Alt.Latino: Our favorite Latin bands from the Tiny Desk Contest

Summary

All Songs Considered – Detailed Summary of "Alt.Latino: Our Favorite Latin Bands from the Tiny Desk Contest"

Podcast Information

• Title: All Songs Considered
• Host/Author: NPR
• Description: Since launching in 2000, All Songs Considered has been NPR's flagship program for music discovery, artist interviews, and conversations with friends and fellow music lovers about the really big questions, like what was the best decade for music, are there albums everyone can agree on, and what do you put on when you need a good cry? Weekly, with host Robin Hilton and the NPR Music family.
• Episode: Alt.Latino: Our Favorite Latin Bands from the Tiny Desk Contest
• Release Date: May 29, 2025

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Introduction

In the May 29, 2025 episode of All Songs Considered, hosts Felix Contreras and Ana Maria Sayer delve into the vibrant world of Latin music by discussing their favorite Latin bands from NPR’s renowned Tiny Desk Contest. The episode highlights the extensive participation of Latin artists and offers listeners a curated selection of standout performances from the contest.

Overview of the Tiny Desk Contest

Felix and Ana Maria begin by recounting their experience as judges for the Tiny Desk Contest, emphasizing the impressive volume of submissions. Felix shares, “[00:27] I was a judge this year, and I gotta tell you quickly, I have avoided it. Said, ah, I don't know if I want to because I want to give everyone the prize that is very you” ([00:27]). This candid admission sets a lighthearted tone as they navigate through over 7,500 submitted videos, narrowing them down to approximately 200 Latin-identified bands.

Ana Maria humorously confesses her initial reluctance in the judging process: “[00:41] I kinda just like, forgot. Somehow I got out of doing it” ([00:41]), highlighting the human side of the selection process. Together, they explain the rigorous judging stages that ultimately led to a diverse and talented selection of finalists.

Curated Favorites from Felix and Ana Maria

The hosts meticulously present their top picks, each providing insights into what makes these bands exceptional.

1. Los Pleneros de La Cresta – "Rayo del Sol"

   • Felix’s Introduction: “[02:09]... Los Planos a la Cresta. You might recognize them because they quite literally just played on Bad Bunny's most recent album.”
   • Highlights: Felix praises their traditional plano music infused into contemporary contexts, noting their strong representation of Puerto Rican musical heritage.

2. Los Salvaques – "Ropa de Colores"

   • Felix’s Commentary: “[05:28] I look for states where we don't usually hear Latin music... Los Salvaques bring a unique flamenco influence blended with jazz horns, creating a captivating sound.”
   • Notable Quote: “I like the mixture of the flamenco influence from the Spanish vocalist. I like the horns in the jazz thing” ([07:10]).

3. Esoterica Tropical – "Despierta"

   • Ana Maria’s Insight: “[08:19] Esoterica Tropical from Oakland... This song is one of those soul-cleansing, beautiful homages to life through the music.”
   • Description: The band combines bomba-inspired drums with rich vocal harmonies, creating an anthem of gratitude to the natural world.

4. Charlie Ciava – "Legos de Aqui"

   • Felix’s Favorite: “[13:01] ... Charlie Ciava. He's Cuban, American, in Houston. A single guitar and an incredible voice make this track unforgettable.”
   • Emotion Highlight: Felix emphasizes the powerful vocal delivery that immediately captivates listeners.

5. Alegrias – "Diego"

   • Ana Maria’s Final Pick: “[15:53] Alegrias from San Diego... This song is about love and that special feeling you have for somebody.”
   • Notable Quote: “They got the cool bass, and the lead vocalist comes in with her cello. Boom, hit the button” ([16:45]).
   • Impact: Ana Maria describes the band’s infectious energy and the seamless blend of instruments that make the song a standout.

6. Diego Herrera – "Asiaya"

   • Felix’s Jazz Selection: “[21:52] Diego Herrera from Lima, Peru... Killer Afro-Peruvian, Latin jazz with Andean Charango and Afro-Peruvian cajón.”
   • Cultural Fusion: The track showcases a rich tapestry of Latin jazz elements, appealing to both traditional and contemporary audiences.

7. Taissa Estrada – "El Abstrato"

   • Felix’s Surprise Pick: “[22:02] Taissa Estrada from Washington, D.C... Her incredible voice is unlike anything heard in a while.”
   • Emotional Depth: Ana Maria praises Taissa’s ability to convey profound emotions through her powerful vocals.

Winner Announcement

In a highlight of the episode, Felix announces the winner of this year’s Tiny Desk Contest:

• Ruby Ibarra
  • Genre: Filipino Tagalog R&B
  • Tour Details: Ruby will embark on a tour covering Los Angeles, Petaluma, the Bay Area, Portland, Chicago, Nashville, Austin, Denver, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, D.C.
  • Notable Quote: “[25:55] And she's going to be out on tour... Great music discovery. The Tiny Desk contest.”

Judging Criteria and Selection Insights

During the episode, Felix and Ana Maria discuss their criteria for selecting favorite bands. Felix emphasizes the importance of potential and the readiness of artists to make a broader impact: “[12:03]... the fun part was looking for the potential... they're almost there.” In contrast, Ana Maria focuses on excellence and unique voices: “[12:38] I don't look for potential, Felix. I look for excellence.”

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with acknowledgments to the team behind the scenes and reiterates the importance of platforms like the Tiny Desk Contest in discovering and promoting Latin talent. Ana Maria sums up the experience: “[25:18] ... a whole episode,” celebrating the culmination of 11 years of the contest.

Key Takeaways

• The Tiny Desk Contest continues to be a pivotal platform for Latin artists, with over 7,500 submissions highlighting the genre’s diversity.
• Felix and Ana Maria showcase their top selections, emphasizing a blend of traditional and contemporary influences.
• The contest not only highlights established local acts but also uncovers emerging talents poised for wider recognition.
• Ruby Ibarra’s victory underscores the contest’s role in propelling artists into national and international stages.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “I have to give everyone the prize that is very you.” – Felix Contreras ([00:27])
• “It's not all that different from what we do in our... what you look for when you want to bring a band to the desk.” – Ana Maria Sayer ([11:26])
• “I like the mixture of the flamenco influence from the Spanish vocalist. I like the horns in the jazz thing.” – Felix Contreras ([07:10])
• “I look for excellence.” – Ana Maria Sayer ([12:38])
• “They're almost there. They're not quite ready for the tiny desk.” – Felix Contreras ([12:38])
• “They got the cool bass, and the lead vocalist comes in with her cello. Boom, hit the button.” – Ana Maria Sayer ([16:45])

Access to Featured Content

Listeners are encouraged to visit npr.org/altlatino to watch all the Tiny Desk Contest submissions discussed in the episode and explore more about the featured bands.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, highlighting the significance of the Tiny Desk Contest in the Latin music scene, the hosts' personal selections, and the broader implications for emerging artists.

Transcript

[Felix Contreras]

Hold on. I gotta unplug my refrigerator because it's too loud. Sorry. Last time I did that, I forgot to plug it back in and my ice cream melted. Okay.

[Ben]

Stupid.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Stupid.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay. From NPR Music, this is Alt Latino. I'm Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Let the cheesemade begin. Felix, this week we listened to hundreds of bands for the tiniest contest this year.

[Felix Contreras]

Yes, we did. I was a judge this year, and I gotta tell you quickly, I have avoided it. Said, ah, I don't know if I want to because I want to give everyone the prize that is very you.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I have to be honest with everyone here, Felix, because no one else from work can hear this. I was supposed to, like, do the first round of, like, going through the submissions, and I kind of just like, forgot. Somehow I got out of doing it.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my God. We've been doing this for 11 years. The tiny Desk contest, where you submit a video and try to win to get your own very tiny desk concert. This is our 11th year of doing the contest. This year, There were over 7,500 videos that were sent in. Yeah. And we have a team of people that would have included Ana, that hypothetically.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Included me.

[Felix Contreras]

That go through, like these first rounds and stuff. So that by the time, I think there was a team of six, seven judges, it was an odd number. So there weren't any ties. We get to, like, this final round and then we have to go through maybe 40 or 50. It's open to all 50 states and Puerto Rico. This country is full of incredibly talented musicians of all stripes, all genres, all styles. It's amazing. It's so heartwarming to see so many creatives out there. I ended up enjoying it, but then again wanted to give everybody the prize. So what we've done is we've narrowed down to just about 200 videos. 197 videos of bands and artists that self identified as Latin music.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

We're Gonna play all 200 for you today.

[Felix Contreras]

I wouldn't mind it, honestly. Before we get started, I want to let you all know that you can see, see all of the videos we're going to talk about today on our [e-mail] AltLatino Almost 200 Latino artists submitted.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

We picked our favorite three each. Six total, plus a bonus because, you know, we always like to break the rules right after we make them. I'm gonna kick it off today with Los Pleneros de La Cresta. This is them singing Rayo del Sol. Okay, so I'm kicking us off with this, Felix, because I want to show the impressive and sometimes surprising breadth of not only the artistry, but actually like the levels of exposure of these artists. So Los Planos a la Cresta. You might recognize them because they quite literally just played on Bad Bunny's most recent album. They're from Puerto Rico. They play traditional plano music. I actually talked about them on a previous episode when the album came out because they were this really beautiful represent of traditional plana on Benito's album. This was a beautiful entry. They didn't make it to the end, but they made it to round two. Incredible band. Would recommend checking out the rest of their stuff. Singing Rayo del Sol.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, I'm gonna move on to the first of my picks. I look for states where we don't usually hear Latin music.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

See, you like to make rules and then watch, you're gonna break it.

[Felix Contreras]

Break them. There were a lot from Florida, New York, California, Puerto Rico. There were a lot of these places. But then I saw Utah, I saw Wisconsin, Pennsylvania. Like all of these different states and different places. There was a band from Richmond, Virginia that did heavy metal bachata. Okay, so they're really good, but I didn't bring them. But I went for the folks that are making Latin music. The first one is from Washington state out in Pacific Northwest. They're based there, but the two lead performers are from Spain. This is a song called Ropa de Colores by the vocalist Mario Diaz, the musician, bassist, producer, who calls himself Bachi, and their band, Los Salvaques.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Felix, what'd you like about these guys?

[Felix Contreras]

I like the mixture of the flamenco influence from the Spanish vocalist. I like the. The horns in the jazz thing. And I gotta say, the people in the Washington area, I couldn't get a beat on exactly where they're from. But wherever they are, the people who get to see them are really in for a treat. The band is called Mario Diaz, Bachi and Los Alaques. The track is called Ropa de Colores. Okay, Anna, you're next.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Okay, so I think you're gonna love this one. I'm sure you already saw it and loved it. Esoterica Tropical from Oakland. This is their song Despierta. This song just like is one of those soul cleansing, beautiful homages to life through the music. It's like this anthem of gratitude to the natural world. They have these beautiful bomba inspired drums and chorus from Puerto Rico in California. I swear I've been in these exact hills near my sister's house. I think they're really, really Gifted.

[Ben]

Gracia.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Tropical Desp.

[Felix Contreras]

Question real quick, Anna. When we were going through this stuff, because it's something that I thought about. We get a lot. We get lots of established bands and then also some bands that are new on the international scene. But they all got to start from somewhere, right? And the Tiny Desk contest, through that effort, we get to share the experience of record executives trying to work their way through so many talented musicians. So when you were going through all of these submissions, how did you choose?

[Ana Maria Sayer]

It's not all that different from what we do in our. In our other half of our many jobs at NPR here, where we actually produce tininess, right? Like, I think you have to apply those same sensibilities of what you look for when you want to bring a band to the. To the desk, like per usual. So artists who have a unique sound, a unique voice, who are saying something meaningful, who are saying something distinct, who communicate something really well in the art and their sound and their voice. And I saw some of that, I think, with that last band I just played, for example. There's so much that she carries in that voice and the tradition that she's carrying, too, in the music. So something like that. I don't know. Why do you pick them?

[Felix Contreras]

For a lot of the same reasons that the bands that we picked today, because these are established musicians, at least in their local communities. But the other thing I found myself as I was going through this, even as a judge, I was seeing bands, musicians, they're just not ready yet. The fun part was looking for the potential, right? It's like they're almost there. They're not quite ready for the tiny desk. But in a year or two, a few more gigs, they're going to be ready. They're going to be ready for the broader scene. Whether it's the tiny desk or a record contract. It was fun to look at musicians who had that potential.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I don't look for potential, Felix. I look for excellence.

[Felix Contreras]

Oh, my God.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Just a reminder to everyone listening right now, if any of these bands, you can go find them on our page, npr.org altlatino all the bands will be there.

[Felix Contreras]

You won't be disappointed. Because we weren't disappointed. Oh, my God.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Or might be.

[Felix Contreras]

That is true. You won't be on this next one. There's a guy named Charlie Ciava. He's Cuban, American. He's in Houston. He had a song called Legos de Aqui. This guy is a single guitar and a voice, and the voice is incredible. It caught me, like, the first time I heard it and then when we watched it again for this show, it just brought it back to me again. I think you're really gonna enjoy this one. Ana. Again, this is Charlie Ciaba. The track is called and on it. Really. I'm gonna send you the link because it really is this guy's amazing la. That was Charlie Ciava, one of my favorites from the many, many bands that submitted for the Tiny Desk contest this year. That track was called Le Jose Aqui. Want to remind you that you are listening to Alt Latino. We're going through some of our favorites of the bands that submitted for this year's Tiny Desk contest. We're going to take a break and then come back for some more music.

[Ben]

Hello, Tiny Desk.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

We're back from break. I'm back with wow. Already. My final pick. Well, this is my final pick before my encore pick. So Alegrias from San Diego, really cute band from over there in California. Special place in my heart. This is their song called Diego.

[Ben]

This song is about love. It's about that special feeling that you have for somebody. And the song is called Dago by Alegrias.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

So, Felix, sometimes when I do this, I literally feel like I'm on the Voice. Like I'm listening, listening, listening, and I'm like, when am I gonna press the button? And for me, it was the second. I was. I was like, okay. I kind of like this band's vibe. They've got something going on, whatever. They got the cool bass, no s. And then this lead vocalist comes in with her cello. And that's when I was like, boom, hit the button. This is it. What she carries, what the band has, the energy. I love. I would hang out with these dudes. I love their vibe. I love the song. Really sweet, solid entry for me.

[Ben]

What a joy to call you mine Call you mine.

[Felix Contreras]

This is one of the bands that reflected a lot of joy, a lot of fun. These guys were having a blast on that stage. Some of the bands, they were so. They were so serious. They were really putting their message across, you know, and there were different themes, different lyrics, different stuff. You know, the facial expressions, the ones where they just could not help themselves. They're having so much fun.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Oh, they were having fun for sure. Felix.

[Felix Contreras]

Try.

[Ben]

And I'm still thinking about yesterday yesterday Trying to find my ways don't know what to say what to say what a joy to call you mine Call you mine Sam. And I'm still thinking about yesterday yesterday what a joy to call you Call you mine Call your mind Call your Mind.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Call your mind Ale Grillas from San Diego. Their song called Dago.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, Ana, you know, we're always talking about the Berklee School of Music in Boston. That's like a magnet for people from all over the world really to come and learn and become these really great musicians. So many musicians from Latin America go through Berkeley and I found one, a guy from Lima, Peru. He's a tenor saxophonist. His name was Diego Herrera. Killer Afro, Peruvian, Latin jazz thing. It was really good. The band had Andean Charango, the small little guitar, and also this great Afro Peruvian cajon player. This is his track Asia. That was Diego Herrera and the track Ashia from his video submitted to the Tiny Desk contest. Great Latin jazz. And you know, I always got to bring the jazz, right? Right.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

I don't need to confirm that. I think that people already know.

[Felix Contreras]

Okay, so here's the deal. Almost always our tastes coincide.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

The perfect Felix Anna, Ben diagram experience. And it's always the beautiful female vocalist. This is the least surprising.

[Felix Contreras]

No surprise at all. A young woman who's originally from Puerto Rico, who is in the DMV, the District, Maryland, Virginia. She's from Washington, D.C. her name is Taissa Estrada. I've actually seen her perform a couple of times here in D.C. i had.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Never heard of her, Felix. I had never seen her perform. And I'm. I'm actually was stunned. I mean, that voice. I haven't heard something like this in a minute. It's really, really beautiful what she's doing.

[Felix Contreras]

The track is called El Abstrato. This is vocalist Taisha Estrada from here in Washington, D.

[Ben]

SA Kantami Misma Wedding.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Mary.

[Ben]

Moral Sam.

[Felix Contreras]

Vocalist Taisha Estrada. The track is called El Abstracto. All right, Anna, that's 11 years worth.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Of Tiny desk contests done easy, all in one episode.

[Felix Contreras]

I also want to remind you that the winner of this year's contest, which we should have mentioned at the top, but the winner of this contest was from the Bay Area this year. Her name is Ruby Ibarra and she has this great Filipino Tagalog RB thing going on. Her video is just posted.

[Ben]

That's the bluest blue like the moon, like the eyes and the bruises.

[Felix Contreras]

And she's going to be out on tour. We're going to Los Angeles, Petaluma in the Bay Area, Portland, Chicago, Nashville, Austin, Denver, Philadelphia, New York, and Finally here in D.C. each show is going to have a local band opening up. So it's just great new music all the way around. Great music discovery. The Tiny Desk contest. Again, thanks to the folks who organized it. Congratulations to Ruby Ibarra, the winner.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And that about does it, I think, Felix, for this week's show, a huge thank you, as always, to Grace Chung, who keeps us on track.

[Felix Contreras]

Simon Rettner for editing.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

Our audio executive producer is Saraya Muhammad.

[Felix Contreras]

And Keith Jenkins is the head chief of NPR Music. I'm Felix Contreras.

[Ana Maria Sayer]

And I'm Ana Maria Sayer. Thank you so much for listening.