Puerto Rico
In-depth Interviews
Reggaeton’s Romantic

Jay Wheeler has long been known in his native Puerto Rico as “reggaetón’s favourite voice”, due to his romantic lyrics, folky tone and unashamedly sensitive side. He famously got so emotional at one concert in his hometown Ponce…

In-depth Interviews
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…

Obituaries
The Essence of Salsa Aristocracy: why we love Pete 'El Conde' Rodriguez

Of all the legendary crooners of salsa’s golden era, Fania founder Pacheco always claimed that Pete 'El Conde' Rodriguez was his favourite singer. And you only need to listen to his songs to see why: the understated…

Obituaries
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…

In-depth Interviews
THE POWER OF NOW: An Interview with Cultura Profética

Cultura Profética is one of Puerto Rico's most influential bands. Formed in 1996, the group came to encapsulate what it is to be Latin Caribbean with its unique fusion of Caribbean reggae and Latin genres such as bossa nova…

Obituaries
We Love Charlie Palmieri (1927-1988)

Pianist, organist, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie’s older brother was one of the fundamental players in the development of Latin music in NY. His virtuosity and love for his art drove Charlie…

Tunes That Rock The Dance Floor
Ismael Miranda Tunes That Rock the Dance Floor

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in NY, Ismael Miranda was part as of the original “Fania All Stars” line up, as well as being the lead voice for Joey Pastrana and Larry Harlow’s band and then leading his very own crew, with a…

Reviews
‘RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT’ (2021)

“What a Journey! In the end it’s [about] who you really are!” This lively documentary biopic of Rita Moreno directed by award-winning Mariem Pérez Riera, entertains and fascinates at every turn.

Tunes That Rock The Dance Floor
Willie Rosario Tunes that Rock the Dance Floor

One of the leading lights of Puerto Rican salsa, Willie Rosario aka "Mr. Afinque," this true legend of latin music has been filling dance floors for over 60 years, either by rocking it with his band or via his extensive…

Reviews
Arcangel's Latest Album: Los Favoritos 2.5

The legendary Arcangel does it once again with this latest album Los Favoritos 2.5 filled with 15 songs. This album is not one to sleep on! It gives you the old school reggaeton vibes mixed with a few tracks with he new school…

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…

In-depth Interviews
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…

Features
Reggaeton Legend: Julio Voltio

Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Julio Ramos (Julio Voltio), became of the most well-known reggaeton artists of the mid-2000s, Voltio worked his way up the ranks for many years, expanding his reach with his successful releases.

In-depth Interviews
Re-Birth of the Cool

For a long time, salsa music was the music of the street and, when we think of the ‘Golden Age the Salsa’ of the ‘70s and ‘80s, we think of cool. The ascendance of bachata and reggaetón seemed to mark the end of salsa’s reign…

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…

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…

Features
Reggaeton Legends: Vico C

Vico C is considered one of the greatest artists in the history of the Urban genre in Latin America and Spain. Reflective, deep, socially conscious and catchy and danceable lyrics are what Vico C songs are made for all kind of…

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…

Top 10s...
Top 10 Salsa Hits of the 1970s

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
Classic Album: 'MTO² New Generation' by Don Omar

We revisit Don Omar's Album "Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation", released nine years ago. Full of surprises and without a shadow of a doubt, an album that made history in music.

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…

Top 10s...
Top 10 Female Salsa Singers

Salsa music may be known as a tool to seduce women, but the flow swings the other way too. In a male dominated genre, these women held their own as the rare voices of salsa, greatest soneras who bewitched audiences and proved…

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.

Features
The Wonderful World of Afro-Reggaeton

Why are Reggaeton and Afro-beat collaborations taking over the world, and why should you care? We explore how the current explosion of reggaetón afro-beat fusions is the latest expression of a long and rich history of African and…

Things You Should Know About...
The Greatest Boricua Boxers of all Time

We head to ‘la isla del encanto’ Puerto Rico, an island that moves beat of reggaeton, to have a look at some of the best boxers to have danced around the ring.

Top 10s...
Top 10 Hector Lavoe Tracks

The Singer of Singers, Hector Lavoe was the face of NY salsa in the 70s and went on to become an icon of latin music. His voice was second to none and his delivery and stage persona made him one of the most populars singers of…

Things You Should Know About...
Pioneering Black Latina Artists

Recently we published a list of Black Heroines of Latin American History, Afro-Latinas who put their lives at risk, and in some cases gave their lives, in order to shape our history. This week we bring you the brave women who…

Top 10s...
Black Heroes of Modern Latin America

A few months ago we brought you black heroes of Colonial Latin America - leaders and fighters who defied the prejudices against them and demanded change, freedom and racial justice, whether through slave rebellion or fighting the…

Spotlight on...
Reggaeton Legends: Tego Calderón

From Santurce, Puerto Rico, raised in Carolina and Miami, FL, rapper Tego Calderón got the courage to become a star in the genre-mixing world of reggaeton. He grew up in Río Grande and Carolina, areas that maintain some of the…

In-depth Interviews
“The Birth of Latin Jazz was simultaneous to the Birth of Jazz”

Associate Professor of Music at Columbia University, Chris Washburne is one of the world’s leading academics on both jazz and Latin music and a respected musician in his own right, having played with many of the artists he writes…

Tunes That Rock The Dance Floor
Cano Estremera Tunes That Rock the Dancefloor

Cano Estremera, Puerto Rico's unique albino Salsa star, was one of those rare talents that probably deserved more recognition that he got. A controversial figure he was, still incredibly talented when it came to the dying…

Things You Should Know About...
Things You Should Know About...Latin Jazz pioneers

Latin Jazz or Jazz Latino…the Latino “tinge” was part of American Jazz DNA from day one but somehow has been, at best, perceived as a sub-genre or, at worst, erased from history books. When Cuban musicians arrived in Harlem in…

Obituaries
Tito Rojas Dies at 65

There are very few salsa artists who had the level of success that Tito Rojas had during the 90s. One of the best selling Latino artists of that decade, he managed to stay relevant until pretty much he passed away a few weeks ago…

Top 10s...
Black Heroines of Latin American History

Being an female activist meant putting your life at risk, being a black female activist was a probable death sentence, yet these courageous women took that risk, and gave their lives in some cases, in order to shape our history.…

Opinion
Do Bad Bunny Music Videos Spell the Future?

Officially the world’s most popular artist: 26-year-old Puerto Rican vocalist Bad Bunny, streamed more than 8.3bn times this year on Spotify alone. With 3 chart-topping, history-making albums in 2020 alone, Bad Bunny is on track…

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Ballads and Boleros
LatinoLife's Favourite Mexican Male Singers of all Time

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