Alt.Latino
The global Latinx community is evolving and growing fast. Alt.Latino is here to celebrate it and all of its nuances through music. Each episode, NPR Music's Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre sit down with a different living legend or rising star to discuss Latinx culture, heritage, and the shared borders of our experiences. Let the chisme begin! Support NPR and get your music exploration sponsor-free with Alt.Latino+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/nprmusic
Episodes
September 11, 2024 • 22 mins
'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, "La Reina Del Norte"
Songs featured in this episode:
•Juanes, "Mala Gente"
•Juanes, "A Dios Le Pido"
•Ivan Cornejo, "Ya Te Perdí"
•Okan, "La Reina Del Norte"
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September 4, 2024 • 31 mins
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 Harlem O...
Songs featured in this episode:
•Adrian Quesada, "Dos Manos"
•Nancy Sanchez, "You Are"
•Sinego, "Quema"
•Sinego, Pahua, "Sol"
•Spanish Harlem O...
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August 21, 2024 • 23 mins
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.
On this week's episode, Fe...
On this week's episode, Fe...
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August 7, 2024 • 30 mins
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 Venecia"...
Songs featured in this episode:
•Superfónicos, "Renaceré"
•Girl Ultra, "lalala"
•Fuerza Regida, "TUQLO"
•Danny Ocean, "por la pequeña Venecia"...
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July 24, 2024 • 28 mins
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 vocals of Malo's ...
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 vocals of Malo's ...
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July 10, 2024 • 28 mins
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 Hubiera Co...
Songs featured in this episode:
•Omar Apollo, "Empty"
•Los Cenzontles, "Different Drum"
•Mabe Fratti, "Oidos" and "Intento fallido"
•Karol G, "Si Antes Te Hubiera Co...
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June 26, 2024 • 33 mins
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 Alt.Latino, Felix Contreras ...
This week on Alt.Latino, Felix Contreras ...
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June 12, 2024 • 28 mins
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 Beso //Muévete"
...
Songs featured in this episode:
•Trueno, "Tranky Funky"
•Kali Uchis, "Dame Beso //Muévete"
...
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May 29, 2024 • 35 mins
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 it into the historic collect...
This week on Alt.Latino, Felix and Ana take the opportunity to dive into the Spanish language songs that have made it into the historic collect...
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May 15, 2024 • 32 mins
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 Nada [Explici...
Songs featured in this episode:
•Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, "Mas Que Nada"
•Luis Muñoz, "Crescent Moon"
•Mala Rodriguez, "Casi Nada [Explici...
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May 1, 2024 • 37 mins
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"
•Manu Ma...
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"
•Manu Ma...
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April 17, 2024 • 40 mins
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"
• Nella, Yendry,...
Songs featured in this episode:
• Young Miko, "Tamagotchi"
• The Mavericks, "Moon & Stars (with Sierra Ferrell)"
• Angélica Garcia, "Juanita"
• Alejandro Escovedo, "Castañuelas"
• Nella, Yendry,...
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April 4, 2024 • 37 mins
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 "strangs," and who gets to pl...
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 "strangs," and who gets to pl...
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March 30, 2024 • 23 mins
Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt.Latino puts the record to the test.
Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento talk about what makes a Shakira record a Shakira record, how pop artists reinvent themselves and loving your favorite artists even if you don't always love their music.
Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento talk about what makes a Shakira record a Shakira record, how pop artists reinvent themselves and loving your favorite artists even if you don't always love their music.
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March 21, 2024 • 26 mins
The weather's heating up and so are the music releases. The hosts of Alt.Latino share their most quintessentially them picks, with Latin jazz across the board from Felix and indie pop-rock bops from Ana.
The two sit down to ping-pong favorite picks back and forth from different parts of the country — plus, Felix puts Ana's picks to an impromptu test.
Featured tracks:
Lara Project, "Extraños"
Julieta E...
The two sit down to ping-pong favorite picks back and forth from different parts of the country — plus, Felix puts Ana's picks to an impromptu test.
Featured tracks:
Lara Project, "Extraños"
Julieta E...
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March 6, 2024 • 24 mins
Is it really a good idea to take a vacation with your coworkers? If you're part of the Alt.Latino team, it is.
Last month Alt.Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre decided to join Felix Contreras on a planned trip to attend the 39th annual Havana Jazz Festival, an international event that attracts fans of both Cuban music and jazz from around the world. Spread out among several historic venues around the Cuban capital city, the team sp...
Last month Alt.Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre decided to join Felix Contreras on a planned trip to attend the 39th annual Havana Jazz Festival, an international event that attracts fans of both Cuban music and jazz from around the world. Spread out among several historic venues around the Cuban capital city, the team sp...
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February 21, 2024 • 23 mins
As the chill remains in the air for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and the heat of summer warms up the South, we take time to listen to new music from both parts of the world.
Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new music, including Southern Cone rock and cumbia, atmospheric vocals from the U.S. and even some delicate yet emotionally powerful music from the Catalan region of Spain.
A...
Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new music, including Southern Cone rock and cumbia, atmospheric vocals from the U.S. and even some delicate yet emotionally powerful music from the Catalan region of Spain.
A...
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February 8, 2024 • 31 mins
Nothing captures the agony of love, loss, hope and redemption like the song form known across all of Latin America: the bolero.
Last December, UNESCO declared the bolero "an intangible cultural heritage of humanity" and "an indispensable part of the Latin American sentimental song." And given that Valentine's Day is coming up, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre did something special this week, in honor of this news: they a...
Last December, UNESCO declared the bolero "an intangible cultural heritage of humanity" and "an indispensable part of the Latin American sentimental song." And given that Valentine's Day is coming up, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre did something special this week, in honor of this news: they a...
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January 24, 2024 • 32 mins
Vocalist Ana Tijoux has been a frequent guest on Alt.Latino. That's because ever since her US debut, 1977, was released in 2010, Tijoux had been at the forefront of Latin music that celebrates creative innovation, themes of social justice and fierce independence.
In this week's episode the Chilean musician talks to Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre about why that spirit of innovation has been more or less silent for the last 10...
In this week's episode the Chilean musician talks to Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre about why that spirit of innovation has been more or less silent for the last 10...
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January 10, 2024 • 19 mins
In the earliest days of the show, Alt.Latino's mailbox was usually piled high with CDs of new music from both emerging and well-known artists.
Now, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre's email and social media accounts continue to open up new musical worlds at Alt.Latino and — in turn — all of you. The show starts 2024 with some great tracks from names you may know and a couple of bands that Felix and Ana think deserve wider...
Now, Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre's email and social media accounts continue to open up new musical worlds at Alt.Latino and — in turn — all of you. The show starts 2024 with some great tracks from names you may know and a couple of bands that Felix and Ana think deserve wider...
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