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Top Ten South American Political Thrillers
Is it any surprise that Latin America has produced some of the world’s best political thrillers? Latin noir has offered an imaginative terrain for questioning the shady practices of government and exposing the machinations and…
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 Madres y Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo
Under the Argentine military dictatorship of 1976-1983, an estimated 30,000 people disappeared. What do you mean 'disappeared' we hear you ask? Literally, people – some armed opposition to the Junta, but most just…
Remembering Los Panchos
When it comes to Latin music, there aren’t many acts bigger than Los Panchos. Founded in New York by two Mexicans and a Puerto Rican in 1944, the bolero singing guitar trio became a music institution, first all over the Americas…
LONDON'S BEST LATIN STREET FOOD
Yes, it’s amazing, Latin American cuisine has even taken over Chelsea, as I recently discovered when I stumbled upon Duke of York Square one Saturday morning flush with Latin food stalls. My favourite was the Rainforest stall,…
Sech
From the birthplace of Reggaeton, we finally have a superstar. Singer, songwriter, rapper and producer...this multi-talented musician is determined to push his Panamian imprint in Urbano
The Art of Being Bi-cultural
Migration has always been part of human history and always will. Even those who thought they had one cultural identity, are the product of centuries of migration. Where localised migration may have mixed peoples of similar colour…
Neo Perreo: the Fusion of Reggaeton and a Dark Liberating Fantasy
Who’d have thought that a girl from a remote town in northern Chile, would put a new dance movement on the global map? As reggaetón continues to dominate the world with its catchy beat and sexualised imagery, every country has…
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…
Salsa Albums from New York's 'Golden Era'
Over the years there have been so many different types of Salsa that it is impossible to do an over-arching Top Ten Salsa albums. Here are the best of New York's Golden Era. In the following weeks we'll be bringing you…
Susana Baca
Susana Baca is the greatest international exponent of Afro-Peruvian music, having contributed so much to its worldwide popularity. Known around the globe for her barefoot performances, flowing shawls and divine aura, Baca’s music…
Spotlight on...El Alfa "El Jefe"
Emanuel Herrera Batista, known as El Alfa El Jefe is a powerful and charting Dominican urban singer He has gained respect in his home country as one of the most influential dembow artists. Since 2012, he has released more than…
Juan Gabriel, Singer-Songwriter (1950-2016)
Juan Gabriel, who has died aged 66, is considered to be one of Latin American greatest singer-songwriters of all time. The Mexican wrote around 1,500 songs, many of which made hits for and brought fame and fortune to countless…
Top 10 Hollywood Tunes composed by Latinos
With Latin American directors such as Guillermo del Toro, Sebastian Lelio, Pablo Larrain and Alfonso Cuaron sweeping the Oscars in recent years - - it seems that it was always that way. And, in the world of music, it kind of was…
Remembering Daniel Santos, Puerto Rican Singer (1916-1992)
Very few singers have been able to combine Puerto Rican and Cuban music to create one single style like Puerto Rican Daniel Santos did. His long connection with the best Cuban music of the 1940s and 50s provided his musical work…
Things You Should Know About...Colombian Reggaeton
Reggaeton may have been born in Panama and Puerto Rico, but lately it seems that the reggaeton everyone wants to hear is Colombian. Artists such as Carlos Vives, Kevin Roldan and Lalo Ebratt are storming the charts in what…
Top Ten Spanish Crooners
Spain, the land of passionate flamenco, bolero and copla, more recently fusions of reggeaton, hip hop and punk, but what’s wrong with good old romance, and when it comes to crooning no one does is better than the Spaniards (you…
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…
Loathe the Word Latino? Blame it on the French!
The word ‘Latino’ may conjure up style and swagger (LatinoLife, of course, equalling all things cool). But having been created as a tool in Europe’s colonial tussle for territory, is the word really cool or has Latin America come…
CERDITA 2018 Director CARLOTA PEREDA
CERDITA (2018) is a dramatic short film of horror fiction, written and directed by Spanish director CARLOTA PEREDA, with Laura Galán as the protagonist. It examines bullying and the pain of being different and how hate can…
...Peruvian Bands and Artists
Music is and has always been a key ingredient to Peru’s collective cultural identity, write Martin Morales and Duncan Ballantyne of Tiger's Milk Records. The evolution from the Afro - Peruvian creole tradition of the 1950’s…
Latina Homegrown
Sweetness, strength, ambition and beauty are the words that encapsulate this unique group of talent trying to break through the many barriers of London's difficult world of urban music. What’s the biggest challenge; as women…
In Praise of Latin Erotica
A rare screening of FUEGO, one of Latin America’s best examples of erotic cinema, has been chosen as part of the Barbican’s Cheap Thrills season of bold and outrageous films. Corina Poore praises one of the hottest cinematic…
Top Ten Latin Bangers of 2017
No one can deny that this was the year of 'Despacito.' But more importantly, this was the year that Latin music conquered the world, topping the charts in almost every country on the planet. It was also an unprecedented…
Fearless Soul
Multi-instrumentalist and owner of a unique voice, Natalia Lafourcade has become one of Latin America’s the most successful artists. Ever since the young Mexican, daughter of a Chilean refugee, first broke into the charts in 2003…
Apache: HipHop Sin Fronteras
The quality of Venezuelan Hip Hop has always been undeniable amongst fans of Latin HipHop, having produced international talent such as Canserbero, Lil Suppa, McKlopedia, Akapellah, along with the following artist. Larry Rada,…
Sins of My Father: an interview with Juan Pablo Escobar
Despite countless books, documentaries and feature films about Latin America's most famous drugs lord, until now a word has never been publically uttered about Pablo Escobar by his family. Sixteen years after his death, now…
Myke Towers
It is no big secret that Reggaeton is today what Salsa used to be years ago for many Puerto Ricans: The National soundtrack. The Island of Enchantment has - and continues - to give rise to a new wave of world-class talent, and…
A Guide to Mexican Contemporary Art
To mark the UK’s dedicated ‘Year of Mexico’, Latino Life celebrates the work of the 10 hottest Mexican artists right now, who have- or will be- delivering exhibitions across the country in 2015. From Tate Modern commissions to…
Remembering Canserbero
We pay tribute to one of Latin America’s most gifted artists, a beautiful lyricist and one of the best rappers to ever to bless the mic, whose life tragically came to an end under very suspicious circumstances on Caracas,…
Fuerte Apache, BUENOS AIRES
Our Candela visitor finds more heart than hostility in the notorious gangland estate on which Carlos Tevez was raised, as she visits the famous mural, homage to Fuerte Apache's favourite son.
Latin American Record Breakers
From giant comic books to ‘Despacito’, which incredible Guinness World Records titles were set in 2018? Latino Life takes a look at some of this year's stand-out achievements.
…LATIN AMERICAN OLYMPIANS
This year, of all years, you didn't think you could get away without knowing your A-Z of Latin American Olympians did you? Here's something to set you on track when that pub quiz comes along. And if the subject doesn…
La India Tunes That Rock the Dance Floor
We pay tribute to Linda Viera Caballero AKA La India, in our humble opinion, one of the greatest Latina singers in the world. A true Nuyoroican, La India burst onto the scene in the 90s. Formerly part of the NY House music…
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…
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Film & Theatre
THE OTHER WAY AROUND (Volveréis-2024) by award-winning Spanish director…
“It’s like a wedding but the other way around.” Here is a couple who are convinced they want to…
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Top 10 Salsa Hits since 2010
While at a commercial level, during the last two decades, it may seem that reggaeton took over and…
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THE JUNE REGGAETON RECAP
Karol G surprised everyone by announcing a new album while the second half of this reggaeton power…
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Top 10 Argentine Footballers
As one of the biggest football teams in South America and the world, the Argentine Football…
Top 10 Mexican Boxers
Globally, Mexico is known as a boxing powerhouse, boasting some of the greatest champions in the…
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LatinoLife's Favourite Mexican Male Singers of all Time
Since the days when Mexico was a serious rival to Hollywood in terms of film production and quality…
