Kudai
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 in Santiago, Chile |
| Founder | Pablo Holman, Bárbara Sepúlveda, Tomás Manzi, Nicole Natalino |
| Headquarters | Santiago , Chile |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Kudai is a Chilean pop rock ensemble originating from Santiago, Chile, established in 2003. The band members consist of Pablo Holman, Bárbara Sepúlveda, Tomás Manzi, and Nicole Natalino, who departed in 2006 due to personal reasons and was succeeded by Ecuadorian Gabriela Villalba for a period of three years. After disbanding in 2010, Kudai reunited with its founding lineup in November 2016. In July 2024, the group officially reassembled including Gabriela Villalba, expanding to five members.
Originally formed as a children's group called CIAO, they attained international recognition following their rebranding and musical evolution with their first album Vuelo (2004). This album reached triple platinum certification in Chile and sold over half a million copies globally. Their third studio effort, Nadha (2008), received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Pop Album by a Group or Duet and was met with critical praise. Some of their most prominent tracks include "Sin Despertar", "Ya Nada Queda", "Déjame Gritar", "Lejos De Aquí", and "Morir De Amor".
Kudai enjoyed considerable commercial acclaim throughout Latin America, shaping a generation through their style and lyrical themes. Frequently categorized as an "emo band" due to their aesthetic, their songs address issues pertinent to youth such as depression, domestic violence, suicide, ecology, homosexuality, and toxic relationships.
1999–2002: Ciao
The children's music group "Ciao" was created by Mexican producer Pablo Vega in late 1999. The initial ensemble featured Nicole Natalino, Tomás Manzi, Bárbara Sepúlveda—who joined replacing an earlier member—and Pablo Holman, who became part of the group through his father's ties within the Chilean music scene. The concept involved children represented by specific colors—Pablo (blue), Bárbara (fuchsia), Nicole (purple), and Tomás (green)—performing Italian pop songs.
Ciao released one studio album titled El Poder de los Niños in early 2002 under EMI Odeón Chilena. They promoted two singles, "Será Porque Te Amo" and "Mamma María", which received airplay on Chilean radio stations along with accompanying music videos. The group appeared on television for two years before evolving into a teenage music project.
2003–2005: Formation of Kudai and Vuelo
Transitioning from CIAO to Kudai, the band shifted focus towards original compositions. The new name is derived from the Mapudungun language meaning "young worker." In 2004, the four members—Pablo, Tomás, Bárbara, and Nicole—released their debut album Vuelo. Supported by hit singles, the album swiftly achieved platinum certification and earned them a nomination for Best New Artist at the MTV Latin American Video Music Awards. Tracks such as "Sin Despertar", "Ya Nada Queda", and "Escapar" dominated Chilean music charts. By August 2005, Vuelo had been certified platinum.
At the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, Kudai was nominated for both Best Artist—Central Region and Best New Artist—Central Region. They also released their inaugural DVD titled En Vivo - Gira 2004–2005, capturing highlights from their tour. The album was introduced to the Mexican market in July 2006 with updated cover art and ultimately surpassed sales of 500,000 copies worldwide.
2006–2007: Sobrevive, sophomore studio album
In 2006, Kudai unveiled their second studio effort, Sobrevive, which debuted at the top position in Chile and quickly attained gold certification after selling over 15,000 units. The album was later introduced to the Mexican market in 2007, eventually accumulating sales exceeding 350,000 copies worldwide.
This release was the final one to feature Nicole Natalino, who departed due to personal challenges and subsequently initiated legal action against their manager Pablo Vega over salary disagreements. Her replacement, Gabriela Villalba, re-recorded the vocal tracks for the Chilean edition launched on September 26, 2007. The album represented a notable evolution in their sound, embracing heavier musical elements and exploring darker subject matter such as anorexia, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and suicide.
The lead single "Déjame Gritar" achieved number one status in both Chile and Argentina; its music video included footage of Nicole prior to her exit and dominated MTV Latin America's charts. The follow-up single "Llévame", featuring Villalba's vocals, was shot amid the Andes Mountains and promoted extensively throughout Latin America. The tracklist underwent modification: "Si He Tocado El Suelo" was removed and replaced by "Tú", which was the first track recorded with Villalba.
Kudai contributed the theme song for MTV Latin America's program Quiero mis Quince (the regional adaptation of My Super Sweet 16). They secured MTV Latin American awards for Best Pop Artist in 2006 and Best Central Artist in 2007, dedicating these accolades to their fans and Nicole. Following this acclaim, they performed at the Viña del Mar Festival in February 2007. On October 2 of that year, they released their inaugural live album titled En Vivo: Desde Mexico.
2008–2010: Nadha, hiatus period
Toward the end of 2006, Kudai moved their base to Mexico aiming to broaden their international reach, concluding their Chilean chapter with a final appearance at the Festival de Viña del Mar. Their third studio album, Nadha, arrived in 2008 comprising twelve tracks. Six compositions were crafted by producer Koko Stambuk (formerly of Glup!), three by Carlos Lara—recognized for collaborating with RBD, Lynda Thomas, and Ricky Martin—and two penned by Chilean artist Cathy Lean (ex-Mal Corazón). The album also featured covers originally by Alanis Morissette and Eric Avery (ex-Jane's Addiction). Mastering took place at Los Angeles' Igloo Music under Gustavo Borner—who has worked with artists like Diego Torres, Phil Collins, and contributed to soundtracks such as Rush Hour 2 and Finding Nemo. This represented a deliberate investment in production quality.
Gabriela Villalba characterized Nadha as a critical turning point designed to discard their teenage band image and present more mature content:
"Now is when Kudai must demonstrate and prove much because if we stay unchanged, we will be labeled as the teen band that never matures. I believe this third album is a decisive phase for Kudai. We will strive to shake off the label of 'the band trying to be popular' and genuinely offer quality material."
The group made a guest appearance performing "Déjame Gritar" on an episode of Skimo. Released on May 3, 2008 throughout Latin America, Nadha earned gold certification in Mexico. On May 12, they launched the single "Estar Bien" featuring Mexican ensemble RBD alongside Eiza González, part of a health campaign addressing obesity, anorexia, and bulimia issues in Mexico. The accompanying video depicted various fitness activities around Mexico City. On August 5, 2008, they debuted their first album release within the United States market. The second single from Nadha, "Nada Es Igual", was released on July 21 across Latin America.
The album received a nomination for "Best Pop Album by Group or Duet" at the 2008 Latin Grammy Awards held in Houston, Texas.
In January 2009, they issued the Chile-exclusive single "Hoy Quiero", which achieved moderate reception, followed by "Ladrando a La Luna" for Disney's film Bolt.
In August 2009, Kudai announced an indefinite two-year break allowing members to focus on solo ventures and academic pursuits while denying any rumors of disbandment. Nonetheless, a farewell tour scheduled for spring 2010 was canceled due to internal conflicts and financial complications involving management, culminating in the band's official dissolution that year.
Following the split, Pablo Holman remained in Mexico forming punk rock outfit "Lillyput," also joining metal bands "Entertain the Beast" as bassist and "Astro Rain" as vocalist/guitarist. Tomas Manzi returned to Chile dedicating himself to music education, DJing, and technical backstage roles. Barbara Sepulveda also went back to Chile to pursue orthodontics studies; she and Tomas created the duo "Amitie." Gabriela Villalba relocated to the United States where she became an advocate for eating disorder awareness while embarking on a solo career.
2016-2023: Reunion
In November 2016, Kudai revealed their reunion featuring the original members, a fact later confirmed by former vocalist Nicole Natalino after being absent for ten years. Their comeback single "Aquí Estaré" was released in early 2017, followed by the launch of their fourth studio album, Laberinto, in early 2019. This album marked their first studio project in over a decade and included Natalino’s voice once again.
The band’s fifth album, Revuelo, arrived in 2021 as a compilation of reimagined hits commemorating their 20th anniversary. This release transformed fan favorites such as "Sin Despertar," "Ya Nada Queda," and "Escapar" into synth-pop renditions, moving away from their initial pop rock style and more somber themes.
2024: Revive and Expanded Lineup
In July 2024, Kudai announced through Instagram the return of Ecuadorian singer Gabriela Villalba, expanding the group to five members for the first time. With this formation, they commenced the "Revive" Tour and pledged forthcoming new music alongside an upcoming album.
The single "Karma," which debuted in February 2025, signaled a revival of their heavier pop-rock sound and marked the first song to feature both Nicole and Gabriela sharing vocal duties.
Current members
- Pablo Holman – lead vocals, occasional guitar (1999–2009; 2016–present)
- Bárbara Sepúlveda – vocals (1999–2009; 2016–present)
- Tomás Manzi – vocals (1999–2009; 2016–present)
- Nicole Natalino – vocals (1999–2006; 2016–present)
- Gabriela Villalba – vocals (2006–2009; 2024–present)
Discography
- Studio albums
Tours
| Years | Number of dates | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | 25 | En Vivo - Gira 2004-2005 |
| 2006-2008 | 50 | Sobrevive Latin American Tour |
| 2008-2009 | Unknown | Nadha Latin America Tour |
| 2009 | Unknown | Gira Latinoamericana Movistar (with Amaia Montero) |
| 2007-2018 | Unknown | Gira El Reencuentro |
| 2019 | Unknown | Lluvia de Fuego Tour |
| 2023-2024 | Unknown | Revuelo Tour |
| 2024 | Unknown | Tour Vuelo 2024 |
| 2024 | 8 | Showcase for Fans Mexican Tour |
| 2024-2025 | Unknown | Revive Tour |
Latin Grammy Awards
Kudai earned a Latin Grammy nomination in 2008 for their album Nadha, contending in the Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocals category.
Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica
At Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica, the Latin American counterpart to the MTV Video Music Awards, Kudai secured five wins out of sixteen nominations, underscoring their influence across the regional market. Key victories include Best Pop Artist (2006), Best Artist — Central (2007), and Best Group or Duet (2008). Additionally, Pablo Holman received the Fashionista — Male award in 2007.
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| 2005 || Kudai || Best New Artist — Central ||
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| 2005 || Kudai || Best Artist — Central ||
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| 2006 || Kudai || Breakthrough Artist ||
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| 2006 || Kudai || Best Pop Artist ||
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| 2006 || Kudai || Best Artist — Central ||
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| 2007 || Kudai || Artist of the Year ||
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| 2007 || Kudai || Best Group or Duet ||
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| 2007 || Kudai || Best Artist — Central ||
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| 2007 || Pablo Holman || Fashionista — Male ||
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| 2008 || Kudai || Best Group or Duet ||
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| 2008 || Kudai || Best Pop Artist ||
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| 2008 || Kudai || Best Artist — Central ||
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| 2008 || Gabriela Villalba || Fashionista — Female ||
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| 2008 || Kudai (President: Martín Torrilla) || Best Fan Club ||
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| 2009 || Kudai || Artist of the Year ||
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| 2009 || Kudai || Best Artist — Central||
Los Premios 40 Principales
The Los Premios 40 Principales ceremony, organized by the radio network Los 40 Principales, was launched in 2006 to commemorate the station's 40th anniversary. Kudai earned one win out of two nominations.
|- | 2007 || Kudai || Chilean Act || |- | 2008 || Kudai || Chilean Act || |-
Orgullosamente Latino Award
Created in 2004 by Alexis Núñes Oliva of Ritmoson Latino, the Orgullosamente Latino Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in Latin music. Kudai achieved two victories from a total of four nominations.
|- | 2006 || Kudai || Latin Group of the Year || |- | 2007 || Kudai || Latin Group of the Year || |- | 2009 || Kudai || Latin Group of the Year || |- | 2009 || Lejos De Aquí || Latin Music Video of the Year || |-
Premios Oye!
The Premios Oye! are annual accolades presented by Mexico’s Academia Nacional de la Música en México. Kudai won one award from two nominations.
|- | 2008 || Nadha || Best Pop by a Duo/Group || |- | 2008 || Lejos De Aquí || Best Song with a Message || |-