Music
Articles about Music from Medellin Living — expat guides, news and first-hand experience in Medellín, Colombia.
Medellín After Dark: The Best Nightlife in Medellín.
Short on time? Medellín’s nightlife offers something for every kind of night owl, from rooftop cocktails and intimate salsa bars to electronic music venues and high-energy reggaeton clubs. If you think you have…
Se Acabo El Amor – J Alvarez
J Alvarez, one of my favorite reggaeton singers, is playing a live show at Palmahia Discoteca this Saturday, March 1. For price and ticket info, visit Ticket Express.
An Honest Review of Salon Malaga
Medellin’s nightlife is a jungle of musical genres that can be overwhelming for the old-fashioned, who might enjoy other genres such as tango and bolero. Salon Malaga is an old-timey bar perfect for tango and bolero…
What to Do During a Stay at Factory Lofts
Laureles is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Medellin, thanks to its bustling nightlife. And, if you’re staying at Factory lofts, there are some amazing places to check out in this low-key neighborhood. There’s…
Nights on the Town: The Best of Medellin Nightlife (Plus Top Tips!)
Medellín is one of the happiest cities in Colombia and for good reason. Paisas love to live life to the fullest through dancing the night away! Perhaps that’s why visitors and locals flock to bars and clubs in large…
Bardesono: Blending Live Music and Fine Dining in Poblado
The Bardesono restaurant offers diners a unique blend of cuisine and live musical entertainment in the Poblado neighborhood in Medellin.
Colombia’s Music Revolution
A revolution in Colombian music is bringing a variety of new talent and sounds to the airwaves and concert venues. Here are 10 bands worth knowing.
An Introduction to Cumbia
Originating along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, cumbia is the heartbeat of Latin America, and one of the region’s most popular music genres.
An Introduction to Porro
Porro is a type of music that is part of the cumbia ensemble, which is made up of four different types of music: cumbia, gaita, puya and porro.
An Introduction to Vallenato
Vallenato originates from Caribbean villages in the Valledupar region of Colombia. Carlos Vives is today’s best known vallenato singer.
Juan Deraout: DJ, Producer and Founder of Intelligent Division
An interview with Juan Deraout, DJ, music producer and Founder of Intelligent Division, a techno collective based in Medellín.
Underground Techno and House in Medellín
Medellín has a thriving underground techno and house scene, and has been dubbed the techno capital of South America.
Que Alguien Me Diga – Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa is a Puerto Rican salsa singer known as “El Caballero de la Salsa” (The Gentleman of Salsa). He’ll be playing a concert in Medellín Saturday, September 13, 2014.
Introduction to Bachata
With its origins dating back to 1960s Dominican Republic, bachata is a sensual music and dance which has only recently begun to grow in popularity.
Manifiestate – Alberto Stylee ft. Dani y Magneto
Filmed on location in Parque Ciudad del Rio.
Introduction To Tango
It’s the most famous dance in Argentina and known for its foot flicking moves. Dramatic, passionate and very technical, here’s an introduction to tango.
We Are One (Ole Ola) [The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Song]
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Official Album: One Love, One Rhythm is available for purchase on iTunes.
La La La (Brazil 2014) – Shakira ft. Carlinhos Brown
Colombia’s Shakira does it again, after also singing the official song for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa). It took a little while, but that song grew on me. Hopefully the same will…
Voy a Beber – Nicky Jam
As we mentioned in a previous post, this was a big hit for Nicky Jam, and could be heard played in all the discotecas last year. Nicky Jam is an old school Puerto Rican reggaeton singer who prefers to live in Medellín…
Propuesta Indecente – Romeo Santos
Tango fans and dancers should check out Dancefree’s Tango Night at 8pm tonight, featuring Colombia’s tango champions. Visit the Events Calendar for details.
Vivir Mi Vida – Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony, one of the world’s top-selling salsa singers, is playing a live show at La Macarena this Saturday, March 1. For price and ticket info, visit Tuboleta.
5 “Must Know” Reggaeton Songs in Medellin
Five of the most popular reggaeton songs played in Medellin’s bars and dance clubs. Learn a few lyrics before going out and you too can sing along.
Como Le Gusta A Tu Cuerpo – Carlos Veves ft. Michel Teló
Shot in the San Andres Islands.
Lisztomania – Phoenix (Brat Pack Mashup)
This is a fun video I found while digging around on YouTube recently. The song is Lisztomania by Phoenix, with a bunch of paisas dancing around Brat-Pack style (think Breakfast Club). Most of the video was taken at…
Final Hour – Prone
A new video by Tony Prone, shot in Medellin.
La Ventanita – Sergio Vargas
I finally identified this merengue song, which I’ve danced to countless times in Colombia.
Borracho Beso – Daniel Calderon & Los Gigantes
And here we have vallenato star Daniel Calderon singing on top of El Penol. The video features his girlfriend, model Sara Uribe.
Obsesion – Maluma
Maluma is another reggaeton singer from Medellin. This song and video was a breakout hit for him in 2012, racking up over 24 million YouTube views so far.
Senda Maniatica – Ñejo Y Dalmata ft. Tony Dize
This video was shot in Spazio 44, a discoteca located in the Calle 10 Hotel, a few blocks from Parque Lleras.
Gangnam Style Medellin
Medellin’s very own Gangnam style music video was actually shot in Sabaneta.
Andres Calamaro Live in Concert
I was bummed to miss Andres Calamaro, one of my favorite Latin singers, in concert last month at UPB. At least there are some video clips on YouTube to enjoy, including the first song that turned me into a fan, “Sin…
Escapate Conmigo – Wolfine
Wolfine was born in Medellin, so we can chalk up another reggaeton singer to Colombia.
La Pantera Rosa y Su Mambo
This song is one of my favorites from dance class, and it just so happened to be the song I last danced to before my salsa teacher, Yamile, left Medellin for London a few weeks ago.
Si Me Muero Mañana – Ñejo y Dalmata
Another reggaeton video shot in Medellin, with at least some of these scenes coming from Barrio Antioquia, which is situated just west of the river, between the Santa Fe Zoo and the Olaya Herrera Airport. The…
Loco – Felipe Pelaez
When it comes to vallenato, I mostly listen to Silvestre Dangond and Carlos Vives. A Colombian friend introduced me to Felipe Pelaez through this romantic ballad.
No Se Como Se Llama – Golpe a Golpe
Does the setting of this video look familiar? It should if you’ve ever seen pictures or visited Medellin’s very own castle, El Castillo.
Dame De Tu Boca – Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique takes his Latin charm to New York City for yet another catchy, romantic salsa song.
Saturday Night Dance Party (and La Rebelion – Joe Arroyo)
Tomorrow night, Saturday, March 16, 2013, you can dance the night away to a mix of salsa, tango, merengue, bachata, porro, pasodoble, and more at A Puro Tango, located on the 2nd floor at San Juan and La 65, in front of…
En Mi Puertorro – Andy Montanez and Julio Voltio
I first heard Andy Montanez, a popular Puerto Rican salsa singer, at the 2011 Colombia Salsa Festival. Earlier this year, I saw this video specifically at Son Havana. Another example of salsaton, the mix of salsa and…
Salsaton – El Rubio Loco
At my first salsa lesson this year, my teacher put on a track that sounded like reggaeton. “Is this salsa?” I asked. “It’s salsaton,” she replied. Apparently the mix of salsa and reggaeton is big in Cuba, and this track…
Daddy Yankee in Medellin
A fun video clip from Daddy Yankee’s trip to Medellin last Friday. Did anyone attend the show? I heard it was good, but the organization was a mess (which is the main reason I decided not to get tickets).
Solitaria – Alkilados ft. Dalmata
Another reggeaton video, another girl I’ve got a crush on. This is the first song I’ve heard from Alkilados, a reggaeton group from Colombia. The title, Solitaria, literally translates as “solitary,” but “lonely” makes…
How to Attend a Large-Scale Reggaeton Concert
This Friday, February 8, two of the biggest names in reggaeton will be performing in Medellin, Daddy Yankee and Wisin y Yandel. I missed Daddy Yankee in 2009 when I left Medellin before his show, and again in 2010, when…
Tranquila – J Balvin
I wasn’t an immediate fan, but J Balvin has grown on me with his last few singles, the latest of which is Tranquila. The video was shot in a Cartagena barrio I’m sure none of us will ever see.
A La Nanita Nana – The Cheetah Girls
As Christmas approaches, one of the traditions amongst Colombian families is to get together and sing villancicos (better known as Christmas carols). This song, A La Nanita Nana is one such villancio.
Get It Started – Pitbull ft. Shakira
Two of my favorite Latin singers, Pitbull and Shakira, team up on Get It Started. It’s not my favorite song by either of them, but I like the video.
Colgando en Tus Manos – Carlos Baute ft. Marta Sanchez
Apparently this song blew up in 2009 when it came out in Spain, the singer’s home country. It then proceeded to make its way around the world. But I didn’t hear it until my travels around South America earlier this…
Que No Se Enteren – Silvestre Dangond
This is one of the songs I listen to most when I’m missing Medellin. As with most vallenato songs, it’s about love. You can see the Spanish lyrics here.
Follow the Leader – Wisin y Yandel ft. Jennifer Lopez
One of these days I’m going to write up my experience attending the Wisin y Yandel concert in Medellin last year. I learned a very valuable lesson about attending giant concerts in Colombia that night. Until then, enjoy…
Quimbara – Celia Cruz and The Fania All Stars
I haven’t listend to as much of Celia Cruz as the other old school favorites, though I’ve no doubt heard songs like Quimbara many times while out dancing in the salsa clubs.
Yo Te Lo Dije – J Balvin
As I’ve mentioned before, J Balvin is a rising reggaeton star from Medellin. Gotta support the home town heroes. Plus, the black Lamborghini he’s driving in this video (shot outside Las Vegas) is sick!
El Reto – Luis Enrique
Apparently Cartagena is the place to shoot videos these days. El Reto by Luis Enrique was clearly shot there, at least for the scenes in Havana Cafe, a popular Cuban salsa bar in barrio Getsemani.
La Gringa – Silvestre Dangond
Silvestre Dangond’s “La Gringa” is like a tourism promo for his home country, Colombia. In the video, he fantasizes about a pretty woman from New York coming to visit him. Together, they travel around the country, as…
Sin Miedo – Reykon
As I mentioned previously, Reykon is a reggaeton singer from Envigado, where I lived for four months in 2009. I first became aware of him through another of his songs, Te Gateo.
Ok – Jorge Celedon & Jimmy Zambrano
Jorge Celedon hails from La Guajira Peninsula, and along with Silvestre Dangond, is one of my favorite vallenato singers. Jimmy Zambrano accompanies him on the accordion. When I first watched the video I thought it was…
Como Me Duele – Gusi & Besto ft. Luis Enrique
I caught this vallenato song, Como Me Duele by Gusi & Besto featuring Luis Enrique, on TV recently, and noticed the video was shot in Cartagena.
Las Cosas Pequeñas – Prince Royce
If you’re a romantic sap like me, then bachata is the Latin music genre for you. I first became aware of American-born Prince Royce when I kept hearing his unique version of Stand By Me, which mixes lyrics in English…
El Besito – Pasabordo ft. Reykon
Pasabordo is a pop rock band from Medellin, and this song also features Reykon, a popular reggaeton singer from Envigado. Most of you probably know “beso” means kiss in Spanish. “Besito” is the diminutive, and therefore…
El pasado es Pasado – La Adictiva Banda San Jose de Mesillas
If you like vallenato, check out this recent post on Expat Chronicles about the distinctly Colombian genre of music.
La Señal (Acoustic Live) – Juanes
The latest hit from Medellin’s hometown hero, Juanes.
Te Gateo – Reykon ft. Pipe Calderon
Reykon hails from Envigado. This is one of the catchier reggaeton songs I’ve come across. At the 25 second mark, you can see the video was shot at the Hotel San Fernando Plaza in Medellin.
Aguanile – Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony, the American singer, first popped on my radar when he married Jennifer Lopez, but it wasn’t until his recent song with Pitbull that I really heard him sing. It wasn’t that song, but his rendition of…
Por Una Cabeza – Carlos Gardel
Carlos Gardel, a popular singer and songwriter, was perhaps the most notable figure in tango. Born in Toulouse, France, he moved to Buenos Aires at the age of 2. He would later become an Argentine citizen. In 1935, at…
Ah Ah Oh No – Hector Lavoe
Last month I saw El Cantante, the Hector Lavoe biopic starring Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, for the first time. While the critics’ reviews were mixed, I enjoyed it, and the soundtrack was excellent. I became aware…
Fanfarron – Fanny Lu
Fanny Lu is a singer and actress from Cali, Colombia. Shakira aside, she’s the first Colombian singer I became aware of upon arriving in Bogota 3 years ago.
En El Cielo No Hay Hospital – Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra is a Domincan born singer/songwriter. He first popped on my radar with the smash hit Cuando Me Enamaro with Enrique Iglesias.
Quedate Aqui – Magic Juan
The video for Quedate Aqui by Magic Juan features the former Miss Venezuela, Laksmi Rodriguez. Colombian reggaeton singer Jiggy Drama also makes a (non-singing) cameo toward the end.
Promise – Romeo Santos feat. Usher
Romeo Santos is an American-born bachata singer, and the former lead for the group Aventura.
Mienteme Prometeme – Don Tetto
The pop-punk band Don Tetto hails from Bogota, Colombia.
Dime que Pasa – Victor Drija
Victor Drija is a Venezuelan singer. This video reminds me of Medellin, not just because of the beautiful woman, but also the city scenes. Since Drija is based in Caracas, according to his Facebook page, I’m guessing…
En lo Oscuro – J Balvin
J Balvin is a Colombian reggaeton singer from Medellin.
Una Vaina Loca – Fuego ft. El Potro Alvarez
Fuego was born to Dominican parents in Washington, DC and grew up in nearby Maryland.
La Fuga – Jiggy Drama
Jiggy Drama is a Colombian reggaeton singer, originally from the San Andres Islands. He’s easily identified by his thick, black frame glasses. I like his laid back style in the videos. He reminds me of a young Will…
Tu Angelito – Chino & Nacho
Whenever I hear a Chino & Nacho song, I inevitably think of Marcello at Wandering Trader, for no other reason then they’re both from Venezuela. They’re currently touring Peru, and I’ll be catching their concert in Lima…
Live: Oscar de Leon & Gilberto Santa Rosa
Here’s a taste of an old school salsa favorite, Oscar de Leon, live in concert. If you like what you see, you can check him out live in Medellin tonight (Feb 17, 2012) at Palmahia Discoteca.
Quiero Tu Amor – Animesika
In Spanish: In English: In honor of Valentine’s Day next Tuesday, I present Quiero Tu Amor by Animesika, a Peruvian band from Lima that I discovered recently. The animated video tells a cute story. Enjoy and Happy…
Tras La Tormenta – Rivera ft. Dragón y Caballero
Rivera is a Colombian singer, and this video was shot in Cartagena.
Mi Corazon Esta Muerto – RKM & Ken-Y
Song: Mi Corazon Esta Muerto Artist: RKM & Ken-Y Genre: Reggaeton Nationality: Puerto Rican
Tengo Tu Love – Sie7e
Song: Tengo Tu Love Artist: Sie7e Genre: Rock Nationality: Puerto Rican
Es Un Secreto – Plan B
Song: Es Un Secreto Artist: Plan B Genre: Reggaeton Nationality: Puerto Rican
Atrevete Te Te – Calle 13
Song: Atrevete Te Te Artist: Calle 13 Genre: Reggaeton Nationality: Puerto Rican Notes: Atrevete Te Te by Calle 13 wasn’t the first reggaeton song I ever heard (that was Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina in Costa Rica, cerca…
Como Tu No Hay Dos – DJ Buxxi
Song: Como Tu No Hay Dos Artist: DJ Buxxi Genre: Merengue Nationality: Colombian
Sexo, Sudor y Calor – J Alvarez Ft. Nejo & Dalmata
Song: Sexo, Sudor y Calor Artist: J Alvarez ft. Nejo & Dalmata Genre: Reggaeton Nationality: Puerto Rico
Sin Compromiso – J Balvin
Song: Sin Compromiso Artist: J Balvin Genre: Reggaeton Nationality: Colombia Notes: This video was shot in several locations around Medellin, including a variety of upscale hotels, including the Hotel Intercontinental…
La Invitacion – Jorge Celedon & Jimmy Zambrano
Vallenato singer Jorge Celedon played an outdoor concert to kick of the 2011 Feria de las Flores in Medellin. He no doubt performed La Invitacion, which is as the title suggests, is an invitation for people to visit…
Me Voy Para Medellin – El Combo de las Estrellas
Me Voy Para Medellin by El Combo de las Estrellas is the unofficial anthem of the annual Feria de las Flores. The chorus of “me voy para Medellin a la Feria de las Flores” translates as “I’m going to Medellin for the…
Si No Lo Contesto – Plan B ft. Tony Dize, Zion y Lennox
Si No Le Contesto by Plan B has been on regular rotation in all the Medellin discotecas I’ve been to…since last year! Fun song to dance to, but then again, so are most reggaeton hits.
Taboo – Don Omar
As a follow-up to the Lambada video, this is Taboo by Don Omar. You’ll hear him use the Lambada in this modern version, plus the video harkens back to the original by Kaoma as well. Add in scenes from the Fast and the…
Listo Medellin – Grupo Niche
Slowly but surely, I continue to discover the names of the classic Colombian songs I’ve been hearing the last few years. Listo Medellin is by Colombia’s own Grupo Niche. If you’re familiar with the city, see how many…
The Lambada – Kaoma
The Lambada by Kaoma is the anthem for the style of dance that goes by the same name. Lambada originated in northern Brazil, and at one point swept throughout the country, however it has since decreased in popularity.…
Hola Beba – Farruco
A Colombian friend shared this video, Hola Beba by Farruco, with me as a reminder of Medellin. Even though I haven’t left yet, the opening images are already stuck in my mind. The horses, the girls, the city views. If I…
Me Libere – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
Me Libere by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rio is one of my all time favorite salsa songs.
All I Really Want – Rick Ross ft. The Dream
The video for All I Really Want by Rick Ross was shot in Medellin, and it shows! The song is pretty good, and there’s a sick infinity pool too!
Cumbia Colombiana: La Zenaida – Armando Hernandez
La Zenaida by Armando Hernandez is cumbia music at its best! Like vallenato, cumbia is a style of Latin music which originated from Colombia’s Caribbean coast. It gets less attention then vallenato, at least here in…
Wisin y Yandel – Sexy Movimiento
In honor of the Wisin y Yandel tour hitting Medellin tonight, I present to you Sexy Movimiento, my favorite song by the reggaeton superstars! The song starts at the 0:50 mark.
Don Omar – Danza Kuduro (Live in Medellin 2011)
I was bummed to find out a day late that Don Omar played a concert in Medellin this past March.
Willie Colon & Ruben Blades – Plastico
A salsa classic, and a lot of fun to dance to, this is Plastico performed live by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades. My favorite part in the song is around 6:30 when they start doing shout-outs to the various Latin…
David Guetta feat. Akon – Sexy Chick
I remember hearing the unedited version of this song in a taxi on the way back to Guatape from El Penol. And I remember thinking “damn, I can’t believe this song is on the radio!” The beat immediately had me hooked, and…
Juan Luis Guerra – Bachata En Fukuoka
Toward the end of my stay in Medellin last year, I began to ask Yamile, my dance instructor, to help me with my bachata. This was the song she’d often play, and now whenever I hear it, I’m transported back to the dance…
Hector Lavoe – Todo Poderoso
Hector Lavoe is one of the salsa greats, and you can see him rocking out here in Mexico, circa 1978.
Don Omar ft. Lucenzo – Danza Kudoro
The rhythm of Danza Kuduro by Don Omar (featuring Lucenzo) reminds me more of merengue than reggaeton.
Juanes – La Camisa Negra
It’s been awhile since I posted a video from Medellin’s home town rock star, Juanes. La Camisa Negra is one of his biggest hits, and according to the English lyrics, the song is about a guy wearing a black shirt to…
Willie Colon – Talento de Television
I’d heard Talento de Television countless times in bars and salsa clubs, but it wasn’t until Thanksgiving Day a few weeks ago that I finally discovered the singer and title by accident while loading up salsa songs by…
Cosculluela ft. Wisin y Yandel – Prrrrum
This reggaeton song was being played everywhere when I arrived in Colombia this year. The original version is above, but it’s the official remix by Wisin y Yandel (below) that was getting play in the clubs and on the…
Los Rodriguez w/Andres Calamaro – Sin Documentos
In 2009, I discovered Andres Calmaro thanks to “Hace Calor“, but I didn’t think much of him, as that song reminded me of Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achey Breaky Heart.” In 2010, I discovered Calamaro use to be a part of the…
Oscar D’Leon – Lloraras
I recently made a mix CD to use during my salsa lessons, and Oscar D’Leon’s “LLoraras” is one of the 10 songs I burned. It gets regular play in salsa bars and clubs, so it makes sense to get a feel for the proper rhythm…
Silvestre Dangond In Concert – La Tartamuda
Silvestre Dangond is a Colombian vallanato singer, and I’m a huge fan of his catchy songs. He’s playing a concert tonight (November 5, 2010) in Medellin at Palmahia.
Tony Dize Ft Plan B – Solos
Skip to the 40-second mark to start Solos, a popular reggaeton song by Tony Dize featuring Plan B.
An Afternoon of Hardcore at Libido Bar
When I think of Carrera 70, I think of a street filled with salsa joints, however Libido Bar offers up anything but your typical Colombian crossover music. On a Saturday afternoon back in August, Troy and I joined…
Enrique Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra – Cuando Me Enamoro
With close to 35 million views on YouTube so far, I’m not the only one listening to Cuando Me Enamoro, a romantic song by Enrique Iglesias and Juan Luis Guerra. Spanish and English lyrics
Don Tetto – Adicto al Dolor
Don Tetto is a punk band from Bogotá, and they have a bunch of awesome songs I listen to regularly, “Adicto al Dolor” being one of them. They remind me a lot of the bands I use to listen to when I was younger, like New…
Chino y Nacho – Niña Bonita
When I arrived in Cartagena a few months ago, one of the first songs I started hearing was Nina Bonita by Chino y Nacho, a Venezuelan pop duo. The style of song is squarely aimed at teeny-boppers, but as often is the…
Grupo Niche – Cali Pachanguero
Grupo Niche is a popular salsa group from Colombia, and Cali Pachanguero is one of their classics. You’re likely to hear this song play in just about any salsa club around the world, and for good reason — it’s catchy,…
Aventura – Dile Al Amor
I don’t recall hearing a lot of Bachata music while I was living in Medellin last year, however I’d hear it every night I went out dancing back in the Washington, DC area. Aventura’s Dile Al Amor was one track I heard…
Video: Luis Enrique – Yo No Se Manana
When I landed in Cartagena at the end of June, Yo No Se Manana by Luis Enrique was one of the first songs I heard around town. Catchy beyond belief, I soon found myself watching this video on YouTube regularly. Early…
Video: Daddy Yankee – Que Tengo, Que Hacer
Seeing as I’m heading to the Daddy Yankee concert in Medellin tomorrow night, I’m going to indulge in Que Tengo Que Hacer, one of my favorite songs. In 2009, I heard Llamado De Emergencia everywhere, and that…
Daddy Yankee in Concert – September 11
Update: Soon after publishing this post, the concert was canceled. I heard two different reasons. First, the Ticket Express girl who sold me the tickets said that it was due to poor sales. Second, a friend said he read…
The 14th Annual International Jazz Festival
Despite being Colombia’s second largest city, I still see Medellin as more village than metropolis, however the steady stream of festivals in the city continue to remind me my perspective is over-romanticized. This…
Video: Silvestre Dangond & Juancho De La Espriella – Cantinero
I discovered Silvestre Dangond while living in Medellin last year thanks to his super catchy song Me Gusta, Me Gusta. This year, I’m enamored with Cantinero which I’ve been hearing in the bars. Silvestre is a vallenato…
We Love Carlos Gardel
One of the nice things about having traveled through most South American countries, and getting to spend big chunks of time in each one is that you start noticing and recognizing similarities between them. In the 18…
Video – Desespero by Artefacto
I first saw Artefacto at Altavoz. I was impressed by the group, overall. They are a Medellin band lead by Felipe Carmona, 30 (yes, he’s 30…it has been a topic of discussion and jokes ever since I found out.) Felipe has…
Video – Mojiganga @ Altavoz
Ok, so this is a bad video, but I love the feeling it gives because it was taken right from the pit. Mojiganga proved to be a local favorite at the recent Altavoz music festival. Thousands of young Colombians moshing to…
Video – Carito by Carlos Vives
Now that I’m back in the US, I can turn on the car radio and hear salsa and reggaeton, but Colombia’s very own genre, vallenato – not so much. Carlos Vives is the king of vallenato, and “Carito” is one of his biggest…
Video – Daddy Yankee In Concert
As I was looking for a video to feature today, I realized I’d been posting mp3’s in the past, when I probably could’ve found videos instead, AND been preserving storage space on my web hosting account to boot! So, I’ll…
Besos Faciles by Sonohra
Sonohra’s “Besos Faciles” is a feel-good pop song, perfect for Summer, or in Medellin’s case, eternal Spring. It’s another one of the videos I saw on heavy rotation, thus it became etched into my auditory memory banks.
La Tortura by Shakira Featuring Alejandro Sanz
When I first arrived in Colombia, Shakira was the only musician I knew from the country (Barranquilla). I’d always be asking people whether they liked her or not. Responses varied from yes, to just her old stuff, to she…
Estos Celos by Vicente Fernandez
When I first moved into Maira’s apartment in Envigado, I would watch the music video channels a lot, which exposed me to a decent amount of popular music. One of the videos was of an old Mexican singing an understated…
Campina by Afro-Cuban Jazz Project
Campina by Afro-Cuban Jazz Project is another awesome salsa song which I think I first started hearing in El Eslabon Prendido.
Chan Chan by Buena Vista Social Club
Here’s another song I discovered recently, and absolutely love! I can’t recall exactly where I heard this song first. Either I downloaded it amongst others for my party last week, or I heard it in one of the salsa…
Salsa Celtica – El Sol De La Noche
I first started hearing Salsa Celtica’s “El Sol De La Noche” at El Eslabon Prendido, and it quickly became the kind of song I’d leap out of my seat to enjoy on the dance floor. The group is Scottish, and while the song…
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs – La Luz Del Ritmo
Time for a little rock, straight from Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is the first song I heard by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. They played in Medellin a few months ago, and I remember running into musicians from the…
Silvestre Dangond – Me Gusta, Me Gusta
“Me Gusta, Me Gusta” is damn catchy, and one of the first songs I started to hear over and over again when I arrived in Medellin.
London’s Orphans & Vandals
Jamie’s sister, Gabi, plays drums in a London-based band called Orphans & Vandals. They recently released a new album called I’m Alive And You Are Dead. Not the most uplifting title, however it certainly matches the…
Andres Calamaro – Hace Calor
Maira helped me track down this catchy song by Andres Calamaro. I continue to be surprised by how little the lyrics matter to me in Latin songs. Whether it’s salsa, merengue, vallanato, cumbia, bolero, reggaeton or pop,…
Carlos Vives – La Gota Fria
Carlos Vives hails from Santa Marta, Colombia on the Caribbean coast. He was one of the artist’s Maira introduced me to months ago when I first moved in and she helped me download some Latin music. He is known for…
Juan Fernando Fonseca – El Arroyito
Juan Fernando Fonseca is another Grammy-winning Colombian singer to make it big. And like Juanes, he hails from Medellin. El Arroyito is the first song I heard, and I became an instant fan. The New York Times recently…
My First Death Metal Show
Awhile back, Martin had mentioned our friend David from Mexico went to rock concerts here in Medellin. I enjoy live shows, and thought it would be fun to attend one with David since he seemed to be “in the know.” I…
Juanes – A Dios Le Pido
Living in Colombia, Latin music surrounds me everywhere I go – the buses and taxis, restaurants and bars, the gym and so on. Juanes, a Grammy-winning Colombian singer, hails from Medellin. I’ve become a fan of his…
Daddy Yankee – Llamado de Emergencia
I’ve heard this song frequently since my arrival in Colombia, and I finally downloaded it to my mp3 player with Maira’s help. Consider it your introduction to the genre of reggaeton!