Last week marked the 22nd edition of the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), one of the most well-known music conferences in the US that shines the spotlight on Spanish language alternative music. Hosted by Latin music connoisseur Raul Campos from L.A.’s own KCRW radio station, the conference showcases its top picks for the “best in Latin music” and gives exposure to up-in-coming artists in a range of genres. It also serves as a meeting of the minds for all the diverse individuals across the industry – artists, labels, managers, journalists, you name it – to mix, mingle and conceive their next great ideas. With a wealth of content to explore, we have summarized some of our favorite moments from the event.
Music Compilations
To wet your appetite and give you an idea of what this conference is all about, check out some of their annual compilations on Spotify featuring all their favorite musical discoveries. They’ll also make the perfect playlists for your upcoming back-yard summer hangouts.
Artist Showcases
With an incredible selection of emerging and established artists, selecting a few of our favorites was difficult to say the least – but here they are.
YEИDRY – The perfect fusion between pop, r&b and electronic sounds, the Dominican-Italian singer is just getting started with her debut album due for release later this year.
Maye – The Venezuelan-born Miami-raised singer has captivated us with her dreamy & beautiful sound, making it clear why she was one of the 2021 Discovery Artist winners.
Los Master Plus – With a sound and aesthetic reminiscent of a Quentin Tarantino movie, the trio incorporates traditional Mexican rhythms overlayed with rapping and singing to create music you won’t forget.
Pachyman – it’s not every day that you hear a killer dub & reggae artist from Puerto Rico, but Pachy García certainly takes the cake – presumably why he was one of the 2021 Discovery artist winners. His fresh take on the genres and exuberant attitude (along with a brief appearance from his cat) made this one of our favourite showcases.
Panels
With panels covering everything from emerging artists you should check out, to songwriting and music rights considerations for artists, to what the future of the music industry holds, LAMC hosted an outstanding selection of panels with something for everyone. LAMC will continue uploading panels to their YouTube Channel over the next month, so make sure you subscribe here.
Wonder Women of Latin Music
The old-school “machista” mentality still prevalent today is one of the many barriers female professionals face when advancing their careers. Considering that the music industry remains one of the most male-dominated industries in the world, this panel offers a refreshing perspective from some powerhouse female professionals working in leadership roles at some of the biggest music companies in the world.
LAMC Talks with NPR Alt.Latino: Ana Tijoux sits down with Felix Contreras
Tune in for an inspiring conversation between French-Chilean artist Ana Tijoux and NPR’s own Alt.Latino creator Felix Contreras. In just 23 minutes, the duo explores discovering new independent music, breaking down the term “Latin Music”, and staying calm throughout the pandemic.
LAMC Talks with Deezer’s La Ola Podcast
Spritzed throughout the conference with notable guests, the series delves into compelling discussions of the evolution of Latin music, current trends and what to look forward to in the future. LISTEN HERE
Coming soon
The following panels have yet to be uploaded to LAMC’s YouTube Channel, but once they are, they are definitely worth watching.
Afro-Latino!
Upon discovering Mabiland, she quickly became one of our favorite Colombian artists, so when we saw she was a part of this panel, we had to tune in. A profound conversation about the roots and challenges for Afro-Latinx artists and the need for greater visibility, this panel is a no-bullshit discussion on industry racism and whitewashing with some amazing artists from the Afro-Latinx diaspora.
LAMC Keynote Interview: Gustavo Santaolalla by Javier Andrade
If you appreciate music in film as much as we do, you’ll want to check out this interview with Academy Award winning Argentine composer Gustavo Santaolalla,who is the mastermind behind the scores for Brokeback Mountain, Babel, Relatos Salvajes and The Motorcycle Diaries.
Mental Health for the Creative Community
With the pandemic forcing mental health issues to the forefront, whether you’re a creative or not, you’ll want to tune in for this fascinating discussion. The panel provides us all with a much-needed check-in and conversation about the importance of mental health with a focus on creatives by creatives, including Fito Paez, Pepe Aguilar, Ximena Sariñana and Rozalén.