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Bogotá is the center point of Colombia’s notoriously vibrant music scene. From enigmatic hip hop to innovative globally-tinged indie bands, Bogotá emblematized a musical and cultural melting pot. For those reasons, Bogota is home to international initiatives such as the Bogota Music Market (premier industry destination for international buyers and Colombia talent), Rock al Parque (Latin America’s largest open-air festival), and Estéreo Picnic (Colombia’s own international latin-alternative festival), among many others.

The last 3 years have been crucial for the development of Colombia’s local talent reaching international unprecedented development and success. Don’t miss these acts live at SxSW 2016!

About The Bands:

Durán (Hip Hop/ Nü Cumbia)

Duran has been mixing the traditional folk he grew up hearing with different types of vibrating rhythms since 1999, giving life to a new sound in Colombia called “Nü Cumbia” and a new aesthetics trend that he calls “chirripop.” The style mixes electronic beats with cumbia, champeta criolla, terapia, dance hall and Hip Hop. The lyrics employ a particular magical realism narrative, while fusing it with street slang. The overall sound radiates a potent ‘Colombianness’, with his debut album making the sounds approachable and accessible- while remaining highly danceable.

Durán’s career took a huge leap when he decided to self-construct a tour around South America, with 100 shows- all of which was documented in a 30-episiode reality show for a national TV channel in 2010 called ‘Al Sur Tour. The show put him on the map as one of
the most popular alternative artists in 2011. His music videos have since made regular appearances on mainstream latin video channels, while his songs are in constant rotation on Colombia’s most influential radio stations. He’s toured extensively throughout the US and Europe- and is not stopping anytime soon.

Performing at:
Thursday March 17 @ Speak Easy (10:00-10:40pm).
Friday March 18 @ Half Step (11:00pm-11:40pm).

El Freaky (Global Bass)

El Freaky- a global bass collective that has been setting dance floors around the world on fire since 2013. The group is known for their striking live show, using captivating visuals and lights against music that holds true to Colombian folklore and Caribbean roots. El Freaky has taken their party around the world- to everywhere from the USA to France to Peru and to prominent stages like Estereo Picnic (Colombia), Rock Al Parque (Colombia), Vive Latino (MX), and, of course, SXSW.
They released their first album ‘Sabroso,’ in 2013 which included a collaborations with producer Benny B, Alfredo Guiterrez, Charles King, and Empire Isis.

Naturally every occasion for El Freaky is a celebration- when their 5th anniversary came around, they celebrated with over 60 shows across Colombia and the rest of Latin America, the USA, Africa. They also released two singles ‘Summer Now’ (ft. Jamaican reggae star Gyptian) and ‘Bad Boys (ft. Mr. Lexx)’. Both singles were widely acclaimed by critics and the public alike. In 2016, El Freaky is getting reading to release their second studio album, and will be bringing the party back to the U.S. and Europe.

Pedrina Y Rio (Pop)

Pedrina y Río are an alternative pop duo from Bogotá, Colombia characterized by the dreamy voice of singer Pedrina backed by poignant electronic pop melodies that hypnotize whoever listens. The duo formed in 2012 by accident- Cerón (Rio) was Pedrina’s voice teacher. They soon realized that musically they couldn’t stop creating together. They wanted to make pop that was experimental, and find a way for the Colombian market to catch on.

They’ve since been sneaking into the Colombia (and now global) airwaves- with chart-topping songs all over the country. Their first single ‘Enamorada’ quickly exceeded over 2 million views on Youtube.

The duo has been noted for their vibrant live performances, colorful songs with simple-yet-profound lyrics, which combine contemporary electronic sentiments with touches of traditional latin american folklore woven throughout. Their debut LP ‘Canciones Sin Ropa’ was released in 2015.

Performing at:
Wednesday, March 16 / Radio Stage Day Presented by Radiónica (12:00-12:40pm).
Thursday , March 17 / Speakeasy Presented by Sounds of Colombia (11:00-11:40pm).
Friday, March 18 / Departure Lounge Presented by BMI Latin (11:00-11:40pm)

Velo De Oza (Rock/ “Carranga” Rock)

Velo de Oza has been described by Billboard as a: “…troupe plays a mixture of carranga — folk music from Colombia’s countryside, mostly the state of Boyacá — married to rock and pop. The sound is unique, in large part thanks to the use of traditional instruments like the guacharaca (a sort of tube scraped by a fork to produce a scratching sound) and a fantastic sense of humor both onstage and in recordings. Fun to watch and hear.” The band, from Colombia’s Boyacá region, is characterized by their unique fusion of rock and tradition Carranga sounds. They have been playing together for nine years and are recognized as founders of a genre called ‘Carranga Rock.’

The band’s first LP ‘Sumercé’ was released in 2012 and propelled them onto stages around the world like the Bogotá Music Market, Circulart, and WOMEX.

Performing at:
Thursday March 17, Speakeasy (8:00-8:40pm).
Friday March 18, Flamingo Cantina.

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