María Fernanda Arozqueta Chahin (born 16 January 1989 in Mexico City, Mexico), known professionally as Fernanda Arozqueta is a Mexican singer and actress and member of the Mexican pop group, "La Nueva Banda Timbiriche".

Fernanda Arozqueta
Birth nameMaría Fernanda Arozqueta Chahin
Born (1989-01-16) January 16, 1989 (age 35)
Mexico City, Mexico
OriginMexico City, Mexico
Occupation(s)Singer, actress, TV hostess
Instrument(s)vocals, piano
Years active2007–present
LabelsEMI Televisa

Early life edit

Fernanda Arozqueta was born and raised in Mexico City. She is the oldest of 3 sisters. Her parents divorced during her childhood. She started singing as a child and participated in dance competitions for ballet, flamenco, and modern dance.She is of Lebanese descent on her father's side and Syrian descent on her mother's side. Her paternal grandparents settled in Mexico after arriving from Lebanon. Her maternal grandmother sailed to Mexico from Syria at age 14. [1][2]

Music career edit

La Nueva Banda Timbiriche (2007–2009) and relaunch (2023-present) edit

When she was 18 years old, she began her music career as a contestant on the Mexican reality television program, Buscando a Timbiriche, La Nueva Banda in 2007. Televisa held auditions throughout Mexico to find members for an updated line-up of the iconic singing group, Timbiriche. The show premiered on Canal de las Estrellas on June 24, 2007. Arozqueta was one of 30 finalists chosen from across Mexico. The competition aired live each week in Mexico and concluded after four months. The contestants trained with vocal coaches and dance teachers while living together in a house. She earned a place in the group's lineup along with six other contestants.[3]

Arozqueta was one of the lead vocalists in "La Nueva Banda Timbriche". The band released their first single, Tú, Tú, Tú on October 25, 2007. The single landed in the top 10 radio charts in Mexico. Their debut self-titled album was released on November 25, 2007 in Mexico. It was released on February 12, 2009 in the U.S. The album debuted at number 49 on the top Mexican album charts and eventually peaked at #18.[4] In February 2008, the album was certified gold in Mexico for more than 50,000 sales. The group toured extensively throughout Mexico and Latin America in 2008 and 2009. They were the opening act at 20 shows for the US leg of RBD's Empezar desde Cero tour in 2008. In 2008, their third single, Solo Tú, was chosen as the theme song for the Mexican telenovela, Cuidado con el ángel, starring Maite Perroni and William Levy. The band filmed a special appearance on an episode of the popular telenovela, En Nombre Del Amor in 2008.[5] Production on their sophomore album began in early 2009, but it was never released. In June 2009, the group announced their separation at a concert in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico due to some of the members' separate projects outside of the band.[6]

In 2023, she rejoined La Nueva Banda Timbiriche and embarked on a multi-city tour of Mexico for the El Pop 2000's tour. The tour included popular telenovela actors and performers who first gained notoriety in Mexico in the 2000s. The tour's initial success led to a second leg of shows in Mexico for 2024. The tour was the first time she had performed in over a decade with the band.[7]

Fridas (2011–2014) edit

In 2011, Arozqeuta formed Fridas, an electro-pop singing duo with her friend and fellow Centro de Educación Artística classmate, Denisse Gares Aragón. The duo performed at various showcases and clubs in Mexico City in late 2011 to early 2012. They started recording their debut album in 2012. Their first and only single, Pruébame was released on November 5, 2012 for iTunes in Mexico. A music video was filmed in November 2012 and premiered exclusively on Telehit in December 2012. To promote the single, they performed at radio festivals and México Suena, a televised concert, featuring popular Mexican performers in 2013. They performed an acoustic set featuring songs from their debut album for fans on Lunadas, a music program for Televisa on March 6, 2013. Their music was also featured on the television shows, Como dice el dicho and Gossip Girl: Acapulco. Their untitled debut album was recorded in Mexico City and completed in November 2012. It consisted of songs composed by Arozqueta, Aragón, and some of their producers. The proposed album was to include 10 Spanish songs and 1 English-language cover of "Pruébame". An album title nor release date was never given and the album was never released. Gares later formed another singing duo without Arozqueta and appeared as a contestant on the music reality competition, La Voz... México in late 2014. The duo split up for unknown reasons in 2014.[8][9][10][11]

Acting career edit

Early career edit

Following La Nueva Banda Timbiriche's disbandment in June 2009, Arozqueta was accepted into Centro de Educación Artística, the acting school run by media giant, Televisa, in Mexico City. For three years, she studied voice, acting, and dance and performed in various school plays. She graduated from CEA in 2011. During her time at CEA, she acted in small roles on television programs such as Esperanza del corazón and Cachito de Cielo from 2010 to 2011. In 2013, she auditioned for and earned a spot as one of four co-hosts on "P.M.", a late night pop-cultured oriented television show produced by Televisa. The show targeted a young adult audience using various social media platforms. The program premiered on Canal 5 on September 2, 2013. It aired weeknights from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. in Mexico.[12][13][14][15]

2014 to present edit

In February 2014, she auditioned for a recurring role in El color de la pasión, Televisa's newest telenovela. In March, she was confirmed as a cast member, playing the younger version of one of telenovela's main characters, "Brígida". The telenovela premiered on Canal de las Estrellas on March 17, 2014.[16][17][18] She also appeared in the second and third seasons of the musical, Vaselina (Grease in English) from January to July 2014, replacing actress Geraldine Galván, who played "Chiquis" in the play's first season. The play toured multiple cities in Mexico including Guadalajara and Puebla. Its third season ended in July 2014.[19][20]

In early July 2014, she began filming Hostel D.F., an exclusive web mini-series produced jointly in Mexico and with the Colombian production company, "Mimosa TV". The series filmed in Mexico City. Its first episode premiered on August 3, 2014 on "Mimosatv.com".[21][22] In late March 2015, she was confirmed as a cast member for the telenovela, Amor de barrio, and portrayed "Dora Luz" on the program.[23] She also joined the cast of ¡Sábados de foro! where she serves as a co-hostess on the news-related program for FORO TV in Mexico.[24]

In January 2016, she began filming the television drama, Yago, in Mexico City. The series premiered on May 2, 2016 on Univision in the U.S.[25]

Personal Life edit

In a 2022 interview, she revealed that realized she was gay at age 14.[26] She was raised in a traditional Catholic household. During breaks in her acting career, she opened a marketing agency and worked with various Mexican companies due to her interest in psychology.[26] She resides in Mexico City.

Filmography edit

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2007 Buscando a Timbiriche, La Nueva Banda Contestant Reality show (Winner/Joined group)
2008 En nombre del amor Herself Musical guest with La Nueva Banda Timbiriche
2011-2018 Como dice el dicho Julieta / Vanessa "Nada mejor en la vida" (Season 1, Episode 37)
"El que esté libre de culpa" (Season 2, Episode 7)
"A grandes males" (Season 3, Episode 1)
2011-2012 Esperanza del corazón Alejandra Telenovela
2012 La rosa de Guadalupe Episode: "Una segunda oportunidad de amar"
Miss XV Doris Gascón Television series
2013-14 P.M. Co-host News/entertainment show
2014 Hostal D.F. Re Web series
El color de la pasión Brígida de Zuñiga (young) Telenovela (Episodes 1-5)
2015 ¡Sábados de foro! Co-host Morning news program
Amor de barrio Dora Luz Márquez Lopezreina / Dora Luz Cruz Lopezreina Telenovela
2016 Yago Alejandra Television series
2019 La Bandida Valentina (joven) Television series (14 episodes)
2021 Esta historia me suena Melina Television series (1 episode)

Theatre edit

Year Production Role
2014 Vaselina Chiquais (Seasons 2 & 3)
2014 En brazos de otra

Discography edit

Studio Album edit

With "La Nueva Banda Timbiriche"

Year Album details Peak chart positions
MEX US
2007 La Nueva Banda Timbiriche
  • Released: November 25, 2007 (Mexico)
  • Released: February 12, 2008 (United States)
  • Label: EMI Televisa
  • Formats: Physical and digital
18[27]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or not released to that country

Singles edit

"With "La Nueva Banda Timbiriche"

Year Single
2007 "Tú, tú, tú
2008 "Aunque digas"
"Solo tú"

With "Fridas"

Year Single Notes
2012 "Pruébame" Single from unreleased album

Music video appearances edit

Year Song Band
2008 "Tú, tú, tú La Nueva Banda Timbiriche
2012 "Pruébame Fridas

References edit

  1. ^ Grajales, Cythnia. "Los libaneses mas destacados en Mexico". Press Reader. Caras Mexico. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Datos generales de Fernanda". Esmas.com (in Spanish). Televisa. 2007. Archived from the original on April 8, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  3. ^ "Culichi quiere ser Timbiriche". noroeste.com.mx. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  4. ^ "La Nueva Banda Timbiriche - La Nueva Banda Timbiriche". acharts.us. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  5. ^ "La Nueva Banda Timbiriche en telenovela". esmas.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  6. ^ Listin Diario. "El grupo RBD comienza en Las Vegas su gira mundial". listindiario.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  7. ^ Beltrán, Jesus (23 August 2023). "Es como un sueño, lo veía imposible: Fernanda Arozqueta sobre el regreso de La Nueva Banda Timbiriche en el 2000′s Pop Tour" [It's like a dream, I saw it as impossible: Fernanda Arozqueta on the return of La Nueva Banda Timbiriche on the 2000's Pop Tour]. Info Bae (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Fridas presentó su pop eléctrico - Eventos Especiales y Música". televisa.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  9. ^ "Lunadas Fridas - Eventos Especiales y Música". televisa.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  10. ^ "Fridas pondrá a bailar a la juventud - Eventos Especiales y Música". televisa.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  11. ^ "La Crónica de Hoy - Fridas, dúo de electro pop a la mexicana". cronica.com.mx. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  12. ^ AP. "Canal 5 estrena barra de programación PM". Milenio. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  13. ^ "PM new Canal 5 programming". televisa.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  14. ^ "CEA - Nuestros Egresados - Fernanda Arozqueta". esmas.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Yahoo". Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  16. ^ Milenio Digital. "Telenovela "El Color de la Pasión" inicia grabaciones en Puebla". Milenio. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  17. ^ "us". Televisa Televisión. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  18. ^ "Arranca telenovela filmada en Puebla". intoleranciadiario.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Vaselina: El Musical desmiente pleito con Vadhir Derbez; iniciará gira en Puebla el 26 de marzo". oem.com.mx. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Vaselina, firma de autógrafos 25 y 26 de Marzo la obra 2014 Puebla Auditorio del C. C. U". periodicoenfoque.com.mx. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  21. ^ "Así fue el lanzamiento de 'Hostal', la nueva serie de Mimosa TV". Shock - Música, cine, entretenimiento y cultura joven en Colombia. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  22. ^ "The Colombian production company Mimosa TV became an OTT". NexTV Latam. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  23. ^ Lázaro Lozano (May 2, 2015). "Fernanda Arozqueta un Amor de Barrio". netnoticias.com (in Spanish). Net Noticias. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. ^ "¡AMORES DE BARRIO REALIZÓ LAS ÚLTIMAS PRUEBAS DE ELENCO!". Esmas.com (in Spanish). Televisa. March 19, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  25. ^ "Carmen Armendáriz presenta "Yago", una serie de pasión y venganza". radioformula.com.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  26. ^ a b Fernanda Arozquets. "A los 14 años me di cuenta que era Gay" [At 14 I realized I was gay.]. YouTube.com (in Spanish).
  27. ^ "Reciben Disco de Oro". noroeste.com.mx. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2015.

External links edit