Los Fugitivos

Los Fugitivos ruled the onda grupera landscape throughout the 1990s thanks to their keyboard-driven Cumbias and light pop aesthetic. Jaime and Edi Espinoza, two brothers, launched the group under the name Grupo Kariño in 1985. The arrival of singer and keyboardist Roberto Nieto in 1991 prompted a rechristening as los Fugitivos. Early success arrived via cover versions, among them the Spanish-language adaptation of Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting” titled “Esperando Por Ti.” Another 1993 single, Jose Luis Perales’ “La Loca,” also performed strongly and placed the band on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Their 1998 album Secretos yielded a further hit with the Roberto Carlos composition “Pajaro Herido.” Hekar Rivero stepped in for Nieto the following year, coinciding with the group’s departure from PolyGram for a new contract with Sony Discos, which promptly released Mi Última Tentación.