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Alt.Latino: NPR Music's Program For Latin Alternative And Rock In Spanish Latino arts and culture explained with music and conversation, presented by Felix Contreras.

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Latinx Arts And Culture
Alisa Amador: Why the Tiny Desk Contest winner almost gave up on music

Tiny Desk Contest winner Alisa Amador is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Sasha Pedro hide caption

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Sasha Pedro

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Alisa Amador: Why the Tiny Desk Contest winner almost gave up on music

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Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras sit down with Tiny Desk Contest winner Alisa Amador to talk about intentionality in community building, almost quitting music and finding nourishment in her art.

Alisa Amador: Why the Tiny Desk Contest winner almost gave up on music

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Rosalía: How the genre-bending pop star found her confidence

Spanish artist Rosalía is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Daniel Sannwald hide caption

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Daniel Sannwald

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Rosalía: How the genre-bending pop star found her confidence

by ,

Anamaria Sayre sits down with Spanish superstar Rosalía, who just earned eight Latin Grammy nominations, to talk about her musical inspirations, divine sensuality and constant pull to transform.

Rosalía: How the genre-bending pop star found her confidence

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Omar Apollo: Ballet Folklórico OG, Pharrell Whisperer, and Hot Sauce Entrepreneur

Omar Apollo Art by Sasha Fominskaya by NPR/Photo courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Art by Sasha Fominskaya by NPR/Photo courtesy of the artist

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Omar Apollo: Ballet Folklórico OG, Pharrell Whisperer, and Hot Sauce Entrepreneur

by ,

Anamaria Sayre sits down with R&B darling Omar Apollo to talk about his experiences growing up in Indiana and becoming a role model for queer Latinx kids.

Omar Apollo: Ballet Folklórico OG, Pharrell Whisperer, and Hot Sauce Entrepreneur

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From the archives: flamenco, rock and songs of rebellion from Spain

Flamenco is only one of the many genres that Spanish musicians have drawn from. Other styles explored in this wide-ranging episode American jazz, heavy metal and everything in between. Patrick Escudero/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick Escudero/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

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From the archives: flamenco, rock and songs of rebellion from Spain

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Alt.Latino intern Vita Dadoo revisits podcast episodes to feature three conversations about music from Spain and explores the musical traditions that inspired these artists as well as the impact they made in the Spanish-speaking world.

From the archives: flamenco, rock and songs of rebellion from Spain

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From the archives: the many faces of 'Regional Mexican'

Banda MS is just one of the artists featured on this archival episode of Alt.Latino. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella

Alt.Latino

From the archives: the many faces of 'Regional Mexican'

by Vita Dadoo ,

Alt.Latino intern Vita Dadoo parses through the podcast archive to feature two conversations on the musical styles referred to as "Regional Mexican," its history, and its rising popularity among audiences in the U.S., Mexico and beyond.

From the archives: the many faces of 'Regional Mexican'

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From the archives: interviews with Ibeyi, Ivy Queen and Silvina Moreno

Reggaeton icon Ivy Queen is featured in this week's show. Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images hide caption

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Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images

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From the archives: interviews with Ibeyi, Ivy Queen and Silvina Moreno

by Cat Sposato ,

Alt.Latino intern Cat Sposato takes over the show to feature more stories for Women's History Month.

From the archives: interviews with Ibeyi, Ivy Queen and Silvina Moreno

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From the archives: Latinas in punk

The members of the punk band Fea Laura Jean/Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Laura Jean/Courtesy of the Artist

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From the archives: Latinas in punk

by , Cat Sposato

The San Antonio based punk band Fea is featured in a discussion about Latinas and punk.

From the archives: Latinas in punk

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From the archives: exploring the representation of women in reggaeton

Reggaeton pioneer Ivy Queen is featured in this week's podcast. Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the Artist

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From the archives: exploring the representation of women in reggaeton

by , Cat Sposato

This week we go back to the era of "Despacito" to discuss the impact of reggaeton on women and reggaetonera pioneer Ivy Queen.

From the archives: exploring the representation of women in reggaeton

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From the archives: vibrant conversations with artists Daymé Arocena and iLe

Cuban vocalist Daymé Arocena (above) and Puerto Rican vocalist iLe are featured in this week's show. Pablo Dewin/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Pablo Dewin/Courtesy of the artist

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From the archives: vibrant conversations with artists Daymé Arocena and iLe

by Cat Sposato , ,

For another edition from our archives, we go back to interviews with vocalists Daymé Arocena and iLe much earlier in their careers.

From the archives: vibrant conversations with artists Daymé Arocena and iLe

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Celebrating Women's History Month with three powerful Latinas

Vocalists Lila Downs (pictured), Li Saumet and Ana Tijoux are featured in this week's show. Marcela Taboada/Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Marcela Taboada/Courtesy of the Artist

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Celebrating Women's History Month with three powerful Latinas

by , , Cat Sposato

We celebrate Women's History Month with three complex yet stylistically distinct Latina musicians: Ana Tijoux, Li Saumet and Lila Downs.

Celebrating Women's History Month with three powerful Latinas

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From the archives: A deep dive into Afro-Latinx culture

Vocalist Betsayda Machado's Afro-Latinx culture is explored in this week's show. Courtesy of the Artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the Artist

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From the archives: A deep dive into Afro-Latinx culture

by Cat Sposato , ,

Revisiting a program from 2014 that offers an overview of Afro-Latino culture and history.

From the archives: A deep dive into Afro-Latinx culture

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Revisiting the work of two Afro-Latinx pioneers

Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras interviews Amara La Negra over lunch. Marisa Arbona-Ruiz/NPR hide caption

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Marisa Arbona-Ruiz/NPR

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Revisiting the work of two Afro-Latinx pioneers

by Felix Contreras , Cat Sposato

Celebrate Black History Month with two interviews from the Alt.Latino archive with Puerto Rican rapper Tego Calderon and Dominican vocalist Amara La Negra.

Revisiting the work of two Afro-Latinx pioneers

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Speaking truth to power through music

Residente (right) and Bad Bunny call for Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Rosselló's resignation in San Juan on July 17, 2019. Eric Rojas/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Eric Rojas/AFP/Getty Images

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Speaking truth to power through music

by , Cat Sposato

This week we reach back into the Alt.Latino archives to bring you three recent shows about contemporary protest music in Latin America and the U.S.

Speaking truth to power through music

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Alt.Latino and Code Switch: What is 'Latin Music' anyway?

We try to understand how musical titans with incredibly different sounds and styles, like Celia Cruz and Selena, fit under the same 'Latin music' genre. LA Johnson/NPR hide caption

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LA Johnson/NPR

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Alt.Latino and Code Switch: What is 'Latin Music' anyway?

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This week, Felix and Anamaria sit down with Shereen Marisol Meraji of the NPR Code Switch podcast to find out what exactly connects all the artists under the 'Latin music' category.

Alt.Latino and Code Switch: What is 'Latin Music' anyway?

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Looking back on the original 'West Side Story' and its impact on Nuyorican identity

Rita Moreno, whose portrayal of Anita in the 1961 West Side Story earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, attends the premiere of the 2021 remake. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images

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Looking back on the original 'West Side Story' and its impact on Nuyorican identity

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This week, Alt.Latino takes a look at how the original 1961 West Side Story impacted Puerto Ricans growing up in New York.

Looking back on the original 'West Side Story' and its impact on Nuyorican identity

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Alt.Latino presents the best singles of 2021

Puerto Rican pop star Rauw Alejandro was a top pick for Alt.Latino's Best Of 2021 panel. Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images for The Latin Recor hide caption

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Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images for The Latin Recor

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Alt.Latino presents the best singles of 2021

by , , Isabelia Herrera , , Cat Sposato

The Alt.Latino team discusses the best Latin music singles of 2021.

Alt.Latino presents the best singles of 2021

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Alt.Latino looks back at the best albums of 2021

Spanish vocalist C. Tangana was a top pick for Alt.latino's Best Of 2021 panel. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images hide caption

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Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

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Alt.Latino looks back at the best albums of 2021

by , , , , ,

The Alt.Latino team brings you a discussion of a few of our favorite album releases from 2021.

Alt.Latino looks back at the best albums of 2021

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Voices from the past in Ecuador and Venezuela

The Paths of Pain, The Caife Label, Quito 1960-68 and Cantoras: Rural Folk Singers of Venezuela 1972-1983 Honest Jon's Records/Odelia Records hide caption

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Honest Jon's Records/Odelia Records

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Voices from the past in Ecuador and Venezuela

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Two new compilations capture moments long lost to time using archival recordings from the 1960s and 70s.

Voices from the past in Ecuador and Venezuela

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The biggest moments from the Latin Grammys

Rubén Blades accepts the Best Salsa Album award on stage during the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena Thursday in Las Vegas. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy

Alt.Latino

The biggest moments from the Latin Grammys

by Cat Sposato

At the Latin Grammys, audiences were treated to elaborate performances that relied on unique collaborations between artists across genres.

Honor the Departed in Our Annual Sonic Altar

A Day of the Dead altar at a public shrine in the historic city center of Oaxaca, Mexico. Gabriel Perez/Getty Images hide caption

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Gabriel Perez/Getty Images

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Honor the Departed in Our Annual Sonic Altar

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In what's become an annual Día de los Muertos tradition, we play music and personal dedications honoring the departed.

Honor the Departed in Our Annual Sonic Altar

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Presenting 'It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders': Pop music's 'Latin Explosion'

Shakira onstage during her MTV Unplugged performance, recorded in New York in 1999 and released as a live album in early 2000. Ignacio Gurruchaga/Courtesy of Sony Music hide caption

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Ignacio Gurruchaga/Courtesy of Sony Music

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Presenting 'It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders': Pop music's 'Latin Explosion'

by , , , ,

This week on Alt.Latino, we're featuring a special episode from our friends at It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders. From the three-part series exploring crossover in pop music, the podcast takes a look at the "Latin Explosion" of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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