Let’s face it. We all love Halloween. Nothing can beat the joys of wearing funny costumes and stuffing ourselves with candy. But did you know that celebrating death is even more enjoyable when it is done the Latin way?

Every year on November 2, Mexicans celebrate “Día de Muertos” or “Day of the Dead.” Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a gloomy holiday, but rather a festive and colorful event where Mexicans pay tribute to friends and family members who have passed away.

Here on OurStage, we are all about celebrating, so we picked our favorite death song in Spanish and have been playing it again and again. We are talking about “Amiga Muerte”, a piece by Mexican band Purpura Hechizo.

According to Purpura Hechizo, “Amiga Muerte” is a song that talks about the relationship between “a normal human being and the death.” The piece aims to spread the message that one must not reject death but rather embrace it and accept it. The song reminds us that, whether we like it or not, we are all going to die and will have to face “la muerte.”

Besides its profound lyrics, what we love the most about “Amiga Muerte” is the fact that we can all sing and dance to it as if we were chanting about something that is not death-related. We really dig how Purpura Hechizo can make such a gloomy theme a very pleasurable listening experience.

If you like “Amiga Muerte” you should try listening to other songs by Purpura Hechizo. We especially like “Te lo Advertí” and “Que es Mas Cruel.” We hope you enjoy this playlist and have an awesome Día de Muertos. Remember that death can be as fun and as good as a friend as you want her to be. ¡Provecho!

When it comes to love, there is nothing better than being able to express your feelings in your own voice and, according to artist Carlos Plesent, also in your own language.

Carlos was born in the Mexican city of Aguascalientes, and has lived to make music ever since. We had the honor of speaking with him about love, Latin music and his eye-tearing song “Te Llevas Mi Voz.”

OS: Carlos Plesent, how would you describe yourself?

CP: I was born to make music. Music has always been my life. I only feel alive if I am writing, singing or playing songs.

OS: You have a solid base of fans in Mexico. Do you ever think about making it big in other countries?

CP: I think that every artists dreams about getting into the hearts of the masses, and I would love it if my music could transcend geographical barriers and get into other countries. In my opinion, there is nothing better than touching someone’s soul with one of your songs.

OS: What would you say are the biggest challenges of Latin American artists?

CP: I think the biggest challenge for us is to get people to listen to our music in our language. Although English is a universal language, Spanish also has something going on. There are things that simply can’t be said in English as perfectly as they can be said in Spanish.

OS: What do you like the most about singing in Spanish?

CP: I love that Spanish gives you the opportunity to use strong but yet subtle phonetics. I like that it is my language and it allows me to integrate all of my people in my songs.

OS: Your song “Te Llevas Mi Voz” has been getting rave reviews from fans.  Can you tell us more about it?

CP: “Te Llevas Mi Voz” is a song that comes from the heart. We all have had our hearts broken at some point. When it comes to love, it is usually the person who loves the most [is] the one who loses the most. I think many people are able to identify themselves with this theme.

Carlos is right, we love “Te Llevas Mi Voz” and we hope you do too. Enjoy this playlist. ¡Provecho!

What do you get when you combine a bass duo, a guitar synthesizer, some drums and killer vocals?

The answer is simple: you get Arquivolta, an alternative rock band from Mexico City with an amazing sound and a unique personality.

In Spanish, the word arquivolta refers to an ornamental molding or a band that follows the underside of an arch. Although we are not sure what that has to do with alternative rock, we do know Arquivolta’s sound is pretty ornamental. Take for example their song “Eclipse” and you’ll know what we are talking about. According to the band, this song is a “manifesto against every virus, person, idea or thing that makes it impossible for harmony and balance to exist.” Play it and you’ll hear the great artistry at work.

Like many other bands, Arquivolta was born from a bunch of jamming sessions among friends, and ended in what is now a new approach to Spanish alternative rock. If you want to experience this approach, play their song “Traicion Vital,” a piece that talks about infidelity and boasts some pretty amazing sounds.

Arquivolta’s motto is ““Vivir para tocar, no tocar para vivir” which in English means something like “Live to play not play for living.” We are sure that, after hearing this playlist, you will agree with us that these guys are definitely alive when they are playing. Enjoy Arquivolta. ¡Provecho!

Recommended Posts:

If you are in the mood for some innovative Spanish pop music, then we have good news for you.  RHUM, a band from Aguascalientes, Mexico is getting great reviews from both artists and fans. We recently chatted with them about their music, their goals and why it feels so good to sing en español.

OS: Tell us more about RHUM and your music

RHUM: Originally from Aguascalientes, Mexico, RHUM is a band that was born from the need of expressing ideas that were developed throughout the years. The band started as a project called Zyanya and then went through a transformation to become RHUM as we added more sounds and instruments like drums, electric guitars and synthesizers among others.

OS: You have an entire fan base in Mexico. Do you think about getting into international markets? Where would you like to go?

RHUM: While we don’t have an official fan club yet, we do have an extensive list of followers in Mexico who love and support our music. We do think about being famous internationally and we are sure that we will get there. Your site is an excellent way of getting there!

OS: As a Latin American artist, what do you think are the main challenges for those who make music in Latin American countries?

RHUM: In our experience, the main challenge is getting people to listen to new music and breaking the great barriers that prevent artists from promoting it. There are not many spaces for new bands like ours, and many of these are taken over by bands that play genres that are already “proven” and, in most cases, don’t offer anything new or interesting.

Continue reading ‘GuacaMusic: Q&A With RHUM’

Most big things come from big dreams. And often those big dreams come from dreaming among friends.

In fact, a reunion among friends was what started everything for Saga, a Colombian band that is worth discovering on OurStage. A few years ago, Saga’s members Nicolás Pineda and Santiago Marulanda decided to get together and make music with a simple acoustic guitar and a pair of timbales. In 2009, they recruited a few more members and finally got their first opportunity to perform in August of that same year.

By 2010, Saga was invited to perform at a song festival in Bogota and scored the opportunity to record the band’s first single “Maldito Amor”, which was well received by Colombian fans.

Things have been going well since that song festival in Colombia. Here on OurStage, Saga has been climbing the top ten charts with “Mentiras,” a song that the band claims was written with “anger, sadness and deception but also with passion and love.” Play it and you will understand how much this band loves to play.

Saga is currently preparing the release of another single that we are sure will conquer the hearts of fans on OurStage and beyond. Visit Saga’s profile on OurStage and remember why sharing your ideas with your friends is always a good idea.  Enjoy Saga. ¡Provecho!

It is no small feat to become El Headliner; hundreds entered, thousands judged but only one artist came out shining above the rest. The Colombian-born, Miami-based singer/songwriter Ria brought her R&B-tinged pop music to the Tr3s Latin Music Channel and emerged as El Headliner for August. In addition to the inherent bragging rights and prestige of being El Headliner, Ria will be featured in Lo Que Te Pica, Music My Güey, Free Latin Music and Blogamole, courtesy of Tr3s. Having performed with legends such as Ruben Blades and fan-favorites like John Mayer, Ria undoubtedly has talent to spare.

Be sure to check out her songs on OurStage and in the playlist below, and keep your eyes peeled for her upcoming features on Tr3s and Tr3s.com as the month progresses. If you think you have what it takes to be the next El Headliner, get over to the Tr3s Latin Music Channel and show us what you’ve got!

What better way to enjoy the end of summer than by listening to an awesome band that gets its inspiration from the great outdoors?

Pureza Natural (which means something like natural purity) is the name of a Panamanian band that has been getting rave reviews from fans on OurStage.

Its members define their style as a fusion between typical African rhythms and classical Australian sounds. To us, this means they are masters at mixing different genres like ska, funk, reggae and others.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Pureza Natural is that there is a real philosophy behind their music. They describe their band as a “living organism, a child who is willing to explore the world, who sings with joy for all the beauty in human kind.”

Play Purezas’ songs on OurStage and you will understand exactly what is behind of this philosophy.  Each song aims to convey a profound ideological message. Take “Verde Aqua” a piece that mixes jazz and reggea, and talks about love and nature. We also love “Ya Pocos Quedan,” a fun piece that blends catchy rhythms with elaborated thoughts about the world.

Here on OurStage, fans seem to really dig Purezas’ music. “Verde Aqua” has been in the Top 10 and Top 40 charts, and has gotten very positive comments from both artists and fans.

If you are into fun music and deep thoughts, we are sure you’ll enjoy Pureza. ¡Provecho!

Do you tend to judge people by their appearance? Ever fell for someone because of how she/he looked?

If so, we have the perfect song for you. Play “Corazón de Plastico” by Colombian band Latente and you will know what we mean. Punk and alternative rock fans are sure to think of Latente as an amazing discovery on OurStage.

Originally from Medellin, Colombia, the guys from Latente got together in 2005 to pursue their dream. Six years later, Latente has one CD and an EP called L.A Rock

So what is it about this band that we love so much? There is no simple answer. We could say that we really dig the way they do punk, but then we also love the originality of their lyrics and the playfulness of their titles. Overall, we think Latente is a combination of good music, and hard-to-resist lyrical themes.

Continue reading ‘GuacaMusic: Latente’

Do you consider music to be a blessing?

According to the Peruvian band Bless, the ability to play music is in itself a true blessing. Turns out, this band has been showing its good fortune on OurStage, getting rave reviews from fans and making it into the top charts several times.

The thing we love the most about Bless is its unique style that blends retro pop and alternative rock. Want to try it? Just play their song “Asi es mejor” and you’ll know what we mean.

Born in 2003, Bless’s first album Artepop came in 2007 to incredible comments from artists and fans. The band was soon invited to perform in a number of TV and radio shows in Peru. Two years later, they presented their first promotional single titled “¿Cómo Estás?” (How are You?) and started working on the creation of a second album with this same title.

After the release of ¿Cómo Estás?, Bless started to get noticed in other Latin American countries. Their songs appeared on MTV and Mexican Ritmoson Latino, getting them a larger fan base and leading to the filming of their first videoclip “Manantial”.

Here on OurStage, the song “Manantial” seems to be resonating really well with the fans. The song has garnered very positive comments and landed it into the top charts several times. Other fan favorites from Bless are “Te Senti” and “¿Cómo Estás?”

Bless is currently working on another album to be released this year. We are sure that, just like everything else they have done, this production will also earn our blessing. Enjoy this playlist. ¡Provecho!

If there’s something Latinos are known for, it’s partying. When it comes to letting loose and living a little, nobody comes close. The food, the drinks, the dancing, the people… it all just seems so fantastically exotic yet incredibly tangible. In an effort to describe this magical experience for you, we’ve prepared a simple analysis of the typical post-college level party by juxtaposing the main elements of both Anglo and Latino social gatherings. See the difference? Additionally, we’ve provided you with a premier sampling of some of our Latino artists here at OurStage to get you in the mood—you’ll be able to find this and much, much more over at the Tr3s Latin Music Channel.

Gato + Palenke Music Co.

1. Attendees:

Anglo – List only, please. Make sure you RSVP!

Latino – List only, but it’s OK to bring significant other(s), siblings, close friends,  second cousins, classmates, coworkers, neighbors and pets.

Continue reading ‘Press Shuffle: Why Latinos Party Best’