Alt.Latino: Salsa, bossa nova, and Argentina's next big thing

All Songs Considered

NPR

Music

4.4 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 29 October 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

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Summary

Not to sound like a broken record, but I'll say it again: the variety of creative expression in what is inadequately labeled "Latin music" continues to astound me.

From the bossa nova-by-way-of-Guatemala of Fabuloso and Los Skeepers, to the evolving torch singing of the Chilean-via-Mexico vocalist Mon Laferte, to the ‘Western noir’ of California singer Andrés Miguel Cervantes, to Nathy Peluso’s Argentine take on Seventies New York City salsa, to jazz from southern Spain’s Chano Domínguez... how do we even try to keep up with this kind of output?

Someone has to do it, and we’re glad it’s us.

Featured artists and songs:

- Milo J, 'OLIMPO', 'Bajo De La Piel', 'Jangadero'

- Fabuloso & Los Skeepers, 'Si Te Gusta'

- Mon Laferte, 'Las Flores Que Dejaste En La Mesa', '1:30'

- Chano Domínguez & Emaginario, 'March Of The Siguiriyas'

- Nathy Peluso, 'ÁNGEL'

- Andrés Miguel Cervantes, 'Dreams of Jacumba'

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from the podcast, Fela Kuti, Fear No Man,
0:04.2	in a world that's on fire, what can music do?
0:07.8	Radio Labs, Jad Abamrod, tells the story of the Nigerian musician
0:12.2	who created a new musical language of resistance called Afrobeat.
0:17.0	Listen wherever you get podcasts.
0:19.8	A quick note before the show, this podcast contains explicit language.
0:24.0	You know what's the worst, Felix?
0:26.4	We think we're so hilarious.
0:30.6	And probably no one else does.
0:32.3	No one else does.
0:33.6	No one else does.
0:34.6	I can guarantee you nobody laughs at my jokes or stories the way you do.
0:43.1	Okay, where are we?
0:46.3	From NPR music, this is Alt-Latino.
0:48.3	I'm Felix Contreras.
0:49.7	And I'm Anna Maria Sayer.
0:51.8	Let the chisemet begin.
0:52.8	Felix, you better have some chisemay for me.
0:54.6	Yeah, the cheese made.
0:56.1	There's this giant meteor.
0:57.8	Oh, God.
0:58.8	Anything but this.
	...

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