Home Entertainment Music Juanes Celebrates Latin Music at NPR’s ‘El Tiny’ for Latino Heritage Month

Juanes Celebrates Latin Music at NPR’s ‘El Tiny’ for Latino Heritage Month

Juanes Celebrates Latin Music at NPR’s ‘El Tiny’ for Latino Heritage Month
Credit: NPR/Virginia Lozano

Colombian superstar Juanes kicked off NPR’s annual tribute to Latino Heritage Month with a beautiful performance on “El Tiny.” Known for his deeply personal lyrics and versatile melodies, Juanes has risen from humble beginnings in Medellín, Colombia, to global recognition. His songs have long been a source of pride for Colombians, a sentiment shared by fans worldwide.   

Juanes Knows How to Put On a Show

Accustomed to playing in massive arenas across the Spanish-speaking world, Juanes brought his intimate, soulful energy to the Tiny Desk concert. A standout moment was his rendition of “La Luz,” which he transformed into a Dominican merengue. The song resonated so much with the audience that they even joined in a spontaneous singalong. But it was his surprise encore of the beloved hit “A Dios Le Pido” that truly brought the house down. This song is a classic at this point.  

Two Forces We Love: El Tiny and the Alt.Latino Podcast

This year’s “El Tiny” is part of NPR Music’s broader celebration of Latino Heritage Month, spotlighting the diversity of Latin music with new episodes from the Alt.Latino podcast.  

Curated by Alt.Latino co-hosts Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras, this fourth edition features a lineup of 11 talented artists, including Sheila E, Eladio Carrión, and The Marías. Sayre emphasized the theme of love for this year’s series, noting in an official statement, “We know better than anyone that when our people talk about love, we do so deeply and in its entirety.” 

Felix Contreras echoed her sentiment, “El Tiny is a chance to put the spotlight on a wide variety of musical styles, genres, and cultures that exist in Latin Music. For us, every month is a Heritage Month, but El Tiny is a chance to put a bunch of them in a row and be wowed!” 

The Tiny Desk team produced an unforgettable show, with Juanes accompanied by a talented ensemble of musicians, including Felipe Navia on bass, Juan Pablo Daza on guitar, and Emmanuel Briceño as musical director. If you missed it, you could watch it on YouTube.

NPR Music’s El Tiny series and Alt.Latino podcast episodes continue to shine a light on Latin identity and emotion through music. (And it’s such a beautiful thing to have within our community.) Fans can tune in starting September 16 and experience the weekly podcast that celebrates Latin heritage.  

Will you be watching the rest of the El Tiny artists? We certainly will be. 

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