Morat

**Morat** is a Colombian Latin pop band, formerly known as **Malta**. They were originally formed in Bogotá on December 13, 2011. They rose to prominence in 2015 with their song "Mi Nuevo Vicio". Their members are Juan Pablo Isaza Piñeros, Juan Pablo Villamil Cortés, Simón Vargas Morales, and Martín Vargas Morales.

The original members of Morat met while studying at Gimnasio La Montaña, a private school in Bogotá, Colombia. From an early age, they shared an affinity for music, participating in school activities related to art and musical performances. It was in this environment that they began to form a connection not only as friends, but also as future bandmates.

## History

The members of Morat are 4 Colombians who have known each other since they were 3 years old, since they studied together at the Gimnasio La Montaña school in the city of Bogotá, and some of them later at the Universidad de los Andes. Two of its members (Simón and Martín Vargas) are blood brothers. They began playing together on several occasions and while in high school. Juan Pablo Isaza made the decision to form a band while still studying. In 2014, the band held a recording session in Bogotá.

A place they frequented a lot as beginner musicians was **La Tea**, where at first their fans were the security personnel. And over time they began to have an audience of their own. Simón Vargas told this anecdote about that place: "I remember that we had a game: every time we played at La Tea we tried to guess how many people were going to see us... And, usually, more people came than we expected.

During their school years, the members experimented with different musical genres, explored the use of instruments, and discovered their shared interest in folk, pop, and romantic ballads. Initially, they played songs by other artists at get-togethers with friends and school events, but little by little, they began composing their own pieces, which marked the beginning of their musical identity.

In the beginning, there were no great expectations for the band. In their first meeting with the artistic manager **Malaver**, they were rejected after he heard one of their first compositions. The answer he gave them was the following: "I think you are talented, but you will never have a song on the radio. You should have been born in Argentina in the late seventies, because your music is not suitable for what is happening right now." But once he heard them play live at La Tea some time later, manager Malaver was impressed with the boys' potential and decided to represent them.

## Members

**Current**
- Juan Pablo Isaza Piñeros – guitar, piano, ukulele, lead vocals
- Juan Pablo Villamil Cortez – banjo, lead vocals
- Simón Vargas Morales – bass guitar, backup vocals
- Martín Vargas Morales – percussion, backup vocals

**Former**

- Alejandro Posada – percussion, backup vocals

## Infobox (musical artist)

- **name**: Morat
- **image**: Morat en concierto.jpg
- **caption**: Morat during a live performance in February 2020 in Mexico City.
- **landscape**: yes
- **alias**: Malta
- **origin**: Bogotá, Colombia
- **years active**: 2015–present
- **label**: Universal Music Group
- **current members**: * Juan Pablo Villamil
* Juan Pablo Isaza
* Simón Vargas
* Martín Vargas
- **past members**: * Alejandro Posada