The blare of the bright lights. The sound of teenage girls screaming with anticipation, desperately clinging to the stage, as the band plays that first note. The cheers from the crowd as the lead singer shouts his lyrics into the microphone. Did anyone expect to find this type of concert in a high school theater during lunch? Los 5 did.

Los 5 is a rising pop-rock band. Currently on a promotion tour visiting radio stations around the Mid-West. During this tour they will visit eighteen cities in twenty-one days. They were in Colorado, on Oct. 7,  to visit 95.7 The Party.

The lead singer, Juan Pablo Casillas, is originally from Mexico and graduated from Eaglecrest in 2011. Matt Rey, who raps for the band, attended Cherokee Trail and graduated in 2010; he is originally from Argentina. Ismael Cano is the guitarist, and originally from Mexico. Hector Rodriguez, who plays the bass, is also from Mexico. Tomas Slemenson, who plays the drums, is from Brazil.

When the band was just starting out they played concerts for high schools all over California. While they were in the road they decided to come to Eaglecrest. “We’re cruising through Colorado and I told our manager, we should definitely do a quick stop by Eaglecrest,”  said Casillas. “My brother and I graduated from there and I thought it would be a really special moment.”

This concert was particularly meaningful for Casillas because of his connection to this school; although he felt pressure to come here and play for current students.

“It really is like a dream right now. I’m waiting for the alarm clock to go off to wake up like in my bed right now. The support that just happened on stage, I never expected it,” said Casillas. “Honestly, I was intimidated, because I grew up in this high school. Being Latino and shy and quiet – the new guy –  and coming back to all the love it really is completely 360. I don’t even know how to explain it. It really is a beautiful feeling, for sure.”

Casillas has come a long way since his days in the high school men’s choir and madrigals. Before he found his true passion in music, Casillas wanted to be running back for the football team but he soon found out he didn’t have the talent for the sport. From this experience he learned in order to find be successful, talent and hard work are necessary.

“You might have the dream, you might want it, but if you don’t have that little seed of talent, it’s difficult,” said Casillas. “But if you got it, you gotta work it… It really is a race everybody wants to do it. You gotta work hard.”

In order to find success in this competitive industry, the members of Los 5 must throw themselves into their work.

“If you feel like that’s for you then go all in. You can’t just put your toe in the water you gotta really dive in,” Rodriguez said.

“You have to be willing to miss you families birthdays,” Rey said. “You gotta be willing to lose friends because you’re way too dedicated… that’s gonna separate you from the crowd.”

Pursuing a career in music takes sacrifice, but the members of Los 5 are willing to take a leap of faith and follow their dreams. “All the sacrifices, they’ll be worth it,” Cano said.