Eiffel 65

Eiffel 65 is an Italian Eurodance group formed in 1997 in Turin. The group originally consisted of vocalist Jeffrey Jey (Gianfranco Randone), keyboardist Maurizio Lobina, and DJ Gabry Ponte. The name "Eiffel" was randomly chosen by a computer program, and the "65" was mistakenly added from a phone number written on a demo.

Breakthrough with "Europop"

Eiffel 65 gained worldwide recognition with their debut single "Blue (Da Ba Dee)," first released in 1998. The song topped the charts in over 18 countries, including the UK, Germany, and Australia, and peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Their debut album, "Europop," was released in 1999 and achieved significant success, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 and selling over 2 million copies in the United States. The album also included the hit single "Move Your Body," which also topped charts in several countries. The group received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording for "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" in 2001.

Subsequent Albums and Activities

The group's second album, "Contact!", was released in 2001 and featured singles like "Lucky (in my life)" and "80's Stars." While it didn't replicate the massive international success of its predecessor, it performed well in Italy. In 2003, they released their third, self-titled album, "Eiffel 65," which was primarily sung in Italian. The band also became known for their remixes of songs by other artists.

Hiatus and Bloom 06

In 2005, Gabry Ponte left the group to focus on his solo career. Subsequently, Jeffrey Jey and Maurizio Lobina also departed from their record label, Bliss Corporation, and began a new project called Bloom 06. As Bloom 06, they released the album "Crash Test 01" in 2006, which included songs originally intended for Eiffel 65's fourth album.

Reunion and Recent Years

In June 2010, it was announced that Eiffel 65 had reunited with all three original members. They began touring and working on new music. Although Gabry Ponte is no longer an active touring member, he has occasionally collaborated with the group. In 2016, they released the single "Panico" and its English version, "Critical." The band continues to tour and release new music, including the single "Bestiale" with Loredana Bertè in May 2024.