Though based in Hanover, Germany, Marquess drew heavily on the rhythms and sounds of contemporary Latin pop, even recording a number of original songs in the Spanish tongue. The group was led by vocalist Sascha Pierro, a German native previously known for collaborations with Patrick Nuo and Jazzkantine. In 2003, his "Wenn Grenzen" was also in the running for the famed Eurovision Song Contest. Pierro assembled Marquess in early 2006 with guitarist Dominik Decker, bassist Marco Heggen, and keyboardist Christian Fleps. Their debut Warner Music single, "El Temperamento," quickly emerged as one of Europe's breakout summer hits, eventually entering the German Top Ten in advance of the quartet's self-titled LP. ~ Jason Ankeny