Colombia
Culture Guides
A Timeline of Greatness - Musical Anniversaries to Celebrate in 2024

Here at LatinoLife, whilst nurturing up-and-coming artists, we never forget on whose should we stand and who we have to thank for the rich tapestry of sounds that we’ve inherited. This year in particular we look forward to some…

Reviews
Luis Caballero - A Rare Insight into Queer Colombian Artistry

In ‘A Deliberate Defiance’, an exhibition of five canvases by Luis Caballero (1943-1995), London’s Cecilia Brunson Projects highlights the stories of duality and dichotomy depicted in the pioneering queer Colombian artist’s work…

In-depth Interviews
True Romantic

We talk to four-time Latin Grammy winner Andrés Cepeda about how girls inspired him to start writing music, his secret shot of aguardiente to calm nerves and love as the engine of life. There's no doubt about it, the much…

Obituaries
Remembering Rodolfo Aicardi

Blessed with an unusual voice, which exuded passion and raw emotion, an era of great songs that connected with audiences every day lives, and a magnetic charisma, Rodolfo Aicardi was one of Colombia’s biggest Cumbia stars of the…

In-depth Interviews
Golden Days

Four-time Latin Grammy winners Aterciopelados defined a new Golden Era of Colombian pop music when it exploded onto the Latin pop scene back in 1993, going on to become one of Colombia’s best known pop bands of the 1990s. With a…

Things You Should Know About...
UK Colombian Creatives to be Proud of

Creativity is in any Colombians' DNA, it’s part of our necessity and hence our everyday lives. We’re celebrating Colombian Independence by shining a light on the amazing Colombian talent here in the UK. From dancers,…

Things You Should Know About...
UK Colombian Music Artists to be Proud Of

We’re Celebrating Colombian Independence by shining a light on the amazing Colombian talent here in the UK. First off music..from salsa, vallenato and gaita to urban, hip hop and folk here are artists who have brought not only…

Reviews
SÚPER CHEFS, a play by Betsy Picart, with music by Ariel Cubría.

At the Theatre Peckham, SÚPER CHEFS, an exciting music & dance play designed for children (aged 4-8), is delighting its young audiences and their parents alike,

Reviews
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING (2023) by Lisa Cortes

In this beautifully researched documentary, screened at the 2023 BFI Flare London LGBTQIA+ Festival, Lisa Cortes celebrates the ‘architect of rock n’ roll’ Little Richard, with all the ebullience and joy that vibrates in his…

Reviews
‘UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS’: Juan Felipe Zuleta’s film of friendship despite all odds

Screened in the 'Hearts' Strand at the 2023 BFI Flare LGBTQI+ Festival, this powerful and charming film has been praised by Queer Forty as “one of the best road movies ever made”. This may be a grand statement but there…

Interviews
Reclaiming The Streets

Ryan Castro is the latest in a string of Medellin music sensations to reach global fame, with hits such as Jordan, Wasa Wasa, Malory and Mujeriego. Just as Colombia’s ‘City of Eternal Spring’ has come to be known as the new…

Features
“Los Nadies” become Somebodies in Colombia

After a very contested campaign, Colombians recently elected Gustavo Petro, a former M-19 guerrilla member, as president, and Francia Márquez, the first vice president in Latin America of African descent, The duo Petro and…

In-depth Interviews
Britpop's Favourite Timbalero

When Colombian timbal player Roberto Pla arrived the UK in the 1970s, the Latin music scene was practically non-existent. But the boy from Baranquilla soon became the percussionist of choice for UK pop artists such as Joe…

In-depth Interviews
Emotional challenges for a Colombian immigrant in the UK

Santi (2021) is a 10-minute short film directed by up-and-coming talent Harry Richards. He talks to Latino Life about the film and its inception, and explains that the short is a taster for what will become a 90-minute feature…

In-depth Interviews
The Juanes Mash Up

The Colombian music landscape has transformed dramatically over the last 10 years, with reggaetón becoming the new pop, but one Medellín rockero has transcended all trends and remains as relevant today doing the music he loves.…

Features
Colombian elections 2022: Petro or Fico?

Colombia’s presidential elections are just around the corner (with a second round in June if no candidate obtains more than 50 per cent of the vote). With two main candidates on opposing sides of the political spectrum, what do…

Features
Colombia: London Mural Honours Lucas Villa

London graffiti artist Kapo pays tribute to the demonstrator assassinated during Colombia’s national strike in 2021 in Stockwell’s ‘Hall of Fame’

Features
The Right to Die? Euthanasia in Colombia

 Meet the lawyers fighting to make euthanasia a human right in Latin America.

Reviews
MEMORIA (2021) directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul

“In here, time stops”. Thai Director, screenwriter and producer Apichatpong Weerasethakul has set his latest offering MEMORIA (2021) in Colombia. He has managed to uncover a sense of peace that one would have thought hard to…

Obituaries
Remembering Rafael Escalona, composer (1927 - 2009)

Rafael Escalona was one of Colombia's most important musical lyricists and composers, revolutionising Colombia's vallenato tradition, modernizing the music's rough, accordion-based sound via the addition of vividly…

Spotlight on...
Luisa Santiago, Singer-Song Writer

Luisa Santiago is a Colombian-born, London-bred singer pianist who calls on the best of both worlds: her roots in Salsa and Latin music and a love of UK Soul and R&B. Luisa’s songwriting, piano playing and sweet vocals, honed…

Top 10s...
Top 10 Salsa Hits of the Noughties

As lovers of Salsa here at LatinoLife, we've been loving putting together a Top 10 series on Salsa Hits of the decades, from the golden era of the 70s, through salsa romantica and erotica of the 80s, the big hitters of the…

Features
Latina Homegrown

Sweetness, strength, ambition and beauty are the words that encapsulate this unique group of talent trying to break through the many barriers of London's difficult world of urban music. What’s the biggest challenge; as women…

Top 10s...
Top 10 90s Salsa Hits (part 2)

Last week, as part of our series on salsa hits of the decades, we brought you our selection of the best '90s salsa, with artists like Luis Enrique, Tito Rojas, Victor Manuelle, Jerry Rivera, DLG and Orchestra Guayacan. But…

Reviews
J Balvin "El niño de Medellin" review

J Balvin bares soul and fights with conscience in his brilliantly told story.

Reviews
Minimalist vampire movie with a twist: ‘MY HEART CAN ONLY BEAT WHEN YOU TELL IT TO” .

Colombian-American Jonathan Cuartas has hit the ground running with his debut feature, ‘MY HEART CAN ONLY BEAT WHEN YOU TELL IT TO’, a moving tale of two dysfunctional siblings trying to protect their frail little brother against…

Top 10s...
Top 10 '90s Salsa Hits (part 1)

In this third episode of our series of Salsa hits from the 70s to the present day, before bachata and reggaeton took hold, this week we bring you our pick of the biggest Latin dancefloor hits of the 1990s. By the '90s salsa…

Top 10s...
Top 10 Salsa Hits of the '80s

We got real nostalgic here at LatinoLife over lockdown and started listening to all the great salsa tracks that have been produced over the years, from the '70s when Fania exploded onto the scene, thru the '80s and…

Features
Latin America Criminalises Mining Protest

All over Latin America mining protest is being criminalised by government legislation. Protestors in Andalgalá, Argentina are arrested and beaten, while in Brazil the Munduruku are fighting Anglo American, financed by US…

Features
Que Vivan 'Los Turcos': Latin America's Arab connection

Last year, when the crisis in Colombia coincided with the Israeli incursion into Gaza, Colombian and Latino social media platforms were awash with calls for solidarity with Palestinians, after the distressing scenes of the…

Opinion
Time to Come Together for Colombia

On April 28th May in Colombia the people of Cali city took to the streets to peacefully protest and march against the new tax reform put in place by president Ivan Duque. What started off as a peaceful demonstration soon turned…

Features
What is behind the current civil unrest in Colombia?

The South American country is the news protagonist of late. Videos of protests and riots circulate the web, and celebrities have even changed their profile picture to show their support to the Colombian people. Even though the…

Things You Should Know About...
Latin Jazz Next Gen

Unlike other music, Jazz musicians get better with age. In Jazz linguistics, at 40, you’re a toddler just starting to talk! The following artists have pricked up our ears with their exciting new sounds. Both blessed and burdened…

In-depth Interviews
Phil Manzanera: Songs That Made Me

After being the lead guitarist with Roxy Music, one of the most iconic British Prog-Rock bands of the 1970s and 80s, led by Brian Ferry and including Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera went on to produce albums for Pink Floyd, David…

Top 10s...
Top 10 Noughties Reggaeton Tracks

From Tego to Daddy Yankee here are the top 10 Noughties Reggaeton hits from our freinds at Reggaeton.co.uk! From early to mid 00's this may even be a younger generations "old school" list.

Latest Content

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Food
Made in Brasil

Amaranta Wight revisits London’s iconic award-winning Brazilian restaurant in Camden – a much-…

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Cristiana Dell'Anna as Mother Cabrini with Giancarlo Giannini as the Pope
Film & Theatre
CABRINI (2024) directed by Mexican director Alejandro Monteverde

‘One small gesture of love can change everything’. How do you do credit to a biopic of a saint?…

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Music
HEARTSONGS

Lila Downs is back – with not one but Dos Corazones – a new song which she will be debuting live in…

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Top 10 Argentine Footballers

As one of the biggest football teams in South America and the world, the Argentine Football…

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Ballads and Boleros
Top Ten Mexican Male Singers of all Time

Since the days when Mexico was a serious rival to Hollywood in terms of film production and quality…

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Top 10 Mexican Boxers

Globally, Mexico is known as a boxing powerhouse, boasting some of the greatest champions in the…