Marisa Arbona-Ruiz : NPR

Vicente García: A Pop-Fusion Star On A Mission To Stay Authentic

García's new album Candela is the sparkling finale in a trilogy of albums with Dominican-influenced sounds. Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ebru Yildiz/Courtesy of the artist

Vicente García: A Pop-Fusion Star On A Mission To Stay Authentic

June 5, 2019 • The higher the Dominican singer-songwriter's star rises, the tighter he grips his artistic freedom. The new Candela caps a trio of albums connecting dots between bachata, merengue, trap, pop and more.

Flor de Toloache's 'Indestructible' Makes Mariachi Girl Magic

Flor de Toloache's Indestructible comes out May 31. Andrei Averbuch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Andrei Averbuch/Courtesy of the artist

Review

Flor de Toloache's 'Indestructible' Makes Mariachi Girl Magic

May 23, 2019 • Flor de Toloache reimagines pop covers (No Doubt, Bee Gees) and offers up collaborations with Miguel, John Legend, Alex Cuba and Las Migas.

Lila Downs Celebrates Mexico's Culinary And Cultural Sides With 'Al Chile'

Lila Downs celebrates the chile on her new album. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Lila Downs Celebrates Mexico's Culinary And Cultural Sides With 'Al Chile'

May 9, 2019 • The iconic Mexican vocalist and composer Lila Downs uses music to celebrate the chile pepper.

Lila Downs Celebrates Mexico's Culinary And Cultural Sides With 'Al Chile'

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Alt.Latino Food Truck Chats: Musicians Tell Their Own Stories At SXSW 2019

Alih Jey was one of the artists interviewed on Alt.Latino at this year's SXSW. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alt.Latino Food Truck Chats: Musicians Tell Their Own Stories At SXSW 2019

March 22, 2019 • Over breakfast tacos and barbecue, Team Alt.Latino sat down with musicians at SXSW for interviews about their music.

Alt.Latino Food Truck Chats: Musicians Tell Their Own Stories At SXSW 2019

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The Cuban band Cimafunk performs onstage for NPR's Alt.Latino showcase during SXSW 2019. Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW hide caption

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Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW

Review

Alt.Latino's SXSW 2019 Wrap-Up

March 19, 2019 • The five nights of discoveries at SXSW 2019 served as a reminder that music can heal, challenge and change the world we live in.

Alt.Latino's SXSW 2019 Wrap-Up

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With A New Book, Louie Pérez Of Los Lobos Is Master Storyteller

Louie Peréz at a book signing for Good Morning, Aztlán: The Words, Pictures and Songs of Louie Pérez. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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With A New Book, Louie Pérez Of Los Lobos Is Master Storyteller

January 18, 2019 • Good Morning, Aztlán collects several well-known Pérez compositions as well as his thoughts on a variety of topics.

With A New Book, Louie Pérez Of Los Lobos Is Master Storyteller

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Vocalist Rosalia earned the Alt.Latino critics' top spot in 2018. Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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The Best Latin Music Of 2018

December 10, 2018 • It's been another watershed year for Latin music. Alt.Latino's Felix Contreras, Stefanie Fernández, Catalina María Johnson and Marisa Arbona-Ruiz round up the year's best.

Alt.Latino's Best Music of 2018

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Summer Latin Music Festivals Offer Music And Opportunity

Members of ÌFÉ perform at NuevoFest in Philadelphia Felix Contreras/NPR hide caption

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Felix Contreras/NPR

Summer Latin Music Festivals Offer Music And Opportunity

July 20, 2018 • For Latinx musicians who have found themselves excluded from the stages of mainstream festivals, a growing range of festivals and tours catering to Latinx artists and fans is changing the game.

Summer Latin Music Festivals Offer Music And Opportunity

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Alt.Latino's 12 Favorite Latin Songs Of 2018 (So Far)

Alice Bag had one of the best songs and albums of the year so far. Greg Velasquez/Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Greg Velasquez/Courtesy of the Artist

Alt.Latino's 12 Favorite Latin Songs Of 2018 (So Far)

June 28, 2018 • We laugh, we cry, we celebrate the best of the year so far with everything from bugalú to boleros to Latinx punk.

Alt.Latino's 12 Favorite Latin Songs Of 2018 (So Far)

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Jose Feliciano Hosts Naturalization Ceremony, Performs National Anthem

Jose Feliciano performs at the Smithsonian Courtesy of the Smithsonian Insitution hide caption

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Jose Feliciano Hosts Naturalization Ceremony, Performs National Anthem

June 20, 2018 • The Latin music legend also donated memorabilia to the Smithsonian.

'Still A Lot Of Love': Arturo O'Farrill On Cuba-U.S. Artistic Relations

Arturo O'Farrill (at piano) and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra close out the Artes De Cuba: From the Island to the World concert series. (C) Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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(C) Jati Lindsay/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

Alt.Latino

'Still A Lot Of Love': Arturo O'Farrill On Cuba-U.S. Artistic Relations

June 1, 2018 • The band leader weighs in on the complicated and historical relationship between Cuba and the United States.

Bomba Estéreo Turns To Fans For 'To My Love' Video

Bomba Estereo. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alt.Latino

Bomba Estéreo Turns To Fans For 'To My Love' Video

May 31, 2018 • A remix from 2016 is still picking up steam and has become the band's biggest hit yet.

A Historic Music Festival Celebrates Cuba's Vast Range

Pablo Milanés (right) and his daughter Haydée Milanés perform together at the Kennedy Center on May 16, 2018. Jati Lindsay/Kennedy Center hide caption

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Jati Lindsay/Kennedy Center

Alt.Latino

A Historic Music Festival Celebrates Cuba's Vast Range

May 24, 2018 • Never before have so many Cuban artists performed or have been displayed in a single venue in the U.S.

Kennedy Center's Artes De Cuba Festival, An Unprecedented Cultural Bridge

Cuban vocalist Omara Portuondo performs at Artes de Cuba kick-off concert. JATI LINDSAY/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center hide caption

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JATI LINDSAY/Courtesy of the Kennedy Center

Review

Alt.Latino

Kennedy Center's Artes De Cuba Festival, An Unprecedented Cultural Bridge

May 11, 2018 • The opening night of this historic gathering of Cuban art and culture was an emotional overview of the island's music as well as a celebration in which art trumped politics.