Candi & The Backbeat
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Candita "Candi" Pennella |
| Headquarters | Canada |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Candi & The Backbeat—initially known simply as Candi—was a Canadian pop ensemble fronted by singer Candita "Candi" Pennella. The group also featured Nino (Big Papa) Milazzo on bass and backing vocals, Paul (Baldy) Russo handling drums and percussion, and Rich Imbrogno on keyboards. Their most notable success in the United States came with the freestyle track "Dancing Under a Latin Moon," which climbed to number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988. Additionally, they released a Spanish-language adaptation entitled "Luna Latina tú y yo."
History
Originally performing as an Italian wedding band, Candi launched their debut album, self-titled Candi, in 1988 under I.R.S. Records. This record included the hits "Dancing Under a Latin Moon" and "Under Your Spell," with the latter earning a nomination for Single of the Year at the 1990 Juno Awards. Moreover, both "Under Your Spell" and "Missing You" received nods for Best Dance Recording at that same ceremony. Their last single from this era, “Love Makes No Promises,” achieved their highest placement on Canadian charts, reaching number 9 on the RPM Top Singles list. The album's production and partial songwriting were managed by David Shaw, who also contributed to several other tracks, underscoring the band's commercial viability. Pennella herself was recognized with nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year in consecutive years, 1990 and 1991.
After adopting the name Candi & The Backbeat, they issued their follow-up album World Keeps on Turning in 1990. The album’s title track garnered a nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 1991 Juno Awards. Following the promotional activities for this release, the band dissolved. Subsequently, Pennella married drummer Russo and shifted her professional focus to education in Toronto.
Studio albums
- Candi (1988)
- World Keeps on Turning (1990)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | CAN Dance |
US Dance | ||||||||
| 1988 | "Dancing Under a Latin Moon" | 24 | 8 | 46 | Candi | |||||
| "Under Your Spell" | 21 | 1 | 39 | |||||||
| 1989 | "Missing You" | 18 | 9 | — | ||||||
| "Love Makes No Promises" | 9 | — | — | |||||||
| 1990 | "The World Just Keeps on Turning" | 15 | 7 | — | World Keeps on Turning | |||||
| 1991 | "Friends Forever" | 36 | — | 38 | ||||||
| "Good Together" | 31 | 5 | — | |||||||
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released | ||||||||||