Him at about 15, in a dance team called "I'm on fire", apparently.

Boyz-N-Girlz United biography


Good timing means everything. Just ask the members of W.I.R.E/Edel America Record group Boyz N Girlz United (BNG). The melodic vocal quartet - Criss Ruiz, Rina Mayo, Robbie Carrico and Daniel Dix - were brought together by being in the right place at the right time. Now, with their self-titled debut album filled with their own catchy blend of rhythmic pop, they're poised to take on the world.

For starters, Boyz N Girlz United was conceived by Johnny Wright, the man who's helped make artists like 'N Sync and Britney Spears multi-platinum sellers. Boyz N Girlz are where the teen audiences are headed, he says confidently about the group who is christening the formation of his label, W.I.R.E. (Wright International Records and Entertainment), with their harmonious and instantly addictive collection of ballads, pop gems and dancefloor-ready jams.

The first single, Messed Around is the start of it all for the Orlando, Florida-based multi-cultural group, who range in age from 18 to 21. Co-written and co-produced by JC Chasez of the Grammy nominated, multi-platinum selling group 'N Sync and famed producers Riprock'n and Alex G ('N Sync, Britney Spears,) the record has been given the golden touch. According to JC, Riprock, Alex and I had been working on this song when we came upon Boyz N Girlz United performing at the House of Blues in Orlando. Simply said, we were really impressed with them and thought who better to interpret 'Messed Around' than BNG? I'm really excited about having a hand in writing and producing this single. They translated what we had on our minds and made it sound great.

Boyz N Girlz United have been perfecting their vocal craft since forming over a year ago. Original members Criss and Rina knew they were looking for the right male counterparts to complete a four-part harmony collective after both girls caught the interest of Johnny Wright's management company, Wright Entertainment Group (WEG). It took several months to find Robbie and Daniel, but when the foursome got together they knew they'd found their musical match. We clicked so well, explains Criss.

Criss is a former actress who has music in her blood. Her father sang in doo-wop groups in the 1950s and he passed his love of singing to his daughter. My dad taught me everything I know, Criss says. After moving from New York to Orlando when she was nine, Criss tried her hand at acting and singing. Eventually, her passion for the latter won out and Criss began her search for the right singing opportunity. When the 21-year-old who names Whitney Houston and Lisa Stansfield as influences heard about Boyz N Girlz United, Criss signed on the dotted line.

A young vocalist with a big voice, 19-year-old Rina also aspired to great musical heights. As a devoted fan of the music of Broadway, this native of Houston, Texas dreamed of belting it out on the Great White Way. Her mom, who has managed choreographers, nurtured Rina's interest in doing musical theater productions in Orlando, where she became a local sensation. The theater is my first love,she admits. Rina turned her course down the pop road when she auditioned for and quickly won a spot in Boyz N Girlz United shortly after Criss joined.

Robbie always envisioned himself dancing his way to fame. An accomplished hoofer who wowed audiences with his hip-hop and street jazz stylings, the 18-year-old originally from Beckley, West Virginia is amazed that he ended up in Boyz N Girlz United. Robbie was discovered by Rina and her mom at a dance competition. He happily agreed to audition for Boyz N Girlz, though he never imagined he'd make the group. It was so out of the blue, he recalls. Once Rina and Criss heard his naturally gifted singing voice, they knew they'd found the perfect third harmony to their group. It's not surprising that Robbie has some serious pipes: his maternal cousin is country legend Patsy Cline.

Ever since he was a little boy, Cape Canaveral, Florida-born Daniel knew he was destined to become a singer. I've been wanting to become a singer since I first started singing in church back when I was five, he explains. This admirer of Babyface and Michael Jackson finally got his wish when Rina and Robbie, who were in the audience of his Cocoa High School Pageant, heard him belting out a rendition of You Are So Beautiful To Me to his grandmother. Daniel not only scored the title of Mr. Cocoa High (and charmed the entire audience), but he also won a spot in Boyz N Girlz United shortly afterward.

With their soulful voices woven together, Rina, Daniel, Criss and Robbie have crafted an impressive debut album. From the tender ballad Beautiful You, which features Rina and Daniel's soaring voices, to the urban-flavored and inspirational midtempo tune Light Of Love, on which a powerful gospel choir backs the group, Boyz N Girlz United capture a funky pop flavor that stands out from many groups on the scene. It's very rare that you can find different people from different cultures who can blend so well, says Criss. Robbie adds, We're bringing something new.

Robbie and Daniel even picked up their pens to cowrite a verse for the disco-saturated Dance With Me,on which Robbie brings home the lead vocals. A host of writers and producers also contributed to the eclectic album, including Gary Carolla, who's worked with 'N Sync and Aaron Carter, and Veit Renn, who's made hits for Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and Wild Orchid. Brothers Rod and James Wilson had a serious hand in shaping the album, by writing and producing songs like They Say,Beautiful You,and the soul-drenched Lifetime, a shimmery ballad featuring Daniel's emotionally charged, falsetto voice.

There's something for everyone on Boyz N Girlz United. Club kids will groove to Makin' You Move,which samples the hook from the S.O.S. Band's 1980 hit Take Your Time (Do It Right), while R&B aficionados will love the group's remake of Atlantic Starr's classic Always.What Boyz N Girlz United feel strongest about is that their music is universally relevant to teenagers everywhere. We've all had our puppy love crushes and dreamed about somebody, Rina says.We just wanted to make music that other kids our age can understand. I just hope that everybody like's the music and has fun with it because we sure are. We're having a great time.

POP STAR-DECEMBER 99

Pop Star

"Ever heard of a pop group that wasn't a boy band or a girl group but a boy/girl act? Get ready for Boyz N Girlz United! The latest artists from hitmaker-Johnny Wright(he manages 'N Sync) are two cute guys and two beautiful girls whose singing and dancing blew everyone away earlier this year when they opened for Britney Spears(another Wright act). It's hard to explain what they're like, but imagine a superband made up of Justin Timberlake, Tyrese, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Lopez. Now you can see why we were so eager to talk to and photograph these bomb breakout stars! We spoke to them just before they starting(*I know this is a mistake on their part)touring, so this is their *first* long interview!

***ROBBIE***

Birthdate:November 13, 1981

Birthplace:Beckley, WV

POPSTAR!:WHAT IS YOUR MUSIC HISTORY?

ROBBIE: I used to be a dancer, and of course I did sports and stuff. I used to sing with my mom. My mom was a singer-her cousin was Patsy Cline. When I was 11, I got into dancing and used to do all the different types of dance competitions.

WERE THE COMPETITIONS INTENSELY COMPETITIVE? DID YOU HAVE TO PREPARE A LOT? DID YOU HAVE ONE PARTNER?

Yeah, yeah, and yeah. [Laughs] It was pretty intense. We had a lot of rival studios. But our teacher taught us that it's all about having fun. We did prepare a lot for it. We spent like eight hours, especially on our days off from school. We would be in the studio for seven or eight hours just rehearsing and stuff, hours upons hours.

ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR MUSIC ON THE RADIO?

Oh, man. We were just talking about it today, about when our songs are going to come out. That's going to be weird-driving down the road and one of our songs coming on the radio.

WHAT'S YOUR SINGLE "THEY SAY" ABOUT?

A guy's relationship with a girl, and the girl is cheating on him, but he doesn't know and his friends are trying to tell him. And also from a girl's point of view, her friends are trying to tell her but she doesn't see it. They kind of find out in the end. It was one of the first songs that was recorded. We were ecstatic because we were recording-we were just bouncing off the walls!

GIRLS ARE GOING TO HAVE PICTURES OF YOU ON THEIR BEDROOM WALLS-GUARANTEED. IS THAT EMBARRASSING?

[Laughs]I have thought about it. My friends say they'll probably go over to one of their friends' houses and see one of my pictures on the wall. I'm not really embarrassed. But I think...yeah, that will be pretty cool! [Laughs]That shows that they actually like our music. That's what we're trying to get to.

***CRISS***

Birthdate:April 15, 1979

Birthplace:Bronx, New York

I LIKE YOUR BAND'S NAME.

CRISS: It may be called "Boyz N Girlz United," but it's really the girls that rule the group. [Laughs]That's the way it has to be!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SINGING?

My dad's taught me everything I know since the age of three. He's always had me in entertainment. I did acting for Nickolodeon and Disney and a lot of solo singing.

HOW DID YOU HOOK UP WITH JOHNNY WRIGHT?

I was the first to get into the group. I was going to audition for Solid HarmoniE. They were looking for new girls and I went to the Trans Con office, because I knew Howie from the Backstreet Boys for years before they were huge. And I know Joey Fatone also-I went to school with him. I cut some demos but missed the audition by a couple of days. Then I met Doug Brown[Wright exec] and sang for him. He was like, "Do you want to be in a group? Johnny's putting a new group together-two guys and two girls." I was like, "Yeah, 'course! I'll sing with aliens, I don't care!" [Laughs] Rina got into it a couple days after me. Her and I were together for two and a half years searching for the right guys. She found Robbie at a dance competition.

IS YOUR MUSICAL TASTE AS DIVERSE AS YOUR GROUP?

I listen to so many people, it's not even funny. I love the Spice Girls. I know I should hate them, but I like them. I really like Geri, even though she can't sing, poor thing. But I like her attitude and how she's always striving to do her best. I like Taylor Dayne, Lisa Stansfield, TLC and Blaque. There are so many I like. They're all cool!

ARE YOU READY FOR STARDOM IF IT COMES YOUR WAY?

I've been ready for awhile. I just don't want to change as a person. My family would kick my butt anyway. [Laughs] But yeah, I am.

***DANIEL***

Birthdate:May 11, 1980

Bithplace:Cape Canaveral, Florida

DID YOU EVER THINK YOU'D BE IN A FAMOUS POP GROUP?

DANIEL: I've never imagined it. Not this fast. I thought I'd have to work, work, work down the line. Most people don't get this opportunity. I never imagined that it would come this fast.

WHICH BNGU SONGS ARE YOUR FAVES?

The one that catches me the most is "Beautiful You," a ballad. It;s led by everybody in the group, but mainly Criss. She has a really soulful voice. There's another one called "Lifetime" which I lead. It's basically a song about a boy who's into a girl and he's telling her in words how it will take a lifetime to show how much he loves her. We're not poppy popcorn pop. It's more urban and it's more that people can relate to of all ages.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE IN A PROFESSIONAL BAND?

You have to take a lot of precautions. You have to eat right. You have to diet. You have to keep your calciums and all your proteins day by day up to normal rate. You have to work out. You have to have a personal trainer and keep your cardio up. You can't be onstage singing and dancing and not keep your cardio. It's a lot of hard work-dance rehearsals, vocal lessons, sometimes dance lessons take eight to 10 hours a day. It takes a lot.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST SHOW LIKE?

Crazy! We were getting ready to go out and the whole crowd started chanting our name. It gave me butterflies, it was real uplifting and it was really crazy-but nice! The whole time they were screaming!

WHAT IS THE MAIN MESSAGE YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR MUSIC?

It's just something to groove with. It's relaxing for the mind.

DO YOU MEET YOUR FANS IN PERSON?

Yeah, we always take time to meet the fans. Because that's who makes you. If you don't have time for your fans, then you really don't have much respect for your music.

***RINA***

Birthdate:April 25, 1981

Birthplace: Houston, Texas

YOU FOUND ROBBIE AT A DANCE COMPETITION. WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?

RINA: My mom used to own dance studios, so I've always grown up around dancing and theater.

YOU AND CRISS PICKED THE GUYS. HOW DID THAT WORK?

We tried some different guys and we didn't like them, so we decided that we had to deal with the guys, so we had to find guys we liked. I was at a dance competition, not looking for a guy at all. There were these guys that were performing and one of them had great stage presence. When he was on-stage, he just had a great smile. You wanted to watch him. Afterwards, I went up to him and said, "Can you sing?" And he was like, "A little. I've never tried to be a singer." Two months later, when I had actually become friends with him, he did come in and sing with us and audition. Criss was like, "He's good. We need to put him in." So we put him in and then met Daniel at a pageant. And we tried him out and he worked, too.

ARE YOU GUYS BEST BUDS NOW?

Criss and I are like sisters. And the guys have their male bonding. We have all become really good friends. At first it was hard because we're so different-not only do we look different, our tastes and our opinions are so different. Now we're inseparable. Opposites attract!

WHAT ARE THE 'N SYNC GUYS LIKE IN PERSON?

'N Sync, I've known for four and a half years now. They're here in town right now actually and it's really hard not to see them. Thank God for cell phones and AOL. You might think they're probably not that great in person-they are! They're just like normal guys. When you see them being silly on TV, that's how they are. It's not fake.

AND THAT'S HOW THE MEMBERS OF BNGU ARE TOO, RIGHT?

We're just us. [Laughs] Take it or leave it, I guess!

his maternal cousin is country legend Patsy Cline.

'Cuban Pete Dance Team'