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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carlos Vives' ‘La Tierra del Olvido' Turns 30: All Songs Ranked
In 1994, Carlos Vives was at a crossroads. He had become an overnight sensation, following the 1993 release of his album Clásicos de la Provincia, where he recorded cover versions of classic vallenatos. Young, handsome and a musical risk-taker, Vives had managed to make vallenato –the Colombian popular music of the masses, often shunned by the upper classes and trendy media– hip. More from Billboard Watch J Balvin & Gilberto Santa Rosa Bring Salsa Magic to 'Tonight Show' With 'Misterio' Roze Oficial, Max Carra, Valen & Ramky En Los Controles Add Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Chart Los Bukis Dedicate Their Hollywood Walk of Fame Star to 'All Immigrants In This Beautiful Country' But Vives, who at that point had also played the role of fabled vallenato composer Rafael Escalona in the TV series Escalona, was getting restless. He'd been tasked with following up the sensational success of Clásicos de la Provincia, but 'I couldn't continue to just record classic vallenatos,' he told me in an interview for my book Decoding Despacito in 2021. 'Or at least, the next release couldn't be another album of classic vallenatos; no more songs by old composers of the time. I was faced with composing.' Vives, along with his band La Provincia, dug deep. He and his band holed up at a farm, where for weeks they worked on a new blueprint for Colombia's distinctive beats, one that married the most traditional of folk rhythms and genres with a con-temporary edge; the Caribbean and the mountains; the tropics and the cold; rock and cumbia; North and South; music for the masses and music for musicians. 'The first thing I had learned about vallenato was that it was the son of cumbia, and it opened up to a much bigger universe that touched all our Colombian culture,' Vives told me. 'It was a broader musical DNA that I called 'La Tierra del Olvido' [The land of the forgotten]. It was for me to find myself with my roots.' La Tierra del Olvido would forever change the course of Colombian music. It introduced vallenato to the world; the genre, to this day, remains broadly fused into all kinds of Latin music. It opened the door for Colombian artists to become global superstars; every Colombian star, from Shakira to Maluma and J Balvin, owes a debt of gratitude to Vives. And the title track spawned an entire new musical movement, tropi-pop, that blend of pop and rock with Colombian tropical beats that would become the signature of artists from Juanes to Fonseca. La Tierra del Olvido debuted and peaked at No. 5 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart in 1995. It also gave Vives the first of his two No. 1 on Top Tropical Albums, where it spent seven weeks on top, his longest-reign ever on that chart. Two songs from the album charted: 'Pa' Mayté', which reached No. 7 on Tropical Airplay and No. 12 on Hot Latin Songs; and 'La Tierra del Olvido', which reached No. 8 on Tropical Airplay and No. 5 on Hot Latin Songs. As for Vives, he remains Colombia's most authentic musical ambassador, a man deeply vested in mining and preserving his country's heritage — from vallenato and beyond — by making music that's eminently, joyfully commercial. Thirty years since the release of La Tierra del Olvido, we delve back into its songs and rank them in descending order, arriving at our favorite. — LEILA COBO Editors Note: A remastered, extended version of the album released on Friday (July 25) features a new song — '500' with Lalo Ebratt, Bomba Estéreo, Estereobeat and others — that is not included on this ranking. 11. 'Jam en Jukümey' 'Jam en Jukümey,' the closing track of Carlos Vives' album, is a hypnotic instrumental that pays homage to Colombia's Indigenous roots in just one and a half minutes, its title coming from the Kankuamo Indigenous language (of Colombia's Indigenous peoples). Co-written by Vives and his collaborators, the song feels ritualistic in its essence, with its layered percussion, haunting flutes and evocative pace. With its raw, almost ceremonial energy, the track immerses the listener in the ancestral rhythms of the land. As the album's finale, 'Jam' leaves La Tierra del Olvido echoing with a deep connection to the heart of Colombia — a reflective, almost spiritual conclusion to the journey. — ISABELA RAYGOZA10. 'Agua' A vallenato through and through, with a potent accordion clearly the protagonist here, and Vives' storytelling chops at the core of the song, 'Agua' tells the story of the artist's journey through life, in search of treasures — but ultimately, he comes to the realization that it's life itself that is worth more than gold. 'They say I live on the moon and have almost nothing/ But I have a great fortune, which is a life filled with love,' he sings proudly. — GRISELDA FLORES9. 'Diosa Coronada' Vives pays homage to vallenato icon Leandro Díaz with his version of 'Diosa Coronada.' A traditional vallenato backed by the riveting caja and Guacharaca instrument, the song tells the story of a man who's smitten by the beloved, humble young lady of the town. In addition to Vives, the song has been recorded by Silvio Brito and Colacho Mendoza, Ivan Villazon and Saul Lallemand, and Alfredo Gutiérrez. Its impact also translated into a popular Colombian telenovela of the same name, starring Silvestre Dangond as Díaz. — JESSICA ROIZ8. 'La Puya Puya' This is another classic that has made history. It belongs to the fast-paced and energetic puya sub-genre of vallenato music. Written by his beloved compadre Egidio Cuadrado, this song helped the accordionist win the title of King at the Vallenato Festival in 1985. Besides being a remarkable piece of music, it serves as a true masterclass in the art of playing the accordion. The lyrics are a testament to the great harmony that the song carries within: 'Supposedly because it doesn't sell/ But one must keep in mind/ That you have to know how to play it.' — INGRID FAJARDO7. 'Fidelina' Carlos Vives' take on 'Fidelina' reimagines Alejo Durán's vallenato classic with dynamic energy and rich instrumentation. Durán, known as 'El Negro Grande,' was one of the most legendary vallenato musicians of all time, renowned for his virtuous accordion and vivid storytelling during his lifetime (1919–1989). While honoring Durán's original — written and performed many decades ago — Vives adds depth with layered percussion, a lively flute solo, and a modern twist that amplifies its rhythmic charm. Lyrically playful and flirty ('Beautiful as a wildflower/ Look at that lovely woman'), the track captures Vives' knack for preserving Colombian folklore while revitalizing it for a new generation. — I.R.6. 'La Cachuca Bacana' 'Cacucha Bacana,' a classic by Alejo Durán, the first Vallenato King in 1968, left its mark on several generations with its catchy chorus: 'Jaime sí, Jaime sí, Jaime sí, and Alejo no,' accompanied by the rumble of the snare drum. In Vives' version, from the first verse you can feel the spirit of Caribbean folklore and the echo of the guacharaquero that inspired the song. Like a good coastal guarapo, this vallenato has stood the test of time and continues to resonate strongly in Colombia and beyond. — LUISA CALLE5. 'Rosa' With a build-up that leads to an explosive cacophony of sounds led by powerful congas, Vives soars with this almost chant-like song that is quite literally a poem to a rose, or perhaps a woman named Rosa. 'Of all the flowers, the rose is the most beautiful,' he sings over his signature vallenato accordion that underlines all of his songs. While the lyrics are as sweet as ever, with Vives singing, 'Rose, how pretty you are' in a crescendo, it's the burst of instruments — from a vibrating electric guitar to the nostalgic accordion and the lively gaita — that really take the spotlight here, each one taking a life of its own, but together, immediately creating a sense of jubilation. — G.F.4. 'Zoila' This song unfolds with an energizing mix of rhythmic drums, harmonious Colombian gaita sounds, guitar riffs and rich melodic tones from the accordion. Against this vibrant backdrop, Vives' distinctive voice rises as he passionately delivers poignant verses, culminating in a joyful chorus dedicated to 'Zoila,' the charming woman who has captured his heart. This colorful track envelops you in its sound and takes you on a journey through Colombia's coastal regions. — I.F.3. 'Ella' A soft cumbia and rock fusion — penned by Iván Benavides, who also wrote 'La Tierra del Olvido' — brings to life 'Ella.' Lyrically, it's a poetic exploration of a woman's wonders, depicted through natural metaphors such as air, water and wind. For example: 'She's like the air/ Necessary to breathe/ But she escapes when you hug her' and 'She's like water/ Like water to drink/ And she's also the cause/ Of this strange thirst.' Vives ultimately describes a desired and unattainable love interest through vital elements. — J.R.2. 'Pa' Mayté' One of the two tracks from the album that made it onto the Billboard charts, 'Pa' Mayté' is an explosion of flavor and joy, with its infectious wordplay, champeta fusion, and other rhythms from Colombia's Caribbean coast. 'Y ahí llego yo/ Llego yo y ahí vamo' a ve'/ Y ahí vamo' a ve'/ Vamo' a ve' cómo es goza'/ Cómo es goza'/ Es goza' con el bembé,' Carlos Vives belts out to unleash the party over the sound of gaita, accordion and tambora, traditional instruments of vallenato. Written by Vives, Ivan Benavides and Ernesto Ocampo, 'Pa' Mayté' pays tribute to Mayté Montero, a renowned gaitera and songwriter from Cartagena and part of Vives' band, La Provincia. A staple at parties and karaoke nights, the song — which has gotten generations to 'goza'' (have a good time) over the past three decades — was fundamental in bringing Caribbean sounds to the international stage, and remains one of the most iconic and recognizable tracks in Vives' repertoire. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS1. 'La Tierra del Olvido' As the first single from La Tierra del Olvido, the album's eponymous song — arguably the most representative and decisive of Carlos Vives career — truly launched vallenato beyond its borders and opened the doors of the world to the fusion of genres like rock and pop with this and other Colombian rhythms. Written by Vives with Iván Benavides, 'La Tierra del Olvido' is beautiful and sublime, both musically and lyrically, evoking poetic imagery of nature with verses that express the intensity of love and longing. 'You have the key to my heart/ I love you more than my life/ Because without your love, I would die,' Vives repeats in the chorus of this modern vallenato, a milestone in the history not only of Colombian music, but of Latin music in general — and a classic that continues to stand the test of time. — of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart Solve the daily Crossword
Vogue
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Voy a Llevarte Pa PR—See the Best Looks from Bad Bunny's El Choli Shows
This past weekend, Bad Bunny began his long-awaited and unprecedented 30-show residency at the Choli in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a fitting arrangement to support Debi Tirar Más Fotos, his latest record, which celebrates and pays homage to the music and culture of his homeland—and which, above all, works as a resounding statement on amor a la patria, or love of the country, and the importance of preserving the island's traditions. The residency is titled No Me Quiero Ir de Aqui, which references both the artist's desire to stay home after years of touring and projects that took him abroad, and the idea of having to emigrate to the mainland United States in search of more opportunities, like so many Puerto Ricans have been forced to do. The first 12 dates were deemed exclusive to residents of the island, further emphasizing the point that this is a record dedicated to Boricuas. For the past few years, 'method dressing' at concerts has become the norm, but at these Bad Bunny shows, the method also had a deeper meaning, as attendees embraced elements of the Puerto Rico national costume. Young people came dressed like jíbaros, a term coined in the 1800s to refer to the poor people that lived in the mountains and worked as farmers, but has since become a symbol of national Puerto Rican identity: while for women, that meant ruffled skirts and off-the-shoulder white ruffled blouses, men wore white button-down shirts with the sleeves rolled up, white or khaki pants, and a red scarf tied around their neck, all topped off with a pava—a brimless hat woven from straw, with the leftover pieces creating a kind of fringe all around it. The pava was a particularly popular accessory at the shows, especially since Bad Bunny has also incorporated it into his personal style, including at the Met Gala, where he had a special version made by the Puerto Rican milliner De León Headwear to accompany his Prada look. Other than the pava, the most popular motif was obviously the Puerto Rican flag, seen on everything from hats to bikini tops, dresses, and in makeup. The Flor de Maga, the national flower of the island, was another recurring accessory, usually seen tucked behind young women's ears. The vibe perfectly encapsulated a popular saying on the island: Yo soy Boricua, pa' que tu lo sepas.
Vogue
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Women by Women: A Shared Vision: Foto Féminas.
As part of the column 'Women by Women: A Shared Vision,' created to expand and develop the theme chosen for our Global open call, we had a conversation with Verónica Sanchis, founder of Foto Féminas, a platform founded in 2014 spotlighting women photographers from Latin America and the Caribbeans. Born out Sanchis's desire to see equal representation in photography, as a Venezuelan woman and photographer, Foto Féminas hosts talks, projections, exhibitions and a mobile library. Sanchis told us about how her project was born and the urgency of representation, what she looks for in the projects she features, and the events Foto Féminas has in plan for the future. Herencia Viva (Living Heritage) ©Isabel Tirado How was your project born? Foto Féminas was born from my own frustrations as a Venezuelan woman and photographer. I began my photography studies in the U.K in 2005. From the very beginning, I noticed that it was difficult to find content created by women photographers, and even more so by Latin American and Caribbean women photographers. This curiosity always accompanied me throughout my studies and eventually led me to write my thesis on the differences between local and foreign photographers in Mexico during the 20th century. Here, I researched and compared the works of Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Edward Weston, Graciela Iturbide, and Tina Modotti. Upon discovering Iturbide's work, I became very interested in her documentary work of Mexico. This sparked my desire to continue researching Latin American photographers. Later on, around 2012, I began a monthly column in the online Spanish publication Ventana Latina called; "Ten questions with..." (Diez preguntas con…) where I had the opportunity to interview various Ibero-American contemporary photographers such as Karla Gachet, Marcelo Pérez del Carpio, Alejandro Cartagena, Antonio Briceño, among others.
WIRED
07-07-2025
- General
- WIRED
On Mexico's Caribbean Coast, There's Lobster for the Tourists and Microplastics for Everyone Else
Jul 7, 2025 6:42 AM The fishermen of Puerto Morelos complain of pirates who fish off-season with total impunity, while their small catches are contaminated by the abundant microplastics in the sea. Todos los miembros de la cooperativa han desarrollado una sensibilidad especial por el mar y sus recursos, por eso saben que deben respetar las vedas Photograph: Ricardo Hernández All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. The fishermen of Puerto Morelos, on Mexico's Caribbean coast, risk their lives every time they head out to sea to fish or dive for lobsters. Their bounty is dependent on luck, as the weather often makes it impossible to go out, while on other days the hooks they cast come back empty. These workers set out every day to find the best lobsters possible for the affluent vacationers who come to the region, while they and their families, cut off from many of the benefits of tourism development, get by on fish full of microplastics. Omar Oslet Rivera-Garibay, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, documented the lives of these fishermen in a recent study. He and his colleagues report that while members of the Pescadores de Puerto Morelos fishing cooperative harvest and sell high-value seafood products to satisfy tourists' appetites, they are left with only the fish caught near the town's beaches for their own consumption. It has little commercial value and is contaminated with tiny plastic fragments. As part of their research, Rivera-Garibay and the team captured 424 fish from 29 different species using the same methods as the cooperative's partners. All were dissected, and their digestive tracts removed and examined. Contaminants were found in 57 percent of the fish, with over a thousand microplastic particles recovered. The research noted that 'fish caught with handlines in shallow waters near the coast had significantly more microplastics in their intestines than those caught in deeper waters.' During the closed season, the cooperative's members only use methods such as this 'rosary line' with multiple lures. Photograph: Ricardo Hernández Handline fishing is a traditional method that has long been used in the shallow waters near Puerto Morelos. It consists simply of a line and a hook, and can be used to catch fish such as croaker, which can be eaten but have little commercial value. Two other methods are used to catch more valuable species. A línea de rosario ('rosary line') consists of multiple lines with a series of branched hooks, and is used in deeper waters, about 20 nautical miles from the coast. It is used to catch snapper, grouper, and pigfish. Lobster is caught by free divers using spearguns. The least-prized fish, containing more microplastics, are taken home by fishermen to feed their families; the high-value fish are sold to tourists here in the state of Quintana Roo, which each year receives more than 20 million visitors who spend more than $20 billion. Quintana Roo is the Mexican state with the highest revenue from tourism, but that doesn't trickle down to the bottom of the population pyramid. As of 2020, 42.6 percent of the population in Puerto Morelos lived in poverty or extreme poverty, according to data from Mexico's Secretariat of Economy. Rivera-Garibay highlights the dangers of microplastics in fish. 'These species are consumed by humans. Microplastics contain potentially hazardous chemicals, such as plastic monomers and additives, and they absorb toxic contaminants from the environment, like harmful microbes and algae that may cause illnesses in humans,' Rivera-Garibay says. 'However, there is still no solid evidence that the safety of seafood is compromised by microplastics. A greater understanding of the impacts of microplastics on seafood is urgently needed.' The fish caught by the cooperative's members are stored in large coolers, waiting to be sold. Photograph: Ricardo Hernández The closed season for lobster—during which the area's most lucrative catch cannot legally be caught—began in March. Three months have passed, and the 15 fishermen of the Puerto Morelos cooperative are feeling the effects on their finances. But while they are desperate to earn money, on the June day when I visited them, they preferred to spend the entire day sitting on dry land rather than earn ill-gotten gains from poaching. 'Look at us, we're the only bastards who follow the rules. Right now, the sea is full of pirates,' says Ezequiel Sánchez Herrera, a representative of the cooperative, referring to the hundreds of boats that poach in the Mexican Caribbean, ignoring fishing bans and other regulations. The pirates he speaks of don't have permission to fish and are overexploiting a limited resource, without facing any legal consequences. The fishermen of Quintana Roo warn about the effects of poaching and overfishing lobsters. Fishing is taking place when it shouldn't, juveniles are being caught, and as a result, the lobster population is falling, says Sánchez. Ezequiel Sánchez Herrera learned to fish when he was a child, and ever since then he's always been near the sea. Photograph: Ricardo Hernández There are days, Sánchez adds, when he feels like solving things the old-fashioned way: Going after the pirates, handing them over to the authorities, and burning their boats. 'But I'm sure they'd go free and we'd be put in jail,' says this man who has been fishing since he was eight years old, who became president of the cooperative for the first time at 16, and who has never stopped seeking the best for the cooperative members and for the fishing ecosystem, even if that sometimes means sacrificing income in order to assure the health of the seas. Lobster has long been the most sought-after species in Quintana Roo, contributing around 50 percent of the value of the state's fishing production, according to an article published this January in the journal Ería. It generates around 150 million pesos, or $8 million, in revenue in the state, according to data from the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (Conapesca). Tourists sunbathe while a tour operator disembarks from his boat. Photograph: Ricardo Hernández Lobster is also the economic foundation for the state's cooperatives. Fishermen usually catch it using spearguns while free diving, which is risky. According to Sánchez, one of the cooperative's members nearly died at the beginning of the year from decompression sickness, or 'the bends.' He surfaced faster than he should have, causing nitrogen in his blood and tissues to form bubbles, which can damage tissues and block blood vessels. The closed season for lobster lasts for four months, and Sánchez and the other fishermen often find themselves struggling. 'Sometimes people give me a hard time and ask why we are the only ones who respect the closed season. There's a lot of pressure. I need to make payroll every month, pay for the members' health insurance, and keep all the permits in order. And things have been bad, the weather has been terrible, and we haven't been able to go out fishing. When we do go out, we catch very little. Yesterday, one bastard got only 70 pesos [less than $4] because they came back with only a few kilos of fish, and today we couldn't go out at all because of the bad weather,' says Sánchez. A rosary line is a bundle of lines with several hooks at the ends of each one. Photograph: Ricardo Hernández I ask about the final destination of the fish—about their customers—and whether hotels buy most of their catch. ''No. We stopped selling to hotels. They're the worst. They pay on credit. If we sell them something today, they pay for it three months later. Actually, three months from when you send them the invoice. How could we survive as a cooperative like that? Imagine if I waited three months to pay a fisherman for what he brings in today,' Sánchez complains. Ería also noticed this weakness in its article about the fishing industry in the region. Cooperatives like the one in Puerto Morelos need to sell their catches quickly due to the demands of their members, and also because of inadequate storage facilities, which are usually basic storage centers without freezers or ice machines. As the cooperatives struggle, they are being replaced by private actors, experts say, with large facilities and sufficient capital that allows them to export to foreign markets, including the United States and Asia. Whatever happens, Sánchez says that they will not go out to catch lobsters until July, when the closed season ends. The cooperative's members know that the animals need time to reproduce and grow sufficiently to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species and the future of their livelihoods. This article was originally published by WIRED en Español . It was translated by John Newton.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Always hiding': Haitian laborers fear Dominican deportation push
Agamise Cheranfant hides as soon as he finishes his work at a banana plantation in the Dominican Republic. Like many others, he is Haitian, undocumented, and lives in constant fear of deportation. Owners of farms, construction companies and tourism businesses are also nervous -- they rely on Haitian laborers to work long days under the scorching sun. On the banana plantations in Mao, in the country's northwest, most of the workers are from Haiti, which shares an island with the Dominican Republic. It is an arduous job that few Dominicans want to do. The daily wage of 800 pesos (less than $14) "is very low," said Cheranfant, 33. And with immigration authorities breathing down undocumented workers' necks, "we're always scared, we're always hiding," he said. Relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti are marked by resentment and mistrust. Dominican President Luis Abinader has toughened his policy on migration from the neighboring country, which is plagued by poverty and gang violence that has led thousands of Haitians to flee. Abinader ordered the construction of a wall on the border and increased raids and deportations of undocumented immigrants. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 200,000 Haitians were sent home, even as gang violence there soars. Such "disorderly" repatriations have reduced the availability of labor in tasks that "aren't of interest to Dominicans," according to the construction workers' association, Acoprovi. In some areas, the labor supply has fallen by between 40 and 80 percent. In tourism, the labor squeeze has affected areas such as cooking, said Henri Hebrard, an economist and consultant. "This could affect the quality of service," he said. - Companies demand change - Business leaders are calling for a regularization plan for undocumented laborers. Acoprovi proposes issuing 87,000 temporary work permits. But the government, so far, has shown no signs of flexibility regarding the requests. Antony Florestal has a passport, alien identification card and work card that have all expired. If he is caught in a raid, he faces deportation. "I'm scared," said the 32-year-old, who has been working in agriculture since 2009. "I live here (on the farm) so I don't have to go out on the street." The Dominican Republic exports bananas to the United States, Europe and other countries in the Caribbean, with agriculture representing 5.6 percent of the country's economic output. - 'Can't live in peace' - At the plantation where Cheranfant works, bunches of bananas are harvested with machetes, before being placed on a steel hook and moved along a cable to another area where they are sorted and packed for sale. The best bananas are exported, in this case to Germany. The rest are sold on the local market. The country's banana industry was already in crisis due to factors including the weather, pests and rising costs. Production fell 44 percent between 2021 and 2024, according to the Dominican Association of Banana Producers. The labor shortage is yet another blow. "Here, the workforce has decreased by more than 50 percent" due to the deportations, said producer Osvaldo Pineo. Some Haitians now work "nomadically," he said. "Today, they offer you the service, but tomorrow, you don't know if you'll get it." For employers, too, there is a risk. "If you put them in a vehicle and it's checked (by the authorities), you're accused of being a trafficker of undocumented migrants," Pineo said. Cheranfant has already been deported several times but always returns -- life is a constant game of cat and mouse with immigration authorities. His wife and three children live in a town near the plantation. "Almost every day we flee, in the morning, at night, at three in the morning, at one in the morning," Cheranfant said. "You're scared while you sleep and while you eat. We can't live in peace." str-jt/mbj/dga/nn/dr/des
