Alt.Latino

Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run through their favorites in a crowded year for excellent songs, from innovative Spanish hip-hop to distinctive jazz. Songs featured in this episode: •Çantamarta, "MOTORIZADO" •Mala Rodriguez, "Casi Nada" •Zaccai Curtis, "Maple Leaf Rag" •Ca7riel y Paco Amoroso, "DUMBAI" •Melissa Aldana, "A Purpose" •Residente, "313" Audio for this epi...

It's that time of the year — figuring out the best Latin music of 2024. And every year, it gets harder and harder (seriously, it's difficult!) for Ana and Felix to narrow down their extensive lists. Joined by NPR culture reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, the three round up the best albums of this year. Songs featured in this episode: •Angélica Garcia, "El Que" from Gemelo •Hinds, "Coffee" from Vi...

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre continue their discussion on the 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammys and the industry's changes, featuring insight from Nathy Peluso, Rauw Alejandro and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Fuerza Regida, "TQM" •Fuerza Regida, "Que onda" •Fuerza Regida "HARLEY QUINN" •Latin Mafia, "y como te digo que" Audio for this episode of Alt. Latino was edited and mixed...

The Latin Grammys recently marked its 25th anniversary. Alt. Latino 's Anamaria Sayre was in Miami to talk to some of Latin music's most influential artists to understand some of the trends that are shaping Latin music today, shared over two episodes. Songs featured in this episode: •Juanes, "Fíjate Bien" •Juanes, "Vida Cotidiana" •Álvaro Díaz, "Quien Te Quiere" •Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera "Beb...

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre may be traveling in Spain, but that doesn't mean they don't stop finding exciting new music to share. On this episode, they bring "folk pirano" from Damaris Bojor, laidback bedroom pop from Chicocurlyhead, the latest from Becky G and more. Songs featured in this episode: •El León Pardo, "La Perica" •Laura Itandehui, "La Distancia" •Haydée Milanés, "Requiem Para U...

Alt. Latino hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre are in Spain this week for a music conference, so they soaked up the local sounds. Featured Songs: - Mayte Martín, "El Breve Espacio Que No Está" - Rels B and Lia Kali, "La Vida Sin Ti" - Judeline, "INRI" - Buika, "La Niña De Fuego" Listen to the playlist at https://npr.org/altlatino . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

Anamaria Sayre brings some exciting new sounds coming out Mexico City (while recording from Mexico City) including sweet new music from Colombian artist Elsa Y Elmar, while Felix Contreras shares new jazz-classical out of Barcelona and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Elsa y Elmar, "Palacio" •Alih Jey, "Luz de Gas" •Little Jesus, "Tierra Llamando A Sant" •Lucia Fumero, "Folklore II" Audio fo...

To celebrate the release of a new book from NPR Music, How Women Made Music , as well as the 50th anniversary this year of the album Celia & Johnny, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre walk through their favorite songs by the legendary Celia Cruz, alongside the artist's niece Linda Pritchett. Songs featured in this episode: • Celia Cruz, "Bemba Colorá" • Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, "Yiri Yiri Bon" • C...

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre play a few of their favorite new tracks, some from Alt. Latino standbys and some exciting new discoveries, too. Also, we hear from an Alt. Latino listener about a Dominican song that moves her. Songs featured in this episode: • Twanguero, "Rumba #2" • Twanguero, "La Leyenda de Cañaveral" • Rosalía, "Omega (feat. Ralphie Choo)" • Wyatt Flores, "Oh Susannah" • pabl...

Alt. Latino is usually all about sharing new music across Latin America, but what about the older cuts Ana and Felix are obsessed with? On this episode, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras share the music they've been playing on repeat, from beloved classics by greats like Ella Fitzgerald to surprising new discoveries out of Mexico like Paloma Morphy. Songs featured in this episode: •Paloma Morphy,...

Wait a minute — does Alt. Latino actually agree with a lot of the Latin Recording Academy's nominations this year? Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run through as many of the whopping 58 categories as they can in this episode dissecting the nominations for the upcoming ceremony. Songs featured in this episode: •Grupo Frontera, "CANSADO DE SUFRIR" •Grupo Fronter...

This week on Alt. Latino, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras talk about an exciting new album from Manu Chao on the way — his first in 17 years — and their favorite recent songs from artists like the Dominican indie rock band Solo Fernández, ethereal pop from Tiny Desk Contest Winner Linda Diaz and more. Ana and Felix are starting something new this week. Felix always says it, but it's not a Mexic...

'El Tiny' season at the Tiny Desk launches next week and this year it's all about love — familial and romantic, with drama fit for a telenovela. Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras preview this year's line-up, sharing a sneak peek at what 2024's 'El Tiny' has to offer. Songs featured in this episode: •Juanes, "Mala Gente" •Juanes, "A Dios Le Pido" •Ivan Cornejo, "Ya Te Perdí" •Okan, "Okantomi" •Ela...

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras play some of their favorite new songs from the last few months, featuring globe-spanning electronica from Colombian producer Sinego, border-crossing new music from La Doña, nuanced salsa from Spanish Harlem Orchestra and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Adrian Quesada, "Dos Manos" •Nancy Sanchez, "You Are" •Sinego, "Quema" •Sinego, Pahua, "Sol" •Spanish Har...

Over the past month thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets to protest the disputed election of president Nicolás Maduro, while Venezuelan artists like Danny Ocean use music to reflect on this political moment. But Ocean's work is just one data point in a long history of music from Venezuela that embodies the political opinions and emotions of those within the country and the diaspora....

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre run through their favorite new music, including new work from Venezuelan artist Danny Ocean in the midst of the country's political crisis, Girl Ultra leaning into her techno side, funky, electro-cumbia from Superfónicos and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Superfónicos, "Renaceré" •Girl Ultra, "lalala" •Fuerza Regida, "TUQLO" •Danny Ocean, "por la pequeña...

The genre commonly referred to as "Chicano soul" has that "you know it if you hear it" kind of sound. It's a bicultural interpretation of late 1950s and early '60s African American R&B ballads by Mexican American youth, influenced by the operatic style of Mexican rancheras. Broken hearts, unrequited love and loving the wrong person are often the main themes. Real talk: it's the smooth, bilingual v...

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new tracks, including heartbroken music from Omar Apollo, a mix of jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican sounds from Papo Vazquez and a controversial new merengue electrónico track from Karol G. Songs featured in this episode: •Omar Apollo, "Empty" •Los Cenzontles, "Different Drum" •Mabe Fratti, "Oidos" and "Intento fallido" •Karol G, "Si Antes Te Hu...

Even if you don't know Edgar Barrera's name, you know his work. The multiple Grammy-winning writer and producer has worked with dozens of the biggest names in Latin music — Bad Bunny, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo — the list goes on. But he's also one of the main forces pushing regional Mexican into the mainstream over the past few years, and turning Pan-Latin sounds into pop perfection. This week on Al...

To mark the halfway point of 2024, Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR Culture Desk producer Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run down their favorite releases of the year so far, from a career-defining release from Nathy Peluso, a leveling up from Argentine rapper Trueno, introspective jazz from Melissa Aldana and so much more. Songs featured in this episode: •Trueno, "Tranky Funky" •Kali Uchis, "Dame...

The Library of Congress' National Recording Registry is more than just a collection of music and sound — it's a reflection of who we are as a country. In April, two new Spanish language songs were added to the registry: Juan Gabriel's "Amor Eterno" and Héctor Lavoe's "El Cantante." This week on Alt. Latino, Felix and Ana take the opportunity to dive into the Spanish language songs that have made i...

Ana and Felix collect their favorite recent releases from the past few months, including new material from the breakout regional band Grupo Frontera, a country/Latin cross-over in the music of Wyatt Flores, a new song from groundbreaking rapper Mala Rodriguez and more. Songs featured in this episode: •Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, "Mas Que Nada" •Luis Muñoz, "Crescent Moon" •Mala Rodriguez, "Casi Na...

It's the 10th annual Tiny Desk contest and there's been a strong showing of Latin artists behind desks across the United States and Puerto Rico. Felix and Ana sifted through all the entries and pulled their favorites from artists with roots all across the Americas. And if one of them ends up winning, you can thank us for the introduction. Songs featured in this episode: •Cathia, "Taza de Café" •Ma...

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras round up their favorite new music, from Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko's boundary-pushing new music, to Alejandro Escovedo's genre-bending rock and Angelica Garcia's electro-cumbia. Songs featured in this episode: • Young Miko, "Tamagotchi" • The Mavericks, "Moon & Stars (with Sierra Ferrell)" • Angélica Garcia, "Juanita" • Alejandro Escovedo, "Castañuelas" • Nel...

The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt. Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country? This week, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras travel to Austin, Texas to speak with AmeriChicana musician Carrie Rodriguez about the difference between violin and fiddle, strings and "s...