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Alt.Latino The global Latinx community is evolving and growing fast. Alt.Latino is here to celebrate it and all of its nuances through music. Each episode, NPR Music's Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre sit down with a different living legend or rising star to discuss Latinx culture, heritage, and the shared borders of our experiences. Let the chisme begin!

Support NPR and get your music exploration sponsor-free with Alt.Latino+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/nprmusic
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The global Latinx community is evolving and growing fast. Alt.Latino is here to celebrate it and all of its nuances through music. Each episode, NPR Music's Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre sit down with a different living legend or rising star to discuss Latinx culture, heritage, and the shared borders of our experiences. Let the chisme begin!

Support NPR and get your music exploration sponsor-free with Alt.Latino+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/nprmusic

Most Recent Episodes

Alt.Latino's guide to Chicano soul

Joe Bataan is featured on this episode of Alt.Latino. JC Olivera/WireImage hide caption

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JC Olivera/WireImage

Alt.Latino's guide to Chicano soul

The genre commonly referred to as "Chicano soul" has that "you know it if you hear it" kind of sound.

Alt.Latino's guide to Chicano soul

Listen · 28:27
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Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Omar Apollo, Karol G and Papo Vazquez

Omar Apollo is featured on this week's Alt.Latino. Aitor Laspiur hide caption

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Aitor Laspiur

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Omar Apollo, Karol G and Papo Vazquez

Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre round up their favorite new tracks, including heartbroken music from Omar Apollo, a mix of jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican sounds from Papo Vazquez and a controversial new merengue electrónico track from Karol G.

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Omar Apollo, Karol G and Papo Vazquez

Listen · 28:24
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Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits
Natalia Aguilera

Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits

Even if you don't know Edgar Barrera's name, you know his work. The multiple Grammy-winning writer and producer has worked with dozens of the biggest names in Latin music — Bad Bunny, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo — the list goes on. But he's also one of the main forces pushing regional Mexican into the mainstream over the past few years, and turning Pan-Latin sounds into pop perfection.

Super-producer Edgar Barrera on turning old-school genres into pop hits

Listen · 33:01
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Alt.Latino's favorite music of 2024 (so far)

Nathy Peluso is a featured artist in this week's episode of Alt.Latino. Kito Muñoz hide caption

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Kito Muñoz

Alt.Latino's favorite music of 2024 (so far)

To mark the halfway point of 2024, Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR Culture Desk producer Isabella Gomez Sarmiento run down their favorite releases of the year so far, from a career-defining release from Nathy Peluso, a leveling up from Argentine rapper Trueno, introspective jazz from Melissa Aldana and so much more.

Alt.Latino's favorite music of 2024 (so far)

Listen · 28:35
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The National Recording Registry's best Spanish language songs (and what it's missing)

Carlos Santana is featured on this week's episode of Alt.Latino. Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images hide caption

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Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

The National Recording Registry's best Spanish language songs (and what it's missing)

The Library of Congress' National Recording Registry is more than just a collection of music and sound — it's a reflection of who we are as a country. In April, two new Spanish language songs were added to the registry: Juan Gabriel's "Amor Eterno" and Héctor Lavoe's "El Cantante."

The National Recording Registry's best Spanish language songs (and what it's missing)

Listen · 35:10
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Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Wyatt Flores, Danny Ocean and Grupo Frontera

Wyatt Flores is featured on this week's episode of Alt.Latino. McKenzie Whitman hide caption

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McKenzie Whitman

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Wyatt Flores, Danny Ocean and Grupo Frontera

Ana and Felix collect their favorite recent releases from the past few months, including new material from the breakout regional band Grupo Frontera, a country/Latin cross-over in the music of Wyatt Flores, a new song from groundbreaking rapper Mala Rodriguez and more.

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Wyatt Flores, Danny Ocean and Grupo Frontera

Listen · 32:49
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Alt.Latino's favorite Tiny Desk Contest entries

Tiny Desk Contest entrant Cathia is featured in this week's episode of Alt.Latino. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Alt.Latino's favorite Tiny Desk Contest entries

It's the 10th annual Tiny Desk contest and there's been a strong showing of Latin artists behind desks across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Alt.Latino's favorite Tiny Desk Contest entries

Listen · 37:05
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Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Angélica Garcia, Young Miko and The Mavericks

Angelica Garcia is featured on this week's Alt.Latino. Shervin Lainez hide caption

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Shervin Lainez

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Angélica Garcia, Young Miko and The Mavericks

Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras round up their favorite new music, from Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko's boundary-pushing new music, to Alejandro Escovedo's genre-bending rock and Angelica Garcia's electro-cumbia.

Alt.Latino's best new music round-up: Angélica Garcia, Young Miko and The Mavericks

Listen · 40:01
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Tracing the history of Latino artists making country music

On this week's Alt.Latino, a discussion of Latin artists in country music. Photo by Medios y Media/Getty Images hide caption

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Photo by Medios y Media/Getty Images

Tracing the history of Latino artists making country music

The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt.Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country?

Tracing the history of Latino artists making country music

Listen · 37:07
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What do we really want from Shakira?

On this week's Alt.Latino, an assessment of Shakira's current career after Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images hide caption

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Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

What do we really want from Shakira?

Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt.Latino puts the record to the test.

What do we really want from Shakira?

Listen · 23:04
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