Valeria Gastaldi was born December 5, 1981. Her parents, Maria and Marcos, noticed that she was an extroverted child from a young age, with a strong and spontaneous character. Her charming, fearless nature led to Valeria's participation in performing arts all throughout her primary and secondary education. Her interest in singing, acting, and dance found her a home in the musical theater community, eventually resulting in a short period of study in New York at the Stella Adler Theater School. In 2001 Gastaldi met with success on a large scale, thanks to the American Idol-esque program Popstars. Her participation in the reality TV competition won her a spot in the girl group Bandana, which enjoyed a few years of wild success in Argentina and throughout South America. The group recorded two albums before starring in the motion picture Vivir Intenando, which experienced great box office success and produced a top-selling soundtrack. The group disbanded shortly after the release of its third record, Hasta Siempre, in 2004. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez