by Evan C. Gutierrez
Flamenco-inspired pop duo Andy & Lucas (Andrés Morales and Lucas González) first knew each other as neighbors and friends in their Cadiz neighborhood of La Laguna. The boys went to school together from the first grade on, deciding to form a musical group early on in their friendship. At the age of 12, Morales began writing songs, which he began to perform with González in bars around Cadiz by the time they were 16. The duo made their recording industry debut four years later with the release of Andy & Lucas, produced by the Argentine-born Alejo Stivel. The disc went on to sell better than 200,000 units, staying at the top of national charts for a number of weeks. The hit song "Son de Amores" captured the attention of Spanish audiences, achieving double-platinum status. The longtime friends soon released a live in-concert DVD, a recording of their first large-scale concert, held in Barcelona. The production, entitled Viviendo un Sueno, helped Morales and González win their first major award, a Premio Onda for Best New Artist. Their next studio record came some years later in 2007. Ganas de Vivir embraced a more pop-oriented sound that earlier projects, landing a spot on Billboard's European Top 100.