NPR Music - Alt.Latino: Our favorite Latin Tiny Desk Contest entries

Episode Date: May 13, 2026

Since 2014, we've been hitting bands up to send in their videos for the opportunity to win the Tiny Desk Contest. And almost from the beginning, Alt.Latino has been pulling aside the bands and artists that play Latin music. It’s always been a highlight to see the incredible talent that's out there night after night in bars, clubs, community centers, street parties and backyards, finding new ways to express their Latino identity through music. This year was no different.We waded through hundreds of entries to select the six to feature this week, which showcase a huge variety of musical expressions.And a reminder: you can see every band that sent in a video this year right here - and a big shout out to this year’s winner, Cure For Paranoia!Artists and songs featured in this episode:(04:10) Sofia Gomez, "Without Me"(07:58) Ed Harvest, "Me Toca Despedirme de Ti"(11:05) alegrías, "Wahoo!"(16:05) Ivan Llanes and Friends, "Cubahia"(22:27) Majo Puente, "MAKTUB"(25:56) Thee Almighty Majestics, "Última Noche"This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive director of NPR Music.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

From NPR music, this is all Latino. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayer. Let the chisement begin. And the chisema this week, I'm going to cut you off. I know. I was like, wait, I was going to set up the chisema. Fine.

Tell me, what's the chisemet? You better have good chisema than Felix if you're going to cut me out. We have the winner of the Tiny Desk contest for this year. That is pretty great. It has been announced. And my winner is... Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. You're supposed to drum-roll me in.

Okay, go ahead. The winning group is Cure for Paranoia. They're a group from Dallas. What type of music do they do, Felix? Let's hear a little bit. And we have to say that Anna was one of the judges. This is true. I was part of the conversations where it happened.

I was a judge last year. And they kicked Felix out. You're right. And replaced him with me. the upgrade. I'm Felix 2.0 judging experience. That's a whole different episode.

I avoided being a judge for a long time. What have we been doing this? Over 10 years now. And because, and I knew the year I got selected, it's like, I wanted everybody to win, man. I too was avoiding it for years. But really, what I used to do was this thing of sitting and waiting

through all of the initial tons and tons and tons of entries. And it's so much more fun. to me to get this like curated list of these are the best. I wasn't expecting it to be as challenging. You look at it and you're like, oh my God, wait, every single person here should win. And there's like 100 entries. Yeah.

It's just so amazing how talented people are. So here's my being honest tip that I would like to say. And you might not agree with me saying this, Felix. But I did want to address the fact that you texted me something and I actually have an answer and I didn't get to text you back. So it's perfect. I'm just going to reply here. about a lot of amazing entries.

We found a selection of our favorite Latin entries, which we are going to show today. But I would have liked to see more. I would have liked to see more. I would have liked to see a more exciting selection. And my theory about this in regards to why it showed up in the way that it did is it's not at this point in time. It's not XUS open.

And so I think the variety, like a lot of what we look at on this show, we pool from almost exclusively outside of the United States in terms of artists and art that we platform on the show. And so I think we don't get that diversity of experience, of country, of origin that we typically discuss. And so we're getting a more limited scope, I think, in terms of the Latin bands. There were over 6,000 video entries sent in

from all the different genres and styles, and we were selecting from over 200 bands and artists that were considered Latin music of different genres. and styles. And it was a lot of fun. It makes me feel like I'm dreaming with them. Yeah. Like they send off these videos with all of the force of all.

That's why I feel like people like you and me are so bad for judges because we're like mapping a whole story onto every single submission. Like, oh my God. And they gave it their all. And their grandma probably watched it and loved it. And really it's exciting to feel all that hope. So that's what we're. we're doing this week, we had to narrow those 200 plus down to three each. It was very difficult.

I literally made my final three like five minutes before I walked into to record. I could tell. I know. I empathize. I do. Okay. Since you were the judge, Ms. Judge, you get to go first. Here we go. First up. I'm like, which one was my first? Oh, I really love this girl. Her name is Sophia Gomez. She lives in Los Angeles. and this song is without me. When you're just a bit more I want to sleep But you live in my dreams I wish I

I need just a bit more It kills me When you use the phrase Bedroom Pop Boy, this is really at Right? That's what it is Because the video was recorded

In a bedroom The two background singers Are sitting on the bed Sophia's in the foreground And there's a guitar player up there really wonderful sound man I like this I almost picked her I almost picked her really yeah just gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous tone I mean that is the beauty of this right is all of them are bedroom poppy

in the way or lean on that but really just so much of what she is is enough I think that's what this shows and a lot of these these shows is you see that the stripped down you know version what a lot of these artists can do is more than what any massive production could handle. And I think that's why it really gets at the essence. But her voice specifically, I mean, very Lizzie McAlpine to me, to be honest. But gorgeous, beautiful, communicates so much emotion. It just struck me.

And what we're going to be able to do this week is play the whole song. Here is the rest of Without Me from Sophia Gomez. Good job, Sophia. Oh, whatever you live in my dreams. I wish in here it keeps that a month's got to be some. I should have been too much, but I guess you got it tired. And it's not enough because you've got... Okay.

As usual, we got a little bit of a headspin here. One of the ones that really stood out to me was the guy named Ed Harvest, who I did not know. He's from Puerto Rico. Like, serious rock in Spanish. Check it out. This is called, Me Toca Despe Dismidime Deity. It didn't make it to the top, and I'm like, I missed this.

This is beautiful. It's very good. For people who are not aware, there's a very, very strong hard rock tradition, punk rock, really, in Puerto Rico. Going back many years, one of the first artists we featured on the show was Davila 666. And this is sort of the kind of thing that reminds me, the legacy of that band. And there's a part of the song you're going to hear, we're going to let it play, where they just break into an Afro-Cuban, for lack of a better word, a salsa. I was looking for something different for this, and, man, this whole thing really stood out.

Me to take to despidire of you from Ed Harvest from Puerto Rico. Yeah, etchou. Okay, next up, these are the Alegrias. They're from La Jolla, California, just outside of San Diego. And this song is called Wahoo. It sounds like I named it, Felix. Again, for a purpose of description, that's a cello as the lead instrument, along with bass and guitar and the drum set.

Because naturally. Yeah, just I really, this stood out. There's something about a lead vocalist who can do it all in such a way. And specifically, I mean, I love her little kind of punky vocal. It really does feel like the marriage of when we talk about like a very natural intersection of clearly someone who has spent their life listening to American music but has some tone from elsewhere. Like she does that really well. And I love this kind of like whole punky vibe they have going on, but like Rocky, but there's that. Latin element and the whiteboard in the back.

I mean, the whole vibe of it is I don't pay too much attention to the videos, to be honest. I like to just listen. But it has a nice kind of like Tiny Desk visually matched energy too. That was the band Alegrias with their song Wahoo, as she said at the beginning. Part of our look this week at bands that submitted videos for the Tiny Desk contest. We're going to take a break and come right back with more. Okay, so for my next band, If I was a judge this year, I think I would have stayed with these guys.

This would have been the hill I died on. See, you have the same thing that I do, Felix. I got in there with a band no one cared about, and I was like, this is the one. Although I would say that about all three of my bands this week. This is a band called Ivan Janus and Friends. And Ivan Janus is a musician from Union City, New Jersey. The band is from all over the different parts of New Jersey. The track is called Cubahia.

just listen. I hear a lot of different things. You'll understand. Check it out. When you look at the instrument, when you look at the instrumentation, there's three horns, it's all brass. Of course, it's percussion.

that immediately caught my attention, right? All the features. The guy's got a timbales set up like they do with Cuban timba and the conga player. And there's a guy playing the pad with a bunch of stuff, keyboard bass guitar. Like I hear Timba, I hear all this other stuff, but like they've taken it beyond. And they've added a lot more to it. So they've used Timba as a bass. And then they do their whole thing.

Man, I would stand in line for these guys. This is really, I really like these guys. Honestly, 100. percent, Felix, and I'm so glad you went through and watched everything because this did not make it, you know, to my desk, quote-unquote, and I would have championed for them, too, honestly, because there's something about, it's not just, oh, that, you know, sexy percussion, wow, it's amazing, it's so fun, it's so cool for the percussionist. Like, they have a flow, and it's a slow flow, it's a build, it takes time, but that

really hits and really works, and it's more than just, you know, the way they structured it, They're creating something really special and unique. And I think that was the thing that was missing for me, too. And a lot of the Latin entries I saw that made it my way. By the time they got to the top, it was like, ah, this is just standard. This is just what I see here every day. But this is not something you hear every day. Yeah, and with the same as with Ed Harvest, the musicianship is like top-notch.

These guys can play their asses off. And I mentioned, like, if you sat through this band, like after two hours, hours at a club somewhere, man. Killing. Let's hear the rest of it. This is Ibanianus and friends. Kobahia. They're from Union City, New Jersey. Keep going, guys. Time for me to hit my last entry, Felix.

I can't believe you've already made it. This is an artist originally from Mexico. Her name is Mahopuante, and this song is Maktub. This is my God me prometre Felicity This is the perfect example We were talking about

This gets so much talent Just different layers Well and also let's talk about You know This is a submission from L.A. She's from Mexico I believe she's from Mexico City. And what's the key element here is the Cuban clave?

Like above anything else, like that's the thing that distinguishes this. That's the thing that makes it stand out in a lot of ways. I mean, among many things, beautiful voice, beautiful tone, really fun, eclectic, you know, set up here. But that's the distinguishing thing. I mean, to me, I hear like almost like a Buena Vista social club kind of like that riff underneath. And I'm curious if you agree with that. but that's what I was hearing. And then she's making it in L.A.

Yeah, there's definitely a folk feel to it, two guitars and stand-up bass. Yeah, there's definitely a Trova feel to it. I heard it. Did you not hear that? Coord structure, yeah. I guess I do now. I didn't hear it.

That's immediately what I heard. Under it, right? Yeah. It's the same thing. But cool. I mean, a fun, interesting touch. Beautiful, beautiful singer. She described the title of it,

Maktub. It's an Arabic word, actually, meaning it is written. And she basically described that as speaking to fade inevitability and all of these things, which is a fun way to go about submitting your Tiny Desk contest entry. I like it.

That was Maktou by the artist, Maho Pente. Perfect. Oh. Awita. Okay, we're going to close it out with something. I just, again, I wouldn't have died on the hill with these guys, too. This is a band called the Almighty Majestics, The Almighty Majestics, Double E on the The.

They're from Santa Ana, California, Southern California. This is called Ultima Noche. Again, let's just play it first, and I'll tell you my thoughts. That is pure. 1970s Mexican pop, man. A thousand million gazillion percent. And I got to say

that in the 70s, I hated it. No. I got to admit. I'll admit. I'll confess. I wasn't into that stuff when I was... No, man. When in the 70s I was like, oh, that's just... Nah, that's not my thing. I was listening to the jazz. I was listening to all this other stuff.

But now, especially with these guys, I am so into it. You've got to see the video. They're dressed, period. Right? They're dressed in the period clothing, the dark suits, even got the haircuts. You guys playing a farfaisal organ. Like everything about it, the sound, the textures, everything about it is so 70s. It's pure Mexican pop that I now have a really deep appreciation for. I wanted a black turtleneck in a little sports coat, man, and shaking a tambourine.

I want to be part of this band. It's so cool. Absolutely, Felix. You belong in this band. with that haircut. Okay, again, the name of the band is The Almighty Majestics. They're from Santa Ana, California, with La Ultima Noce, and that is the ultimate song for our look at the Tiny Desk Contest Latin Music entries this year.

And another big congratulations to the winner of the contest this year, the band Cure for Paranoia. Look for their Tiny Desk concert coming up at the end of the month. You have been listening to Alt Latifax. from NPR Music. Our audio editor is Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Sarah Mohamed. Executive director, Sonali Meta.

As always, we love hearing from you. If you enjoyed this episode in these bands, we always appreciate a positive review on Spotify or Apple or wherever you're listening or send us an email, man. Stay in touch. Alt Latino at npr.org. Tell us what's on your mind of what you are listening to these days.

And I have to point out that you can see these really cool videos at npr.org slash tiny desk contest. These videos and the 6,000 other videos that were sent in this year, man, talk about a rabbit hole and you won't go wrong, man. There's so much talent out there. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Anna Maria Sayer. Thank you for listening.

And thanks to all the bands who sent in videos, man. Do it again next year. We're waiting for you.