Los Enanitos Verdes

Grammy-nominated Argentinian rockers Enanitos Verdes ("Little green men") assembled in Mendoza, Argentina in 1979. Originally composed of bassist, keyboardist and vocalist Marciano Cantero, guitarist Felipe Staiti and drummer Daniel Piccolo, the group spent their early years building up a local fanbase in Mendoza and Buenos Aires, before adding two new members – Sergio Embrioni (guitar and vocals) and Tito Dávila (keyboard) – and releasing their first album, Los Enanitos Verdes. Two years later, they made their major-label debut for Sony BMG with Contrarreloj, produced by the Latin Grammy-winning Andrés Calamaro. The band's third album, Habitaciones Extrañas, landed in 1987, again produced by Calamaro. A year after the release of Enanitos Verdes' fourth LP Carrousel (1988) – which spawned the hit song "Guitarras Blancas" – the band split up. They returned in 1992 with a gold-selling album, Igual Que Ayer; their first for EMI. Four more albums followed and in 1998 Enanitos Verdes signed a deal with US label Polygram for Tracción Acústica, which not only made Enanitos Verdes the first Argentinian group to sign with a US company but also earned them a Grammy nomination in the Best Latin Rock Album category. Enanitos Verdes continued to release albums throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including 2010's Inéditos and Tic Tac in 2013. Former guitarist Sergio Embrioni died by suicide in 2011. In subsequent years the band has continued to perform live, touring the US with Spanish Hombres G in 2018. Their history changed sharply in September 2022 with the death of singer, bassist, and principal songwriter Marciano Cantero at 62. Enanitos Verdes chose to continue, with guitarist Felipe Staiti stepping into the lead vocal role, and by 2023-2024 the group had rebuilt its live lineup around Staiti, drummer Jota Morelli, bassist Guillermo Vadalá, and keyboardist Bosco Aguilar. That renewed version of the band returned to Argentina for the 2023 Vendimia celebrations, launched a broader American tour, and reached Luna Park in Buenos Aires in March 2024. Their later activity leaned heavily on legacy and tribute: Marciano’s son Javier Cantero oversaw the late-2024 release of the previously unheard solo set Marciano 2001, while the band itself remained active on major stages, including a 2025 U.S. tour with Hombres G and an appearance at Vive Latino in Mexico City in March 2026. Days later, however, the group suffered a second major loss when Staiti died in April 2026 at 64, leading to their dissolution.