Alt.Latino

Jorge Drexler is one of the most decorated singer-songwriters in Latin America. His albums are always high profile events, and his latest record merits the attention. It's called Taracá, and to make it he returned home to his native Uruguay - after living in Spain for 30 years - to explore the roots of an Afro-Uruguayan tradition known as candombe. On this week's episode we chat with Drexler about the motivation for returning to his home country, making music after losing his parents, and how the album's title reflects the sound made by a candombe drum. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Listen to this episode out in the springtime air. It starts with a bucolic jaunt through Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento's latest orchestral project, then finds La Plazuela's fresh Spanish funk and Macha's irreverent side project. Other sounds along the way: Caribbean pop from Venezuela, feel-your-feels indie from northern Mexico and an electronic spin on the indigenous Náhuatl language. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Two phrases spoken during this week’s episode stand out because they represent how Ana and I approach our searches for new music. The first: “The only limit is the imagination.” In my constant hunt for the sound I have never heard, this thought is my mantra. The new music we’re bringing this week really steps up to that challenge, from young upstarts like Broke Carrey to beloved veterans like Draco Rosa. The second phrase? “Latin music is a geography, not a genre.” Ana put into words something she and I talk about often, the idea that the term “Latin music” is no longer adequate to reflect that amazingly eclectic forms of musical expression in the Spanish-speaking world. This episode features musicians from Argentina, Peru, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere -- but what they share is a distinct artistic expression that consistently blows our minds. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

From the very beginning of Alt.Latino, female vocalists have captivated us the most -- and New York-based Argentine vocalist Sofia Rei has been high on our list of favorites for a while. She uses the human voice like paint on a canvas, layering voices to create choirs that take flight at the mere suggestion of a melody. On her new album Antónima, she not only creates magic with her own voice but also collaborates with some Alt.Latino favorites: Gaby Moreno, Daymé Arocena and Xenia Rubinos, among others. As we revive our Guest DJ series, we asked her to bring on some of the songs she loves, for an insider's perspective of the art behind the human voice. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

This week's new music pairs well with a glass of wine - or, at least, that's what Ana chose while taping this happy hour edition of Alt.Latino at Felix's dining room table. And the music on tap spans a huge breadth of styles. Yahritza y Su Esencia returns with a powerful sophomore album after a spell out of the limelight. Brazilian legend-in-the-making Lucas Santtana collaborates with his mentor Gilberto Gil. Ana Tijoux revisits her late-'90s hip-hop roots. Plus, Tejano master Ruben Ramos tells his life story through song. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

International Women's Day is more than a perfunctory holiday in many parts of Latin America. In Mexico City, for example, more than 120,000 people turned out on Sunday to protest femicide and celebrate the ongoing fight for basic rights for women in the country. In honor of the holiday, this week's episode debuts our female power anthems hall of fame, highlighting women in Latin music whose art challenged the status quo of their time. Plus, some on-the-ground reporting from Anamaria Sayre at the march in Mexico City. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

On Feb. 21, the musical world lost a legend and pioneer of salsa: Willie Colón. The trombonist, songwriter, producer and arranger was a key part of the transition of Afro-Caribbean dance music from regional traditions to worldwide popularity. For an insider’s perspective on that history, this week we speak to trombonist and bandleader Angel “Papo” Vázquez, a Philadelphia-born musician who was not only inspired to play the trombone by Willie Colón, but also played on some historic recordings by Colón and other Fania Records notables. The best music tells great stories, and the same can be said about musicians. Vázquez brings along five tracks by Willie Colón that set him, and the rest of the world, on a path of deep appreciation for Colón’s contributions to salsa. This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

This week on Alt.Latino, it's another new music episode with a global panorama: Canary Islands merengue, Chicano soul, Afro-Brazilian roots and more. Plus, a percussion supergroup that Felix could listen to for hours. Featured artists and albums: (00:00) Introduction (00:55) Quevedo, 'NI BORRACHO' (05:02) Joey Quiñones, 'In a Soul Situation' (12:24) Carolina Mama, 'Amina' (15:31) Elipsis, 'Elipsis' (19:22) Da Cruz, 'Som Sistema' (23:46) Sofía Rei, 'Antónima' This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

So, I was away for a bit and the new music just piled up during the holidays, and while we were watching Bad Bunny make headlines at the Grammys and the Super Bowl. Our first new music episode of the new year has quite a variety of styles from lots of different countries. We could say that about just about every new music show we produce. But what are we to do when the amount of creativity that comes our way pretty much overwhelms us? Jump in for a summertime journey through the many sounds of Brazil, a fusion of indigenous and contemporary styles, and a lost relic of Mexican rock from the 1970s. - Felix Artists and albums: (00:00) Introduction (01:20) Amaro Freitas, Criolo, and Dino D'Santiago, 'CRIOLO, AMARO E DINO' (09:19) Javier Jara, 'Our Rhythms, Our Voices' (13:19) Infinito Latente, 'Sem Início Nem Fim' (19:19) Ernan Roch Con Las Voces Frescas, 'La Onda Pesada' (24:52) João Menezes & Paulo Novaes, 'Coisa Híbrida' (30:02) Líber Terán, 'Canciones Del Desierto' This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show was many things: a time-traveling journey through the history of Puerto Rico, a statement of pan-American unity, and a masterpiece of cultural expression. This week, co-hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre are joined by Isabella Gomez Sarmiento — who brings on-the-ground reporting from San Juan — to unpack the symbolism embedded in Bad Bunny's performance. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Last Sunday, Bad Bunny's 'DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS' became the first exclusively Spanish language album to win Album of the Year at the Grammys. This coming Sunday, the Puerto Rican megastar will perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. For this week's episode, Anamaria Sayre and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento chat about what these two moments mean for Bad Bunny, the island of Puerto Rico, and the role of Latin music in America more broadly. This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

This month we’ve been looking at the music of Venezuela from a lot of different angles. For this episode, we’ve invited trumpet player and producer Ella Bric to be our guest DJ. She shared what she thinks are the most socially, culturally and politically impactful pieces of music to come out of Venezuela in the last half century. Ella Bric grew up in a migrant-rich town in Venezuela called San Antonio de los Altos, surrounded by a culturally-minded, socially conscious community. She’s now based in New York, and in recent years has positioned herself as a prolific producer on the rise in the Latin music space. In 2018, she won a Latin Grammy for Producer of the Year, and she says her art comes from a curiosity about the state of the world and her desire to reflect that. (00:00) Introduction (01:46) La Vida Bohème, 'Hornos del Cal' (06:41) Betsayda Machado & Parranda el Clavo, 'Sentimiento' (11:35) María Rodríguez, 'Los Dos Titanes' (15:11) Ali Primera, 'Techos de Cartón' (19:52) Linda Briceño & Orlando Watson, 'Unfinished Song' (24:38) Desorden Público, 'Politicos Paraliticos' (27:36) Bucle Lunar, 'Subió El Maldito Dolar' This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Sometimes life imitates art - or at least the two can seem eerily connected. On Jan. 1, the Venezuelan band Rawayana released a new album, '¿Dónde Es El After?,' which began with a lyric that many interpreted as a wish for their country's leadership to be gone. A few days later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was ousted from power and seized by American forces. For this week's episode, we chat with Fofo Story and Beto Montenegro of Rawayana to hear how the album came together, where its sonic influences lie, and how they're reflecting on the seismic changes underway in their home country. (00:00) Intro (01:54) How they decided to open the album (06:26) On the song 'Qué Rico PR!' (09:36) Caribbean influences growing up (13:41) Childhood love for merenhouse (16:13) Adapting tonada folk music (21:58) Reflections on Venezuela in this moment This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Over the weekend, we lost a musician who shaped the lives of countless people: the late, great Bob Weir. He was a founding member of the Grateful Dead who played guitar, wrote and sang in the band for 30 years. After Jerry Garcia died and the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir kept the spirit of the music alive for three more decades, creating new Deadheads for generations to come — he brought John Mayer, Billy Strings and even the National Symphony Orchestra into the Grateful Dead universe. The Deadhead slogan proved to be true: Weir everywhere. At Alt.Latino, we’re big fans of Bob Weir and his immensely cosmic musical legacy. Over the years, we’ve learned that many Latin musicians are also, metaphorically speaking, on the bus. Today on the show, we celebrate Bob Weir’s life by hearing some of his past interviews on NPR, exploring the Grateful Dead’s influence on artists like Devendra Banhart, and of course, revisiting his magnetic Tiny Desk concert from 2019. We’re incredibly grateful that Bobby came down to this world for a little while to tell us his stories – we hope to see him in the next one. (00:00) Intro (01:38) Bob Weir's early life and Grateful Dead career (08:05) Grateful Dead at the National Symphony Orchestra (14:30) Felix and Isa reflect on 'American Beauty' (20:35) Grateful Dead's impact on Latin musicians (26:33) Bob Weir at the Tiny Desk This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Venezuela has a deep tradition of reflecting political change through music. This week, as the country reels from the seizure of its president by American forces, we explore the recent history of Venezuelan protest music, and from the Nineties right up until the present. First, we share an excerpt of an episode we made at another moment of political turmoil in Venezuela, in the summer of 2024. Then, we'll walk up to the present and see how some musicians across Latin America are responding to this moment. And a big thanks to NPR Music's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento for being our guide. (00:00) Intro (02:06) A history of Venezuelan protest music (13:39) Social and economic changes under Nicolas Maduro (14:53) Venezuelan protest music in recent years (22:21) How artists across Latin America are responding This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The sheer volume and variety of Spanish-language music released every year is breathtaking. Even those of us with our ears to the ground are bound to miss things. So, in this episode we travel back through the year to resurface some of the remarkable albums that somehow didn't make it on the show. Catch Afro-Caribbean jazz, a history-spanning classical strings project, the return of Juana Molina and much, much more. Artists and albums featured in this episode: - Alex Cuba, 'Índole' - Enyel C, 'Nuevo Caribe' - Berta Rojas, 'La Huella de las Cuerdas' - Cazzu, 'Latinaje' - Conrad Herwig, Eddie Palmieri and Luques Curtis, 'Reflections-Facing South' - Juana Molina, 'DOGA' This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

This year was bookended by two major statements in Latin music. In January, Bad Bunny released DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and followed that up with a 31-show residency in Puerto Rico over the summer. Then, in November, the Spanish vocalist Rosalía released her genre-defying masterpiece LUX, which sent legions of music lovers scrambling to try to grasp the magnitude of an album performed in 13 different languages. But they were only the tip of the iceberg of yet another year of mind-bending creativity in Spanish language music. This week we look back at some of the other artists and recordings that made 2025 another year of adventurous and rewarding listening. These six artists made only a fraction of music that caught our attention. But we only have so much time on these podcasts! Use this as a starting point to explore the year that was on your own. And check out more of NPR Music's coverage of the best music of 2025 here. Enjoy! Artists and albums featured in this episode: - Bad Bunny, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS - Rosalía, LUX - Queralt Lahoz, 9:30 PM - Roxana Amed, Todos los Fuegos - Arath Herce, Musas en Mi - Mon Laferte, Femme Fatal - rusowsky, DAISY - Lido Pimienta, La Belleza This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Some folks think by December all the releases for the year are complete. Not quite. This week we feature a new music show with albums that should be considered along with the year’s best. We've got pop and alternative from Mexico, funk from Colombia, rock and ambient from New York and a Tejano master celebrated by his fellow Texans. Plus, Felix brings the zen. Artists and songs featured in this episode: - Diles que no me maten, 'Manos de Piedra - Revisitada' - Dianna Lopez, 'Sun Frequencies (Renewal)' - HUMBE, 'fantasmas' - Rene Lopez, 'Any Chance' - Duplat, 'Vete del País' - Ruben Ramos. 'El Año Viejo (ft. Gaby Moreno)' This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The annual Latin Grammy awards are always full of glamour and glitz. But they're also an ideal time to take the pulse of the industry - which is exactly what Anamaria Sayre did this year, perusing the red carpet to talk with the most exciting names in Latin music. In this episode, Ana brings Felix her report from Las Vegas, where Bad Bunny won Album of the Year, the independent Brazilian music scene made a splash, and the whole industry seemed to be saying: "Show us where you're from." This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Spanish vocalist and composer Rosalía has been a major presence in Spanish language music since she released her first album, "El Mal Querer," in 2018. She started by leaning into her flamenco roots, but since then she has expanded her musical vision to become one of those musicians who defies category. Her new album "LUX" stretches that descriptor to its limit. Her musical tools this time include the London Symphony Orchestra, singing in 13 languages, guests like Icelandic performer Björk, and her own vocals that hit operatic heights. This week, Ana and Felix dissect the album and play excerpts from Ana's interview with Rosalía. How can you go wrong? You can read extended highlights of Ana's interview with Rosalía at NPR.org This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy