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Radical Beauty
Every now and then, someone special emerges through the cracks in the music industry monolith to grab listeners’ attention. Marta Gómez is one of those artists. Her authentic sound, her story-telling and meaningful lyrics have…
Brazil's Social Realism?
If Ken Loach were Brazilian, he may well have made a film like this. THE SECOND MOTHER is about a set of social rules which have been in place in Brazilian and Latin American culture since colonial times, and which continues to…
The Grandfather of Brazilian Hip Hop
When you're talking about Latin Hip Hop, you can't get much bigger than Marcelo D2. A former vocalist of the band Planet Hemp, Marcelo D2 started his solo career in 1998 with the album Eu Tiro É Onda. After many years…
Football’s Bohemian
After a very successful career in the Spanish and Italian football leagues for Valencia, Lazio and Barcelona, Gaizka Mendieta felt the urge to experience the most acclaimed league in the world. At 29, the Bilbao-born Spanish…
Mexico Dances
Celebrating its 56th year, Mexico´s most important and largest dance company, performs in London for the first time in 2 decades. We caught up with Salvador López, Director of Ballet Folklórico de México, in Mexico D.F. before…
Latin Pop's Unlikely Phantom
For someone who has the knack of appearing everywhere in musical theatre, you could say there is something ghost like about Geronimo Rauch, London’s Phantom of the Opera. If not that, this Argentine has so obviously taken life by…
The Audacity of Being Brazilian
Pianist/singer/songwriter Eliane Elias is known for her distinctive musical style, which blends her Brazilian roots and her sensuous, alluring voice with her virtuosic jazz, classical and compositional skills. We caught up with…
FEELING AZUL
The Legendary Blue Demon Junior is heading back to London to thrill Lucha Libre fans for one night only in spectacular fashion under the dome of the Royal Albert Hall, 30 years to the day, he tells Elizabeth Mistry, since his…
Chola Power
In their frilly petticoats, layered skirts, dainty pumps and bowler hats, Las Cholitas (chola - the name used to describe indigenous women in Latin America), are relatively new to the Lucha Libre ring. Yet the crowds have come…
The Resurrection of Fania
Everyone knows the legendary tunes that came out of Fania. Like all empires, Fania’s went into decline after the 1990s. For many years the catalogue of iconic albums that sold millions, made superstars of Latin artists such as…
JORGE SPITERI: The Father of Latin Funk
Signed to major record labels in the 1970s, Jorge Spiteri is considered by many to be the pioneer of Latin music in the UK. In Latin America, he is known as the godfather of Latin Funk, influencing a generation of bands, such as…
Seeing Latin America
Passionate about promoting Latin American Art, independent art advisor and curator Sandra Higgins opened her own gallery to do it. Latinolife went to talk to a woman on a mission.
It Takes Three to Tango
Plaza Francia is changing perceptions in the tango world. Consisting of ex-Gotan Project’s Christoph Müller and Eduardo Kakaroff and solo singer Catherine Ringer, the Paris-based group is propelling tango music into mainstream…
Standing Ovation for an Argentine
Santiago Peluffo reports on this week’s emotional standing ovation for Argentina's Jonás Gutierrez at Newcastle Football Club and interviews the player and his parents on his the recovery from testicular cancer.
London Londoner #15...Graciela Sanchez
Born in Mexico City, a slight and pretty 17-year-old joined the Ballet Folklorico. Fifty years on Graciela is one London’s outstanding Latin citizens, and her LUKAS award-winning cultural consultancy Mexicolore, that she runs…
Primal Screaming - an interview with Damián Szifrón
Not only do the Mexicans seem to be holding a curious monopoly over Oscars in recent years, hardly a year passes when an Argentine film is not in the running for Best Film in a Foreign Language. This year it was the turn of…
An interview with Quimantu
Sarah Quarmby talks Latin rhythms, left-wing politics and educational duties with Mauricio Venegas-Astorga and Rachel Pantin from Quimantu. Photo credit: Harriet Armstrong
Trovador Extraordinaire
In an era where bland music and meaningless lyrics pollute the airwaves, singer-songwriters such as Pablo Milanes, the legendary Cuban icon and one of the founders of Nueva Trova, are revered more than ever. His songs about the…
In the Beginning, the Sea…in the End, a Global Literary Journey
Colombian author Tomás González began writing the story of his brother. Thirty years later it is a tale that has travelled the world captivating readers, and now landed in the English speaking world. Latinolife interviews…
Interview with Spanish Director Daniel Monzon
Four years after having won the Goya prize for Best Director with his thriller Celda 211, Daniel Monzón returns with a new film, El Niño. Specialising in adrenaline-laden thrillers based on real-life events, Monzon is at the…
Lita Stantic: The ‘Producer’ of New Argentine Cinema
The career of Argentine film director, scriptwriter and producer Lita Stantic spans for longer than four decades, a time during which Argentine cinema has established itself as a reference among national cinemas. Despite having…
Franco Lolli: a new name in Latin American cinema?
Selected by both Cannes critic’s week and to the BFI London Film Festival, Franco Lolli’s feature debut Gente de Bien, has received widespread critical acclaim. We talked to the young Colombian director during his screening in…
Away from Tacos and Sombresos: CASA Latin American Theatre Festival
The CASA Festival remains the only theatre event dedicated to bringing Latin theatre to the UK. Now in it 5th year, this week the festival embarks on its usual ambitious feat of 45 events, seducing an eclectic London audience…
Spain's Film Intellectual: interview with Ramon Luque
A lover of Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman, Spanish director Ramon Luque is a great Film intellectual, known just as much for his nine books than for the three films that he's made. His latest film, the critically acclaimed…
Shaped in Mexico, Found in London
Both originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Daniela Fernandez founder of Distrito 14 a multi-diciplinery gallery in Monterrey, and Silvia Palacios, founder of their London sister gallery, Platform C, joined forces to take over the…
Portugal's Evita
Ever since she was six years old Lisbon-born Madalena Alberto dreamed of being an actress. Like Eva Perón, her character in Evita, which returns to the London stage next month, Madalena was strong-willed and persistent young girl…
Lucia Puenzo: making her own name in Argentine cinema
Argentine film director Lucía Puenzo speaks to Santiago Oyarzabal about Wakolda, her other projects and her ideas.
Percussion Prince
Venezuela is known for producing outstanding percussionists, who are scouted by the world’s biggest artists, from jazz to pop. Headed by the famous Quinteros family, Venezuela’s percussion royalty has planted its roots firmly…
The Noche Fiebre Foundation
A night dancing to the songs of Saturday Night Fever, dubbed in Spanish? Sounds like Latinas on a hen night. Spanish kitch is how you might describe Fundación Tony Manera, Spain’s most successful disco band, but it also happens…
Aziza Brahim - born in Africa, schooled in Cuba, resident in Spain
Aziza Brahim's music adeptly travels the expanse between her Western Saharan roots and Barcelona, her current home. Aziza is a poet and an eloquent spokesperson for the Saharawi people and their ongoing struggle for…
LATIN LONDONER #14 Carlos Cruz - Union Leader
Carlos Cruz is Union Learning Organiser in United Migrant Workers Education Project (UMWEP), which is a non-profit organisation that provides support and informal education to migrant workers in Great Britain. His inspiring…
LATIN LONDONER # 13 Eddy Vents - Kizomba teacher
Eddy Vents has been surrounded by Lusophone music from the early childhood. His undoubted passion for kizomba and exceptional teaching skills has made him a winner of the award for Kizomba Teacher of the Year in 2014. This is his…
LATIN LONDONER #12 David Benitez - Tango Dancer
United by romantic love and passion for tango David & Kim Benitez are not only great teachers, but also spectacular performers. The sensuality and magnetism of their dance made them win the LUKAS award for Tango Performers of…
LATN LONDONER #11 Ana Maria Vera - Classical Pianist
An exceptionally talented Bolivian pianist and child prodigy Ana Maria Vera from her debut at the age of eight has enchanted audiences all over the world with her dazzling virtuosity. This is her story…
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