
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
Latest episodes

Mar 26, 2025 • 32min
Music To Move By (It's Not What You Think)
Alt.Latino's Felix Contreras moved out of his long-time apartment, and in the process, he unearthed some amazing music. Co-host Anamaria Sayre shares the new songs currently moving her.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mar 12, 2025 • 22min
Jazz from Latin America, plus a track we can't name from Ca7riel & Paco
Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras gives his co-host Anamaria Sayre a primer on Latin Jazz. She returns the favor with a new track from Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (of Tiny Desk fame) and a Mexican ranchera that sounds older than it is.Featured artists and songs:• Edison Machado & Boa Nova, "Naquela Base"• Michi, "Memmy (Recuerdo)" (feat. Gabriel da Rosa)• Adam O'Farrill, "Nocturno, 1932"• Vivir Quintana, "Más Libre Que En Casa"• Lucia Sarmiento, "Look Up"• Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, "#T****"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mar 5, 2025 • 21min
New Music: Something Old, Something New, Something Found... and Jazz
This week we balance our passion for new discoveries with reissued music from an iconic Latin American songwriter. Featured artists and songs:• Ezra Collective, "Body Language" (feat. Sasha Keable)• Patti LaBelle, "Teach me Tonight (Me Gusta Tu Baile)"• Teri Gender Bender, "SANAR"• Kevin Kaarl, "recuérdame x siempre"• Violeta Parra, "Cantores Que Reflexionan"• Ben Aler, "Honest"• Jose Luiz Martins, "Cravo e Canela"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Feb 26, 2025 • 28min
Afro.Latino: From Venezuela to Puerto Rico and beyond
Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras takes us on a tour of African influences throughout Latinidad, with a little help from Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Miguel Zenón.Featured artists and songs:• Betsayda Machado & Parranda el Clavo, "Oh, Santa Rosa"• Bia Ferreira, "Quando Você Me Olha"• Cheo Feliciano, "Anacaona"• Ismael Rivera, "Las Caras Lindas"• Ruben Blades & Willie Colón, "Plantación Adentro"• Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, "Lamento De Concepcion"• ÌFÉ, "Higher Love"Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Feb 12, 2025 • 25min
Christian Nodal stays messy, pablopablo recruits Carín León, and new Flaco Jimenez
'Alt.Latino' hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre are back with six new songs that span the spectrum of Latinidad.Featured artists and songs:• Christian Nodal, "A Solas con la Botella"• Las Trompas de Falopium, "JARRE"• pablopablo, Carín León & Ralphie Choo, "Eso Que Tú Llamas Amor"• The Mexican Standoff & Flaco Jimenez, "Tu Dirás" (feat. Los Texmaniacs)• Amaia, "C'est La Vie"• Angie K, "Red Dirt on Mars"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Feb 5, 2025 • 26min
Selena Gomez's tears, Jessie Reyez's gratitude and what it means to be 'xolo'
Our digital mailboxes continue to overflow with new music. This week, we hear from a Colombian-Venezuelan super group, a new Afro-Brazilian band, and Ana gets another jazz lesson from a Latin jazz orchestra.Songs featured in this episode:• XIXA, "Xolo de Galáxia"• Meme del Real, "Princesa"• Jessie Reyes, "GOLIATH"• Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, "Dia de los Muertos III Mambo Cadaverous"• Trinka, "Grego"• Astropical, "Me Pasa (Piscis)"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins. Special gracias to Hazel Cills: Thanks for everything!!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jan 29, 2025 • 34min
Why we love Joaquina. Plus, Felix is chismeless
Do not come on Alt.Latino if you don't have good chisme! Ana and Felix talk about their favorite songs of the week, including some psychedelic cumbia, Cuban folk music and more.Songs featured on the episode:•Combo Chimbita, "Dímelo"•Cortadito, "Yemaya"•Joaquina, "desahogo"•Joaquina, "aeropuerto"•The Altons, "Waiting"•Thee Midniters, "It'll Never Be Over For Me"•Majo Aguilar, "el beso"•Carrie Rodriguez, "Miles Away"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Editorial support from Hazel Cills. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jan 22, 2025 • 28min
Felix and Ana try out New Year's Resolutions
Will Ana and Felix ever figure out their New Years Resolution for 2025? The clock is ticking. They contemplate that and share their favorite recent new music.Songs featured in this episode:Marina Albero, "First Step of the journey"Beelé, Ovy On the Drums, "Mi Refe"Fela Kuti, "Shakara"The Bongo Hop, "La Pata Coja feat. Nidia Gongora"nsqk, Easykid, "BOBOMENSOTONTO"Federico Aubele, "Te Quiero a Ti"Juana Aguirre, "lo_divino"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Editorial support from Hazel Cills. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jan 15, 2025 • 25min
A moment for Los Angeles
Los Angeles is home for me and always in my heart. Watching the fires from afar in my current city, New York, has me thinking a lot about what makes my hometown great: breathtaking mountains, stunning beaches and above all a hodgepodge, tapestry community that comes together in powerful ways during a painful moment.The good and bad of LA's history — redlining and rebuilding, previous fires and displacement, immigration and annexation — have all been building blocks for an exchange of culture that shows up in layers in its music and art. This week on Alt.Latino, we've decided to shine a light on some of the sounds that feel most quintessentially LA, while also specifically honoring the creativity that has come from communities most affected by the fires.We're thinking of family and friends, and the beating heart of the city as a whole. There's nothing quite like LA and we hope this episode is an intro to some and an invitation for others to celebrate what makes it so special. —Anamaria SayreSongs featured on this episode:•José Feliciano, "California Dreamin"•Ry Cooder feat. Lalo Guerrero, "Barrio Viejo"•Banda MS feat. Becky G and Snoop Dogg, "Que Maldicion"•Jasper Bones, "Amor de mis sueños"•Gerardo Ortiz, "Dámaso"•Empress Of, "For Your Consideration"Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jan 8, 2025 • 31min
Why Bad Bunny's 'DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS' is an act of political resistance
On Sunday, Bad Bunny released his sixth studio album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, and people are saying it's his most "Puerto Rican" record yet. The global pop star has clearly come home to his roots in a meaningful way and given the political situation on the island, releasing an album so proudly Puerto Rican is a major act of resistance. Anamaria Sayre, Felix Contreras and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento break down what exactly makes the record so Puerto Rican and why its Bad Bunny's most reflective, ambitious and ingenious era yet.Songs featured in this episode:•Bad Bunny, "EL CLúB"•Bad Bunny, "NUEVAYoL"•Bad Bunny, "BAILE INoLVIDABLE"•Bad Bunny, "LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii"•Bad Bunny, "TURiSTA"•Bad Bunny, "CAFé CON RON"•Los Pleneros de la Cresta, "Resistencia"•Bad Bunny, "PIToRRO DE COCO"•Ecos de Borinquen, "El Alma de Puerto Rico (The Soul of Puerto Rico)"•Bad Bunny, "WELTiTA"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Editorial support from Hazel Cills and Jacob Ganz. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy