As North American boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and NSYNC reached platinum status, Jhony Nunez was creating and molding his own Latin version of such groups. Nunez, who founded and created the band in the vein of "boy-band" manager Lou Pearlman, began a series of strenuous casting calls and auditions. The final five became Calle Ciega, which is the Spanish term for "blind street". In 1995, Calle Ciega was formed and from there grew musically, performing around Latin America and particularly in its hometown of Caracas, Venezuela. Two of the original members left to pursue their own singing careers, but Calle Ciega continued on. In 1998, the band released its debut album Caliente. Touring in support of the album resulted in a growing fan base and well attended concerts. After returning to the studio, the band released its second album in 1999, No Pares de Sudar (Don't Stop Sweating). Each member of Calle Ciega contributed to the songwriting process and had backgrounds in music, dancing or modelling. The group's first and second album went Gold and Platinum in its homeland. Hit singles included Solo Te Quiero Amar and El Marciano. In 2002, the group released its third album. Calle Ciega have opened up for several bands, including Servando Y Florentino. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide