About
HAMELEONI ("The Chameleons") are a Latvian pop duo from Riga, consisting of singer Eriks Budevics and Andris Veinbergs on keyboards. HAMELEONI are an electronic music pop-dance group formed in 1998. The band's name was invented by it's music producer Gaitis Lazdans and it was associated with very popular at that time in Latvia American TV Series "The Bold and the Beautiful". Their lineup consists of former fellow students of Latvian Academy of Music Eriks Budevics (singing) and Andris Veinbergs (piano playing). Recently the band's 20th anniversary with "HAMELEONI The Twenty" Tour in Latvia was celebrated.
Their sound varies between synth-pop, alternative dance and new wave sounds with bands like "Pet Shop Boys", "A-ha" and "Modern Talking" being some of their influences. What characterizes them the most is their charismatic singer with his awesome and powerful voice and the emotional intensity and dynamics of their songs.
Career Highlights
HAMELEONI's journey begins in the middle of 1998 in Riga, Latvia. The debut studio album "Tu Mana Sirds" ("You're My Heart") brought the duo local success in their home country and has been certified double platinum in Latvia. The duo became one of the most commercially successful acts in Latvia. The band's second album "Nakts" (The Night") was released in 1999 and has been certified gold in their home country. In 2000 the third HAMELEONI's album "Pērles & Dimanti" (Pearls & Diamonds") was released, while the third band's anniversary had been celebrated with a new album "The Best of HAMELEONI" in 2001. Finally, the fifth studio album by HAMELEONI had the title "Vēlreiz" ("Once Again") and was released in 2011.
History
Eriks Budevics and Andris Veinbergs were born in Liepaja, unofficially known as "the musical capital of Latvia" in 1963. They both went to the same college, but they didn't know each other in that time. They met each other later at Latvian Academy of Music, then called conservatory in Riga, Latvia in 1982. After the studies Eriks Budevics and Andris Veinbergs had worked on different musical projects. Eriks became known in Latvia as the lead singer of several rock bands, such as "Dr.Fausts" and "The Dessert". Andris in that time was a music school teacher and had worked on different musical projects as a pianist, composer and music producer.
In the summer of 1993 Eriks had represented his country at the Jurmala Young Pop Singer Competition in the resort city of Jūrmala, Latvia. Soon after that the first joint project of Eriks Budevics and Andris Veinbergs "Tu & Es" (You & Me) was created.
The turning point of their career became the meeting with the music producer and composer Gaitis Lazdans in1998. It can be said that Gaitis Lazdans was the founder of pop duo HAMELEONI, the most songs by HAMELEONI were written and produced by him. Very soon HAMELEONI became one of the most commercially successful acts in Latvia. Their first tour through Latvia lasted five years. The band has toured also in Germany (1999) and Ireland (2011).
At the end of 2018, the band moved on into a new era - with fresh ideas and a look at the world. This new era begins with the release of the single "If You Could See", which Latvian version "Aiz Varavīksnes" ("Over the Rainbow") formerly reached the number 1 song for three weeks straight on Latvian National "Radio 2".
New Music
On June 11th 2021 HAMELEONI 's new single "Your Heart (Will Fly Again)" has been released and is available on all streaming platforms and YouTube!
At this moment HAMELEONI 's newest single "Moonlight & Sea" is being prepared for release on February 2022.
