Woman on the Verge: MAVICA
Originally from Cartagena in south-eastern Spain, London-based Marta Casanova blends folk, indie, pop and electronic sounds. In September, Mavica’s debut album 'Sometimes a Person Never Comes Back (but that’s okay)',…
Paraguay – Piercing the Silence
Juanjo Pereira began his film, Bajo Las Banderas, El Sol (Under the flags, the sun) as a modest project to better understand his country and its cinema, which has no national archives, and where the history of the dictatorship,…
Venezuelan Cinema in Search of 'Our Language'
Can Venezuela’s new state-sponsored cinema live up to its Cuban and Russian precedents or will it drown in the accusations of mediocrity and dogma that surrounds it?
LATIN LONDONER #2 Vanessa Carvalho - Brazilian Singer and Dancer
Vanessa Carvalho from Salvador, Bahia – Brazil. started singing and dancing at the age of 8 and performed with many Brazilian artists. She embarked on a musical adventure together with Leo Mantini from Rome, which became that…
'Rage of Narcissus' wowed audiences at the Pleasance Theatre
Thrilling, captivating, and unexpectedly horrifying are just a few words that can be used to describe ‘Rage of Narcissus.’ Sam Crane -the solo performer that narrates this ghostly thriller- tells a fictionalized version of the…
Lizandro Meza “Salsita Mami” (Disco Fuentes)
Colombia's iconic king of Cumbia, LIzandro Meza, delves into the world of salsa with flavour and passion
Monica Puig: Tossing a Curveball to the Tennis World
In our first in a series profiling up-and-coming sports stars of Latin America and Spain, we present the 21-year-old Puerto Rican, currently number 61 in world rankings, storming her way to the top of women's tennis
COVID Toll on Indigenous Elders is Destroying History
"Every time an elder dies, a library is burnt"
MARCOS VALLE- SEMPRE- Far Out (FARO 211 LP)
For several decades, Marcos Valle’s winning formula of well-produced bossa/boogie/beach vibes has been a shoo-in for non-Brazilian MPB fans and Sempre, his 28th album, is no different.
Argentina Becomes Third South American Country to Legalise Abortion
This week, the South American country became the largest nation in Latin America to legalise abortion, a landmark victory for women across the region. It comes after years of mobilisation by the grass-roots movements in response…
BUIKA THERAPY
Born of immigrants from Equatorial Guinea and growing up among Romani gypsies in Mallorca, Concha Buika has emerged to become Spain’s most unlikely Flamenco star. Yet her haunting, velvety voice, her sentimiento and chiselled…
LATIN LONDONER #3 LAMAR - Vocalist, Composer, Producer
Born in Barcelona in 1979, Javier Moreno got his Flamenco influence from his Andalucian dad. He grew up in a little Catalunyan village, playing in the streets and 'with a great sense of freedom' Moreno before emigrating…
Three O Two Restaurant @ The H10 Hotel
The winner of this year's Latin-UK Awards for Spanish Restaurnt of the Year, the Three 0 Tow surprised all the judges with its adventurous and ambitious menu.
Akumal - A Corner in Paradise
If Tulum is too trendy and Playa del Carmen's party vibe isn't your scene, take time out at Akumal. Just don't pester the turtles, says Elizabeth Mistry.
Buika: 'La Noche Mas Larga' (2012)
A few months ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Concha Buika. Charming, clever, talented beyond words and with a unique a yet universally appealing personal history: the daughter of African immigrants who grew up in Spain…
Not Another Play About War
Bringing real life British and Argentine veterans of the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War to the stages of London and Brighton, Lola Arias is soon to create a ground-breaking theatrical experience. Latinolife talks exclusively to this…
Voice in Residence
In the often vacuous world of Reggaeton, Residente has stood out as one of its most outspoken artists. Even at the Grammy Awards, where he has, perhaps surprisingly, won more than any other Latin artist, the former Calle 13…
COVID Stories: Growing Together
Latin Americans Women’s Aid (LAWA) has been supporting Latin American women for 35 years with emergency refuge homes for victims of domestic violence, advice, support, English classes, counselling, empowerment programs and much…
Brown Girls in the Ring Make Argentina Sing…
How Cumbia conquered Argentina. The Cumbia invasion rides on populist political culture, but has urban snobs singing a different tune.
Football Personalities of 2018
With a fantastic World Cup to remember and the Premier League well under way, we review the most exciting Latin and Spanish Football Personalities of 2018
Paco Peña's Quimeras
An uplifting and inspiring piece that tells an emotive story and touches political themes through music, dance and the spoken word
El Emigrante: Javier Moreno on his Lukas nomination and life in the UK…
Javier Moreno currently resides in London, when I spoke to him on a lovely sunny morning he was off to work on his side project: a Catalan inspired café! Born in Barcelona from a Catalan mother and Andalusian father, Javier has…
Gastronomical Orbit
Virgilio Martinez' restaurant, Central, was recently ranked fourth in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, sealing the stratospheric rise of Peruvian cuisine as well as his own soaring reputation as a chef and restaurateur. But…
Confessions of a Coolhunter
Amaranta Wright was hired by Levi's to travel through Latin America, befriending teenagers and reporting their ideas, hopes and aspirations. As time passed, the more sinister and divisive aspects of what she was being asked…
Ground Control to Major Juan
Elizabeth Mistry hears how the Colombian super-bard has put aside his Camisa Negra for a spaceman's helmet.
COVID STORIES: On the Frontline
As part of our documentary series for Fuerza London - a film commemorating Latin London's experience of COVID, we interviewed Latinos all over the city. This is the story of Yoshi Bunce a nurse at Kingston Hospital for 30…
Argentine Culture Wars: writing Kirchnerism out of history
Argentina has always been a country of extremes and now is no different. With the change of government in Argentina, there is not only a change in cultural direction, but a determination to write the ideas of 'the other…
LATINO LIFE’S ULTIMATE REGGAETON RECAP 2025
It’s impossible to ignore the amount of Latin music and culture that has found itself at the forefront of the global music scene this year. Even more so, there’s been a rise in Latin-led music documentaries courtesy of some of…
Ancho Chiles Stuffed with Pork in Adobo Sauce
As one of the most popular dishes at Mestizo during our Chile Pepper Festival, we think that this combines some of the best that Mexico has to offer. Chiles and pork, cooked only as you would find in any Mexican kitchen. It may…
Sao Paulo Symphony and Venezuelan Pianist Gabriela Montero delight a packed Royal Albert Hall at The BBC Proms
The 2016 season of BBC Proms has featured an unusual programme of high profile musicians from Latin America, starting with the brilliant young Argentine Sol Gabetta, soloist in an outstanding performance of Elgar's '…
Chevron, Ecuador and the extractor’s curse – part 3: When in doubt, sue the lawyer
“We’re going to fight this until hell freezes over … And then we’ll fight it out on the ice”, said a Chevron spokesman in 2009. The company has done just that. Meanwhile, the Lago Agrio region of Ecuador remains severely polluted…
Buenos Aires: the virus reaches the ‘villas miseria’
Ramona Medina, one of the community leaders of Villa 31, a Buenos Aires villa miseria, died from coronavirus after publically denouncing the lack of water and the conditions for maintaining social distancing measures in her…
The Greatest Sonero Ever?
Well that’s a debate that will never end. In this interview with Oscar D’Leon, we explain why he has proved, atleast, to be the most important singer to salsa music, ever. And at his age, JOSE LUIS SEIJAS found him as we expected…
BOGOTÁ – prepare to be surprised!
The Colombian Capital offers so much more than it seems! So hop on a buseta and grab yourself a almojabana for our Bogotá city guide...