Candelabro

In 2021, guitarist Matías Ávila debuted as a solo artist with the albums Heterocromía and El destino de las hormigas. For his live performances, he performed with bassist Carlos Muñoz and drummer Franco Arriagada, with whom he had previously formed a musical group with in 2018. Singer and keyboardist Javiera Donoso, guitarist Luis Ayala, and saxophonist Nahuel Alavia would join the band by 2022, adopting the name Candelabro in 2023. That same year, they released their first album, Ahora o nunca, which CityLab Global nominated for "Best Album of the Year" in the alternative music category, and were highlighted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the most relevant bands in the Chilean independent scene.

That same year, they released their second album, Deseo, carne y voluntad, which was named "Chilean album of the year" by music critic Marcelo Contreras of the newspaper La Tercera. They were also chosen as the "breakthrough band of Chilean rock" by critic Felipe Retamal. The album won the "Best Album of the Year" award granted by CityLab Global for its 2025 edition.

On March 11 of that same year, the day José Antonio Kast was inaugurated as president of Chile, the band released covers of the songs "Ultraderecha" and "Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de EE.UU" by Los Prisioneros. On March 14, they performed their "Ultraderecha" cover at Lollapalooza Chile 2026, accompanied by images of Kast, Donald Trump, Javier Milei, and Benjamin Netanyahu with swastikas on their foreheads referencing Nazism, which generated important controversy in Chilean mainstream media. On April 13, at Citylab GAM, they held the premiere of the music video for "Prisión de Carne", directed by Germán Pavez, which was then officially released on April 17. On April 28, they received a nomination for Best Rock Album for Deseo, carne y voluntad at the Pulsar Awards. In February 2026, the band announced a tour across Spain, with a performance in Barcelona as part of Primavera Sound.

On June 16, it was announced through social media that Luis Ayala and María Lobos had left the band. During the group's show in Puente Alto on June 20, Matías Ávila would refer to their exit by saying that everything had been discussed between the band members, and that they "will always wish the best to Luis and María." In that same show, the band would present their two new members, David Romero from Scott y Los Pelmazos on guitar, and Isidora Aldonza on oboe. On August 21, Candelabro performed for free alongside the groups Dentadura and Cámara Chilena de la Destrucción at the University of Concepción’s Concierto Mechón. During the event, they introduced pianist Luana Campos, daughter of musician Jorge Campos from Congreso and Fulano, as a new member.

Candelabro have been described as "one of the benchmark bands within the Chilean independent scene in the post-pandemic era," alongside Asia Menor, Hesse Kassel, Estoy Bien, Chini.png, Niños del Cerro Among their other influences, are the American band Wilco and British Windmill scene bands such as Black Country, New Road, as well as other Chilean bands they take important influence from such as Congreso, Fulano, Niños del Cerro and Los Prisioneros, the latter being noted as a particular influence in their musical and political directions.

In 2024, Chilean music critic Loreto Neira referred to Ahora o nunca as a mix of Niños del Cerro with "syrupy melodies typical of the so-called música cebolla [...] while elements of Latin American fusion music are embellished with pop synthesizers that confirm the importance of Javiera Mena and Álex Anwandter as new artistic references." Their sophomore album, Deseo, carne y voluntad, has been described as "a work with conceptual ambition that reviews spirituality, although with a street vibe and settled in an unconventional musical approach, which makes it undoubtedly Chilean."

Current members

• Matías Ávila, guitar and vocals
• Javiera Donoso, synthesizer and vocals
• Carlos Muñoz, bass and piano
• Franco Arriagada, drums and percussion
• Nahuel Alavia, soprano saxophone and synthesizer
• David Romero, guitar
• Isidora Aldonza, oboe

Former members

• Luis Ayala, guitar
• María Lobos, saxophone and synthesizer

Studio albums

• Ahora o nunca (2023)
• Deseo, carne y voluntad (2025)