Latin American music – World Music Central

A cover dominated by golden yellow, orange, and deep red hues. Intricate mandala-like floral and geometric patterns radiate across the image, with stylized flames and leaf motifs.

Start the Day Right

Based in Sweden but rooted in Latin America, a band called Serayá starts “Las Madrugadas” (“early mornings”) as a slow ballad before kicking it into…

Lowell Folk Festival Boarding House Park. A shot of the audience from behind. Photo credit: credit LMTLSS Media.

Events

Lowell Folk Festival Reveals 2026 Lineup for Three-Day Celebration of Music and Culture

World Music Central News Room June 28, 2026 No Comments A Cappella Gospel African American Gospel African diaspora music Alash Americana Amit Kavthekar Authentic Unlimited Batuque Bluegrass Caribbean music Catherine Russell Celtic music Classic Country Cultural Dance Dat Mighty 9 featuring Big Chief Romeo Delta Blues Eastern Sound Orchestra Elida Almeida Emily Gimble Fabiola Méndez Fife and Drum Folk Music funana Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie Haitian Dance indigenous music Irish Traditional Music Jazz John Doyle & Friends Kunal Gunjal Latin American music Lowell Folk Festival Lowell Folk Festival 2026 Mardi Gras Indian Music Melissa Carper Michela Musolino Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes and Drums Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers Peniel Guerrier polka Puerto Rican Folk Roots Music Rosa Tatuata santoor Scissor Dance Sicilian Traditional Music South Indian classical music Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks tabla The Chankas of Perú throat singing traditional music Tres En Punto Trío Romántico Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers Wampanoag Traditional Music world music Zydeco

The 2026 Lowell Folk Festival will return to downtown Lowell from July 24–26 with three days of free performances, cultural programming, food, and family activities.…

Rumbo North Isles poster. A design with colorful sides including a bird and listing of artists.

Events

Rumbo North Isles Festival Connects Scotland’s Northern Isles With Argentina

World Music Central News Room June 26, 2026 No Comments Acoustic Music Amy Laurenson Argentine Folk Auskerry Catriona Price Celtic music Contemporary Folk Cross-Cultural Music El Guapo electronic music Fara funk fusion music indie folk Instrumental Music Intercultural Collaboration Jazz Jonatan Szer Juan Grabina Kris Drever Latin American music Lohdóh Noelia Recalde Norman Wilmore rock Roots Music Routes to Roots Rumbo North Isles Scottish Folk Singer-Songwriter Skelpit The Chair traditional music Twelfth Day world fusion world music

Routes to Roots has announced Rumbo North Isles, a new cross-cultural festival that will bring musicians from Orkney, Shetland, and Argentina together for performances, workshops…

Rodrigo y Gabriela Monster. A manga-style illustration of Rodrigo y Gabriela.

Music videos

Rodrigo y Gabriela Team With Naoki Urasawa for New “Monster” Video

World Music Central News Room June 21, 2026 No Comments Latin American guitar Latin American music Mexican music Naoki Urasawa rock Rodrigo y Gabriela world music

Rodrigo y Gabriela have released the video for their new single, “Monster,” which features original artwork by acclaimed Japanese manga creator Naoki Urasawa. The track…

An Art Nouveau–inspired illustration on a red background. At the center stands a nude woman with flowing blonde hair, holding a red heart-like object to her chest and flowers at her waist. She is framed by a circular black field filled with red poppies and gray botanical motifs. White geometric lines surround the figure, while the text “WOMANKIND” arches across the top and “WOMAN POWER OF LOVE” appears along the bottom and side.

Music videos Single reviews

It Takes All Kinds

Tom Orr June 17, 2026 No Comments Latin American music Womankind world music

A multinational band called Womankind delivers “Apaga La Luz,” a smooth but sizzling Latin-flavored track celebrating the virtues of the fairer gender.

A weathered man in a wide straw hat sits against a sun-bleached green wall while sipping coffee from a white cup. The title Latin Café 2.0 and the artist name “Malamañoso” appear in stylized lettering on the left.

Music videos Single reviews

Tasty Menu

Tom Orr December 3, 2025 No Comments Latin American music Latin jazz Malamañoso world fusion world music

An array of Latin American music styles are seamlessly fused on “Latin Café 2.0,” a cool/warm/hot piece of work by Malamañoso out of Italy.

A woman with curly hair leans on a balcony, holding a cup of coffee, gazing at a glowing sunset over a silhouetted cityscape. Warm tones of orange and red dominate the scene.

Music videos Single reviews

Warm and Cool

Tom Orr May 21, 2025 No Comments Latin American music world music

If you have an ear for Latin music with both a chill factor and live instrumentation, you can’t go wrong with “Este Vida,” a bit…

Awards

Unsigned, But Not Unseen: Unsigned Only Evolves Into Music Awards

World Music Central News Room March 13, 2025 No Comments Americana blues country music Latin American music rock Unsigned Only Music Awards world music

The Unsigned Only Music Competition has rebranded as the Unsigned Only Music Awards, expanding its mission to celebrate independent artists worldwide. For over a decade,…

The New Cool Collective's Everything Is OK album cover features a group of stylishly dressed musicians posing around an outdoor swimming pool under a clear blue sky. The scene exudes a retro-cool aesthetic with bold colors, tailored suits, and vintage-inspired fashion. Two members hold large gold balloons forming the letters "O" and "K." The backdrop features lush green trees and warm lighting.

Music videos Single reviews

Getting the Party Started

Tom Orr February 5, 2025 No Comments funk Latin American music New Cool Collective world music

New Cool Collective, a band out of Amsterdam, makes it clear that they’re in a celebratory mood with “The Party,” a funk-filled, Latin-tinged dance track.…

This poster advertises La Línea: The London Latin Music Festival. The design celebrates the festival's 25th edition with vibrant floral illustrations, a bold central emblem, and a purple background. Key details include the dates (22 April–5 May), the venues (across London), and support logos for Como No! and Arts Council England.

Events

La Linea 2025: Celebrating 25 Years of Latin Music Excellence

World Music Central News Room January 13, 2025 No Comments Alex Etchart Ana Lua Caiano Ed Maverick Eliades Ochoa Francisco el Hombre Juan Iñaki Juana Aguirre La Linea Latin American music Muerdo Portuguese music Rodrigo Cuevas Spanish music Villano Antillano world music

The London Latin Music Festival, La Linea, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025 with its most expansive and diverse lineup yet. Running from April…