Tag: LatinX

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month on Spotify With Our ‘Estamos Ready’ Campaign

September 20, 2023

Latinx culture continues to set the tone around the world, as evidenced by the rise of genres like Música Mexicana, corridos, and urbano. September 15 through October 15 marks Latinx Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating with our “Estamos Ready” campaign, honoring the stories, the diversity, and the power of Latinx creators and fans. 

On our dedicated Latinx Heritage Month hub, listeners can discover top playlists, including Hyphenated, Mixto, Fuego, and Los Que Mandan, as well as podcasts, like I.E In Friends, Gay & Afraid with Eric Sedeño, The Super Secret Bestie Club, and Fool Coverage with Manny MUA and Laura Lee.

We also wanted to explore the impact of Latin music in the U.S., so we took a look at Spotify listener data from every U.S. state. We discovered that Peso Pluma and Bad Bunny are lighting up the Latin streaming charts, with each standing as the most popular artist in 31 states and 15 states, respectively. Meanwhile, Música Mexicana (26 states), Trap Latino (12 states), and urbano (10 states) represent the most popular genres.

Top 10 U.S. States With the Highest Percentage of Latin Music Streams on Spotify

(June 15–September 15)

  1. Texas
  2. California
  3. Florida
  4. Nevada
  5. Arizona
  6. New Mexico
  7. Illinois
  8. New Jersey
  9. Georgia
  10. Utah

Over the past few years, Latin music on Spotify has also seen rapid growth in some surprising states. Between September 2020 and September 2023, Latin music streams in North Dakota surged an impressive 370%, followed by a 284% bump in Minnesota and a 253% increase in Mississippi. Indiana, the home state of Latinx star Omar Apollo, has seen its Latin music streams grow by 182%.

In addition to our data discoveries, For the Record also chatted with Omar, along with artists Kali Uchis, DannyLux, Elena Rose, and Prince Royce, to find out more about their favorite aspects of Latinx culture. 

How does your culture bring joy to your music?

Prince Royce: I’ve been visiting the Dominican Republic since I was very young, and I think in general, there is a lot of life in the culture. They are always dancing, which comes with genres like merengue and bachata. Dominicans love to party. My family, for example, will come up with any excuse for a barbeque, a birthday party, a baby shower, or a get together, and that definitely reflects a lot in my music. 

Omar Apollo: When I first started doing shows, it was all really young Latino kids in the crowd. I was probably like 19 when I started touring. I am from Indiana, and there wasn’t much of a diaspora of Latino kids. Going around the world showed me there was somewhere that people can find community in the music, celebrate how we grew up, and share the same stories. It’s beautiful. 

Explain your Latinx accent in one sentence.

DannyLux: I think my accent is more of a Mexicali accent from Baja California, because I basically grew up there. Whenever I go to another part of Mexico they tell me that I have a different accent.

Prince Royce: Definitely a very New York/Spanglish accent.

Elena Rose: My accent in one sentence has to be: Caraqueña/Boriqua/Hialeah from Miami. Venezolana because of my parents, so Caracas is there. Puerto Rico because that is where I lived as a kid. And I stayed in Hialeah for almost six years so yeah, I have the Miami right there—the 305, baby!

What is one thing from your culture that you want to share with the rest of the world?

Kali Uchis: One thing I would share with everybody about my culture is definitely our food. I feel like everybody loves food, everybody should have a good arepa, a good Colombian hot dog. All of our snacks, the salty and the sweet combinations, everybody should try it!

Elena Rose: I really like burning palo santo wood. I think it’s been more popular in recent years. And I really like ginger, honey, and lemon tea. That just recently saved me from a very bad cold!

Omar Apollo: It would probably be chilaquiles because I love chilaquiles and I think everyone should have chilaquiles. I am not sure if other Latino communities make chilaquiles, but the ones that my mom makes . . . anyone would go crazy for them!

What’s your favorite Spanish word (or phrase) that’s original to your culture? 

Omar Apollo: It’s probably chambear, which means “to work.” You know, the girls are always working—they are clocked in, they’re ready to go. You can say “chambas,” “estamos en una chamba,” “ando chambeando,” whatever you want to say. That’s my favorite; I say it all the time. 

Kali Uchis: I think my favorite Latin phrases have always been “sin miedo,” but also “sana, sana, colita de rana.”

DannyLux: My favorite phrase is that “everything happens for a reason,” and I always live thinking about that, and I know it has a lot of truth.

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month by discovering the hottest sounds on our Fuego mixtape.

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month With the Launch of Our New Playlist, De TODO

September 30, 2022

We are De TOTO cover art

Taking place in the U.S. between September 15 and October 15 each year, Latinx Heritage Month honors the many contributions this unique and vibrant culture has made to American society. This is why Spotify has launched a new campaign, “De TODO,” which highlights some of our listeners’ favorite voices from the Latinx community and shows what makes them 200% (100% American and 100% Latin). Serving to uplift rising Latinx artists, “De TODO” also demonstrates how the Latin community is made up of un poquito de todo—or a little bit of everything. 

Latin culture is incredibly rich and diverse, and the music and sounds emanating from it are as well. To further highlight the nuance and fluidity of Latinx identity—and to encourage listeners to discover these varied sounds—we’ve launched a new playlist with the same name. Spanning genres from Mexican music to indie rock, De TODO features artists such as Omar Apollo, Mariah Angeliq, The Marias, and Villano Antillano. Proving that Latinx culture is more than Reggaeton and Bachata, this playlist mixes the sounds, artists, and languages around the world that have inspired and influenced Latinx creators.

“De TODO showcases some of the most exciting Latin acts coming out of the U.S. and Puerto Rico and gives a nod to the ones who have paved the way,” said Antonio Vázquez, Head of U.S. Latin Editorial at Spotify. “In an effort to acknowledge the diversity and richness of Latin culture, we want to surprise listeners by encouraging them to discover new sounds they might not be exposed to regularly.”

As part of the campaign, Spotify is partnering with the 9AM Banger—a famous morning party that’s popping up in Miami for the first time—to offer giveaways, an artist performance featured in the De TODO Campaign, and branded moments. And to continue our mission of supporting the next generation of Latinx creators, Spotify has extended grants to community partners around the country including Education Through Music LA, Education Through Music NYC, Tocando, Yes We Can World Foundation, and Young Musicians Unite.

But even beyond Latinx Heritage Month, we’ll continue to work year-round to amplify the voices of the Latinx community. This includes globally—both on-platform and off-platform—through their RADAR programs, live events, and creator campaigns. So stay tuned for more exclusive content in the future.

Looking for the latest sounds from the top Latinx artists? Press play below to start streaming De TODO:

The Dinner Table and PRESENTE—Spotify’s Newest Editorial Communities—Amplify Black and Latinx Podcasters 365 Days a Year

March 9, 2022

Podcasting is becoming an increasingly accessible medium that anyone can use to tell their story. But as with any form of media, more has to be done to propel the voices of marginalized communities onto the mic. One way Spotify is doing this is through programs like Sound Up, which empowers and equips burgeoning podcasters with tools and resources. Another way is through the amplification of existing podcasts from podcasters of color—so that important topics and stories can find their audiences, and audiences find them. That’s where Spotify’s Podcast Editorial team comes in. 

Over the past year, the Podcast Editorial team has been curating homes for podcast themes like True Crime Scene, theLINER, and Play Your Part, which can be found from the podcast homepage and Search on the Spotify app. But the two latest pages take our responsibility to a new level. They’re podcast editorial communities that focus on and serve Black and Latinx audiences by putting content from and for these communities front and center, 365 days a year.

These two new community pages are The Dinner Table, curated by Black Culture Editor Bianca Garwood, and PRESENTE, curated by U.S. Latinx Culture Editor Barbara Gonzalez. Though these curations may be new, the topics covered on each podcast are not—and the goal of the editors is to use the power of the platform to turn the volume up on these stories. 

In an interview with For the Record, Bianca and Barbara each spoke about the thinking behind their new podcast editorial communities. 

What inspired the creation of The Dinner Table and PRESENTE?

Bianca: As a Black person, I’ve noticed that it has become an unfortunate norm to consume news and updates that show other Black folk in compromising positions. We’re constantly demanding folks to see our humanity. And this is our reality. And those voices need to be heard, but it’s also important to talk about the full spectrum and to highlight the fullness of Black lives, independent of our plight.

You know, there’s joy in Blackness, there’s peace in Blackness. There’s love in Blackness, there’s healing in Blackness, and that’s the point of The Dinner Table. We’re serving wellness with a side of laughter. Ultimately this ladders up to Podcast Editorial’s approach of counteracting the doom and leaning into inspirational and aspirational podcasts.  

Barbara: So in terms of PRESENTE, of how we came to be, I think it’s really in the name. That’s why I always love starting there. The word PRESENTE translates to “present” in Spanish and Portuguese, and it’s used as a call and response in Latinx spaces to pay respect to who’s in the room. So, when we say “presente,” really we yell it—that’s why it’s in all caps—we’re making ourselves known, we’re bringing each and every single identity that we hold to the space. And we’re also bearing witness to every other person in the room doing the same. And that’s really the spirit. 

Latinidad is not a monolith. We consist of so many different races, sexualities, gender expressions, regional cultures, and so many more identities. So, as long as your perspective isn’t invalidating another person in the community’s identity, your voice deserves to be heard in PRESENTE. 

What approach have you each taken to curating content for these communities? 

Bianca: The Dinner Table name and concept itself came about from personal experience. Growing up, my mom was one of 11. So holidays and family functions were full of people, food, and laughter—my grandmother’s house was always packed to the brim. And if I wasn’t eating at the table, I was doing homework at the table. I was getting my hair done at the table. The table in itself was kind of a nucleus to many of my cultural experiences during my childhood and formative years. For many Black families, the dinner table is a centerpiece, you know, and in many of our homes it reflects joy, community, and laughter.

On the flip side, in terms of wellness, I also wanted to take the opportunity to highlight conversations that often aren’t had at the dinner table, but should be. You can find these under “Well As Hell” with topics like food and its effects on mental health, belief systems outside of the construct of Christianity, positive effects of cannabis, Black womanhood outside of social norms, healing the inner child, and Black mental health. All these conversations that are sometimes swept under the rug—I thought this would be a great opportunity to delve deep and highlight Black joy but also highlight the wellness in that as well.

Barbara: There are a few different branches that I’ll be highlighting on PRESENTE. One of the franchises is titled Let’s Unpack That. We know that while certain generations may have beliefs about certain things in our culture, and may have passed these somewhat harmful beliefs down to us unintentionally—those might not necessarily resonate with generations today. So Let’s Unpack That will include cultural conversations about current events, social movements, and cultural norms—basically, how I always describe it is “anything that’s a conversation on Twitter.” 

So whether it’s the 50 millionth time that we’re discussing whether we should be called “Latinx” or “Latine,” or we’re talking about another instance of anti-Blackness or anti-Asian sentiment in our community, this is the place where we highlight creators having those conversations. 

Another really great franchise that we have is Subculture Spotlight. That’s speaking to what I mentioned about Latinidad is not a monolith; we have so many ways of being Latino. So we’ll be diving into specific nationalities, religions, and different neighborhoods in the United States that are historically, predominantly Latinx.

So one that I published for our launch is about Dominicans in the United States. Some things I would love to explore in the future are different podcasts about Venezuelan migration and Nuyorican legends. And then [re]PRESENTE is a franchise highlighting different things in Latinx culture in terms of representation across pop culture, history, and politics.

Why are these community pages important?

Bianca: I think these pages are important because they give users an all-access pass to content that they are aligned with or inspired by. It’s thoughtfully curated with them in mind, you know. It gives folks access to content at their fingertips. 

Barbara: This ties into our team’s belief that hearing the community should be something that we do in all of our work. Podcast creators, listeners, and people featured in these episodes are part of this unique community that we want to make sure that we’re constantly feeding. And I think it’s particularly important for Latinx and Black communities to have their own spaces because creators from those communities haven’t historically gotten the same support. We need to be working overtime to make sure they know that we’re here trying to support these creators.

This is Spotify’s way of saying, “We see you, we’re loving everything that you’re doing, keep having these conversations because we want to be able to support you in every single way that we can.” 

Start getting to know PRESENTE with the first guest curation from Kat Lazo, co-host of The Get Up.

Cómo la compositora de ‘Encanto’, Germaine Franco, llevó la magia y los sonidos de Colombia a oyentes de todo el mundo

February 3, 2022

De vez en cuando, se lanza una película con una banda sonora que los fanáticos no pueden quitarse de la cabeza. Tal es el caso de Encanto, que se estrenó en los servicios de streaming de Disney en noviembre y desde entonces ha presentado a la familia Madrigal a personas de todo el mundo.

La historia de Maribel Madrigal y su madre, tía, tío, hermanas y primas mágicamente dotadas tiene lugar en Colombia y cuenta con el apoyo de un elenco de actores, cantantes y productores latinos, incluida la compositora Germaine Franco, el compositor Lin-Manuel Miranda, y el cantautor Sebastian Yatra. Pero el mensaje de la película, sobre la obligación con la familia, el legado del trauma y la presión para conformarse, es universal, razón por la cual la banda sonora se ha escuchado masivamente en más de 20 idiomas y ha alcanzado el número uno entre los mejores álbumes escuchados en Spotify en 2022.*

Hasta el momento, la banda sonora de Encanto tiene más de 494 millones de streams en todo el mundo,** y los países con mayor índice de escucha son Colombia, Estados Unidos, Filipinas, Panamá, Islandia y el Reino Unido. 

Parte de lo que está atrayendo a tanta gente de regreso a Encanto son los múltiples éxitos destacados, como “Dos Oruguitas”, que le valió a Sebastián Yatra su primer sencillo entre los 20 primeros, y  “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” / “No se Habla de Bruno”, que se convirtió en la primera canción número uno de Lin-Manuel en Spotify en los Estados Unidos. a principios de enero y ahora tiene más de 100 millones de streams en Spotify.*** 

También está dominando las listas internacionales, asegurando el puesto número uno en la lista Top 50 del Reino Unido de Spotify. Otras tres canciones de la banda sonora se ubicaron entre las diez primeras en la lista de consumo de canciones de Estados Unidos, incluidas “Surface Pressure,” “What Else Can I Do?”, y “The Family Madrigal”. 

“Saber que ‘No Se Habla de Bruno’ ha tocado tantos corazones de tantas generaciones diferentes de manera orgánica es increíble, y estar en el Top 50 de las listas musicales de Spotify es enorme”, dijo Carolina Gaitan – La Gaita, quien interpreta a la Tía Pepa de Mirabel y lidera las voces en “Bruno” en las bandas sonoras en inglés y español de Encanto. “Creo que ha sido una sorpresa para todos, pero sin duda ha sido la sorpresa más bonita de mi vida”.

La creación de Encanto es quizás tan mágica como la historia misma. La huella sonora de Encanto se puede atribuir en gran medida a la compositora mexicano-estadounidense Germaine Franco, quien anteriormente había trabajado con Disney y Disney Animation como compositora, productora musical y orquestadora. Sin embargo, esta fue la primera vez que Germaine asumió el papel de compositora principal de una película de Disney, lo que la convirtió en la primera mujer en ocupar este puesto en la compañía. Después de trabajar con Lin-Manuel y Tom MacDougall, presidente de Disney Music, en una función animada anterior de Disney, la pareja le pidió a Germaine que se uniera al proyecto y colaborara con Lin-Manuel en los arreglos orquestales, la orquestación y la producción adicional de las canciones de Lin-Manuel.

For the Record habló con Germaine sobre la composición de Encanto, incluida la tarea que hizo para dar vida a la música colombiana en la pantalla.

¿Cómo te preparaste para este proyecto?

Para cada partitura que creo, me gusta sumergirme profundamente en la cultura de los protagonistas y las regiones específicas a la ubicación en la narración. Pasé muchas horas escuchando y estudiando las estructuras, instrumentación, estilos de interpretación, armonías, melodías y ritmos de la música tradicional colombiana. Sentí que los instrumentos colombianos me iban a dar inspiración, y así fue, especialmente la arpa llanera y la marimba de chonta, y sabía que la partitura sería mucho más rica si escucháramos las voces auténticas de músicos y cantantes colombianos.

¿Cómo introdujiste en la partitura elementos del “realismo mágico”, un tema literario prominente entre autores latinoamericanos/colombianos famosos?

Cuando recibí la llamada por primera vez, volví al corazón del realismo mágico leyendo a Gabriel García Márquez en español. También leí textos históricos sobre historia, música y literatura colombianas. Vi documentales y videos sobre la cultura colombiana. Quería conectar con ese mundo más allá de la “realidad” de lo que se ve. Me imaginé en ese mundo. Seguía pensando “¿Cuál es el sonido del realismo mágico?” mientras trabajaba.

Un elemento clave del realismo mágico en la partitura es la voz femenina. Imaginé que las voces de las mujeres serían representativas de este mundo. Me conecté profundamente con la tradición del estilo de cantadora presente en las regiones afrocolombianas de Colombia, y luego grabamos un coro en vivo de Colombia con Isa Mosquera, una de los coristas de la banda de Carlos Vives, y un coro de veintidós voces aquí en Los Ángeles.

Otro aspecto del sonido del realismo mágico que construí proviene del sonido de muchas flautas hechas de madera natural, bambú, tocadas por el exquisito Pedro Eustache. La voz de Pedro se puede escuchar a lo largo de la partitura. Si escuchas, escucharás la gaita, una flauta tradicional de Colombia y uno de mis instrumentos favoritos en la partitura.

¿Qué significa para ti y para otras mujeres o compositoras latinas tu participación en esta película?

Cuando me llamaron por primera vez para trabajar en la película, estaba encantada de poder trabajar con Lin-Manuel y los cineastas. No pensé demasiado en “primeras veces”. Mi objetivo principal era crear la mejor banda sonora posible para esta hermosa película. Quería tener éxito como artista y darle a la música un sonido latino auténtico. Encanto es un hito para Walt Disney Animation Studios porque es su largometraje número 60, así que sentí que era una responsabilidad importante de mi parte dar una voz larina fuerte a los personajes principales, Mirabel y su abuela, a través de la música. 

Estoy muy agradecida de tener esta oportunidad de abrir la puerta a otras mujeres y personas de color. Es importante para mí que veamos más equidad tanto delante como detrás de la cámara, y es notable que solo soy uno de los muchos creativos latinos en la película. Contábamos con Lin-Manuel Miranda, un elenco íntegramente latino, la productora Yvett Merino, la co-directora y la guionista Charise Castro-Smith, el productor de canciones Mike Elizondo, Sebastián Yatra, y Carlos Vives. Esta película es un ejemplo del poder de las voces auténticas en el cine y la música que colaboran para inspirar a nuestro mundo. Es una señal de que la industria está cambiando, aunque lentamente. ¡Celebro el hecho de que millones de familias de todos los países, mujeres y personas de color se vean en la pantalla y disfruten de la banda sonora!

La banda sonora de Encanto ya está teniendo un gran éxito comercial, alcanzando el número dos en la lista de álbumes globales de Spotify y el número uno en la lista de álbumes de Estados Unidos de Spotify en 2021. ¿Cuáles son sus esperanzas para la música más allá de la película?

Espero que Encanto toque los corazones de millones e inspire a muchos a salir y obtener su primer instrumento y aprender a tocar. Estoy muy agradecida con todos los fanáticos de la película en todo el mundo que se toman un tiempo de sus ocupadas vidas para participar en la experiencia cinematográfica que llevamos años creando para ellos. Significa mucho. Cuando veo algunas de las reacciones a la película en las redes sociales, me reconforta saber que todo el equipo creativo y yo hemos tenido el privilegio de ser parte de sus vidas de una manera pequeña. Realmente creo que la música tiene el poder de unir a las personas en todo el mundo. ¡Muchas gracias a todos los fanáticos de Encanto en todo el mundo! ¡Que se diviertan!

¿Listo para hablar de Bruno? Escucha la banda sonora de Encanto y sumérgete por completo en la historia de la Familia Madrigal. 

*Al 27 de enero de 2022

**A partir del 1 de febrero de 2022

**A partir del 20 de enero de 2022

How ‘Encanto’ Composer Germaine Franco Brought the Magic and Sounds of Colombia to Listeners Around the World

February 3, 2022

Every so often, a movie is released with an accompanying soundtrack that fans can’t get out of their heads. Such is the case with Encanto, which premiered on Disney streaming services in November and has since inducted people all over the world into the Madrigal family. 

The story of Maribel Madrigal and her magically gifted mother, aunt, uncle, sisters, and cousins takes place in Colombia and is supported by a cast of Latinx actors, singers, and producers, including composer Germaine Franco, songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, and singer-songwriter Sebastian Yatra. But the film’s message—about obligation to family, legacies of trauma, and pressure to conform—is universal, which may be why the soundtrack has been streamed abundantly in over 20 languages and has reached number one on the top albums streamed on Spotify in 2022.*  

So far, the Encanto soundtrack has over 494 million all-time plays globally,** and the countries streaming at the highest rates include Colombia, the United States, the Philippines, Panama, Iceland, and the U.K. Part of what’s bringing so many people back to Encanto are the multiple standout hits, like “Dos Oruguitas,” which earned Sebastian Yatra his first top-20 single, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” an ensemble-driven salsa son montuno (mountain sound) that features a majority of the cast. 

“Bruno” became Lin-Manuel’s first global number one song on Spotify in the U.S. in early January and now has more than 100 million streams on Spotify.*** It has also been dominating across international charts, securing the number one spot on Spotify’s U.K. Top 50 songs list and U.K. Weekly, along with topping the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart for the last two weeks. Three other songs from the soundtrack have made it to the top 10 on the U.S. Songs Consumption chart, including “Surface Pressure,” “The Family Madrigal,” and “What Else Can I Do?” 

“Knowing that ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ has touched so many hearts of so many different generations in an organic way is very big, and being in the Top 50 on the music charts on Spotify is huge,” said Carolina Gaitan – La Gaita, who plays Mirabel’s Tía Pepa and leads the vocals on “Bruno” on the English and Spanish soundtracks of Encanto. “I think it has been a surprise for everyone, but without a doubt it has been the most beautiful surprise of my life.”

The making of Encanto is perhaps as magical as the story itself. Encanto’s audio signature can be largely attributed to Mexican-American composer Germaine Franco, who had previously worked with Disney and Disney Animation as a songwriter, music producer, and orchestrator. This was the first time Germaine took the role of lead composer for a Disney film, however, making her the first woman to hold this position at the company. After working with Lin-Manuel and Tom MacDougall, President of Disney Music, on a previous Disney animated feature, Germaine was asked by the pair to join the project and collaborate with Lin-Manuel on orchestral arrangements, orchestration, and additional production on his songs. 

For the Record spoke with Germaine about composing for Encanto, including the homework she did to bring Colombian music to life on screen. 

How did you prepare for this project?

For each score that I create, I like to dive deep into the culture of the protagonists and the regions specific to the location of the storytelling. I spent many hours listening to and studying the structures, instrumentation, performance styles, harmonies, melodies, and rhythms of traditional Colombian music. I felt that the Colombian instruments would provide me with inspiration, which they did—especially the arpa llanera (Colombian harp) and the marimba de chonta (Afro-Colombian marimba), and I knew that the score would be much richer if we were able to hear the authentic voices of Colombian musicians and singers. 

How did you bring elements from “magical realism”—a prominent literary theme among famous Latin American/Colombian authors—to life in the score?

When I first got the call, I went back to the heart of magical realism by reading Gabriel García Márquez in Spanish. I also read historical texts about Colombian history, music, and literature. I watched documentaries and videos about Colombian culture. I wanted to connect to that world beyond the “reality” of what is seen. I imagined myself in that world. I kept thinking, “What is the sound of magical realism?” as I worked.

One key element of magical realism in the score is the female voice. I imagined that the voices of women would be representative of this world. I connected deeply to the tradition of the cantadora style of singing present in the Afro-Colombian regions of Colombia. And later, we recorded a live choir from Colombia featuring Isa Mosquera, one of the backing vocalists in Carlos Vives’ band, and a 22-piece choir here in Los Angeles.

Another aspect of the sound of magical realism I constructed comes from the sound of many flutes made of natural wood—bamboo—played by the exquisite Pedro Eustache. Pedro’s voice can be heard throughout the score. If you listen, you will hear the gaita, a traditional flute from Colombia and one of my favorite instruments on the score.

What does your involvement in this film mean to you and for other women or Latinx composers?

When I was first called to work on the film, I was elated to be able to work with Lin-Manuel and the filmmakers. I didn’t think too much about “firsts.” My main goal was to create the best possible score for this beautiful film. I wanted to succeed as an artist and to give the music an authentic Latinx sound. Encanto is a milestone for Walt Disney Animation Studios because it’s their 60th feature film, so I felt that it was an important responsibility on my part to bring a strong Latina voice to the main characters, Mirabel and Abuela, through the music.  

I’m very grateful to have this opportunity to open the door for other women and people of color. It’s important to me that we see more equity both in front of and behind the camera, and it’s notable that I am only one of many Latinx creatives on the film. We had Lin-Manuel Miranda, an entirely Latinx cast, producer Yvett Merino, co-director and screenwriter Charise Castro-Smith, song producer Mike Elizondo, Sebastián Yatra, and Carlos Vives. This film is an example of the power of authentic voices in film and music collaborating to inspire our world. It is a sign that the industry is changing, albeit slowly. I celebrate the fact that millions of families from all countries, women, and people of color are seeing themselves on screen and enjoying the soundtrack!

The soundtrack to Encanto is already seeing immense success commercially, hitting number two on the Spotify Global Album chart and number one on the Spotify U.S. Album chart in 2021. What are your hopes for the music beyond the film?

I hope Encanto touches the hearts of millions and inspires many to go out and get their first instrument and learn to play. I am so thankful to all of the fans of the film around the world who take time out of their busy lives to take part in the cinematic experience we’ve spent years creating for them. It means a lot. When I see some of the reactions to the film on social media, it warms my heart to know that the entire creative team and I have had the privilege to be a part of their lives in some small way. I truly think that music has the power to unite people across the world. Thanks so much to all of the fans of Encanto worldwide! ¡Que se diviertan!

Ready to talk about Bruno? Stream the Encanto soundtrack for a full immersion into the story of the Familia Madrigal.  

*As of January 27, 2022

**As of February 1, 2022

***As of January 20, 2022

KAROL G, Myke Towers, and Mau y Ricky Join to Help Refresh Spotify’s Flagship Latin Music Playlist, Viva Latino

November 16, 2021

From high-energy reggaetón to soulful pop, today’s Latin music is diverse, catchy, and impossible to pin down. Its beats and sounds pull from influences across the globe as Latinx creators continue to push the genre to new heights. And it resonates with Spotify listeners, who, in 2020 alone, streamed nearly 11 billion hours of Latin music worldwide. 

Capturing and amplifying the vibrant scene is Spotify’s flagship Latin music playlist, Viva Latino. Since its launch in 2014, the playlist has been a staple that houses the genre’s most exciting new tracks. As a result, over the last seven years, the catchy collection has grown to 11.3 million followers, making it the third-most-followed playlist on Spotify globally and the biggest Latin music playlist on the platform. The playlist’s rise mirrored a platform-wide trend: Latin music consumption grew by 1,680% during the same period.

Spotify is celebrating the evolution and impactful playlist—and the many artists and fans who have grown alongside it—throughout November. We kicked off a playlist campaign featuring a refreshed tagline, Elevando Nuestra Música, or “Elevating Our Music,” alongside an updated look. Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City residents will notice the playlist highlighted across each city, and listeners around the world will find even more videos and updates online. That includes a campaign video featuring three of Latin music’s biggest stars: artists KAROL G, Myke Towers, and Mau y Ricky, who joined forces to show Viva Latino’s accompanying role in everything from commuting to working out. Spotify also partnered with Latinx TikTok content creators Sofia Bella, Alexia Del Valle, and Jayla Milan, who shared their unique perspectives on what the playlist, the artists, and the songs mean to them.

Viva Latino was created around the wants and needs of Latin music fans who, based on Spotify data, discover 46% more music than the average listener. Since then, the global playlist has kept fans engaged with a blend of today’s top songs and the trending hits of tomorrow. And now, for many listeners, these tracks have become a soundtrack for everyday life.

The playlist has had a major impact on Latinx creators, too. That’s because Viva Latino features not only the biggest names in the Latin Music scene, but those just launching their music careers, too. It’s given many emerging artists a boost as engaged listeners propel their favorite Spanish-language songs to the Global Top 100 and Top 50 charts.

KAROL G, Myke Towers, and Mau y Ricky have each experienced the playlist’s impact firsthand. Rounding out the campaign, all three reflected on their first song to be featured on Viva Latino and the doors that opened for them in Spotify Clips, exclusive video clips on the platform.

“Latin music has become an indispensable part of pop culture, and we’re excited to see Viva Latino play a big role in that evolution,” shared Antonio Vázquez, Head of U.S. Latin Editorial at Spotify. “We’re celebrating the artists and fans who make this the ultimate destination for Latin hits by unveiling a sophisticated new look for the playlist that steers away from stereotypical cultural symbols, as well as introducing an inclusive tagline, Elevando Nuestra Música, a mission that pushes and motivates us to take our music to the global stage.”

Seven years after its debut, Viva Latino remains as essential as ever. As creators and fans look to the future, we’re excited that this is just the beginning.

Step into the future and elevate your day with the refreshed Viva Latino playlist now.

Spotify Is Celebrating the Triumphs of Latinx Artistry With the ‘Aquí Siempre’ Campaign

September 15, 2021

Today marks the start of Latinx Heritage Month, an annual appreciation of the diverse and dynamic Latinx communities around the world. In honor of this celebration, Spotify is launching Aquí Siempre, an awareness campaign to support our dynamic, bicultural Latinx community and the myriad of musical genres it continues to influence. Our goal is to amplify the voices shaping Latinx culture today, including those that challenge stereotypes, fight adversity, and uplift Latin American communities through their work.

As part of Aquí Siempre, which will continue through mid-October, Spotify is releasing three Spotify Singles on our revamped, genre-agnostic playlist Mixto, which spotlights artists across the Latinx diaspora, as well as working with renowned creators like photographer Camila Falquez and poet Yesika Salgado to share what the month and its theme mean to them. 

The Voices of Latinx Music 

At the center of Latinx Heritage Month is the Mixto playlist, which features a mixture of sounds, artists, and languages from various countries that aren’t easily labeled as a specific genre but share Latinx origins, in addition to non-Latinx artists that will resonate with listeners. The playlist serves as a destination for artists both in and adjacent to the Latinx space as a place to share music that exists outside of clearly defined labels. It also works to reflect the Latinx community’s multifaceted connection to music, which isn’t limited to any one genre, with a unique range of songs and artists curated to appeal not only to our U.S. Latinx listeners but to listeners of all cultural backgrounds around the world.

This Latinx Heritage Month will be the first time Spotify launches Spotify Singles in collaboration with the Mixto playlist—the latest in a series of collaborations between Spotify Singles and other flagship playlists including Are & Be, RapCaviar, mint, and more. Spotify asked rising Latinx artists Twin Shadow, Ambar Lucid, and Tokischa to add their voices to the catalog of over 600 Spotify Singles by recording a unique version of one of their own songs (Side A) and covers of songs of their choice (Side B). 

Twin Shadow, one of the three artists to record Mixto Spotify Singles, shared his view of the ever-evolving Latinx music scene with For the Record. “The future of Latin music is happening right now,” he said. “It’s seeped into everything. Everyone is taking from it, and it’s mainstream in the best way. I think it will continue to be relevant and affect people profoundly forever.”

Singer-songwriter Ambar Lucid’s Side A single is a fresh take on her song “Lizard” that offers an energetic and magnetic up-tempo rendition of the original. Her Side B single is a catchy Spanish-language interpolation of Billie Eilish’s “Billie Bossa Nova” called “Ambar Bossa Nova.” The Mexican Dominican artist makes the crooning number her own by infusing an underlying beat to accompany the English and Spanish lyrics. “I love Billie’s music, so adding my own lyrical twist to ‘Bossa Nova’ was lots of fun,” explained Ambar, adding, “There are so many bops in [the Mixto] playlist!”

Tokischa’s Side A release creatively reimagines her 2020 punchy reggaeton rap “El Rey De La Popola” into an acoustic single wracked with emotion. She also released her Side B rock cover of the 1967 salsa hit “La Tirana” by La Lupe, swapping the original’s brass accompaniment for a soulful electric guitar sound. The Dominican singer-songwriter and rapper explained her choice in songs, reflecting, “I identify with La Lupe and especially with what the song ‘La Tirana’ represents.” She elaborated on the importance of the genre-agnostic playlist, adding: “I think that Mixto is important for those artists who express their art through their voice and not a specific genre.”

Twin Shadow recorded a special version of his soothing acoustic single “Alemania” that moves listeners with a dance beat and the pep of a retro pop song for his Side A single. He also released a cover of Kali Uchis’s genre-blending “telepatía,” one of this year’s biggest hits by a Latinx female artist, for his Side B single. The Dominican American singer-songwriter explained his approach to recording his upbeat reinterpretation of “Telepatia,” sharing: “I set out to reinterpret the song as if it was on my most recent record. The hard part was following Kali’s vocal flow and the clever way she approaches the lyrics in Spanish, especially the way words melt into words and the speed of her melody against the relatively mellow track of the original…I love the song and am glad to have a new appreciation for something once I’ve dissected it and tried my best to make it my own.”

Seeing the Latinx Community 

To put a face to the mission of Aquí Siempre, renowned Latinx photographer Camila Falquez captured a series of powerful portraits that visualize Latinx performers, activists, and business owners with dignity and honesty. Some of her subjects include the owner of the Caribbean Social Club in New York City, Maria Antonia “Toñita” Cay; Dominican trans activist, organizer, former sex worker, and founder of nonprofit Bridges4Life Tahtianna Fermin; Mexican American artist, DJ, and community organizer Elíseo Equihua; and Mexican American filmmaker, multimedia artist, urban planner, and social worker Jose Richard Aviles.

The portraits are accompanied by self-recorded videos from Latinx creators like Kali Uchis, Chucky73, Cimafunk, Juleyka Lantigua of How to Talk to [Mamí & Papí] about Anything, Erick Galindo of WILD, and Edwin Covarrubias of Scary Story Podcast celebrating their cultural experiences and uplifting their communities. Camila’s work can be found both online on social media and on billboards in Times Square.

LatinX Podcasters Can Sign Up To Tell Their Stories in the Newest Sound Up U.S. Program

September 8, 2021

For this golden age of audio to truly shine, it has to include all of us. That’s why, several years ago, Spotify created Sound Up, a global program that gives underrepresented podcasters the tools to boost their platforms and build their own shows. Since 2018, we’ve expanded the program from the U.S. across continents, to South America and Europe, and have focused on engaging prospective podcasters who might otherwise not have had a chance at the mic.

Earlier this year, we shared that we’d be launching Sound Up LatinX to directly address the disparities present in the podcasting community. Today, we invite aspiring U.S. LatinX podcasters to apply for the program.

Sound Up LatinX is divided into two parts. First up is a virtual training program in 2021, which will take place over the course of eight weeks. The 10 participants who are short-listed by Spotify will attend workshops for a comprehensive introduction to the art of making a podcast. Ultimately, participants will create and submit a podcast trailer and pitch proposal for the opportunity to be selected as a finalist to attend part two: in-person Sound Up sessions in 2022.

Participants will be in good company: Past alumni of the Sound Up program globally have received podcast development deals, connections to industry leaders, and production grants to take their concepts to the next level.

We spoke with Fernando Spuri, Manager, Sound Up, about why it’s so important to bring more LatinX creators to the podcasting space and his prediction that Sound Up U.S. LatinX podcasts will go global.

Why did Spotify create this additional Sound Up U.S. program?

The podcast ecosystem is developing fast in the U.S. and it’s already one of the most consolidated in the world. However, when we check the podcasts charts, there’s a lot to be improved regarding diversity of creators. And with more than 60 million LatinX living in the U.S., it became clear that the LatinX community was the next to address with the program. 

The consumption of podcasts by the U.S. LatinX community is growing fast, and the community over-indexes in podcast consumption compared to the general audience in the U.S.—56% of the U.S. LatinX population has ever listened to a podcast, compared to 55% of the U.S. total population. But there’s still a lack of representation in the industry, even among LatinX creators. We believe that bringing new voices to the table will unlock an even bigger growth opportunity, add some fresh perspectives to the general audience, and even stimulate other potential creators to start producing their own shows.

How will this program be unique from the existing Sound Up U.S. program—or any existing Sound Up program, for that matter?

We have a global framework for Sound Up that we use as a starting point, but after that, each Sound Up is unique, even different editions in the same country. Every Sound Up has a selected cohort, with specific needs and backgrounds, and the solutions are not replicable.

For the U.S. LatinX program, for example, we’ll have specific facilitators, guests, and content addressing issues like defining the language of the shows, how and if the creators want to address immigration issues, and even discussing what it means to be LatinX in the U.S. All these specific discussions are fundamental to this cohort but wouldn’t necessarily be for a broader group. This underlines the uniqueness not just of Sound Up U.S. LatinX, but of all Sound Up editions.

How do you think aspects of bilingualism and immigration—two topics with unique elements within this population—will be incorporated into the podcasts that come out of this program?

Naturally, bilingualism—or plurilingualism, common among U.S. LatinX—and immigration are common issues amongst the community and will probably be part of most shows. But it’s important to point out that Sound Up is not necessarily looking for projects that address these matters directly.

We’re looking for creators with powerful ideas that want to tell whatever stories on whatever subjects resonate with them best. Of course, those subjects are an intrinsic part of almost all LatinX, but how and with what intensity they want to address them is up to them.

Why are you excited to work with this community in particular?

First, because of how diverse the participants will be, considering the term LatinX is so inclusive and flexible. LatinX is this multidimensional community that’s not just struggling to be heard, but also to define itself while it expands. This is an amazing opportunity to bring in new, diverse voices and maybe help course correct the podcast landscape regarding diversity.

Everyone that self-identifies as part of the LatinX community living in the U.S. is invited to apply, regardless of their origin or status. That will also bring potential creators that don’t have the opportunity to develop their vision in other traditional educational programs.

Secondly, we’re really thrilled about the potential of the ideas that we’ll receive. For example, a show in Spanglish about K-pop made in Los Angeles from a second-generation Salvadorean podcaster can find an audience in a Dominican first-generation kid in New York, but also in Santiago, Madrid, and Oaxaca. And we don’t say that to oversimplify the community, but to show an example of powerful intersections that we might find among listeners in the U.S. and abroad—and that’s truly global and exciting!

All LatinX U.S. residents age 20 or older—regardless of immigration status—are invited to apply to Sound Up U.S. LatinX now. Sign-ups close October 1, 2021. Please apply as an individual, rather than as a show or group. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say.

Update as of September 10, 2021: Maria Murriel and Isis Madrid, co-founders of Pizza Shark, will be facilitating Sound Up U.S. LatinX. Maria has been a Sound Up facilitator for the US program already in 2020 and 2021, after participating as a speaker in 2019. Maria and Isis have both delivered our global training in how to deliver the curriculum to new Sound Up facilitators in new markets globally. 

A Beat, a Queen, and a Lot of Gasoline: ‘LOUD’ Podcast Explores a Genre’s Evolution

August 4, 2021

Few genres have taken the world by storm in recent years quite like reggaeton. The beat is said to have originated in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but it soon became a staple in music throughout Latin America, influencing countless musicians who have become icons of the genre. 

Starting today, LOUD, a new Spotify Original podcast, explores the full tapestry of reggaeton music—from its origins in San Juan to the successes of cultural hits like Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” to its prominence in cities like Santiago, Chile, and Medellín, Colombia. 

And who better to tell this story but Puerto Rican singer, rapper, and songwriter Ivy Queen?

Follow along over the course of 10 chapters and across five countries as host Ivy Queen weaves a story featuring special guests and Latinx music icons such as Nicky Jam, Zion y Lennox, Sech, and Maluma. They speak about their stories within the history of the genre, one that has generated massive hits, global artists, and the futuristic sound defining the 21st century.

For the Record spoke to creative producer Julio A. Pabón about the series, which was three years in the making. 

You’ve been reporting on this topic for years. What prompted the idea for this podcast?

I’ve always wanted to make the definitive audio documentary on reggaeton. There are so many stories, rumors, half-truths, and exaggerated facts out there that I knew someone had to set the record straight and tell as close to a definitive oral history as possible. At the time, our team helped with podcast development, so I took the opportunity to develop the series as an audio-exclusive offering.

The podcast is broken down into three parts. How and why did you pick the themes for these chapters? How do they come together to tell the overarching story?

The three parts are essentially created by watershed moments in reggaeton’s history that most people would describe as “genre defining.” Without giving too much away, the release of  Daddy Yankee’s song “Gasolina” was an example of one of those moments. 

We followed a chronological approach to telling this story, starting with the roots of reggaeton in the Black communities of Panama. As with most documentary storytelling, the themes revealed themselves as we moved forward and did more research from there. 

The podcast features the voices of so many influential artists and creators. Did anyone have thoughts or stories that surprised you?

So many things, and I grew up on reggaeton! I had a great experience learning about the origins of certain rivalries between MCs, Jamaican immigration to Panama, and the true meanings of certain colloquialisms, just to name a few. The one that probably will stand out most is that Daddy Yankee was a baseball prospect before getting shot in the leg and deciding to take music seriously. What would the genre be without him? And yet it almost didn’t happen.

What were the main challenges in putting together a podcast of this scope? 

Access was our biggest challenge. The genre is now in its thirties, so there are some people who are no longer with us and others who changed careers and never looked back.

What conversations about reggaeton are you hoping this podcast can spark?

I want this podcast to spark conversations about race, sex, and the politics of the culture. In the end, it’s an inspirational tale of how a marginalized community created a genre of music with universal appeal. The idea behind LOUD is to spark that inspiration many times over. This isn’t exclusive to reggaeton though—we want to explore K-pop, Afrobeat, and Brazilian funk in future seasons.

Stream the first episode of LOUD today. 

El podcast chileno de Spotify “Caso 63”, convierte la ficción en una experiencia de audio única

November 13, 2020

Luego de meses de producción, Spotify revela el podcast más grande de Chile hasta el momento: Caso 63. La nueva serie original, protagonizada por los reconocidos actores chilenos Antonia Zegers y Néstor Cantillana, atrapará a los oyentes en la enigmática y extraña historia de Pedro Roiter, que llega misteriosamente a la vida de la psiquiatra Elisa Aldunate. A través de sesiones médicas, se involucran en una trama con giros en donde el tiempo, el espacio y los eventos delirantes juegan con las mentes de los oyentes. Grabado desde los hogares de los protagonistas durante la cuarentena, Caso 63 es un verdadero hito tanto en la actuación, como en la creatividad.

“Caso 63 es una serie clave para Spotify”, dice Javier Piñol, director de Spotify Studios para América Latina y Estados Unidos LatinX. “Creemos que las historias pueden ir mucho más allá de las imágenes físicas y transformarse en imágenes mentales que realmente desarrollen la imaginación de la audiencia. El rostro de los protagonistas es creado por cada usuario en función de su percepción, los escenarios son diferentes para cada oyente, y esa es la magia que estamos creando con esta audio serie. Estamos abriendo nuestros sentidos y entregando contenido original de calidad, con una gran producción que se complementa perfectamente con la creatividad del equipo”.

El desafío actoral

Caso 63 implicó generar una nueva dinámica en el trabajo actoral. Los protagonistas grabaron desde sus casas, en contextos totalmente diferentes a los que están acostumbrados y con el desafío de transmitir emociones solo a través de sus voces.

“Es la primera vez que realizo una serie de audio, hacer que la historia y un personaje pasen por uno mismo, es increíble. El guión de Julio Rojas es monumental, leer cada capítulo fue realmente vertiginoso y no podía contenerme y esperar a que llegara el día para actuarlos”, comenta Antonia Zegers.

Por su parte, Néstor Cantillana dice que “grabamos desde nuestras casas, y era difícil conseguir el silencio así que nos enfocamos en trabajar por las noches. Fue una experiencia enriquecedora, nos reímos mucho y trabajamos en el desarrollo de nuestros personajes. Nos conectamos con la intimidad del universo del audio y el enorme desafío de transmitir todas las dimensiones de la historia a través de nuestras voces”.

La historia detrás de la historia

Desde el lado creativo, Case 63 nos presenta una apasionante historia de ficción y una experiencia inmersiva, donde la edición de sonido y la postproducción juegan un papel clave. “Fue una experiencia increíble poder escribir y crear un espacio narrativo con solo el sentido de la audición” – dice Julio Rojas, un destacado guionista chileno y creador de Caso 63. “Me hizo pensar que este tipo de narración es nuestro primer acercamiento a los cuentos de niños, cuando alguien te contaba una historia, y cerrabas los ojos e imaginabas la escena, los personajes, los espacios, las formas mucho más ricas que una experiencia audiovisual. Queríamos apostar por una historia donde el oyente se encuentra entre los protagonistas, es un observador activo que vive las sensaciones del actor. También favorecemos el factor sorpresa, los giros temporales de la trama y sensaciones acústicas que realmente te transportan a la escena”.

“En muchos sentidos, los podcasts son como la música: es contenido de audio que, como oyente, te conecta con la cultura de una manera profunda y personal”, dice Javier Piñol. “En Spotify, estamos comprometidos a convertirnos en un destino global de primer nivel para los podcasts, a crear el mejor contenido de podcasts en Latinoamérica con talento local y con la producción de contenidos de gran calidad en variedad de géneros. También buscamos evolucionar los formatos de palabra hablada que harán de Spotify el destino de todas las experiencias de audio.”

Caso 63, es una historia pionera de Spotify, que sin duda jugará con tu mente.

Celebrate the Rich Voices of Latinx Heritage Month With Spotify’s ‘Lo Nuestro es Arte’ Campaign

September 21, 2020

Latinx culture transcends borders and defies expectations. Just look at how musical genres like salsa and reggaeton have traversed the globe, or at the stories and conversations that Latinx individuals have spread in recent years through podcasts. So this Latinx Heritage Month, Spotify is launching Lo Nuestro es Arte, featuring creators in the music, podcast, and visual art space who will help reinforce and affirm Latinx culture—and the work of Latinx creators—as invaluable art.

We’ll spread this mantra of Lo Nuestro es Arte with the help of a plethora of creators, including Dascha Polanco, Myke Towers, Kali Uchis, Sebastian Yatra, and many more. Dive into our anthem video featuring artists and podcasters like Anthony Ramos, Prince Royce, Kali Uchis, Jenn Morel, and Walter Thompson Hernandez, who each proudly proclaim their culture and vocation as art.

Here’s what else you can look out for:

Mini film series on bicultural experience

Check out a series of social mini films featuring the voices of some of today’s most influential Latinx music artists and podcasters as they narrate their experiences as bicultural Latinos in the U.S. They’ll tell stories of race, gender, and creating spaces where they can finally see, heal, and celebrate themselves. 

Visual art inspired by music and podcasts

We’ve commissioned work inspired by different genres and podcasts from five visual artists from across the Latinx diaspora: Orly Anan, Cristina Martinez, Luisa Salas, Pedro Nekoi, and D’Ana Nunez. Their pieces will be featured throughout the campaign behind artists like Romeo Santos, Helado Negro, Ivy Queen, and Natanael Cano. You can catch the art on billboards in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, as well as a virtual art gallery accessible through Snapchat.

Our Latinx Heritage Month hub

Head to the Latinx Heritage Month hub for carefully curated playlist collections that amplify Latin culture and reinforce the bicultural identity of Latinx individuals through the sounds of Latin music legends and up-and-coming talent. The Sounds of LatinX playlist showcases the fluidity of genres and styles that define Latin music today, while The Future of Latin anoints the hottest artists on the rise in tropical, regional Mexican and everything in between. We Love our Icons celebrates the contributions of Celia Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Quintanilla, Daddy Yankee, and other beloved voices. Finally, through the Beyond the Music playlist collection, we’ll amplify the voices of the immigrant, Afro-Latinx, indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Lo Nuestro es Arte aims to celebrate the past, present, and future of the Latinx community, raise awareness of its biculturalism, and recognize its ongoing strength in the face of adversity.

Stream the art from Latinx communities across the world in our LatinX Forever playlist.

Get to Know the Finalists for the 2020 Spotify Awards

February 19, 2020

The first ever Spotify Awards are just a few weeks away, and the countdown is on. The event, being held in Mexico City on March 5, is an award show based entirely on user-generated data from our listeners in Mexico.* So your plays, patterns, and habits not only count, but they’re going to determine the award categories, finalists, and winners.

The Spotify Awards are a true reflection of what you—the fans in Mexico—are listening to. So without further ado, meet the finalists for the 12 main Spotify Awards categories.

There will be 44 more categories in total shared on social media and the green carpet, in addition to the twelve above that will be broadcast. So tune into TNT if you are in Latin America or Telemundo and Universo if you are in the United States, visit the official site to learn more about the rest of the categories, and stream the artists from the Spotify Awards hub.

* Spotify Awards data from Mexican users with the exception of “Most streamed Mexican artist outside of Mexico”