NPR Music - Alt.Latino: Guitarricadelafuente, Lido Pimienta, more

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

Co-host Anamaria Sayre finally gets to share the new Guitarricadelafuente album with the world, and catch the NPR audience on the viral sensation Macario Martínez. Felix Contreras spotlights Lido Pimienta's symphonic pivot.Featured artists and songs:• Guitarricadelafuente, "BABIECA!"• Haydée Milanés, "Un amor que se demora"• Macario Martínez, "Sueña Lindo, Corazón"• Macario Martínez, "Otra Vez"• Macario Martínez, "¿qué somos hoy?"• Macario Martínez, "Hey destino"• Lido Pimienta, "Quiero Que Me Beses"• Marco Mares & Sabino, "digo que no, pero si"• Adri Paíz, "Quererte o No"CreditsAudio 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.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

It's this very normal sensation, like, oh, you're being kind of silly on the dance floor and you see someone. Like, okay, cool, whatever. And in his world, it's like, it's romance. You're like, oh, my God, I saw someone on the dance floor. That's not an experience I have. You're not seeing people on the dance floor. I don't know. Felix, remember NPR holiday party, 2023 when you, like literally ate it on the dance floor.

And everyone always rushes to help Felix. And I just stand there and laugh. Oh, my God. Let's move on. Let's change subject. From NPR music. This is Alt Latino. I'm Anna Maria Sayer.

And I'm Felix Contreras. Let the Chiseme begin. Oh, I like it. This is good. You got to say it. You got to say it. It's kind of fun, right? A lot of power there.

Yeah. Yeah. A little bit of studio shenanigans ahead of time, but we got it figured out. Felix, this is like that time of year, like May, when things get going. There's so many releases. I've been going on about this record forever. It's finally here. It's finally happening.

The Spanish singer-songwriter, Gittarica de la Fuente, is officially releasing his record on May 16th, and he has agreed to give us a special preview of the focused track of his record. It's called Babieka. I am so obsessed with this man. I'm so obsessed with his music. The album is called Spanish Leather. It's his second album.

His first one was released in 2022. and it's one of those that I just come back to personally over and over and over again. This record, Felix, it's so much tighter, it's grown up, it's that same energy, that same, no two songs are ever the same. He always plays with structure. He's always kind of instrumental, but electronic. But this is just that next level for him. I heard this song, Felix, and I kid you not, I have played it already like 10,000 times.

It's that energy of the opening line where he says in La Madriguez. like this idea that it's like I saw you in the early morning hours, we were eating on the dance floor and this that I feel for you, it's a pistol to the chest. And then at the exact same moment, the music, it just colors it. Like he has this perfect conversation always with lyrics and with the instrumentation. And it just, it's magic to me. It's cinema.

What is it about this new record that continues the strain of his first record and then adds to it. To me, it's very much energetically similar. Like he is this person who's kind of almost oppositional within his music where it's like he does this kind of contemporary electronic, very reflective of the Spanish scene right now, kind of playing with a lot of beats and synths and things like that. But then also is a whole other side of the spectrum

where he has these beautiful, he loves to play with strings and kind of big instruments and big sounds, live sounds. And so to me, this is him kind of like honing in on that craft a little bit more. I think every track is really tight. It's really neat. It's really clear to me that his vision is still not poppy. Like if you listen to a lot of the songs, they don't all move like this one does. But they're very artistically sound, artistically tight.

I think he just has a really clear vision that he just continues to build on. That was Babieca by Guitarica de la Fuente. Okay, now I have a song from someone who's been making music for a while. This is a new track from the singer-songwriter from Cuba, from Havana, Milanese. The song is called Un Amor Que Se Demora. It's her latest single that's going to lead up to an eventual album. I'm going to talk a little bit about the record after we hear the music. Wow, that letter, Felix.

Right? Yeah. It makes sense that she would be writing set profound lyrics. And for those of people who don't know, Aide Milanes is the daughter of Pablo Milanes, who is one of the most iconic Cuban musicians to come out of the island post-revolution. Just a deep catalog of amazingly poetic lyrics,

discussing life, discussing all kinds of things. he unfortunately passed away in November of 2022. She has worked with her dad in the past. They did these great duo albums, but she's also, since 2004, been making her own music. And, you know, it's one of those things where it's like being John Coltrane's son, right? It's like, how do you step out of that shadow and become your own person? She's been very, very successful at establishing her own voice,

even within the context of her dad's music of Cuban Trouva, which is, you know, her dad practically invented it with a few other artists. This record stands out to me because it's Bacchata, right? From the Dominican Republic. So she's exploring these other forms, these other song forms. The last time I visited Cuba and I had a chance to sit down

and talk to her for a second, she's, you know, she's listened to all kinds of stuff. Her dad's music, jazz, Billy Holiday, Ritha Frank, she's listened to everything. All of that comes out in the way that she makes her music and the way that she records, and the way her voice adapts to different styles. I admittedly had not heard it,

and when you said Pablo Milanese, and then you played it, I was like, wait, I'm confused. It's like, it's a bachata, what's going on? But that's a really cool way that she's able to kind of explore something else, make her own work. I think so many of these offspring,

of these very talented people, like within their own right, they have this gift, they have this talent, They were raised around music. They've probably been playing since they were, you know, whatever baby years old. And so to be able to then go out and form her own voice. And clearly, I mean, with the lyricism, too, like, she has it in her 100%. Again, the track is called Un Amor, Kese, the artist is Aidea Milanes.

Can't wait to hear the rest of the record. Okay, Felix, buckle up. We're going on a journey. me. I've been waiting to talk about this. This has happened. It's been news since January. And I was like, it's not the right moment. It's not the right moment. And now it just feels like we got to talk about it. Have you heard of Marcario Martinez? No. Yes. Okay. So Marcario Martinez. Oh, wait a minute. Wait, wait. No, I know everything about him. In fact, I'm the one who taught him music. I was there from the beginning. I have named him. Okay. So you've taken away, Felix. Who is he? Margario Martinez, I teased a mention of him when we talked about the Eslaborne Armado record. I played a song from him. It was a collab that they did.

It was my favorite on the album. But this guy, he has, like, taken the world by storm. He's a 23-year-old street sweeper from Mexico City, Felix. And he posted this video on January, January 27th to TikTok. It was a video of him at night doing his street sweeping job on the streets of Mexico City, and he put this text on the video saying life asks for a lot, and I'm just a street sweeper who wants you to listen to his music. Felix, the thing exploded.

Almost 50 million views to date. He had at the time 2,622 monthly listeners because he put a screenshot of where to find his music on Spotify in the video. It is now at over 440,000. He started posting his music to Spotify in 2019. He's been doing this for six years. He has beautiful music. But it wasn't until this moment that people found him and it just exploded. So the song that he posted, which I'll play for you first,

Sweenia Lindo Corazon by Margario Martinez. I love this story. I remember you talking about it. Okay, we're not in the same studio, so you can't see the big smile. on my face. I love this, man. I love this story. And I think so many people do, right? Because Juan, Mexico loves like a rags to riches story. It's very classic. Like, you know, whatever. But beyond that, Felix, the music, it's stand. Like, it is really excellent, like his melodies, his sound. I've been on a deep dive now since January about

this dude. I listen to him on my own. I'm, like, very familiar at this point with his very limited catalog. And so what I wanted to do today is play a couple of those songs. So the first one, which is one of his earlier songs that he ever put on Spotify, is called Otra Ves. He has this almost, Felix, like, some of the greater, like, singer-songwriter, qualities to him like that voice and his melodies they're simple but they're really pure and lovely he released a seven-song album in 2024 this is a song off that album called ke somos oi Okay, we're not going to be able to get my Okay, you have my attention, keep going.

I mean, there's a lot of pop stylings. Like, to me, the melody strike me is a bit poppy, but he can be kind of like avant-garde experimental in certain moments. I've listened to this whole record. And the melodies, they're really excellent. They're almost like, at a little indie rock influenced. And I think what it is, Felix, that people love about the story, but also that's so magnetic about the music, is he's just so honest, right?

Like we talk about really good music being reflective, being in a spejo of what life is. And I think him being in his position, I mean, he literally figured out how to do this music while fully living this life of being a street super. That's really, really, like, intense, laborous work and still finding a way to make his dreams come true. And I love that our amazing colleague, Ader Peralta, actually was able to do a story on him. He didn't interview with him. And I loved what he said.

Here's Ader with Macario Martinez. I meet Macario Martinez in the middle of Mexico City on one of the same streets he's. used to clean. Except today, he's about to play a big outdoor concert. This whole experience, he says, is a battle cry for hope. Because we all dream about something, he says. His dream was for people to listen to his music. When he was on that trash truck, he was thinking about the beauty of the city, about the stories of the people in those buildings. And he was dreaming. I used to watch a lot of old videos from my favorite bands in the 2000s, he says,

and they toured. They got to leave their cities. Some even left their countries. And right now, he says, I'm closer than ever to reaching my dreams. This idea, Felix, that he talks about, about a desire to be more to complete his dreams, to escape. It's right there in the music. Like, you can hear it in the music he already had out there. Here's a track from that album that he'd released called Hey Destino. You've done such a great job of distilling who he is and what he's doing right now. And it's such an early, early part of his career.

It's amazing. And that's the thing. thing, Felix, is what's beautiful to me is sometimes you have these viral moments, right, where people love a TikTok story. Again, like I said, a rags to riches story. But I think with him, you listen to the music and you just feel how much of him, how this desire, he's bursting almost with this desire to be more to get his art made, to be heard, to leave the city. And I think, you know, you can see how people have sounded off since then. Wow, this story has made me believe that my art could be something, that I could be something that I could leave my city, and there's just so much,

there's something in that for literally everyone. I'm just so excited about him. I can't wait to see what happens with this. That was a few songs from a new artist called Macario Martinez. You heard it here first on Alt Latino. we're all going to keep watching. Wonderful, wonderful wrap-up. Thank you so much.

That was really cool. Thanks. We're going to need to take a break right now and then come back with more music. Take it away, Felix. Okay, we're back with more music. Okay. Lido Pimienta has a new record coming out.

It's called La Beyesa. And it is a very, very big departure for her. I'm going to talk a little bit about the record after we hear the music. This is called Quero Que me Beces. I think that she's one of the most fascinating musicians in Latin music right now. Do say more. Because, you know, think about it, her breakout album was called Miss Columbia in 2020.

It was released during the pandemic when everyone was really looking inward, re-examining our lives, the world around us and all that. that record was a perfect soundtrack for introspection. And it was fascinating for me because it was all electronics driven, right? There's a lot of synthesizers, a lot of keyboard stuff. And it was mashed up with her Colombian Caribbean-Caribbean aesthetic, her voice. For Mia was so new, it was so different. And then her new record is completely wrapped in symphonic strings.

And so now she's going to this symphonic backdrop, lush, beautiful string arrangement. It stands out because Miss Columbia was a bold statement about Caribbean blackness. And now she's leaning into the traditions that subjugated that blackness for hundreds of years, right? So it seems to me like she's claiming that tradition as her own. The symphony is no longer the other, as it is for so many of us in the world, right? Oh, that gives me chills, Felix.

She wraps her voice in this, in like the sound of, 18th century Vienna of Mozart. And that's the impact this record has had on me. I'm just knocked out. Yeah, and I understand what you mean. I feel lucky that we get to bear witness to it, honestly. The album's called La Beyesa. The artist is Lido Pimiente.

That track is called Kiro Kemi Bezes. Okay, Felix, we're pivoting a little bit to just something fun. It's fun, it's light, it's new, it's different. Marco Mariz from Mexico City. This is his third album. It's called, Because Corres, Yeah,

We're Ais. This song is called Digo-Ken-No, but-si, and he did it with Mexican rapper Sabino. I'm clavado

a a undid and with an aridid, like a little in a guarderia

that I've buscaed in all the day, baby, yeah. I, I go no,

but if I, I guess much in I used I'm just a photo And I'm Okay, Felix It's reggae It's reggae the way I just said

Reggae The way I just said reggae Yeah I'm so dead. Okay. Reggae with merengue. Like, what? It's really, like, the album itself,

it's produced by Eduardo Cabra and Sebastian Chris. There's so many tropical sounds. There's bachata merengue, this reggae merengue. A veces it sounds a little Mexican. But it really just feels like he played a lot here. It's kind of expanding in a really, like, unoffensive, not crazy. He's not, like, expanding the boundaries.

to heaven and back, he's not like making disruptive sound, but just kind of really nice fun to listen to sound that plays with a lot of Latin America right now. You know, Eduardo Cabra, or he goes by Cabra, he's turned me on to so many musicians over the years, because he

He has this knack of finding these musicians that we probably have not heard of, or maybe they've got a buzz way, way below the level. And he just finds these guys and just like, okay, you know what? I'm going to do something with you. And then he puts his own little stamp on it, but in a way that reflects the artist as well, right? Like really lets them kind of like pull out all the little shiny parts. Yeah.

I'll listen to anything they produce, man. And I will probably like it. That was Coza Buena and I go But I'm not, but by Marco Marrace. Your turn, Felix. The grand finale. Okay, grand finale.

Here's an artist I had never heard of before. Her name is Adri Pais. She's from Panama. This is her first record. I'll tell you how I found her. But first we're going to hear the track called Kiererte or no. Felix, one of these days,

Feeleys Feeleks, Like those days They play at baby showers, or who did that? I want to play a show where it's like, Who brought the song, Felix are on? And no one would guess you for this one, Felix, and I love it.

Where'd you find her? Believe it or not, I saw a post by Ruben Blades on Facebook. Whoa. And he was congratulating Adri Paiz for her new album. And it was just a slight little things like, hey, from Panama, another Panamanian artist. She's got a new record. Check it out. I think you might like it.

And, you know, he's got 2.1 million followers just on his Facebook account alone. So I'm sure a lot of people just looked her up right away. The album's called Mar and Amar. It covers so many styles. There's Batchata. There's bolero. There's flamenco pop. There's even reggae, as you say.

She just delivers. Her voice is adaptable. And you said something earlier. It's confidence. It's confidence in what they do. That seals the deal. 100%. And I just looked her up, Felix,

7,000 monthly listeners. Like nothing. I can't wait. I can't wait. wait to see how she grows because the music it's going to stick. Her name is Adri Paiz. The album's called Mar and Amar and the track is called Karethi or No. Check it out. Gierrete or no. Good question. I love it, Felix. It's also a nice way to end the show because this is what an amazing collection of music. I know. God, we keep

leveling up. That's what we do. That's what your friends are at all. Latino do. We bring the best to get to you. You have been listening to Alt Latino from NPR music. Our audio editor is Simon Retner. The woman who keeps us on track is Grace Chung. Sarah Muhammad is the executive producer of NPR music. And VP of Music and visuals is the one and only Keith Jenkins. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayer. Thanks so much for listening.