I5 (girl group)
Multinational girl group formed by Giant Records in 1999.
i5 was a short-lived American girl group whose name was short for "International Five." The group came together in 1999 and split up in 2001.
The idea for i5 came from Giant Records, a label focused on dance music. Their plan was to build a girl group with members from different countries, hoping to attract a wide fan base. After holding auditions, they picked five women, each representing a different nationality. Kate Macalino, from the Philippines, had been a model back home. Tal B. Hajek, from Israel, was a devout Jew who had moved to the U.S. in 1997 and looked up to rock singers. Christina Rumbley, from the United States, had left Florida for Los Angeles to chase a music career. Andi Murphy-McCormack, from the UK, loved to dance. Gaby Equiz, from Mexico, was a Latina who dreamed of being famous. Together, they became the "International Five," or i5. The group was almost called "5-starz," but that name was dropped because it didn't sound catchy.
In spring 2000, i5 appeared on the soundtrack for the dance movie *Center Stage* with their song "First Kiss." By summer, they had nearly finished their first album and joined Nickelodeon's *All That Music and More* tour. On that tour, they promoted their single "Distracted," a song written by Steve Kipner, who had earlier written hits for Christina Aguilera, Brandy Norwood, and Dream.
On September 12, 2000, Giant Records released i5's self-titled debut album. It didn't make the charts and was a commercial flop. The reason was that their label was about to shut down, so it couldn't release more singles or properly promote the album. After Giant Records folded, its parent company, Warner Bros. Records, absorbed it, and i5 was left without a label. The members tried to find a new record deal but failed, and they went their separate ways in late 2001.
- formed
- 1999
- disbanded
- 2001
- origin
- United States
- genre
- Pop
- label
- Giant Records
- known_for
- Multinational girl group concept; single 'Distracted'; appearance on the Center Stage soundtrack
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Genre
- Pop / teen pop / dance-pop
- Years Active
- 1999–2001
- Label
- Giant Records
- Past Members
- Kate Macalino / Tal B. Hajek / Christina Rumbley / Andi McCormack / Gaby Equiz
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
i5 was assembled in 1999 by Giant Records, a label primarily known for dance music. The group's hook was its international membership: Kate Macalino from the Philippines, Tal B. Hajek from Israel, Christina Rumbley from the United States, Andi Murphy-McCormack from the UK, and Gaby Equiz from Mexico. The group was originally to be named 5-starz but changed it because it didn't sound 'catchy'.
In spring 2000, i5 contributed the song 'First Kiss' to the soundtrack of the dance film Center Stage. By summer 2000, they had nearly completed their debut album and joined Nickelodeon's All That Music and More tour, promoting their single 'Distracted', written by Steve Kipner. Their self-titled debut album was released on September 12, 2000, but failed to chart due to Giant Records' imminent folding, which prevented further singles or promotion. After Giant Records was absorbed by Warner Bros. Records, i5 had no label. The members sought a new label but failed, and the group parted ways in late 2001.
Reader's Guide
i5 represents a brief but notable attempt by a major label to create a pop group with deliberate multinational representation. Their concept—five members from five different countries—was a marketing strategy to attract a diverse fan base, but the group's career was cut short by the collapse of their label, Giant Records. Their debut album, i5 (2000), failed commercially because the label could not support it with additional singles or promotion. The group's legacy is largely tied to their single 'Distracted' and their appearance on the Center Stage soundtrack. Though they disbanded after only two years, i5 is remembered by some fans as a precursor to later multinational pop acts. Their story illustrates how label instability can derail even a well-conceived group.
Did You Know?
- i5's name stood for 'International Five'.
- The group was originally going to be named 5-starz but changed it because it didn't sound 'catchy'.
- Their single 'Distracted' was written by Steve Kipner, who had previously written hits for Christina Aguilera, Brandy Norwood, and Dream.
- i5's debut album failed to chart because Giant Records folded shortly after its release.
More in American pop girl groups 1-24
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