LU

In 1996 the Mexican pop/rock duo Lu was assembled by vocalist Paty Cantu and guitarist/vocalist Mario Sandoval, both natives of Guadalajara. Sandoval’s childhood unfolded in a household steeped in music, with his father active as a guitarist and singer. He learned guitar and piano on his own during adolescence, played in several rock bands, and began writing original material. Cantu studied guitar and bass before concentrating exclusively on voice. While still in school, the two performed together in a group and quickly realized their shared tastes and strong musical rapport. They chose the name Lu, taken from the opening letters of the Spanish word for “moon.” In 1999 Cantu and Sandoval submitted a demo of one of Sandoval’s compositions to Warner Music Mexico. The label responded to the power of Cantu’s voice and the originality of Sandoval’s songwriting. Their debut album, Lu, appeared in 2003. Its standout track, “Por Besarte,” became the theme for the telenovela Rebelde and reached number ten on Billboard’s Latin pop chart. The follow-up single “Una Confusion” brought the duo widespread attention throughout Mexico and Latin America. Album followed in 2006. Sales and visibility have kept rising, with radio successes such as “La Vida Despues de Ti” establishing Lu as a favorite among Latin American youth.