When you think of Latin music, what do you think of? Do you think of warm sandy beaches, drinks served in coconuts with umbrellas as decor? Palm trees? Basically, Latin music smells feels and tastes a lot like summer. But it’s so much more than that.
It’s about the culture. It’s about the movement. Most importantly, it’s about the people.
Meet Riobamba, an Ecuadorian-Lithuanian producer, DJ, and cultural activist. From a young age for Riobamba, “the dance floor was a sacred place.” She always looked forward to family parties, when everyone would unite and dance Merengue and Salsa. “I didn’t realize at the time that dancing to Salsa and Merengue from burned CDs in a community was planting the seeds for what would later become my career.”
Along with DJing, Riobamba is also the founder of the record label and creative agency, APOCALIPSIS and co-host of Red Bull Radio’s monthly show Bien Buena with Uproot Andy. The show is dedicated to the intersection of Latinx and electronic music. They go in depth into the history of popular Latin sounds we hear today such as Dembow, Reggaeton and Trap music en español. From exploring how Philly DJ Precolumbian has refined the city’s queer club scene to how diverse music connects New York City to Latin America and the Caribbean, Riobamba and Uproot Andy has cultivated a show that spotlights stories and people of the Latinx music scene and its significance.
Image by Maria Jose Govea
Riobamba’s work reflects the rise of Latin music. Her talent of mixing eclectic and Caribbean sounds give power to the music that has long deserved everyone’s attention.
“I think a common misconception is the terms that we use to describe what’s happening right now. When we say “Americans” or “mainstream,” what’s coded in that language? Do we mean to say more specifically– why wasn’t white America paying attention before?” She said. “The United States is a country inclusive of a massive population of people of color, and notions of “minority” or marginalized status need to be left behind because those terms are made to invoke a sense of powerlessness.”
Image by Amina Gingold
In the Rolling Stone article, “Inside Latin Pop’s 2017 Takeover”, the Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America, Jesús López, stated, “I think the first year was 2013 that we started to smell that something like this would happen.” American artists such as Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato, have worked with Latin artists. Now, more and more, Latin music is growing within the mainstream American market. In 2015 and 2016, the listening numbers on Latin pop hits on YouTube increased by 75 to 80 percent, according to Rolling Stone. “Spotify’s most streamed playlist last year was Baila Reggeatón; J Balvin surpassed Drake as the most-streamed artist globally. How can a discourse of marginalization hold up?” Riobamba rhetorically questioned.
Women have also played a huge role within the Latin music community. Female artists such as Ivy Queen, Glore Glow, Jenna la Sexy Voz, Demphra, La Atrevida and many more are a part of the success of the music genre, Reggaeton. The narrative has changed and more power has been given to female Reggaeton artist, allowing them to have more power and giving them more recognition.
Image by Jay Tovar
When it comes to the music industry, “I don’t want just a seat at the table, I want to flip the damn table to make space for all of the other voices & perspectives that deserve to be included.”
Well, keep flipping those ‘damn’ tables, Riobamba!
Every third Wednesday of the month Riobamba is on Bien Buena at 4pm EST.
Tune in today to watch the live show at 4pm EST!