Latest news with #Veneka
Hypebeast
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Carter Gregory on Latin Culture's Global Influence
As VP of A&R atCapitol Records,Carter Gregoryhas been at the forefront of the musical shift in Latin America — spotlighting artists and shaping moments that define today's sound. His appearance inRawayana's 'Veneka' music video and on stage during theirCoachella 2025set goes beyond a cameo; it reflects how deeply his presence resonates within the Latinx community. 'Latin American artists bring an emotional rawness and cultural depth that is so special. I think what sets them apart is how they infuse their music and visuals with so much history, identity, and a real sense of place. I often times feel that I am transported to Puerto Rico, Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, etc. when listening to some of my favorite Latin artists due to the immense storytelling about their upbringing and hometowns. There's often this beautiful mix of pain and joy that comes through and it feels so real.' We caught up with Carter Gregory to dive into the rising influence of Latin America on the global stage. How have you observed Latin American culture shaping global trends in music and fashion over the past decade? In music, so many different Latin sub genres like reggaetón, dembow, and Latin trap have gone mainstream. Artists like Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G, Feid, Rauw Alejandro, etc aren't just on top of Latin charts — they're dominating global playlists and collaborating with some of the biggest American and European acts. What's so dope and impactful is that these types of artists often stay authentic to their roots — singing in Spanish, showcasing their culture — and they're still moving global audiences. I think that speaks volumes about how the world is embracing Latin identity. In fashion, we're seeing a similar wave. I see so many Latinx designers and stylists blending streetwear with heritage. I love admiring the vibrant colors, indigenous patterns, and bold statements that reflect so much pride for one's home region. What distinguishes Latin American artists in their approach to creativity and storytelling compared to other regions? Latin American artists bring an emotional rawness and cultural depth that is so special. I think what sets them apart is how they infuse their music and visuals with so much history, identity, and a real sense of place. I often times feel that I am transported to Puerto Rico, Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela, etc when listening to some of my favorite Latin artists due to the immense storytelling about their upbringing and hometowns. There's often this beautiful mix of pain and joy that comes through and it feels so real. Do you believe the global music industry is fully embracing the depth of talent emerging from Latin America, or is there still work to be done? I think the global music industry is definitely paying more attention to Latin America — you can't ignore the impact so many massive Latinx artists are having. Latin music is charting globally, breaking streaming records, and shifting what 'mainstream' even means. But I wouldn't say the industry is fully embracing the depth of talent yet. There's still a lot of untapped potential in the underground scenes, in emerging artists who don't fit the current commercial mold or speak perfect English. As someone constantly scouting talent, I see how much diversity there is and a lot of that still isn't being properly represented or invested in. So yes, we're seeing progress, but there's still work to do! We need to give real support and exposure to emerging artists and not only the biggest names in Latin culture. But, that's where Cartera and people like me come in — to help bridge that gap and push the culture forward. It's my favorite part of my job. How do collaborations between Latin American artists and international acts influence the global music scene? Collaborations between Latin American artists and international acts are reshaping the global sound. From and A&R perspective, these cross-cultural moments are breaking down language barriers and introducing audiences to new flows and stories they might not have experienced otherwise. When an artist from Latin America teams up with an artist from the U.S., Europe, or Africa, Asia, etc – it's truly about blending worlds. Can you share a pivotal moment in your career where Latin American culture had a significant impact on a project you were involved in? I'm going to take off my A&R hat for a second and speak from Cartera's perspective. A pivotal moment in my career was when I connected with Venezuela in a deeper, more personal way. Working closely with Rawayana for their 'Veneka' music video and having Beto on Carter's Cocktails was life-changing. Rawayana's creativity, their message, and the way they bring Venezuelan culture into everything they do inspires me so much. They are such special artists. How do you envision the role of Latin American culture evolving in the global entertainment industry over the next five years? I see Latin American culture becoming even more central to the global entertainment industry. Currently, we're in a time where the industry is finally recognizing the richness of Latin music, fashion, film, and storytelling. Over the next five years, I think we'll see Latin creatives become a driving creative force — not just being featured, but leading the narratives and owning the platforms. Latin talent is going to keep expanding its reach — I think we'll also see more fusion and collaboration across cultures. Latin American culture will help create totally new global aesthetics and sounds. The next five years are going to be very inspiring.
Los Angeles Times
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
For Rawayana, earning a Grammy nomination is an act of Venezuela resilience
Though the winners for the 67th annual Grammy Awards have yet to be announced, the Venezuelan band Rawayana has already achieved a career milestone with the nomination of their fifth studio album '¿Quién trae las cornetas?' for Latin rock or alternative album. 'This nomination represents something very beautiful because of where we come from and how difficult life has been for our generation,' said Rawayana vocalist Alberto 'Beto' Montenegro. Under their independent label Brocoli Records, Montenegro and his bandmates Antonio 'Tony' Casas, Andrés 'Fofo' Story and Alejandro 'Abeja' Abeijón have taken a different approach to music, tapping into a range of genres from tropic pop to electric funk. Formed in 2007 during an era of political upheaval, the group looked to escape to their own figurative island, drawing name inspiration from the Hindu epic of Ramayana, a tale where good triumphs over evil. Within the last two years, the eclectic funk-fusion band from Caracas has gained international popularity for '¿Quién trae las cornetas?,' further propelled by their NPR 'El Tiny' takeover performance which currently boasts 7.2 million views. 'Feriado,' a party-groove track about honoring someone's day of conception, earned Rawayana their first Latin Grammy for pop song in 2024. The group is also slated to perform at Coachella this April. However, their most recent Grammy breakthrough starkly contrasts a situation months prior where the group canceled their highly anticipated homecoming tour due to numerous phoned threats, according to Montenegro, whose mellow mystique hardens at the mention of Venezuelan matters. At the same time, the decision to call off the sold-out concerts follows comments made by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who criticized Rawayana and rapper Akapellah's song 'Veneka' at a rally. Though many consider the term as socially derogatory against Venezuelans, the collaborators looked to reclaim the label through their empowering lyrics. 'Then Maduro comes out and says that… trying to distort the reality of a song that in fact expresses praise toward Venezuelans,' said Montenegro. 'The majority of us are the greatest, we are people who lead, everything beautiful that 'Veneka' expresses, and more than that!' Still, Rawayana remains resolute in their idea of fiercely spreading joy through their music. The quartet is joining forces with the Colombian electro-pop band Bomba Estéreo to form a supergroup named ASTROPICAL, derived from their shared affinity for astrology and tropical rhythms. They've released their first single 'Me Pasa' on Thursday ahead of their upcoming album. 'This is a very important time on a political, cultural and environmental level. We need melodies and lyrics such as these ones as a way of shepherding the moment,' said Li Saumet, lead singer for Bomba Estéreo. 'This band has invigorated me, and inspired me to make more music.' For now, in the days leading up to the award ceremony, Rawayana is relishing their Grammy nomination and reflecting on the difficult journey that they took to get there. Gilded gramophone in hand or not, Montenegro views the nomination alone as a symbol of the group's personal growth. '[The Grammy nomination] is a beautiful representation of how resilient Venezuelans are,' said Montenegro. If they do win this Sunday, they would be the first Venezuelan act to receive the honor in a category popular for prizing top acts like Maná, Shakira, Calle 13 and many more. De Los spoke to Rawayana frontman Montenegro ahead of the Feb. 2 ceremony. The following Q&A has been lightly edited for clarity and length. The first time I heard of Rawayana was on 'El Tiny' desk two years ago. Did that moment mark a before and after for the band? Totally. I think that 'El Tiny' is very beautiful because it's raw. When we finished recording the episode, I remember telling everyone that it was beautiful because it is characterized by bringing the magic of live music to its maximum expression. How beautiful is it that one of the highs in our careers is to go back to the basics, to acoustic music without special effects in a library-setting, and that it has generated such an energetic rush. How does it feel to be nominated for a Grammy? Yesterday I was driving around L.A. and I was reflecting on this. It's difficult to explain, but it was uphill for us. We are an independent project, and I was reflecting on all those years where we were intuitive, where we tried to do what we could in Venezuela where there is a lack of musical infrastructure. And then we had to leave our country and start from zero, and I think it's wild that now we are recognized by the Recording Academy. Right now we are in Los Angeles working with producers that we never imagined working with. This is a beautiful life reminder. We've worked little by little and we are enjoying it. You sound very emotional right now. It's something so complex. [The Grammy nomination] is a beautiful representation of how resilient Venezuelans are. This nomination represents something very beautiful because of where we come from and how difficult life has been for our generation. And we are so exposed that, inevitably, we are an example of that [resilience]. You won a Latin Grammy last year for your song 'Feriado.' Tell me about that. It was also very unexpected because it's been a whirlwind two years after the release of '¿Quién trae las cornetas?' We feel that the music industry has welcomed us. We don't make music to win awards. Our purpose is for our songs to be basic, complex, fun, sad. That we have an impact and open up conversations for further dialogue. Let's talk about your album,'¿Quién trae las cornetas?' What was the concept behind it? It was a really complex project. It was about confronting the uncertainties of life. The album starts with the lyrics: 'I leap into the void in life, with or without parachute…' It also reflects the sounds of us who come from a country whose major cities lie on the coast, so we play a lot with those elements. We also worked on this album in Miami, Mexico, L.A. and Puerto Rico, so it also has that personality. There's been some criticism from Maduro about your lyrics in the song, 'Veneka.' I saw that you also canceled your Venezuela tour around the time that he made those comments. Can you elaborate on this? In regards to our tour cancellation, we were receiving threatening phone calls months prior. There's many artists outside of Venezuela who don't tour the country, and for us who come from the country, it would have been contradictory to not tour Venezuela. If we didn't believe that the country was capable of hosting our concert, then we wouldn't be nominated for a Grammy. ... In our philosophy, it is not possible for us to abandon our audience. But well, the political situation in Venezuela in December was very tense. We had expressed ourselves freely about who we voted for, and well, because of the tenseness, people associated with the government were transmitting things to us, not good things. And then Maduro comes out and says that… trying to distort the reality of a song that in fact expresses praise toward Venezuelans. The majority of us are the greatest, we are people who lead, everything beautiful that 'Veneka' expresses, and more than that! They're trying to misconstrue it, like they have with other realities, which I try to ignore. Have you thought that your music is perhaps sparking conversations in Venezuela? In the case of Venezuela, it's very complex, because politics have taken over everything. We have political figures that have on the daily hoarded the radio for hours and hours. We have political figures that seem to be more interested in entertaining than governing. It doesn't surprise me that with the impact we are having on a national and international scale, they are trying to grab attention from that. It's sad because it stains the culture, it stains the music, it stains art… and 'Veneka' is more than that. It represents flipping and reassigning meaning to a word that was traditionally used to attack Venezuelans outside of our country... 'Veneka' means uplifting ourselves. 'Veneka' is recognizing that despite the adversity, we recognize that we are the best that we can be... When I hear your music, I see it as a symbol of resistance in a way. Have we not gotten to the point where the simple act of prospering is a symbol of resilience and resistance? Just the act of you being able to survive. What direction is Rawayana headed? We will be releasing our single, 'Me Pasa,' ahead of our next album. Apart from there being a new album, it's going to be a new band that we are forming alongside Bomba Estéreo, called ASTROPICAL. It's going to be 12 songs and it's a project with Bomba Estéreo, and we are going to be doing a tour this year... So I am really happy because we have this new band! But we are also exploring music as Rawayana, thinking through new sounds and themes. For now, we are also enjoying the moment. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. We are just focusing on our resilience, not only in a political sense but in terms of our personal resistance in life. Truth be told, we are enjoying the moment.
