Amid Hispanic Heritage Month, KVRX's Blog and FER teams have come together to highlight some of Texas' most captivating Hispanic artists who should absolutely be on your radar!
J Noa - Ben Catterton, DJ IV Drip
One only needs to listen to J Noa’s Tiny Desk Concert to realize she’s the future of Dominican Hip Hop. At seventeen years old, J Noa released her Latin Grammy-nominated album Autodidacta, and she’s shown no signs of stopping since. This year alone she’s released her second studio album, Matense Por La Corona, and was featured on TILIN CHILIN, Junior Zamora’s summer single. With her thumping and poetic verses, and her communal, jazz influences, J Noa is certainly one to check out.
Check out J Noa here
Chuwi - Audrey Piczak, DJ Provocative
It’s a challenge to not dance along to the dynamic, funk-filled beats of Chuwi, a banded quartet of Latin musicians and vocalists from Isabella, Puerto Rico. The group’s composition of three siblings - Willy, Lorén, and Wester Aldarondo - and their close friend Adrián Lopez makes for a sound that just makes sense, even with its abundance of melodic surprises and turns throughout each song. Having released their debut EP, Tierra, this past year, Chuwi is a name to remember as they begin their climb to prominence in the world of not only Latin music, but in the world of any and all exceptional music.
Check out Chuwi here
Dezorah - Rebecca Meyers, DJ Doodlebug
Hailing from McAllen, TX, Dezorah is a hidden gem waiting to be unearthed. This post-progressive rock group defies the boundaries of genre to create their signature brooding soundscapes. Their newest single, "Control," was released this year, and it's safe to say they have found their grungy, dark, relentless voice. Vocalist Danica Salazar doesn't forcefully push her way to the front; instead, her passion-filled voice harmonizes with her bandmates—Eric Martinez, Jonathan Garza, Daven Martinez, and Eric James Olivarez—adding another necessary layer to the sublime atmosphere of their tracks. Dezorah's anxious and dynamic beats defy expectations, placing them at the top of my "List of Groups You Should Totally, Definitely, Seriously Keep Your Eye On."
Check out Dezorah here
The Tiarras- Ana Taveira, DJ Daffodil
The Tiarras are an Austin-based band consisting of sisters Tori, Sophia, and Tiffany Baltierra. Their sound pulls influence from Latin, rock, blues, soul, and pop music. Alongside their genre-blending music, The Tiarras use their music to help advocate for equality by playing at events such as Rock the Vote and Voto Latino. You can catch them live at ACL this year at Weekend 2!
Check out The Tiarras here
Magali Delarosa - Evelyn Martinez, DJ Duderanch
Tejano’s in good hands if Magali Delarosa’s got anything to do with it. This South Texas diva has taken spices from the cabinets of Norteño, country and mariachi, bringing a nostalgic flavor to the classic Tejano she’s perfected over the last nine years. Taking notes from her childhood idol Selena, her music combines the colors of a full mariachi with beautifully melodramatic vocals and lyrics. With releases ranging from emotional ballads like Gracias Mamá and newest single No Mas, to baile anthems like Quiero Que Vuelvas, dive headfirst into any of her records with your dancing shoes on.
Check out Magali Delarosa here
Luna Luna - Kaitlyn Bedrick, DJ Charm
Dreams do come true–just ask Kavvi, the mastermind behind Dallas’s indie pop sensation Luna Luna! At fourteen, he dedicated himself to mastering the art of GarageBand, just like every other angsty teenager with far too much time on their hands. Cut to 2017, and Luna Luna was born in true bedroom pop style. With bilingual tracks like “Golden” and “You,” the group serves the best kind of nostalgia, blending English and Spanish as smoothly as they mix synths and grooves. Whether you’re in the mood to cry, dance, or maybe even both, Luna Luna has you covered with songs that hit all the right feels. The group just dropped their brand new single ‘something bout you’ this month and they are currently touring all around the country–catch them in a town near you, and you’ll be able to brag about knowing them before they went big in true indie fashion.
Check out Luna Luna here
At the Drive-In - Adam Elayan, DJ Zam
If you’re looking for music with clear Latin-American influences, you will not find it anywhere in At the Drive-In’s catalog. You will, however, find some of the most emotionally raw, expertly crafted, and instrumentally explosive post-hardcore releases available. The El Paso, Texas outfit, whose peak lineup featured Mexican-American frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Puerto Rican guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López, and Hispanic-American bassist Paul Hinojos, set the underground on fire at the turn of the century with a series of critically acclaimed records. Their most revered work is their 2000 album Relationship of Command, which takes the aggressive sound and disillusioned themes of hardcore punk and expands them in every way, resulting in more nebulous lyrics to go with longer, more musically complex songs. Their execution is spot on, culminating in a listening experience that is both electrifying and challenging. For anyone interested in getting into post-hardcore or emo punk, At the Drive-In is required reading.
Check out At the Drive-In here
Nemegata - Keren Ortega
An up-and-coming Colombian pop trio based in Austin, Nemegata has been interviewed by Rolling Stone and is playing a pop-up for ACL for the second year. Their latest album, Voces (translated into English: Voices), released in 2023, blends psychedelic pop with Andean influences. African and Caribbean beats give the listener a sensation of unparalleled storytelling through music. Their new single, Quiero Llegar, blends traditional lament and anguish with dance beats. Watch them, alongside BALTHVS at Antone’s ACL Fest Nights on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm).
Check out Nemegata here
El Combo Oscuro - Keren Ortega
Formed in Austin in 2020, El Combo Oscuro combines 40’s cumbia, Peruvian psychedelic, and surf rock to create a rich big band sound. Their latest album, La Danza de las Sirenas (The Dance of the Sirens) is worth giving a listen-through, not only for the mysticism in the sound, but for the need to dance it evokes. A Latin nominee for the Austin Music Awards, the band has been an official SXSW artist since 2022. Catch them on October 19 at Circut of the Americas.
Check out El Combo Oscuro here
Como Las Movies - Keren Ortega
Another Cumbia band based in Austin, chief songwriter Nelson Valente Aguilar combines synth, pop, and indie with classic folkloric romanticism. Como Las Movies has played KVRX shows several times in recent years, but I highly recommend watching their live sessions on NPR. Their newest single, Feedback Cumbiero, is now on Spotify and Apple Music.
Check out Como Las Movies here
Chicoselfie - Keren Ortega
Hailing from Mexico and Argentina, Chicoselfie is now based in Austin, Their latest single, Paraiso (Paradise) debuted this February. A frequent collaborator of Como Las Movies, they seek to create music that bridges cultural identities through Latin pop.
Check out Chicoselfie here
AILA - Keren Ortega
Aila Farfán will perform at the KVRX Hispanic Heritage Month show on October 10. (Doors at 7) From Mexico, and now an Austinite, her lyrics discuss feminine identity with a touch of synth-pop and Latin Guitar.
Check out AILA here
Perdidos - Hannah Shaikh
Located in Dallas, Perdidos is an independent Latinx band that stays true to the meaning of punk with its guitar riffs and incredible vocals by its singer, Diego. They deliver a story full of passion and struggle that revolves around life as a Latinx in Dallas and they discuss topics of immigration and keep true to the real punk meaning of non-conformity. Their most recent release, Miedo Al Vacio, showcases their talent and representation of the punk Latinx community.
Check out Perdidos here
Los Skarnales - Hannah Shaikh
Los Skarnales is a band from Houston that has become a beacon of representation for Latinx music in the area. Using a mixture of punk rock, mariachi, and cumbia, they have been around for 20 years and continue to impact Texas. They currently plan on performing on Nov 2nd at the Scout Bar in Houston.
Contact Los Skarnales here
Bombón - Hannah Shaikh
In a town that is inspired heavily by Spanish rap and Tejano, Bombón is a group of DJs and producers that put a unique spin on Houston music. With a mixture of rock and pop, they are taking Houston by storm and redefining music. Not only do they create great music but they also host parties with other Latinx bands in the area.
Check out Bombón here
Gina Chavez - Hannah Shaikh
Gina Chavez is a native of Austin, her music has touched the hearts of many people, and has even been nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Pop/Rock Album, as well as 2015 Austin Musician of the Year. As a queer Latinx and wife her music is very personal and uses a mix of bilingual lyrics as an homage to her Latin roots. Her first all-Spanish album “La que Manda” is about growth and female empowerment as a Latina woman coming into her own power and perfectly encapsulates femininity.
Check out Gina Chaves here
Fea - Micaela Regis
Based in San Antonio and born from the ashes of two of the members’ previous band, Girl In a Coma, Fea is a band that embodies the essence of punk: fearlessly expressing your freedom with fury and joy. They’ve received praise from music outlets such as NPR for representing “Latina punk at its finest." Having toured with various punk bands, their aim is to spread a sense of freedom, fun, solidarity and purpose throughout all their concerts.
Check out Fea here
Cecilia + the Broken Hearts - Micaela Regis
Based in Austin, Cecilia + the Broken Hearts is an Afro-Chicano futurism band that blends Latin American rhythms with a unique combination of “common” instruments and those commonly found in Latinx music, such as the accordion, flute, and synth. Their music delves into themes of bi-culturalism and the Chicanx experience. They’ve been featured on NPR’s Alt-Latino and have performed at the Cactus Cafe here at UT as part of the NPR Tiny Desk Contest!
Check out Cecilia + the Broken Hearts here
CHROMA - Micaela Regis
CHROMA mixes various genres like Hip-Hop, Alt-Rap, House, Indie Pop to express the Chicano identity. Their collaboration with musician A-Wall “Primavera” was recognized as the “Best Musical Collaboration” by D-Magazine last year. Right now, they’re working on a new project with A-Wall, so stay tuned!!
Check out CHROMA here