Banda Carnaval

Banda Carnaval are a regional Mexican band from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, whose teen-oriented banda style is heavy on cumbias and romanticas. Founded in 2001 by executive producer Jesús Tirado Castañeda, the band has well over a dozen members, most notably teen heartthrob Rafael Becerra (aka Rafa) on lead vocals. Banda Carnaval made their full-length album debut with Entre Suspiro y Suspiro (2001). Later albums such as Aqui Estamos (2009), El Número 1 (2011), and Maximo Nivel (2012) spun off a multitude of hit singles, among them "Pídeme," "Olvidarte No Será Sencillo," and "El Mentiroso."

The following year, the album Las Vueltas de la Vida landed two singles, "Y Te Vas" and "La Doble Cara," at the top of various airplay charts in Mexico and the United States. The first of two sets issued in 2013, it was followed in October by Puros Corridos, which boasted the charting single "El Magnate." The group also played the 14th Annual Latin Grammys show. In 2014, "El Que Se Enamora Pierde" placed high on airplay charts, and the title track from La Historia de Mis Manos placed in the top spot on the Mexican Regional Songs chart, remaining there for several weeks. Banda Carnaval's 2015 album, Hombre de Trabajo, entered Billboard's Mexican Albums chart at number three.

The various-artists compilation Las Bandas Romanticas de America 2016 featured "El Que Se Enamora Pierde" as the group's contribution. The track had staying power on both streaming and download charts. It was also featured as the lead single from their own compilation, Las Bandas Romanticas, issued in April. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi