2002: Formation on Popstars The origins of the group lie in the talent show
Popstars, produced by
RGB and broadcast in Brazil by
SBT and
Disney Channel from April 27 to September 7, 2002. The aim of the show was to form a pop
girl group in Brazil and auditions were held country-wide. Over 20 episodes, candidates were whittled down by a panel of five judges. After five qualifying rounds, eight girls were selected for the final stage that and the judges selected
Aline Wirley,
Fantine Thó,
Karin Hils,
Li Martins (at the time known as Patrícia Lissa) and
Luciana Andrade. The name chosen for the group was Rouge "because it has five letters and also because in
French it means
red, a color associated with sensuality [...] and it's pop!". The label bet heavily on the band and distributed around 150,000 copies of the album in the stores already in first consignment. Riding a wave of publicity and hype, the group's second single "
Ragatanga", featured by
Las Ketchup, instantly reached the top position on the Brazilian charts. The song accumulated 11 weeks at number one in Brazil. After five months, the album had sold 1 million copies and was eventually certified
double platinum by the
Pro-Música Brasil (PMB).
Rouge sold over 2 million copies and was the second biggest-selling Brazilian album of 2002. The
remix album titled
Rouge Remixes was released alongside the
video album O Sonho de Ser Uma Popstar. On May 4, 2003, the Rouge released their second album, ''
C'est La Vie. The album blends ballads and dance-pop with soft elements of zouk. According to the members of the group, the debut album was already ready for the band that won the show, already on the second album, they contributing to the songwriting. The example is the song "Um Anjo Veio Me Falar", written by the five members. The album first-week sales of 100,000 units and peaking inside the top three in Brazilian charts. Additionally, it was certified Platinum by PMB and finishing seventeen on the national year-end chart in 2003. In total, sold over 900,000 copies. They also made her theatrical film debut, in Xuxa Abracadabra'', released on December 19, where they appear performing in a nightclub at a certain point in the plot. In celebration of the first year of the group's existence, a concert was held on September 21 for 23,000 spectators at the
Pacaembu Stadium, in São Paulo. The recording became second Rouge's video album,
A Festa dos Seus Sonhos, released on December 22.
2004–06: Blá Blá Blá, Mil e Uma Noites and disbandment On February 11, 2004, Andrade announced her departure from the Rouge through press conference. The singer first cited that she was suffering from exhaustion and disillusionment. Rumours of a power struggle with Thó circulated in the press. She revealed, in an interview years later, that her departure was due to
mobbing committed by manager and low pay. The other members said that her departure had a positive effect because this made them reevaluate their careers. On May 26, 2004, the group released
Blá Blá Blá, which contains a more mature side of
pop music. From the album, four singles were taken: the
title track and "
Sem Você" reached the top five on the Brazilian Charts. With a total of about 150,000 copies sold however, it failed to achieve the success of its two best-selling predecessors, still going
gold. To promote the album, the group embarked on the Tour Blá Blá Blá (2004–2005), which brought rearrangements of old songs, in addition to the performance of new ones, with a new group of instrumentalists, and the addition of four dancers participating in choreographies with the girls. On June 26, 2005, the group's fourth studio album and first greatest hits was released,
Mil e Uma Noites. The album contains six new tracks and eight from the band's previous catalog. The
Arabic pop-influenced leading single "
Vem Habib (Wala Wala)" reached the top five of the charts. At the end of 2005, the press reported that the group would split up the following year, due to the end of their contract with Sony. In August 2006, this actually happened and they announced they were going their separate ways, concentrating on their individual solo careers.
2012–16: Comeback attempt In late 2012, rumours about a return restarted on social networks, specially Twitter, as Bonadio posted the hashtag #VoltaRouge (en: Come Back Rouge). Some meetings of the girls were noticed and published through the web. Officially, a return of the band was confirmed by Bonadio and the girls itself, although Andrade refused to join the band members, saying that she needed to be truthful with herself and her decision. Shes also said: "They are Rouge, the girls that stayed. They are the soul of the group, so they are the ones who must come back". A tour commemorating 10 years of creation of the group was confirmed for 2013, in Brazil. Along with it, a new Reality Show for
Multishow,
Fabrica de Estrelas broadcast was announced for Bonadio to select girls for a new girlgroup. Rouge will have some appearances on the show showing the process of composition, recording and release of two new singles. The new single, "
Tudo É Rouge" (en: It's All Rouge) was confirmed for releasing April 2013, along with the start of the new reality show. Fantine shares that she went scouting for songs knowing Rouge would soon be recording,
Luke Christopher, songwriter and rapper who works alongside Common, sent them "No Feeling", "love at first sight" said Fantine. Karin and Fantine wrote the Portuguese version of the original song and released "
Tudo Outra Vez" (en: All again). Despite all efforts, though, bureaucracy got in their way as they were not the legal owners of the name and brand Rouge, this being owned by their previous recording label. Bonadio and the girls decided on quitting the plans for a return as well as the release of single "Tudo É Rouge", and an apologizing letter for the fans was released through social media.
2017–2019: Reunion, tour and second disbandment In August 2017 the 15th anniversary of the Rouge was intensely celebrated by the fans and all the former members. On September 13 was announced the return of the group with the original line-up. On 14 day, tickets were put up for sale and sold out in a minute. But as there were problems with some purchases, it was still possible to get some tickets. After three hours, the organization of the event announced that the five thousand tickets had been exhausted and an extra show was scheduled for the following day. A new extra show was scheduled for December 2, and was sold out the same day. In October 2017, it was confirmed that Rouge had returned definitively. , Paraná at the 15 Anos Tour. The group's comeback first single, "
Bailando" was released January 2018. In late 2017 the girls officially announced their reunion tour
Rouge 15 Anos. It began on January 27, 2018, in
Fortaleza,
Ceará and concluded on August 11, in
Recife,
Pernambuco. On August 21, the group announced their second single after the comeback "
Dona da Minha Vida". The track was officially released on August 31. On January 24, 2019, the group announced through its official pages that they would enter into an indefinite break and on February 1 the fifth album
Les 5inq was released and on the 4th, the
Rouge Sessions - De Portas Abertas. ==Merchandise and sponsorship deals==