Reggaetón’s Songsmith
Justin Quiles is not your average reggaetón star. The US-born Puerto Rican is not only one of the hottest urban singers out there, with over five billion combined streams, but also one of the most sought after songwriters in…
Lenacay: A New Chapter
Ramón Giménez El Brujo talks to Latino Life about the transition from Ojos de Brujo to Lenacay.
Total Eternal Gozadera
It’s not unusual for someone who’s never been to an ‘Amigos’ concert to emerge saying ‘that was the best concert I’ve ever been to.’ The energy and commitment to ‘total party’ in the live performances of Venezuela’s most popular…
The Sum of Tribes
What happens when three friends get together in a hut on a beach to jam? A best-selling album of course. Well, perhaps only if you are already best-selling superstars. Felipe Botelho Correa talks to Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes…
THE SEPTEMBER REGGAETON RECAP
September brings a temperature drop but the artists’ this month are still making some fire records. From a bossa nova song performed in Portuñol to a track with six artists taking their turns to show off their fast and sharp flow…
Issac Delgao Tunes That Rock the Dancefloor
El Chevere de la Salsa (The Cool Dude of Salsa) Issac Delgado is one of Cuba’s top salsa singers and has been at the top of his game since the ’80s with NG La Banda. He has become a reference for Cuban Salsa and has managed to…
Big Little Sister
It would be surprising if iLe, Puerto Rico’s latest hot musical export, had nothing to say. Not only was she the sole female vocalist in rap group Calle 13, she has been performing with her politically astute half-brothers, Rene…
Danilo Perez' Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need to get you through those times of despair? Our castaway this month is Danilo Perez, the composer and pianist who has put Panama on the map of…
THE AUGUST REGGAETON RECAP
As we enjoy the last few days of sunshine and blue skies, artists have been dropping some upbeat melodies that are catchy enough to clear any summer blues. An American R&B songstress has decided to team up with a Baile funk…
Things That Matter to...MAVICA
Originally from Cartagena in south-eastern Spain, London-based Marta Casanova blends folk, indie, pop and electronic sounds. In September, Mavica’s debut album 'Sometimes a Person Never Comes Back (but that’s okay)',…
LEON KING
For a country that has given Latin America its most phenomenal and popular male vocalists (and songwriters), it is no surprise that Mexico has also produced some of the world's greatest operatic tenors, such as Ramón Vargas…
Don Chezina, Wisin and Jon Z will put you on the beat of "3G
In the firstly, Wisin has united his voice to that of the Puerto Ricans Don Chezina and Jon Z for a new song that promises to make all reggaeton lovers to dance.
Guatemalan Fire
Gaby Moreno, this Guatemalan Latin Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, has left an indelible mark in the collaborations she has partaken in, making her a true inspiration for all Latinos, let alone the small central American…
Caribbean Calm
Pedro Capó’s single featuring Alicia Keys and Farruko has become the song of this summer. With its feel good lyrics and calming reggae tinge, embodying the spirit of the Hispanic Caribbean, Calma has accrued 1.4 billion views on…
The Greatest Sonero Ever?
Well that’s a debate that will never end. In this interview with Oscar D’Leon, we explain why he has proved, atleast, to be the most important singer to salsa music, ever. And at his age, JOSE LUIS SEIJAS found him as we expected…
Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry (Far Out Recordings)
New era Brazilian Jazz rooted in its history
Classic Latin Albums produced in the UK
Artists from all over the world come to record in London, and Latin Americans are no exception, from Soda Stereo to Buena Vista. But we are not interested in these 'parachute recordings', only the Latin artists who…
Louie Vega’s E.O.L. Soulfrito @ Royal Festival Hall
Little Louie Vega's Nuyorican soul turns the South bank concert hall into a club night. Latinolife's review with special video reportage
BUIKA THERAPY
Born of immigrants from Equatorial Guinea and growing up among Romani gypsies in Mallorca, Concha Buika has emerged to become Spain’s most unlikely Flamenco star. Yet her haunting, velvety voice, her sentimiento and chiselled…
THE DECEMBER REGGAETON RECAP
This month is all about gift giving and these artists must’ve read our Christmas lists because they know exactly what tracks we’ve wished for. Everyone's favourite musical acts have been busy wrapping not just presents but…
In Defiance for Art
In 2016, the world said goodbye to the Buena Vista Social Club in a farewell ‘Adios’ tour that included shows in the White House, where they performed for President Barack Obama. Or so the world thought. Defined as 'the…
CULTURA CIRCULAR: WHEN THE BEAT SPEAKS PORTUGUESE AND ENGLISH
What happens when a South London artist who raps in Portuguese, English and Spanish with roots in Angola meets one of Brazil’s foremost percussion outfits? “It feels like the circle is closing,” answers Afrocidade, the…
The Good Vibe
Not only did he showcase Bossa Nova to the world, Sergio Mendes personifies how you don’t have to be a shark to succeed in the global music business. The Brazilian music legend reminisces with Amaranta Wright on an amazing music…
Eliane Elias: Dance of Time (Concord Jazz)
Eliane Elias breathes new life into samba in her latest album - a celebration not only of this uniquely Brazilian sound, but also of her collaboration with musicians who have played an important role in her career.
Carlos Vives’ Fantasy Island Tracks
If you were stranded on a desert island, which tracks would you absolutely need, to get you through those times of despair? Man cannot live on sun and fish alone right? Our castaway, Carlos Vives, one of the most emblematic…
Voice in Residence
In the often vacuous world of Reggaeton, Residente has stood out as one of its most outspoken artists. Even at the Grammy Awards, where he has, perhaps surprisingly, won more than any other Latin artist, the former Calle 13…
THE APRIL REGGAETON RECAP | 2026
What a year it's been for the Latin music industry so far, with Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show back in February and now US Festival Coachella's first ever Latina headliner courtesy of La Bichota Karol G. That…
The Midas Touch
While the whole world (yes even Simon Cowell) seems to have caught the Reggaetón bug and new talents (and not-so talented) are battling for no.1 hits on a weekly basis, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter has been riding on a high…
Latin DNA by Dorance Lorza and Sexteto Cafe
The latest release from one of the UK's most outstanding Latin musicians
Grupo Niche 35 Aniversario (Codiscos)
This Colombian salsa institution shows no sign of stopping. Even after the death of its founder and musical brain Jairo Varela, this album shows how the Cali group has managed to keep the band going without losing quality or…
Brown Girls in the Ring Make Argentina Sing…
How Cumbia conquered Argentina. The Cumbia invasion rides on populist political culture, but has urban snobs singing a different tune.
THE MARCH REGGAETON RECAP
The five songs below are just as unpredictable as the weather (in the best way possible). Whether you’re feeling like a club anthem or hearing some sounds that transport you back to the 2010’s, the past four weeks of music have…
FROM HIGHLIFE TO BAILE FUNK: The Rhythmic Bridge Between Accra, Salvador & London
London's club nights are vibrating with something ancient and new. It's a sound where the warm bells and brass of Highlife and Afrobeats collide with the pulsating, heavy bass of Brazilian Baile Funk—an intoxicating…
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…
Afro-Cuba returns to Africa via London
A triumphant reunion for Boncana Maïga’s transatlantic charanga orchestra Las Maravillas De Mali...not so much a reunion as a reformation. Octogenarian master flautist, composer and arranger Boncana Maïga was the only original…