Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
At top of the Mexican Rock’s pyramid is Café Tacuba. Since their breakthrough Re (1994), they have reshaped themselves countless times. Rubén Isaac Albarrán Ortega, their lead singer, has a thing for changing his name. He even puts Diddy to shame! Through the years, he has been known as “Juan,” “Pinche Juan,” “Cosme,” “Masiosare,” “Anónimo,” “Nrü,” “Amparo Tonto Medardo In Lak’ech,” “At Medardo ILK,” “G3,” “Gallo Gasss,” “Élfego Buendía,” “Rita Cantalagua,” “Sizu Yantra,” “Ixaya Mazatzin Tleyótl,” “Ixxi Xoo,” and “Cone Cahuitl.” Enough for an identity crisis!
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Aleks Syntek (born: Raúl Alejandro Escajadillo Peña) assumed a last name short for sin teclados (literally, without keyboards), a handle given by a friend from whom he had asked to borrow a synthesizer (looks like he bought a few since then!). This Mexican artist is well known for producing and writing songs for others as well as releasing his own records.
Difficulty: Beginner
Spain
Amparo Sanchez – a singer and guitar player from Spain – is not afraid to mix genres, geographies and influences. On her band Amparanoia’s website, she explains: “My paranoia is music and the idea was to mix rhythms and styles, taking enjoyment from the rumba to ‘ranchera’, or the bolero and ska…” (Of course, Amparo + paranoia = Amparanoia.) Listen to 2006’s “La vida te da” and hear the Afro-Cuban rumba interpreted by this talented Spaniard.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Panda, also known as PXNDX, is a Mexican band located somewhere between punk, indie rock and pop on the musical spectrum. Narcisista por Excelencia was the first single of their 2006 album Amantes Sunt Amentes, “Lovers are crazy”.
Difficulty: Beginner
Puerto Rico
World famous boricua Ednita Nazario was once just another six year old watching a Ponce ball game. By chance a line drive flew right into the glove she held before her. The crowd went wild, and that crowd just happened to include a big record producer, who was even more impressed when she offered him a song.
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
Puerto Madero is both antique and fashionable. What many years ago was a commercial port is now one of the most chic parts of the city.
Difficulty: Beginner
Puerto Rico
Kany Garcia is known for being on the first season of Objectivo Fama (Puerto Rico’s American Idol). Kany suffered a serious car accident during the show, but made an almost full recovery. Kany has turned into a sought-after composer/songwriter (for the winning song of "Objectivo Fama" as well as others) and a recording artist in her own right.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Young and beautiful, strong and sensitive, Julieta Venegas reaches more music listeners every day. “El Presente” is one of her most famous songs—here is its “unplugged” version.
Difficulty: Beginner
Argentina
Buenos Aires is a magic city filled with an endless background of tango music. One of the most important Latin American capitals, it has been the home of Jorge Luis Borges, Ernesto Sábato, Julio Cortázar and Diego Maradona. In this video we have the opportunity to take you to Buenos Aires’ historic district.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Here’s an emotional song to make quinceañeras scribble endlessly in their diaries and polish off entire Kleenex packets. Camila is a Mexican band that’s been touching sensitive teen souls since 2006—yet Mario Domm (the lead singer and brain behind the project) has been around longer than that, producing songs for artists as Alejandra Guzmán and Kalimba.
Difficulty: Beginner
Aruba
Landa Henriquez is a mother of three, Business Sciences graduate, entrepreneur, songwriter and singer. She’s also owner of a cute red descapotable and leader of the band. Not bad for a woman of 40.
Difficulty: Beginner
Guatemala
Guatemalan crooner Ricardo Arjona sings a long list of things he wants in his song “Quiero.” This video for “Quiero” was shot in the Dominican Republic and features the stunning Miss D.R. 2007, Massiel Taveras.
Difficulty: Beginner
Puerto Rico
Italian pop star Eros Ramazzotti teams up with Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin in this duet, “No Estamos Solos” (“We are not alone”—or, “Non Siamo Soli” in its Italian version). Born in Rome, the 44-year-old Ramazzotti is no duet virgin: He’s recorded songs with the late Luciano Pavarotti, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Cher and Carlos Santana, to name a few.
Difficulty: Beginner
Puerto Rico
Encarnita (Kany) García had her first brush with fame on the Puerto Rican talent-search show Objetivo Fama in 2004. But she had to pull out of the OF competition after a terrible car accident landed her in intensive care… Luckily, things have looked up since then. After writing songs for fellow OF alum Janina, singer/songwriter Kany released her own album, Cualquier Día, in 2007 to critical acclaim.
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