Hot Banditoz

Hot Banditoz, a German Latino-pop band, was formed in 2004 by Fernanda Brandão, Gabriela Gottschalk, and Silva Gonzalez. The group's members were selected by contestants of the fifth season of Big Brother. Their breakthrough came with their debut single "Veo Veo", which entered the German charts at number 3 in July 2004. This song was a cover of an old Spanish children's lullaby, "Mini Disco," that had gained popularity through Spanish holiday animation programs. Following this success, Hot Banditoz released several EPs and albums, including Chucu Chucu (El Tren) EP (2004), which reached number 42 in the charts, and their debut album Mini Disco (2004), which featured covers of popular children's songs from Spanish holiday programs but only peaked at number 52. In summer 2005, they released "Shake Your Balla", a cover of Kirsti Sparboe’s "Ein Student aus Uppsala" (1969), which reached number 5 in the German charts. The band underwent several lineup changes, with Silva Gonzalez leaving in 2008 and being replaced by José Valdes. Their final live performances took place in summer 2010. In November 2011, a new lineup was announced with Gabriela Gottschalk, Silva Gonzalez, and Popstars candidate Diba Hakimi. They released "Life Is So Strong" (2012) and "Canta Mi Cancion" (2012). Despite further changes in the lineup, including the addition of Stefanie Schanzleh, Danika Wist, Chamomile, and Lola, Hot Banditoz remained active in the German pop scene through scattered singles such as "Kalinka" (2018) and "Playa Paradiso" (2025).