NPR Music - Alt.Latino: The return of El Tiny

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

It's that time of year again: NPR's Tiny Desk becomes El Tiny, featuring concerts from some of the most exciting and legendary Latin artists around. So, this week Felix and Ana run through this year's El Tiny lineup and listen to performances from Fito Paez, Carlos Vives, Chuwi and more. Plus, a conversation about the news that Bad Bunny will perform at next year's Super Bowl LX.This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.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

Okay, Felix, so before we get into it, this is a really important day. October 1st is historic. It's the first day in over half a century that NPR and its stations operate without federal support. And it may feel uncertain, but here's what is certain. Public media endures. Independent. Resilient. People power.

Whatever the moment, you'll find us here telling stories that matter. Okay, Felix. Let's get into it. From NPR music, this is out Latino. I'm Felix Contreras. And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Let the Chisme begin. The Chisme is all about bad bunny and Super Bowl.

And I'm kind of tired of talking about Bad Bunny, Felix. I'm not going to lie. I'm not looking forward to this. Okay, so before we get into what we have scheduled for the show, let's do a little bit of this because it's all over the place. People are talking about it in a lot of interesting ways, and some of it's kind of harsh and mean and kind of ugly. It is.

It is. I think this is one of those moments. and the only reason I say I'm tired of talking about him is because I do feel like it was different when he was doing his thing in Puerto Rico. It very much felt like this beautiful homage to himself, his home, his culture, Latin America at large. This just feels like one of these kind of icky pop culture conversations that it doesn't make you feel good no matter where. I don't like, the comments are bothersome. The topic is not amazing. It is one of those moments where I'm like, oh, I'm stepping outside of the bubble of what we do

and stepping into the mainstream U.S. pop conversation. And that's the foreground. Something like who's playing the halftime show is the foreground for American, differing American political, cultural, social conversations. And we're not on the island anymore. And that doesn't feel as good. To be clear, some of the conversation is very, very negative.

People online are saying, why is someone from another country coming to perform, which, you know, which first of all, It goes without saying almost, but it doesn't. Yeah, people are ignorant about the status of Puerto Rico and the United States. But also. Which is. That it is part of the United States.

We have to say it. Yeah. It feels weird that we have to say it, but we have to say it. God. Anyway. And I'm with you. It feels weird that he would agree to do something like this because it's 15 minutes and it's compact and it's... Like a tiny desk.

It's this big, exactly. It's like this big extravaganza. lasers and, you know, all kinds of stuff. I mean, it's a big, giant production that takes over. And he just did three hours of homage to his island. Like, what is he going to do? What can he do? How will it reflect on his career and his projection through, you know,

through the music industry? Like, there's so many unanswered questions. The main one being like, why? Why do this? I don't think I'm surprised. In many ways, I mean, that's what he's been moving towards. right is like bring everyone to me now let me put myself on this incredibly global incredibly large platform i know for a fact he's rejected a lot of previous high profile u.s appearances i think

this one does make sense to me what's interesting is a lot of the conversation this has kicked up is things that feel very natural in porto rico like i did something with the bbc when this was announced and there were two things one they asked me why people not in Puerto Rico or not Spanish speaking like his music. And I was like, I don't know if I'm the best person to answer that question, because half of it to me is the lyricism or at the very least a tie to what sonically represented. And two, they made a comment about like, oh, he's really in with the LGBTQ plus community. Like, this is something that he's a real champion.

And I just said yes. Because I was like, I don't know how to describe this because in Puerto Rico, what he's done and how, like, and I'm seeing this brought up in the conversation. I had not even thought about the fact that this would come up, but of course, I saw something this morning that like, oh, he's demonic on CMZ, whatever, because of, literally, because of the way that he's, you know, dressed in women's clothing or he's like embodied women in different moments across his music videos and his lyricism and songs, it feels very natural from where he's coming from. It hasn't really felt, yes, it was a statement at the time, but in a lot of ways, it just sat really nicely with how gender, represented and talks about on the island, how people move in Puerto Rico. And so now for it to be taken out, I feel like he's running for president. They're like digging up all of his old stuff and putting it in the perspective of like white American social conversations.

And that's like, it's not a, that's not a light I wanted to view bad bunny under. But it's, it's a reality. Totally. Okay. So one of the things that I did was I did a little research on the Super Bowl thing. And so very quickly, the very first Super Bowl was in 1967. the first time they had a big giant act was 1991 new kids on the block. Curiously, you know who was in 92?

Gloria Estefan representing Latino culture way back then, right? And then Michael Jackson was in 1993. So it's become this thing. And so now he's the latest adventure in this presenting Latino culture. 2020, it was J.Lo and Shakira. And he was in fact part of that performance. He was on, I counted it. It was like 58 and a half seconds.

I saw the picture. Right? So it's, he's been part of this and now he's on the top of this. And this is after, you know, he's announced that he's going to host SNL. He's strictly in mainstream America Lane and just being himself. So my curiosity is, how is he going to present himself in this big giant mainstream American spectacle? Oh, he's going to be. So he's going to make.

All these people that are pissed off now after they see that show, it's over. This is where it all begins and ends. Who knows? You know, does he lean more on the hip-hop side and the reggaeton side? Does he present bomba on the Super Bowl stage? Whatever it'll be, it'll be very Puerto Rican and it'll be very political. We will see. Which, Felix, brings us to what we're actually talking about today.

our 2025 el taini lineup who we've brought who we're still bringing and the reason I feel like this all fits perfectly because it always kind of does is that so much of what we do and how we bring this together every year is thinking about representing different parts of not only Latin America as two continents but as a diaspora within this country and what that means and what that represents and who can say something about that and whose music is saying something about that so without further ado Felix wait uh before Let's take a step back. What is El Tiny?

It's the Tiny Desk. It is the Tiny Desk. I think this is important to clarify. It is the Tiny Desk. It's like any other Tiny Desk concert we do throughout the year. Anyone who plays it would play it at any other time of year. But it's a month we take out to dedicate from September 15th to October 15th to entirely Latin American artists. Of the 11 artists we have spread out over the month, the first one that published this year was Fittopias from Argentina.

Very rarely do we get to see some of the architects of Argentine rock in this country touring and performing. And Fito Pais is certainly known for his very poetic lyrics. And just the fact that he was there and presenting this music along with a lot of these other Argentine rock acts, it's a rare opportunity to see him. And in this contemporary setting, plus, The performance, the band, he killed it. Fito Paias is one of those pillars of not only Argentine culture, but rock in Spanish. I mean, he was part of the movement, part of the wave of those artists who were not only making an innovative sound,

but also representing something very important in Argentina in a very difficult political time. And to have one of the architects of a sound and of a political movement based in music play in our building, Felix. I mean, it's a big deal. It doesn't get more el-taini specials than that. Exactly. One of the artists I was most excited about Felix is an artist that neither of us brought in. Correct. And her name is Luis Sabrina.

Our amazing colleague Lars Got Rich found her, saw her, got excited about her, decided to bring her in. I had been following her music and thought, maybe one day. And he was like, no, today needs to be that day. And he was 100% correct because she is absolutely gorgeous. She's from Brazil, which I have been, we have been pretty bad at representing, I think, our Brazilian audience. There are our fourth largest country in terms of viewers on the platform, on the tiny desk. Maybe it's the Portuguese where I get lost. I don't know why we let them fall through the cracks, but I'm so glad that Lars saw her.

realize that she needed to come play because she really does have such a unique sound not only for for us but for Brazil. I mean, what she's doing is unlike anything else that I've heard, absolutely stunning performance. One starry in contra the light of the morning. A senior is per capita or so in the janela. I feel to be the first time. You know, Anna, over the summer, I went to this great two-day Latin music festival here at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts here in Virginia in the D.C. area. And one of the artists that I saw was Lido Pimienta, who had been dying to see again. I saw it South by years ago, and she's got a great new album out, so she was here presenting that, and she came the day after to perform here at the tiny desk.

That was very, very special to see that. And there was someone else you saw that weekend, Felix, who also came and played a tiny desk, which I was really excited about. So I was very, very excited to bring in Carlos Vivas. For a lot of different reasons, but mostly because the way that when you watch his video, you know, when you look at all the instrumentation,

number one, you can see the entire history of Columbia in that presentation. with the Gaitas, the pre-Columbian Gaitas, the West African Allegre drums, the European accordions, like all of that stuff, is presented in his music. And, like, if you're not tapping your foot at a Carlos Viva's concert,

at least you're dead. He presented at the Tiny Dusk as celebration of the 30th anniversary of his iconic album, La Tierra de Olvido. And let's hear a little bit of that, track from his Tenney does concert. there's a few things that are more essentially Colombian and essentially Latin American,

I think it'd be fair to say, than Carlos Vibis. I mean, he is one of those bringing the Vianato, bringing the energy, bringing what he does. He said everything for La Provincia. That is his thing, and he can't step into a room and not do that. And so I think this was one of those that was so long overdue. One of honestly the best shows I think I've seen in that room. I remember thinking that at the time.

And for people who are not familiar with his music, you know, he does play a very, rural based music, Vianato, the Cumbia, all these different styles and genres that come from rural traditions. And he doesn't really change them that much, but they became incredibly popular, especially because of that album. Over the years, all of his music is based on that. He's done stuff with Cumbia. He's done documentaries. He's done all of these things to bring the attention back to the folk traditions of Columbia. So it was really, actually, it was really an honor to be able to present them here. Okay, we have some more artists to talk about from this

shares El Tini, but we're going to take a break. We'll be right back. And we're back talking about El Tini. Anna, you brought in a band that I was not familiar with. Oh, you mean I showed them to you. In two years, when you say, remember when I showed you Chewy? No, I will admit that this is, I did not know this band. So they're a band from Puerto Rico, kind of going back to what we were talking about earlier with Bad Bunny. They actually did play with him on his record at his residency. They were kind of like the in-house band or one of them. But both, Before all of that, back in November, I went to see PJ Sanzuela. He's been on the show.

He's played a tiny desk. Played Al Anfi in Puerto Rico. And they opened for him. And it was one of those, you know, Felix. When you see those bands, they're so young. And I was like, this is not, it's not an if, it's a when. They have to come play in our building. I don't know if you've ever been to Elanfi, Felix.

It's like this very tropical, beautiful. It's almost like the Greek, but in the tropics. It's like great energy, amazing. And they got up there with this incredible percussion, which obviously now you've seen them play. It was the percussion, and then they're triggering all these really cool, like, tropical effects. And just the way that they did their sound was so unique to them, so from the west side of Puerto Rico. And I just, I knew they had to come in. So, Chewy from Puerto Rico.

Now to me to go the Aterriso Nobody applauded I want a can't A-Ville At the same city Where I'm nace To make a casita

To live That my kids Cresca where I Cresi I want a can't A-mere The earth that Me

The earth that me Prometed Mary That when I go to To get to Toer To be to

Toer the time I want to Tierra, I want a can't of Tierra for me Dira, I want a can't a... Tierra, I want a can't of Tierra, I want a Tierra When the castle's down to run- He came to visit us for the Navidavitra, but the day of Reyes and Campos

and I know that from the earth we're going and for the Tierra is that we're going So that's So that song is called Tierra by Chui What they do in this song, it's pretty simple. It's just reflect the experience of almost every single Puerto Rican person I have spoken to. It's like, oh, I just wish that all my family and all my friends could live in the place that we all grew up

and that we all want to die in, period. It's not like it's a statement. It's not a stance. It's just, I miss the people I love, and I wish we could all live where we're from. Okay, again, we're doing this over this period of, like, just about four weeks. And just this week, Adrian Casada's Tiny Des just dropped. He brought in his Bolero Psychedelico's theme,

which is he just released an album. It's the second volume, like a who's who, a vote. vocalists doing different songs, classic boleros, original boleros, and his very, very Austin-ish way. It's kind of R&B, very Mexican, very border, but very R&B. And for this performance, he brought in Angelica Garcia, Merea Ramos, Trish Toledo, and Ile. And Ile does this song called Mentidas with Carino.

Check this one out. me for the door You said that You're gonna'rida, He's putt'an't t'rastra'd in your orilla You'll forgets that I have accompanied

I've accompanied No, I'm not ever I'm content My felicity I'll get you I'll get you Because I'm

sufficient That was a magic That was a magic moment That was a magic moment Because I really appreciated the four different styles of approaches to Boleros And in fact, Mirramos, who performs with the Mariachi Flore de Toloache.

And now has her own solo project. She brought in her violin and did a nice little solo on her track. You know, I had Adrian Kisada on a show. ago, I think it was 2014, and back then he had four bands that he was working full-time with. And he's just so prolific, so creative. His Tiny Desk was a joy to watch. It's going to be interesting to watch to see what he does next. But for now, check out his Tiny Desk.

It just published this week. Okay, we're halfway through our run this year of El Tiny. We have a few more shows left, including Rubio 31 Minutes and Macario Martinez. But we also have two incredible. female vocalists, I guess. That's what brings them together. That is correct. Gloria Stefan and Silvana Estrada,

we can't play the audio for either of these shows yet because they haven't come out. But we did sit down with both of them after their shows in front of the tiny desk and do interviews. And the interview with you and Silvana was like talking to the same person. It's pretty well known that you guys have become very close over the years and really connect on a lot of different things in your approach to life and all that.

And I asked her about one of the songs that she played, because it sounded like a combination of like a New Orleans dirge and what I think I referred to as a drunk orrido, which, of course, we can't play right now, but let's hear the track that'll be on the album that's coming out soon. I'm just to be on the album that's coming out soon. And to castigar me, me quit your love

without I'm why The doubt is my carcels A duelo incerto For your unjust manner To cut me the voice I'm liberating a war

Okay, Anna, like we said to talk to Sylvan after her tiny desk, and I asked her about that song. Check it out. I was actually listening to Lhasa, De Sela. And I was, you know, trying to learn her. her songs from the Lhasa album and I don't know there was something super dark and like super like I don't know something very like dark and strong energetically and I get super inspired by that and actually at that time I was struggling with this yeah like I had a um Desenquentero actually with a friend of mine.

He kind of, yeah, ghosted me for years, and I was so, I was pieced. Like, I was, like, how do you do that? Sin verguenza. Sin verguenza. I started this song, and I remember I did the first verses, and then, yeah, I did the whole song, and then I went, actually, with Natalia,

Natalia Furcadi, and I showed this song to her, and she was like, this is great, but you should, you know, do it. a little bit longer the entrance, no? So that's why I started like, Pinsa that your can'ta, it was flores, era fiesta, melodies

of an orchestra that's and then the song and she was like, that's so Juan Gabriel. Like, I love it, do it. And so I did, and yeah, she's awesome,

she always helped me. And then the groove and the, yeah, the production and the, I was very inspired by Lhasa, very inspired by dumb weights. I wanted this song to be kind of, you know, like musgrosa, like messy, like full of like, like, lobo.

How do you say lodo in English? Mud. Mud. Like mud. But more like grass. See, and Greece. And Greece. You answered, I just said in English and you answered in Spanish.

That's always, that's always with Anja Maria. It's been translating for me into English all day. Being with you guys is a laugh fest. Okay? I'm just going to say it. All right. It's like the second I see her, I don't even, we don't even say anything yet. And we're like crying, laughing.

Like it's like. And what's really special is that that passion for life, that passion for everything about it really comes through in her tiny desk. 100%. When it comes out later this month, I think people are just going to be mesmerized. If you don't know. It's done through a lot. She's come out the other side of it, I think, more beautiful and profound and happy than ever. The other artist that we spoke to was Gloria Stephan.

Not every day that you get to talk to one of the pioneers. You know, Anna, I'll be honest with you, I was nervous. I know you were nervous. I was very nervous. I know. Yeah, because she's just, she means so much. And it was really a lot of fun. So we talked to her about a lot of different things, and we're going to make a whole episode out of it.

So let's just save that for now. Believe it. I'm not going to give it away. I'm not going to spoil anything just yet. Okay, Anna, to close us out and to get people excited about hearing all of our Tiny Desk concerts that we call Il Tini, just one, one moment, one performance, one line, one instance. Okay, we never have encores. Casi Nunka.

Everyone's in a blue moon. But when you have Carlos Vives in the building and people start chanting Othra, what are you going to do but have an encore? So he played Frutasquez Which by the way, you told me they were trying to cut I would have literally died If they cut that Because wow, that was my favorite part of the show That's what I was going to choose, man

He's to my... Right, let's just go out of this... Apparently it was the best moment then. This was really... It was spectacular. Very rarely do we get on course. The room was just... The room was buzzing.

Yeah. So all right, we both will go out in one song. This is it. Frutasquez. Like Carlos Vives. You have been living in You have been listening to alt-Latino from NPR music Our audio editor is Noah Caldwell

Saray Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music I'm Felix Contreras And I'm Ana Maria Sayer Thank you for listening.