Calle Ocho Music Festival 2020: Torch Passes From Father To Sons

MIAMI, FL — When Venezuelan-born brothers Mau y Ricky headline next year's Calle Ocho Music Festival in Miami, they will be following in some famous family footsteps — namely their dad's.

Multi-platinum Latin artists Mauricio and Ricky Montaner, who moved to Miami when they were children, were crowned Wednesday as the first-ever second-generation Kings of Carnaval — 27 years after their famous father — Ricardo Montaner, who has sold millions of records worldwide since the 1970s. See also: Ay Dios Mío Miami: Miss Carnaval's Car Towed On Calle Ocho

"We're still months away, but we're definitely getting started with the planning," Ricky Montaner told Patch in a joint interview with his brother.

The brothers said they called their father immediately upon hearing the news that they had been selected for the same honor by the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, which puts on America's largest Hispanic street party to fund a number of community programs, including a summer camp and scholarships.

"It really is something we talked about our entire lives," the brothers acknowledged at an earlier press conference. "We gave him the news and he was just so excited."

Calle Ocho is also one of the best known street festivals in the country as the aroma of croquetas, pork sandwiches and plantains waft through the air while hip-shaking rhythms fill a 20-block stretch of Miami's iconic Little Havana neighborhood.

Mau y Ricky plan to be involved in some of the other community programs put on by the Kiwannis Club and were planning a visit to the organization's summer camp.

Incoming President Jorge Fernandez of the Kiwanis Club said there's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to pull off the annual Calle Ocho festival, which is held on a Sunday.

"You have to work on Calle Ocho all night," he said of his legions of volunteers. "We start setting up at midnight on the Saturday. It's hard work."

Over the years, Calle Ocho has featured some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Pitbull, Niki Jam and Maluma.

During this year's festival back in March, Mau y Ricky opened for 5-time Latin Grammy winner — and the first Colombian King of Miami's Carnival — Fonseca, who is known for hits like "Te Mando Flores", "Hace Tiempo"," Enrédame", "Arroyito" and "Eres Mi Sueño."

While they make their home in the Magic City, Mau y Ricky still empathize with the Venezuelan people who have had to endure difficult living conditions and life-threatening shortages under the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Venezuelan government this week released clarinetist Karen Palacios of the National Philharmonic after holding her for 45 days in a military prison for being critical of the government on social media, according to the Associated Press.

"Everywhere we go. Every nomination, every presentation and every award show, or every concert we do, we're representing our country,"Ricky Montaner shared with Patch. "We want to make sure to do that with responsibility, and giving people an example of what is to come from Venezuela."

His brother, Mauricio, said there's so much bad news coming out of Venezuela that they want to focus on the positive.

"We try to bring some love and bring some positive vibes and awareness too of what's going on over there," he confided. "What's going on over there is not just a Venezuelan problem. It's a humanitarian issue and that's all of us. So, definitely being able to be here in this platform, and being able to speak of Venezuela is very important."

Their latest album, "Para Aventuras y Curiosidades," has reached Billboard Latin Pop
Albums’ Top 5 with hits "Desconocidos", "Ya No Tiene Novio","Mi Mala" and most recently “La Boca.” They were nominated for the 2018 Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist and Song of the Year.

Before gaining fame through their own music, they wrote for others, including Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin, who hit with the brothers' "Vente Pa' Ca."

By coincidence, Mau y Ricky were performing in Puerto Rico when news of the so-called "Chatgate" scandal broke recently involving at least 889 pages of private chat history in which Gov. Ricardo Rosselló made vulgar references to Martin’s homosexuality in a profanity-laced and at times misogynistic online chat with nine other male members of his administration, the Associated Press reported.

"It literally happened the day when we were there," said the brothers, who are so close that they often finish each other's sentences. "What they kept telling us was 'thank God you guys are here to be able to lighten up, and to be able to take our minds off of this bad news that we've been getting.'"

While they spend a great deal of time together, the brothers also have disagreements from time to time like any siblings.

"We have work arguments sometimes but our point's out there," confided Ricky Montaner. "We have surrounded ourselves with a great team that can settle the score ... You've got to surrender to your ego and just follow what everyone as a team thinks is best for the project."

Mauricio Montaner, who is separated by three years from his brother, said the relationship is based on mutual respect. They started studying music before either one had turned 7.

"We really respect each other, and we admire each, and we have the same vision towards our career which is being able to connect with as many lives as possible," Mauricio explained. "At the end of the day, whatever decision is made is always going to be able to be made towards that goal, and towards the goal of us being able to connect without necessarily moving or changing our beliefs and what we stand for."