Latin music duo Mau y Ricky is made up of two brothers, Mauricio and Ricardo Montaner. They were born in Venezuela to their famous singer-songwriter father, Ricardo Montaner, later moving to Miami when the boys were 7 and 10. The duo initially formed in 2010, when they served as the opening act for their father’s Soy Feliz Tour in Mexico. The following year, they named themselves MR (2011–2015) and wrote their first original album when they were just 17 and 20 years old. In 2017, they rebranded themselves as Mau y Ricky and released their debut EP, Arte.
In addition to performing their own music, Mau y Ricky are also accomplished songwriters and producers. They have written songs for many important artists, including Ricky Martin, Karol G, Miguel Bosé, Sofia Reyes, Natti Natasha, Becky G, Juanes, Thalia and Jason Derulo. Their song, “Vente Pa ‘Ca,” performed by Ricky Martin and Maluma, was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Song of the Year in 2017. That same year, they were nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist. Mau y Ricky has also received several nominations for MTV Millennial Awards and Premios Juventud, an award show that honors Spanish-speaking celebrities.
Mau y Ricky released their first studio album, Aventuras y Curiosidades, in 2019. Since then, they were awarded the title of Kings of Carnaval Miami for the 2020 celebration. Because their father also served as King in 1992, they are the first second-generation of any family to receive this high honor.