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Finding Freedom
After a decade as one of the most sought-after salsa musicians in Europe, Rene Alvarez is embarking on a long-life dream of fusing his Afro-Cuban heritage with his love of North American funk. His new band, Alvarez Funk, departs…
We Love Johnny Pacheco
And this is the bit where we say thank you to the legend on whose shoulders we stand. Put simply, Johnny Pacheco, flautist, percussionist, bandleader, arranger and co-founder of Fania Records, was one of the most influential…
10 London Latina DJs to watch out for
In the macho world of Latin DJs, Latina and Latinx talent have had to fight tooth and nail for their rightful place. Here are those who have done so, and whose blood, guts and passion can be heard in their sets that sing with…
UK Latino Music Producers
With the UK Latin urban music scene boiling over into the mainstream, a generation of talented Latino producers are rising to the surface. Drawing on their diverse Latin American roots, London influences, and the talent and…
Things That Matter to...Alfredo Rodríguez
Widely considered to be one of the most gifted and exciting jazz pianists of his generation, Alfredo Rodríguez’s high-octane, warm and joyous musicianship won him at first the mentorship of Quincy Jones then a Grammy nomination.…
The Reluctant Artist
When his debut album 'Veneer' went platinum back in 2006 while a Phd student at Gothenberg University, José González’s life changed forever. About to embark on a career as a ground-breaking scientist, his instantly…
Things That Matter to…Eliane Correa
Eliane Correa studied piano and composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, before relocating to London where she quickly gained fame for her work as a composer, musician and bandleader. After years as arranger,…
Remembering Lalo Rodriguez
"Lalo" Rodríguez was one of salsa’s great prodigies. The talk of the town in his native Puerto Rico in the early 70s when, at the age of 15, he was a discovered by Eddie Palmieri, the phenomenal force in Latin music at…
‘El Perro del Hortelano’ (The Dog in the Manger) by Lope de Vega.
Lope Félix de Vega Caprio, (aka the Phoenix of Spain- 1562-1635) was possibly the first, and maybe the finest playwright that helped launch the Golden Age, el Siglo de Oro in a Baroque Spain. A contemporary of William Shakespeare…
La Vida es Sueño (Life is a Dream) by Pedro Calderón de la Barca at the Barbican Theatre.
Just as William Shakespeare was revolutionizing theatre in England, Spanish writers like Lope de Vega and Pedro Calderón de la Barca were shining bright in the Spanish 'Siglo de Oro'. 'Life is a Dream' is one…
Things That Matter to…Susana Baca
Three-time Latin Grammy winner, Susana Baca is Peru’s most internationally renowned artist, who shone a light on the previously little known world of Afro-Peruvian rythmns. In 2021, she marked the 50th year of her career with the…
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…
‘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…
"Don’t Even Try": Breaking Shakespeare’s Glass Ceiling
"I loved Shakespeare, but almost every fellow actor, manager and director told me: ‘don’t even try.’” Mexican-born Jimena Larraguivel didn’t want to be in telenovelas. She wanted to be on stage. But with her strong accent…
Latin Londoner #48 - Gustavo Nenao, street artist
Gustavo Bordin (akak Gustavo Nenao) is a Brazilian street artist who has developed works in three continents and 42 countries and was the only Brazilian to join the selected group of artists chosen by the former U.S. first lady…
Remembering...Pablo Milanés (1943-2022)
Where Poetry and patriotism meet sublime musicality. Any Latin American will know the angelic voice of one of Cuba's most well known singer-song writers, who stands tall amidst a plethora of Cuban musical legends. Love songs…
'Women Resisting Violence: Voices and Experiences from Latin America' by the WRV Collective
'Women Resisting Violence' draws on a range of case studies from Nicaragua, Brazil, the UK, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala, to paint a contemporary landscape of feminist struggle. Together,…
Hot Steppin’ Chamo
With his latest single ‘Hot Steppa’ breaking records as the fastest-growing UK-produced Latino song ever, clocking over 160k views in YouTube in 4 days, Angelo Flow is on a high. The song, a collaboration with dancehall legend J…
Candela Records announces "Hot Steppa" Angelo Flow's latest single featuring & J Spades and Diztortion
Following on from his club hit "Solo Tu", Angelo teams up with UK rap pioneer J Spades on a new JA dancehall influenced "Hot Steppa". Fusing the artists' Jamaican and Venezuelan Caribbean flows and London…
10 Latin@ LGBTQ+ Creatives in London
Over the years, London has attracted some of the finest creatives from Latin America and Spain, who have gone on to represent world class talent from the LGBTQ+ community. From the likes of a young precocious Mario Testino from…
Does Economic Reality Jeopodise Latin America's Second Pink Tide?
In an impressive switch, Latin America's right-wing presidents have lost almost all the presidential elections. The region has, once again, been painted in pink and red, even more than during Chavez and Correa´s times.…
Latin Londoner #47 - Esco, Music Producer
Esco is an young up-and-coming sound engineer and producer. Born in Camden to Jamaican and Colombian parents he has absorbed two musical cultures in a very London way. After being heavily involved in gangs as a teenager which…
OSCARS 2023: The Latino Contenders
Last year at the Oscars, the animated movie Encanto and Afro-Latina actress Ariana DeBose took home awards. In recent years, figures such as Alejandro G. Iñarritu, Alfonso Cuarón, and Guillermo del Toro have been winners. This…
SUBLIME (2022) Dir. Mariano Baisin
A beautifully understated Argentinian coming-of-age drama starring Martin Miller and Teo Inama Chiabrando and directed by Mariano Biasin.
10 Love Songs to play your Valentine
To be honest, we could make a hundred lists of Latino love songs, indeed we have, so this year we decided to put it out to the public. Here is what we got for the Valentine's Playlist 2023!
10 RomComs with a Latino Twist
We have to start this list with a disclaimer: some of these films feature offensive stereotypes and, well, aren't very funny either. But if you can bear the Latino clichés and cringey moments, which let's face it, many…
Latin American Films to watch on Valentines Day
Is the stereotype really true? Do Latinos really do romance better? Then why does everyone turn to Hollywood when trying to find the best rom-com? We may not be famous for making comedy out of romance but we definitely do drama…
We Love...Gal Costa
Endowed with a charismatic and exquisite voice filled with stylistic delights, Maria da Graҫa Costa Penna Burgos (better known as Gal Costa) was a native of Salvador, Bahia. Along with Maria Bethania, she was one of the primary…
10 Latino Places to Take your Valentine
For us Latinos, having a great Valentine's Day date is a must - a chance to impress your date with the best Latin American food followed by a very sexy party…showing him/her or they just how we do it. So without further ado…
Spotlight on…Rubén Blades
There are many great salsa tunes; ones that, when you hear them in a club and you’re dancing, you don’t want them to end. And then there is Rubén Blades; the Panamanian song-writing law student with an abundance of rhythm,…
Films To Watch Before You Die #8 - Strawberry and Chocolate (Fresas y Chocolate) Cuba 1993
In celebration of LGBT History Month, we remember one of the most memorable queer films in Latin American film history. Strawberry and Chocolate is a delightful 1993 film by Cuban directors Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos…
Ten Argentine Films we love…
With their unique brand of humour, intellectual insight, romance and political drama, there have been so many great Argentine films that it’s practically impossible to pick out a few. But here are 10 of LatinoLife’s favourites in…
A Megaphone for Peru's Musical Wealth
One of Peru's most groundbreaking bands, with a trajectory of almost 40 years, PeruJazz has germinated the fusion between traditional and contemporary, folkloric and urban, the cajón and the saxophone. Drawing inspiration…
10 Rising Stars of Argentine Music
Argentines have a tradition of autogestión; a culture of dynamism and resilience where people just get on with it. This generation is no different: Just like their predecessors watched, copied and carved their own identity to…
From Rock to Reggaeton: Argentina’s Revolutionary Road
Once known for producing Latin America’s greatest rock icons, Argentina was forced to take a back seat as the tropical urban beats from the Caribbean conquered the Latin music market. Yet the recent success of “Bzrp Music…
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