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Translation:
JORNAL DE POÇOS
Sunday, July 20, 2008
K2 Band Celebrates Ten Years of Career
The band’s goal has always been to add something meaningful to the lives of people who enjoy good music with thoughtful lyrics and melodies.
With great style and a massive turnout from Poços de Caldas residents, the celebration of K2’s ten-year career took place on Thursday night (17th) at the stage in Museum Square, as part of the 2008 Julho Fest program.
Some may think a musician's life is easy, but the facts say otherwise. For K2 band members, waking up for this interview on Friday morning (18th), after Thursday night's show, was no easy feat. When we arrived at Douglas’s house, the band’s drummer, it was already 10:30 AM. Despite being sleepy, he welcomed us warmly for a chat. Gradually, the other band members arrived, although, as expected, at least one was missing—this time, it was Lucas. With great pride, the remaining members shared the success story of this notably Minas Gerais-based band.
FORMATION OF THE BAND
The group’s formation stemmed from childhood conversations and playful moments. The boys lived on the same street, attended the same school, and spent their free time playing soccer in the neighborhood. In 1996, neighbors Douglas, Danilo, Diego, Lucas, and Pedrinho began gathering to play pop and reggae. Tied together by friendship and camaraderie, they decided to form the band Keiser Kids. What initially started as child’s play and a dream has lasted 12 years.
Two years after forming Keiser Kids, the boys, having matured, received an invitation to perform at a local bar and to create jingles for the now-defunct Transamérica de Poços radio station. At that point, they faced a dilemma: the name Keiser Kids sounded too childish. After much debate, they couldn’t reach a consensus until the father of one of the band members suggested “K2,” inspired by a TV documentary on the mountain, the world’s second-highest peak. The idea was immediately accepted, and the band officially became K2 on July 12, 1998.
What began as a childhood hobby quickly turned serious in 1996 as the band started to take shape. Parents supported their aspirations by purchasing instruments, and rehearsals took place at Douglas’s house. Aware of their potential, each member began studying music. The lineup included Pedro Cezar (vocals), Douglas Maiochi (drums), Diego Ávila (bass), Lucas Mantovani (guitar), and the newest member, Leonardo Testoni (guitar).
Within six months of forming, K2 qualified for a rock festival in Poços and started performing in various cities across Minas Gerais. A significant turning point for the group was moving to Belo Horizonte after recording their first album. Living together in the capital city, the members learned to cook, clean, and, most importantly, dedicate themselves to recording their second album, Locomotiva.
"It was a challenging period, but it forced us to grow. We seized opportunities and overcame many obstacles. At the same time, we experienced some of our happiest moments. Now, we live in another city pursuing our dreams, and we’re proud to manage household expenses and keep everything organized," said Pedrinho.
In 2002, K2 recorded a single titled Mudanças and entered the Coração de Estudante music festival, a partnership between Rede Globo and the National Union of Students (UNE). On August 17, 2003, K2 reached a career high when they were one of 13 finalists to perform in Ouro Preto before an audience of 30,000 people. The event concluded with Milton Nascimento performing and serving as jury president. The jury, which also included Kiko Ferreira and Tuti Maravilha, named K2 the winners of the festival. Their song Mudanças was later included on the Malhação soundtrack on Rede Globo, and the band began appearing on TV shows such as Altas Horas with Serginho Groisman.
Public recognition came quickly, and K2 became one of the most prominent rock bands in Minas Gerais, particularly in the southern part of the state and Belo Horizonte. "I remember our performance in Ouro Preto like it was yesterday. We always say that moment was the band’s turning point. It changed everything for us," Douglas recounted.
ALBUMS
As teenagers with little experience in the music industry, K2 members showed maturity by saving all their earnings to achieve their dream of recording their first album, MusiK2, released in 2000.
After their success at the Ouro Preto festival, the now more experienced band members moved to Belo Horizonte to record their second album, Locomotiva, in 2004.
The band’s upcoming album will reflect their ten-year journey, blending styles and showcasing the growth they’ve experienced over the years. The third album will include songs like A Lei do Som, Te Espero em São Paulo, and O Meu Menino Voou. Fans can already watch and listen to these tracks through online videos.
"Above all, we want to add something meaningful to our fans' lives. For example, the lyrics of Mudanças, which won the festival, say: ‘Let’s reflect to revolutionize, show that tomorrow isn’t too far to see everything change.’ That’s the kind of message we want to convey," Douglas emphasized.
K2’s fans are open-minded and appreciate the band’s genre-blending style. "Our music isn’t just rock or reggae—it’s a mix of everything. These days, we even incorporate samba, rap, and maracatu into our performances. We’re incredibly grateful to our fans," said Pedrinho.
According to Leonardo, reaching a point where an artist can perform an entire show with original songs is a significant milestone. "I’m thrilled we’ve reached this level, doing what we love with people we cherish. It’s an indescribable privilege. Our celebration was amazing—thank you to our audience!" he concluded.