Spanish musical act and musician
Rigoberta Bandini is a Spanish musical act as well as the stage name of its frontwoman, singer-songwriter Paula Ribó. Other members of the band are Ribó's partner, Esteban Navarro, and cousins, Joan Barenys and Belén Barenys (Memé), who variously provide instrumentation and vocals.[1][2] Ribó and Memé sing; Barenys is a multi-instrumentalist; and Navarro plays keyboard and produces with Ribó.[1] The act has won two Premios Odeón, among other accolades.
History
In 2019, Paula Ribó, who had been a member of the Mamzelles in the 2010s and dubbed many musicals into Spanish and Catalan, launched her solo music career under the stage name of Rigoberta Bandini. The name combines those of human rights activist Rigoberta Menchú and the John Fante character Arturo Bandini.[3][4]
Ribó began releasing music as Rigoberta Bandini in 2020, which she, Navarro, and the Barenys siblings had recorded.[1][2] That year, Rigoberta Bandini (still principally identified as Ribó as a solo act) rose to prominence in Spain when the singles "Too Many Drugs" and "In Spain We Call It Soledad" went viral.[5][6] The group began performing together in 2021.[1][2] The first live performance as a group was a selection of their songs recorded for a live-at-home concert from the Thyssen Museum in December 2020, after which they began touring.[1] They found further success with the song "Ay mamá", with which they competed in the inaugural Benidorm Fest.[7][8]
Style
The music of Rigoberta Bandini draws on many feminist influences, heard overtly in "Perra" and "Ay mamá".[9][10] Ribó has said that, in her songwriting, she enjoys lyrics that have humour and entertain her.[11]
Clash described a live set by the group as "high-energy chaos", noting that the music drew on genres including flamenco, synth-pop, and rap.[12] Eurovision Song Contest music website Wiwibloggs described the group's musical style as a fusion of harmonic choral elements and electropop.[13][14] Hot Press compared the group's sound to Pet Shop Boys, Peaches, Celine Dion and Pussy Riot.[15]
In terms of live performance, Clash noted that the music is elevated by the energy of the group. It praised their ability to all be dancing energetically and at the same time "maintain their ABBA-like harmonies".[12] La Vanguardia compared the performance style to having a party on stage;[16] Time Out Barcelona described the Rigoberta Bandini performance at Primavera Sound 2022 as a variety show or a party, as space was given for Navarro to add some stand-up comedy and for Memé to take more of a spotlight.[6] Iconic to their concerts, Ribó would characteristically wear her old school uniform from the Col·legi de les Teresianes,[6] with Memé in a similar outfit and Navarro and Barenys dressed as "computer nerd cool".[15]
The cover art of Rigoberta Bandini singles always features a box frame with the name of the song and the artist repeated around it.[17]
