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Camilo Lara: How Mexico's musical 'double agent' seeks a universal dance floor

Camilo Lara is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Andres Navarro hide caption

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Andres Navarro

Alt.Latino

Camilo Lara: How Mexico's musical 'double agent' seeks a universal dance floor

Anamaria Sayre sits down with world-building producer and Mexican Institute of Sound frontman Camilo Lara to talk about using his fearless intuition to help artists find their voice in the burgeoning hub of Latin music.

Camilo Lara: How Mexico's musical 'double agent' seeks a universal dance floor

Listen · 29:25
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Radio Ambulante: Getting Down

From our friends at Radio Ambulante, today we're sharing a thought provoking episode from their latest season. Cristina Marchán hide caption

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Cristina Marchán

Alt.Latino

Radio Ambulante: Getting Down

From our friends at Radio Ambulante, today we're sharing a thought provoking episode from their latest season. Puerto Rican Patricia Velasquez has spent her whole life listening to reggaeton. It's part of her identity. But when she was questioned about the content of the songs, she began an investigation that would lead her to create something completely new about the musical genre. This episode is in Spanish.

Radio Ambulante: Getting Down

Listen · 46:11
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Julieta Venegas: Why the Mexican pop icon wouldn't call herself a pioneer

Julieta Venegas is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Agustina Puricelli hide caption

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Agustina Puricelli

Alt.Latino

Julieta Venegas: Why the Mexican pop icon wouldn't call herself a pioneer

Anamaria Sayre sits down with Mexican pop icon Julieta Venegas to discuss her role as a trailblazing female vocalist and mom to a daughter with impeccably cool music taste.

Julieta Venegas: Why the Mexican pop icon wouldn't call herself a pioneer

Listen · 28:21
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A tough question led one woman to create the first Puerto Rican reggaeton archive
Cristina Merchán (Miti Miti)/Radio Ambulante

Editors' Picks

A tough question led one woman to create the first Puerto Rican reggaeton archive

Patricia Velázquez spent her whole life listening to reggaeton. But when she was questioned about sexism in the songs, she began an investigation that would lead her to create something new.

A tough question led one woman to create the first Puerto Rican reggaeton archive

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For Puerto Rico's Villano Antillano, femininity is a shield — and a superpower

Villano Antillano grew up surrounded by salsa, rock and reggaeton in Puerto Rico. With those influences under her belt, she's become one of the most exciting rappers in the Latin music scene. Courtesy of La Buena Fortuna hide caption

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Courtesy of La Buena Fortuna

Music Interviews

For Puerto Rico's Villano Antillano, femininity is a shield — and a superpower

The rapper's first full-length record is a testament to the way she's been able to interact with her femininity through her creative process.

For Puerto Rico's Villano Antillano, femininity is a shield — and a superpower

Listen · 7:22
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On Kali Uchis' soulful new album, love has many dimensions

Love, good karma and a bit of old-school funk are ingredients for a happy life, says Kali Uchis. Cho Gi-Seok hide caption

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Cho Gi-Seok

Music Interviews

On Kali Uchis' soulful new album, love has many dimensions

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with singer-songwriter Kali Uchis about her soulful new album 'Red Moon in Venus' and the inspiration behind it.

On Kali Uchis' soulful new album, love has many dimensions

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Antonio Sánchez & Bad Hombre: Tiny Desk Concert

Antonio Sánchez (right) performs a Tiny Desk concert with Bad Hombre band members BIGYUKI (from left), Lex Sadler and Thana Alexa Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, at NPR’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Michael Zamora/NPR/Michael Zamora/NPR hide caption

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Michael Zamora/NPR/Michael Zamora/NPR

Tiny Desk

Antonio Sánchez & Bad Hombre: Tiny Desk Concert

Sánchez observes the world with a drummer's sensibilities. Here, he and his pals in Bad Hombre explore the rhythm of language in a set of tracks from Sánchez's latest album.

Alt.Latino's Best New Music Round-Up: Karol G, Y La Bamba, The Latin Dead and more

The Latin Dead is featured on this week's episode of Alt.Latino. Dub Sonata hide caption

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Dub Sonata

Alt.Latino

Alt.Latino's Best New Music Round-Up: Karol G, Y La Bamba, The Latin Dead and more

Our digital mailbag continues to overflow with tons of new music from every corner of the Spanish-speaking world. Yet even as we update our weekly playlists on both Spotify and Apple Music, we still have tracks that we think you need to hear. On this week's show, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras round up their favorite new music from the last few months.

Alt.Latino's Best New Music Round-Up: Karol G, Y La Bamba, The Latin Dead and more

Listen · 22:19
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Musicians in New Orleans and Cuba explore their shared heritage and similar sounds

Trombone Shorty leads a binational jam session with music students from New Orleans and Havana. Debbie Elliott/NPR hide caption

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Debbie Elliott/NPR

Music Features

Musicians in New Orleans and Cuba explore their shared heritage and similar sounds

Artists in New Orleans and Cuba are exploring their shared heritage and similar sounds, and bringing high school musicians from both places together in a funky cultural exchange.

Musicians in New Orleans and Cuba explore their shared heritage and similar sounds

Listen · 8:00
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Adrian Quesada: How the U.S.-Mexico border shaped the prolific producer's fluid sound

Adrian Quesada is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Jackie Lee Young hide caption

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Jackie Lee Young

Alt.Latino

Adrian Quesada: How the U.S.-Mexico border shaped the prolific producer's fluid sound

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras sit down with prolific producer and creator Adrian Quesada to discuss his experimental approach to border-driven sonic expression.

Adrian Quesada: How the U.S.-Mexico border shaped the prolific producer's fluid sound

Listen · 27:42
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Natalia Lafourcade sought the comfort of her 'inner garden' on her latest album

Natalia Lafourcade Sonia Sieff/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sonia Sieff/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Natalia Lafourcade sought the comfort of her 'inner garden' on her latest album

XPN

Lafourcade discusses De Todas las Flores, her first album of entirely new material in seven years.

Natalia Lafourcade on World Cafe

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Queen of salsa Celia Cruz will be the first Afro Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter

Cuban American salsa singer Celia Cruz onstage performing at VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin in New York City in 2001. Cruz is being honored on the U.S. quarter in 2024. Scott Gries/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Gries/Getty Images

National

Queen of salsa Celia Cruz will be the first Afro Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter

Cuban American icon Celia Cruz is being honored along with four other influential American women as part of the American Women Quarters Program.

Omar Apollo taught himself how to sing from YouTube. Now he's up for a Grammy

Omar Apollo poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Jan. 8, 2023. Grace Widyatmadja/NPR hide caption

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Grace Widyatmadja/NPR

Editors' Picks

Omar Apollo taught himself how to sing from YouTube. Now he's up for a Grammy

Omar Apollo has been nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, an accolade that usually takes artists years to achieve. But not for Apollo.

Omar Apollo taught himself how to sing from YouTube. Now he's up for a Grammy

Listen · 8:03
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Cimafunk: How his Afro-Cuban funk tells a bigger story about the African diaspora

Cimafunk is this week's guest on Alt.Latino. Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images hide caption

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Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images

Alt.Latino

Cimafunk: How his Afro-Cuban funk tells a bigger story about the African diaspora

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras sit down with Cimafunk to talk about how he's created his singular sound, the complex African lineage of his music and why his band is his "tribe."

Cimafunk: How his Afro-Cuban funk tells a bigger story about the African diaspora

Listen · 33:35
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A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

KAINA Dennis Elliott/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dennis Elliott/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

A 'product child of Chicago,' KAINA is learning to savor the home she's made here

XPN

The musician talks about her latest album, It Was A Home, and the creative community she's fostered in Chicago.

KAINA on World Cafe

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Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

Dos Santos Jose Calvo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jose Calvo/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Dos Santos' sound is a cultural melting pot as eclectic as their Chicago home

XPN

The Chicago band pulls from a mix of Latin influences to create their unique take on psychedelic rock.

Dos Santos on World Cafe

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