2008 Woodie Awards
High Expectations Await Latin Fest
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Focus
This Saturday night, the UConn community can immerge itself into Latin culture through food, dance and music at the annual event Latin Fest, which this year could prove to be better than ever.
Latin Fest is presented by the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC), whose members are excited to see the UConn community get a little Latin flavor on this special night.
"I think what guests will enjoy the most is having the opportunity to dance while the artists play live music," says Dr. Mayte Perez-Franco, the director of PRLACC.
This year, the sights, sounds and soul of Latino music will be present in Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts with the performances from UConn's own BAILE (Bringing Awareness Into Latino Ethnicities), La India - also known as "The Princess of Salsa" - and Grupo Niche, "The Kings of Romantic Salsa."
While not well-known acts here in the United States, the music of both La India and Grupo Niche is immensely popular in Latin America.
La India, whose real name is Linda Viera Caballero is a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated artist who was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in the south Bronx. During her childhood, she was nicknamed "La India" because of her dark features and straight black hair.
Her career started when she was only 14 years old, as a backup singer for the Latin Hip Hop group TKA. Since then she has worked with many Latino greats such as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz and Marc Anthony.
It wasn't until 2003, when India released "Latin Songbird: Mi Alma Y Corazón" that she had a number 1 song with the romantic salsa single "Sedúceme." It became a hit on the Latin Charts and topped the U.S. Billboard Latin Chart for several weeks. That song brought her a new fanbase, which attendees of Latin Fest will likely join.
"La India's songs for the first time, her style of salsa is all about the catchy lyrics of love, passion, and attitude with great instrumentals that want to make the audience sing along and dance," says Oscar Perez, a 6th-semester Higher Education in Spanish and Spanish literature major as well as BAILE's public relations representative.
Latin Fest is presented by the Puerto Rican/Latin American Cultural Center (PRLACC), whose members are excited to see the UConn community get a little Latin flavor on this special night.
"I think what guests will enjoy the most is having the opportunity to dance while the artists play live music," says Dr. Mayte Perez-Franco, the director of PRLACC.
This year, the sights, sounds and soul of Latino music will be present in Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts with the performances from UConn's own BAILE (Bringing Awareness Into Latino Ethnicities), La India - also known as "The Princess of Salsa" - and Grupo Niche, "The Kings of Romantic Salsa."
While not well-known acts here in the United States, the music of both La India and Grupo Niche is immensely popular in Latin America.
La India, whose real name is Linda Viera Caballero is a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated artist who was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in the south Bronx. During her childhood, she was nicknamed "La India" because of her dark features and straight black hair.
Her career started when she was only 14 years old, as a backup singer for the Latin Hip Hop group TKA. Since then she has worked with many Latino greats such as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz and Marc Anthony.
It wasn't until 2003, when India released "Latin Songbird: Mi Alma Y Corazón" that she had a number 1 song with the romantic salsa single "Sedúceme." It became a hit on the Latin Charts and topped the U.S. Billboard Latin Chart for several weeks. That song brought her a new fanbase, which attendees of Latin Fest will likely join.
"La India's songs for the first time, her style of salsa is all about the catchy lyrics of love, passion, and attitude with great instrumentals that want to make the audience sing along and dance," says Oscar Perez, a 6th-semester Higher Education in Spanish and Spanish literature major as well as BAILE's public relations representative.
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