Latest news with #Astropical
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘We're zombies. We've lost all connection to one another': Astropical, the Latin supergroup healing our broken brains
The coming together of two of Latin America's most successful and inventive pop acts might seem like a market-savvy partnership dreamed up by their record labels, but for Li Saumet, frontwoman of Colombia's Bomba Estéreo, it's a cosmic calling. 'One day I received a message from the universe: it's time to make a song with Rawayana,' she says, sitting next to Beto Montenegro, frontman with that Venezuelan band and now Saumet's partner in the supergroup Astropical. In a Bogotá hotel ahead of a performance at Estéreo Picnic festival, the duo regularly finish each other's sentences, and Saumet rests her head on Montenegro's shoulder with the ease of a sibling. On Astropical's self-titled debut album, Saumet's vibrant calls to dance and appreciate natural beauty bounce harmoniously off Montenegro's softer vocals. But there is a pointed reason for their playful, joyful music. The duo feel people are increasingly disconnected from each other in a world of constant grim headlines – not least in Montenegro's Venezuela. Accepting a Grammy last year for best Latin rock or alternative album, Montenegro celebrated the resilience of Venezuelans mired in humanitarian crisis. But president Nicolás Maduro has attacked their song Veneka, claiming it denigrates Venezuelan women. 'Why the fuck is the president talking about me because I won a Grammy?' he says, still visibly perplexed from behind his rectangular green sunglasses. He now lives in Puerto Rico: 'I don't feel safe going back [to Venezuela]'. He remembers how during the recording of Astropical's album Saumet turned to him and said, ''The world needs this'. And that was the mindset: to make people feel good and remind them the world is not only this crazy place we're seeing.' Bomba Estéreo came to attention in 2008 with a trippy electro-cumbia sound and have since evolved into pop giants, earning Latin Grammy nominations, collaborations with artists including Bad Bunny, and billions of streams. Rawayana's reggae-infused music surfed along Venezuela's musical underground for almost two decades, but they emphatically crossed over with their Grammy-winning album ¿Quién Trae las Cornetas? The pair met last year when Saumet tracked down Montenegro's number and sent the Rawayana frontman a demo. 'We made a song before we'd ever properly met, and then three songs came out in the studio in a couple of days,' Montenegro says. 'It was fun, so natural.' They kept recording, building an album where each track is inspired by a zodiac sign, a reflection of Saumet's interest in all things cosmic. Today, the singer's matching red-and-white mushroom earrings and handbag seem to evoke mind-altering substances, and her mystical vibe was obvious the moment Montenegro arrived at the studio to find tarot cards, incense and flowers scattered around. 'Beto is used to recording with four guys in this macho environment,' Saumet says, mocking him by thrusting her arms like a T-rex and making macho grunts. 'I think he was a little bit shocked.' Colombia and Venezuela share food, musical rhythms and languages, with Saumet's Caribbean accent sometimes mistaken for a Venezuelan accent. The pair have been fiercely debating what comes from which side of the border and consensus is yet to be reached on the provenance of the arepa, the region's much beloved corn bread. 'We are brothers,' Montenegro says of the two countries, laughing. 'Brothers that fight, but still brothers.' Charged up by this good-natured friction, the resulting music is an energetic mix that jumps from champeta to Afrobeat and dancehall, occasionally pierced by the iconic sound of the gaita flute. This feelgood music aims to counter growing digital alienation. Saumet cites recently seeing a young girl in an airport at 6am, scrolling rapidly through TikTok videos at full volume as everyone around her was equally lost in their own screen. 'Sometimes it feels like we're all zombies and we've lost all connection to one another,' she says. 'We used to be at one with nature and together as humans. We woke up together, ate meals together, went to the river or the sea together. Now you go out for dinner and someone interrupts you with their phone. Everyone is thinking about likes. Who cares? The world gives us so many things that don't help your brain.' Venezuela has spiralled into economic and political collapse since 2010, and triggering one of the largest mass migrations in recent history. Rawayana's satirical lyrics have poked fun at Venezuela's political circus, and their song Veneka took a xenophobic slur frequently used to describe the 8 million Venezuelans who've fled poverty and violence in the last decade and turned it into a term of pride and identity. That nuance was seemingly lost on Nicolás Maduro, and after the president's public condemnation of the song – possibly also precipitated by Montenegro and other Venezuelan musicians accusing him of electoral fraud – the band cancelled a tour for fear they would be persecuted by a government that regularly throws its critics behind bars. Bomba Estéreo also have a political bent to their music: they have urged protection of the Amazon rainforest, and Saumet has directly criticised Álvaro Uribe, Colombia's ex-president who has been charged with bribery and witness tampering (which he denies). But Astropical's album avoids direct political messaging. In fact, Saumet and Montenegro seem exhausted by it. 'Those in power in Venezuela have been there for 25 years. I don't think they should be there – but my music hasn't changed that and I'm tired of associating my name with theirs,' Montenegro says. 'They are not interesting people and I only want to engage with interesting things.' 'I think we can make change another way, touching souls, healing the damage caused by this political theatre,' Saumet says. Despite Venezuela's economic collapse artists continue to break through, with some such as Danny Ocean, Elena Rose and Yorghaki performing at Bogotá's Estéreo Picnic. But Montenegro worries the next generation could be dragged into dangerous political debates that could land them or their families in jail. 'It's been very difficult for us to get where we are,' he says. 'And these artists won't change Venezuelan politics. Talking about it will just get them in trouble.' Addressing the media, he says: 'Just let them be.' 'Rawayana made this fantastic song [Veneka] and all the press wants to ask about is the president,' Saumet adds. 'I know how it is: you feel used, it feels bad as an artist.' Jaded by protest music, Astropical are taking a different tack. 'Right now it's about giving love and receiving love,' Saumet says. 'The world is actually a beautiful place. It depends on how you decide to see it. So we decided to see the world this way – and share it. The message is: you are not alone. We can be together in the world, to dance, kiss, laugh together!' The album Astropical is out now. The group's North American tour begins 24 May at Montreal's Fuego Fuego festival
Los Angeles Times
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
How Venezeula's most popular band overcame the odds and became the soundtrack of a generation in exile
MEXICO CITY — Rawayana, a band composed of Venezuelan émigrés whose trippy, Caribbean-soaked pop has earned it global acclaim, was riding high. Late last year the group had just been nominated for a Grammy, been confirmed for this month's Coachella lineup and was about to release a new album with the beloved Colombian band Bomba Estéreo. And after two years of near nonstop touring around the world, Rawayana was preparing an epic homecoming: celebratory concerts across Venezuela that sold out almost as soon as they were announced. But in December, days before the tour was to start, the band that has always seen its music as a refuge from Venezuela's turbulent political landscape was itself embroiled in politics. Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, whom Rawayana criticized last year after he declared victory in a rigged election, delivered a fiery televised speech in which he lambasted the band and a hit song it had just released, calling it 'horrible' and an insult to Venezuelan womanhood. Venues began disavowing Rawayana, which was forced to cancel its tour. 'Until further notice, this is how we say goodbye to our country,' it wrote on social media. Band leader Alberto 'Beto' Montenegro said he was saddened by Maduro's attacks, but not surprised. The 36-year-old singer and his bandmates are part of the largest diaspora in the world — among nearly 8 million Venezuelans who have fled dueling political and economic crises over the last decade — and their country's leaders had long found new ways to disappoint them. But Venezuelans, they knew, were nothing if not resilient. And so the bandmates picked up their instruments and kept doing what they've always done: Look forward, and play songs for far-flung compatriots longing for the sounds of home. 'There are so many ugly things happening in the world,' Montenegro said recently while in Mexico City with Bomba Estéreo frontwoman Li Saumet to promote their new super-group, Astropical. 'But we try to stay optimistic and move from love. We hope our music serves to heal.' The members of Rawayana — Montenegro, Antonio Casas, Andrés Story and Alejandro Abeijón — were still kids when leftist Hugo Chávez won the presidency in 1998 and began nationalizing Venezuela's industries and consolidating power. They started by uploading tracks to the internet in college and quickly gained a following. At a time when the country's political context was increasingly heavy, their reggae and funk-infused sound was light — dominated by danceable songs about weekends at the beach and cheeky covers of reggaeton hits. 'Music for us was like an escape hatch,' said Montenegro. The band invented the name Rawayana, which it imagined as a remote island far from the real world and its problems. Its first album, in 2011, was called 'Licencia Para Ser Libre.' Permission to Be Free. But as the band grew in popularity, and started collaborating with some of the country's most accomplished musicians, Venezuela was falling apart. In 2013, Chávez died and Maduro took power. The economy plummeted, homicides soared, and Caracas became one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The capital's once thriving nightlife, with its packed salsa and meringue clubs, went dark. After several of the band's members were briefly kidnapped, they decided to leave. 'There was nothing, no opportunities,' said Montenegro. 'The only thing we could do was sing in private concerts for wealthy people who could pay for them, or do government gigs. And we didn't like either of those paths.' The band members lived between Miami and Mexico City. Their paths out of the country — aided by record companies that helped procure visas — were easier than those of most Venezuelan migrants, who have scattered around the world in search of opportunity and safety. While abroad, Rawayana kept making music for those back home — going back to Venezuela when possible to play free concerts. But they were also becoming, as Montenegro describes it, 'the soundtrack for the diaspora.' The band traveled constantly, playing lively concerts anywhere Venezuelans had settled, from Barcelona to Omaha, Neb. Venezuelan flags flew at every show. Migrant life is hard, said Orestes Gómez, a Venezeulan-born percussionist who tours with Rawayana. 'People want to come and enjoy like they're back in Caracas.' 'Whenever they play, their music is impeccable, and the vibe is just incredible,' said César Andrés Rodriguez, a music producer from Venezuela who now lives in Miami. 'Everybody is enjoying themselves, dancing. I've never seen a bad show.' The band continues to make sunny, funky pop that offers an escapist path. 'You don't need a visa to be happy,' Montenegro and rapper Apache croon on the song High. But Rawayana has increasingly touched on political themes. One song on their 2021 album, 'Cuando Los Acéfalos Predominan' (When the Headless Predominate), offered a veiled critique the corrupt elite that govern Venezuela, describing private parties where waiters serve 'champagne bottles worth five times more than your grandmother's pension.' Last year, with discontent over Maduro at an all-time high, Venezeula's opposition had high hopes that it would be able to best him in the country's closely watched presidential election. Evidence collected by independent observers suggests opposition candidate Edmundo González won handily, but election officials declared Maduro the winner. Venezuelans in and outside the country screamed fraud. 'Venezuela has been living a great fraud for many years … an ideological, moral and ethical fraud,' Montenegro told Billboard. 'Unfortunately we are not surprised by another electoral fraud, we have already seen it all.' The attacks from Maduro came a few months later. His target: a hit song Rawayana made with the artist Akapellah called 'Veneka.' The song, which became one of the most listened-to songs last year in Latin America, sought to assign new meaning to the slur 'veneco,' which has been used to describe Venezuelan migrants in neighboring countries such as Colombia. 'Where are the venecan women who represent?' the song asks. 'Wherever she goes, the whole world knows she's the boss.' 'We wanted to use it as a symbol of resilience,' Montenegro said. 'It was like, 'I don't care what you call me. We are the best. Period.'' But Maduro slammed it. 'The women of Venezuela are called Venezuelans with respect and dignity ... not venecas!' he said at a rally. The leader called the song 'insulting' and alleged the band was 'trying to disfigure our identity.' In the days after Rawayana was forced to cancel the tour, the band members sunk into depression. Venezuela's leaders had already devastated their country. 'Now they were trying to take advantage of our success to generate news,' Montenegro said. But there were good things on the horizon. Such as Rawayana's big night in February, when they became the first Venezuelan act to win a Grammy for best Latin rock or alternative album. When they accepted the award, Montenegro named a dozen Venezuelan musicians in a rhymed speech and urged his countrymen to keep their heads up. Then, there was the surprise announcement to fans of an album with Bomba Estéreo. Last year, Saumet reached out to Rawayana to collaborate on a single. Things flowed so well in the studio they went on record a full album. Astropical kicked off a tour in Mexico City last month, and will play the Hollywood Bowl Sept. 7. While they were working, the musicians bonded over the similarities of their countries — the difficulties Venezuelans face now mirror the violence that plagued Colombia in the 1990s. And after Rawayana found itself attacked by Maduro, Saumet gave Montenegro some advice. Success, she said, always comes with difficulties. 'The bigger the tree, the bigger the shadow.' But adversity, she said, often paves the way for art. 'The most impactful music comes from difficult situations,' she said. For Montenegro, what matters most are the band's listeners. 'We have the support of the people,' he said. 'So I don't mind that much.'
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets
Two estrellas shine brighter than one, and Astropical is taking its heightened star power on the road. The Latin supergroup, which consists of the critically acclaimed bands Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana, will embark on a headlining North American tour this summer. The 16-date trek, which kicks off May 24, will include stops in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Las Vegas. Fronted by singer Liliana "Li" Saumet, Colombian group Bomba Estéreo has been charming audiences with its vibrant electro tropical sound, which combines euphoric dance beats with warm Caribbean rhythms. Bomba's latest album, 2021's "Deja," cracked the top 20 of Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart, while the group's 2022 collaboration with Bad Bunny, "Ojitos Lindos," resulted in a Latin Grammy nomination for record of the year. Blackpink announces 2025 world tour: Find out how to get tickets Venezuelan band Rawayana, whose psychedelic alternative-pop fusion is led by singer Alberto "Beto" Montenegro, emerged victorious at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in February when "¿Quién Trae las Cornetas?" won the award for best Latin rock or alternative album. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "I'm really excited about the Astropical tour because I've had many years playing only with Rawayana," Montenegro told USA TODAY in a statement translated from Spanish. "I'm preparing myself to join forces with Li and bring the most beautiful thing possible to this world." The tour follows the release of Astropical's self-titled debut album on Friday. The experimental 12-track LP takes inspiration from astrology, with each song dedicated to a different zodiac sign. Here's everything you need to know about the supergroup's upcoming shows. How to get tickets to Astropical tour Tickets for the Astropical tour go on sale to the general public on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Concertgoers can purchase tickets via the official Astropical website or Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana's respective websites. Additionally, there will be several presales ahead of the public sale. The artist presale will run from Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time through Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time. The venue presale takes place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The Spotify presale will also run on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour: How to get tickets to the 2025 shows Astropical tour dates May 24: Montreal, Canada - Fuego Fuego Festival May 25: Toronto - Queen Elizabeth Theatre May 28: Washington, D.C. - The Anthem May 29: Philadelphia - The Fillmore May 31: Bridgeport, Connecticut - Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater June 1: New York - SummerStage in Central Park June 3: Chicago - The Salt Shed Aug. 23: Hollywood, Florida - Hard Rock Live Aug. 24: Clearwater, Florida - The BayCare Sound Aug. 27: Atlanta - Coca-Cola Roxy Aug. 29: Dallas - The Bomb Factory Aug. 30: Houston - White Oak Music Hall Aug. 31: San Antonio - The Espee Sept. 3: Phoenix - The Van Buren Sept. 10: Las Vegas - Brooklyn Bowl Sept. 12: Berkeley, California - The Greek Theatre
USA Today
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets
Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana team up for Astropical tour: Find out how to get tickets Two estrellas shine brighter than one, and Astropical is taking its heightened star power on the road. The Latin supergroup, which consists of the critically acclaimed bands Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana, will embark on a headlining North American tour this summer. The 16-date trek, which kicks off May 24, will include stops in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Las Vegas. Fronted by singer Liliana "Li" Saumet, Colombian group Bomba Estéreo has been charming audiences with its vibrant electro tropical sound, which combines euphoric dance beats with warm Caribbean rhythms. Bomba's latest album, 2021's "Deja," cracked the top 20 of Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart, while the group's 2022 collaboration with Bad Bunny, "Ojitos Lindos," resulted in a Latin Grammy nomination for record of the year. Blackpink announces 2025 world tour: Find out how to get tickets Venezuelan band Rawayana, whose psychedelic alternative-pop fusion is led by singer Alberto "Beto" Montenegro, emerged victorious at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in February when "¿Quién Trae las Cornetas?" won the award for best Latin rock or alternative album. "I'm really excited about the Astropical tour because I've had many years playing only with Rawayana," Montenegro told USA TODAY in a statement translated from Spanish. "I'm preparing myself to join forces with Li and bring the most beautiful thing possible to this world." The tour follows the release of Astropical's self-titled debut album on Friday. The experimental 12-track LP takes inspiration from astrology, with each song dedicated to a different zodiac sign. Here's everything you need to know about the supergroup's upcoming shows. How to get tickets to Astropical tour Tickets for the Astropical tour go on sale to the general public on Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. Concertgoers can purchase tickets via the official Astropical website or Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana's respective websites. Additionally, there will be several presales ahead of the public sale. The artist presale will run from Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time through Wednesday at 10 p.m. local time. The venue presale takes place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The Spotify presale will also run on Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour: How to get tickets to the 2025 shows Astropical tour dates
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rawayana and Bomba Estéreo Plot First Tour as a Supergroup: ‘A More Experimental and Collaborative Space' (EXCLUSIVE)
The Colombian duo Bomba Estéreo, and recent Grammy winners Rawayana, will soon head out on their first tour as a supergroup. The tour will take both bands across the United States and Canada for 16 shows in support of the release of their self-titled debut album. 'I'm really pleased and happy with this project,' Bomba Estéreo's Li Saumet tells Variety. 'It's new and exciting and it gives me the opportunity to add new things to my performance — new characters, new sides of myself — that push me to leave comfort zone and enter a more experimental and collaborative space.' More from Variety Bad Bunny Brings Puerto Rico to Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium With Surprise Guest Ivy Queen: Concert Review Bomba Estéreo's Li Saumet on Helping Bad Bunny Find Love in 'Ojitos Lindos,' and Her 'Feminist' Solo Album Bomba Estereo Unveil Dates for Biggest Tour of Their Career 'Astropical' is a 12-song collection built on tropical music — taking inspiration from the South American coast — and Afrobeats with vocals from Bomba Estéreo's Li Saumet and Rawayana's Beto Montenegro. The album cover and titles are astrology-themed, featuring such songs as 'Me Pasa (Piscis),' and the joyful 'Brinca (Acuario).' The tour will officially launch on May 24 with a the Fuego Fuego Festival in Montreal, followed by a date at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, followed by the start of U.S. dates on May 28 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. The final date is set for Sept. 12 at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif. The group will get to warm up for their jaunt with scheduled performances at the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City, set for March 16, and the Estéreo Picnic festival in Bogotá, where they will perform on March 29. May 24 – Montreal, QC – Fuego Fuego FestivalMay 25 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth TheatreMay 28 – Washington, D.C – The AnthemMay 29 – Philadelphia, PA – The FillmoreMay 31 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare AmphitheaterJune 1 – New York, NY – SummerStage in Central ParkJune 3 – Chicago, IL – The Salt ShedAugust 23 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock LiveAugust 24 – Tampa, FL – The BayCare SoundAugust 27 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola RoxyAugust 29 – Dallas, TX – The Bomb FactoryAugust 30 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music HallAugust 31 – San Antonio , TX – The EspeeSeptember 3 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van BurenSeptember 10 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl LVSeptember 12 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre Berkeley Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
