Center in Houston and four sold-out concerts at the José M. Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico also stand out. In addition to meeting in Washington with US Senator Hillary Clinton to share opinions on the environment and migration, Maná receives recognition for the more than 450,000 downloads of his ringtone “Lips shared”.

Her tour of Latin America included concerts in Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and the Dominican Republic. The group played in large venues, of which the group's concerts in Argentina stand out: three presentations at the Vélez Stadium in Buenos Aires as well as at the Chateau Carrera Stadium in Córdoba, the Central Stadium in Rosario and the Malvinas Stadium in Mendoza. Other highly relevant presentations were: Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asunción, Army Stadium in Guatemala, Magic Stadium in San Salvador, Managua Soccer Stadium, Caracas Olympic Stadium, Simón Bolívar Park in Bogotá, Alberto Spencer Stadium in Guayaquil, Atahualpa Olympic Stadium in Quito, Alejandro Serrano Aguilar Stadium in Cuenca, Credicard Hall in Sao Paulo, Citibank Hall in Rio de Janeiro, Gigantinho Stadium in Porto Alegre and Quisquella Stadium in Santo Domingo.

During June and July of 2007 they took their tour to Spain, where they broke records by positioning themselves as the Latino artist with the greatest number of calls in the country, by selling out all the seats for their concerts in 15 cities: Zaragoza, Pamplona, Bilbao, Gijón, Santiago de Compostela, León, Barcelona, Madrid, Murcia, Alicante, Albacete, Málaga, Seville, Las Palmas and Tenerife.

Notable is the group's nomination at the World Music Awards, held in Monaco. This award is given according to the sales that an artist achieves during a year and where Maná shared the stage with artists such as Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Rihanna and Patty Labelle, among others.

Among the most outstanding awards that the band won for this production is an American Grammy in the category of Best Alternative or Urban Rock Album, 3 Lo Nuestro awards for Rock Album of the Year, Rock Artist of the Year and Rock Song of the year; 2 Billboard Latinos for Alternative Rock Album of the Year and Pop Airplay Song of the Year for Duo or Group.

The sky is on fire (2008)

The impressive response that the Amar es Combatir Tour had was an amazing experience for the band, so they decided to capture it in a recording with which their followers could remember and relive those moments. Thus, the band decides to record two of their four performances at the José M. Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico in March 2007.

On April 29 of the same year, Maná presented in Los Angeles the CD/DVD called Arde el cielo, which was recorded during the Amar es Combatir Tour.

The material contains 12 live songs that represent and review the history of Maná, from “Rayando el sol” to “Labios compartidos”, going through “El rey” and well-known songs such as “En el muelle de San Blas&# 3. 4; or “Vivir sin aire”, as well as two unpublished songs recorded in the studio. The first of these unpublished songs is & # 34; If you had not gone & # 34;, a song by Marco Antonio Solís already covered by other artists but in which Maná knew how to put his peculiar stamp. The second previously unreleased track on the CD is "Arde el cielo" a song composed by Fher and produced together with Álex González. Both songs would be hits in 2008.

The Latin Billboard Awards recognized this production by awarding the group 4 awards in the categories of Song Of The Year by Group or Duo and Pop Airplay Song of the Year for “Si no te habiaras ido”, Pop Album of the Year by Group or Duo and Alternative rock album of the year for Arde el Cielo.

Concert in Rock in Rio Madrid 2012.

Drama and Light (2011)

Drama and Light represents a milestone in Maná's artistic career. It is an album created for more than 1000 days with their respective thousand and one nights.

The project began to take shape in June 2008 and culminated in early April 2011. During those 34 months, more than forty songs were composed, arranged and demo recorded. Only a rigorous selection of thirteen saw the light.

The process of gestation and recording of Drama y Luz has allowed an amazing conjunction of talents in fortunate circumstances. From the demos to the definitive tracks, Drama y Luz has been cooked without haste in prestigious recording studios such as Energy, Ocean Studios, Conway Studios, Ocean Way and Jim Henson's studios in Los Angeles or The Hit Factory in the city of Miami.. It brings together Benny Facconne and Thom Russo for the first time on the same album, two renowned sound engineers who have been decisive in Maná's discography.

In addition to the band, session musicians, and special guests, Drama y Luz features a 32-piece brass and string orchestra conducted and arranged by Suzie Katayama, master cello and bassist. accordion player and who has collaborated with artists such as Joe Cocker, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Portishead or Limp Bizkit, among many others.

Special guests also include percussionist Luis Conte (Poncho Sánchez, Natalie Cole, Julian Lennon, Sergio Mendes and Roger Waters, among others) and Tommy Morgan, a true harmonica virtuoso who has collaborated with artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Roy Orbison or Carpenters.

Drama y Luz's first single is “Lluvia al corazón”, a song that carries a message of hope in the face of the dark clouds of an uncertain future due to living on a half-dead planet. In the middle of a sore sea, the rain falls and washes the wounds, taking the suffering with it. Hope is our right and sometimes our last resort. That is what "Rain to the Heart" is about, a song that speaks of hope at a time when humanity should not lose faith.

The second single is “Amor Clandestino” a song that became another new hit for Maná. The third single called "True Love Forgives" is another hit that already plays on the radio but in its version with Prince Royce, which reached first places in Latin songs and Latin pop songs. His fourth and last single from this Drama y Luz production is called "Mi reina del dolor", a song that is not as well known as the previous singles but that little by little has been rising to fame for its great rhythm, guitars and drums.

Exiles in the Bay (2012)

Exiliados en la Bahía is a compilation that went on sale on August 28, 2012, which includes the successes that the band has had throughout its more than 20-year artistic career., has two live songs, Lluvia al corazón and El verdad amor perdona that were recorded in the Drama and Light World Tour in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first single is Hasta que te conocí, a version by Juan Gabriel. It also contains an unpublished song, "A new dawn".

Bed on Fire (2015)

This is the ninth studio album (and eleventh overall) by the band. It was released on April 21, 2015. The first single was Mi verdad, which features the collaboration of the Colombian singer Shakira, the second single was La prisión, a theme of which on July 24, 2015, an electronic version came out with the American DJ Steve Aoki, completely breaking with the musical schemes that the band had accustomed us to. The third single from the album is the song Ironía, whose official video was released on October 12.

Members

Members and additional band from Maná in 2012.

Formation of Green Hat (1981-1986)

Main Members

• Fernando Olvera "Fher": main voice, acoustic guitar and electric guitar
• Gustavo Orozco: electric guitar
• Juan Calleros: under electric and under acoustics
• Ulysses Calleros: electric guitar, choirs
• Abraham Calleros: drum, percussion

Additional staff

• Adolf Days: Saxon
• Raúl Garduño: Teclados
• Memo Espinoza: Trumpet
• José Villar: Trompeta
• Jonathan Raúl (Manos): Composer of the new era
• Juan Carlos Toribio (teacher, arranger, composer)

Mana Formations (since 1987)

Current lineup

• Fernando Olvera "Fher": Voice, guitar and harmonic (1981 - present)
• Juan Calleros: Bajo (1981 - present)
• Sergio Vallín: Electric guitar, choirs (1995 - present)
• Álex "El Animal" González: drum, voice, choirs, percussions (1984 - present)

Former Members

• Ulysses Calleros: Electric Guitar (1981-1992)
• Abraham Calleros: Battery (1981-1984)
• Gustavo Orozco: Electric guitar (1981-1986)
• César López "Vampiro": Electric Guitar (1992-1994)
• Ivan González: Teclados (1990-1994)

Timeline

Collaborations

• Luis Conte, percussions (MTV Unplugged Y Drama y luz 1999).
• Fernando Vallín, 2.a guitar and choirs since 1999 Revolution of Love to the present.
• Héctor Quintana, choirs and percussion (2007 at present).
• Álex Lora, Voz (Love Love).
• Juan Luis Guerra, Voz (Amar is Combating).
• Juan Carlos Toribio, Teclados y Flauta transvender (Maná en vivo al presente).
• Carlos Santana, Guitar (Revolution of Love).
• Zucchero, Voz, (Deluxe Love Revolution).
• Rubén Blades, Voice, Revolution of Love.
• Prince Royce, true love forgives (2011, Drama and light).
• Aaron Alberto Barrios - Guitar/Coros invited to the group (2012).
• Sheila Rios, Coros 1994 to 2013.
• Shakira, Voz (Cama Incendiada).
• Steve Aoki, Remezcla (Remix Prison) (Incendiated Walk).
• Nicky Jam, Head-to-head Voice.
• Pablo Alborán, Voice Rayando El Sol 2019.
• Joy Huerta de Jesse & Joy, Voice You are my Religion 2021.

Black Forest Foundation

Maná established the Selva Negra Foundation in 1995 under the direction of Mari González and Augusto Benavides to finance and support important projects aimed at protecting the environment. He also received support from the Mexican government in his efforts to save the sea turtle, raising and caring for 140,000 turtle eggs for release on the country's Pacific coast. On April 7, 2008, Maná and the Selva Negra Foundation were named "Champions of Health" by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), during the celebration of World Health Day in 2008 in PAHO headquarters in Washington.

Political positions

On March 29, 2007, Channel 4 of Puerto Rico (WAPA) reported that the members of Maná expressed their public support for the cause of Puerto Rican independence. After announcing said news, Channel 4 (WAPA) broadcast an interview through which Maná confirmed what was previously reported, when being interviewed by Puerto Rican journalist Rafael Lenín López. Namely, through the images transmitted, it is seen when a member of Maná supported —on behalf of all the members of the musical group— the ideal of independence for Puerto Rico.

In April 2007, the group's vocalist, Fher Olvera, stressed that Maná is neither for nor against the decriminalization of abortion, highlighting, however, the delay in sex education in Mexico and affirming that & #34;the church has always refused contraceptive and sex ed initiatives,"so it was "time to give conservatives a big slap in the face to get them to work on sex ed". Said statements were considered by some media outlets as "praises for the decriminalization of abortion" in Mexico. However, the musical group considered it outrageous that the controversy divided the Mexican population, assuring that before falling into that solution there should be a culture of prevention with better sexual education and access to contraceptives.

The song "When Angels Cry" It is dedicated to Chico Mendes, a humble rubber tapper from Brazil who has become an international bulwark in defense of the environment (thus initiating the band's environmental stance) and, especially, from the Amazon, who was assassinated in 1988.

The song "La Sirena#34; talks about Cubans who risked their lives at sea to escape to the United States from the then Fidel Castro regime on the island.

Fher Olvera, lead singer of the group, said in an interview "The boycott of Sanz is a dictatorship," referring to the impediment from singing that the Bolivarian government of Venezuela put Alejandro Sanz in this country during one of his tours, when expressing his position of rejection of said government.

FAO Goodwill Ambassador

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) leads international efforts to eradicate hunger. FAO was founded on October 16, 1945 in Quebec City, Canada. The FAO Goodwill Ambassador program began in 1999. On October 16, 2003, the Maná group was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Discography

Studio albums like Green Hat

• 1981: Green hat
• 1983: At rock time

Studio albums like Maná

• 1987: Mana
• 1990: Love.
• 1992: Where will the children play?
• 1995: When angels cry
• 1997: Liquid dreams
• 2002: Revolution of Love
• 2006: Love is fighting
• 2011: Drama and light
• 2015: Burnt bed

Live Albums

• 1994: Mana Live
• 1999: Maná MTV Unplugged
• 2001: United for Peace (only for Mexico)
• 2008: Arde Heaven

Compilations

• 2000: All Great Successes
• 2001: Great
• 2001: Early Combinations (Album shared with Los Enanitos Verdes de Argentina, with 5 great successes of each band)
• 2002: Remixes (Mexico only)
• 2003: Essential
• 2007: Chronicles: Mana
• 2012: exiles in the bay
• 2013: Você é Minha Religião (Edition in Portuguese)

Disk Set

• 2001: The Essential of Manna
• 2002: 100% Mana
• 2013: Studio Albums 1990-2011

Simple

Music tours

• 1990-1991: Tour missing love
• 1993-1994: Where will the children play? Tour
• 1995-1996: Tour When angels cry
• 1998: Liquid Tour
• 1999: Unplugged U.S. Tour
• 2002–2003: Amor Tour Revolution
• 2007–2008: Love is Combat Tour
• 2011-2014: Drama and light World Tour
• 2015-2016: Burning bed tour
• 2016-2017: Latino Power Tour
• 2019-2020: Rayando el sol Tour
• 2022: residence
• 2022: Mexico cute and dear Tour