“La cumbia une a Latinoamérica.” That’s one bold proclamation, and one that encapsulates the idea behind the four-day music celebration that is Festival Medellín Vive La Música. Now in its second year, the festival hopes to foster cultural exchange between the artists of Medellín, Colombia in general, and around the world with the support of the Unión del Sector de la Música and the city’s Alcaldía Municipal.
For four days, folks will get to dance to the traditional and remixed sounds of cumbia, thanks to artists such as the Gaiteros De San Jacinto and Toto La Momposina. Mexican artists Compass (Mexican Institute of Sound and Toy Selectah) and Nortec Collective will also make an appearance alongside Colombia’s Systema Solar and Bomba Estéreo, plus many others.
Festivalgoers will also get to sit in on a number of panels featuring music journalists from various online mags, websites, and blogs, such as Liliana Andrade (El Parlante Amarillo), Enrique Blanc (La Banda Elástica), Betto Arcos (NPR), Nicolás Vallejo (Vice Colombia), and our very own Joel Moya.
Moya will also post live updates from the festival, making everyone else at the office pretty jealous. In the meantime, listen to our pre-festival playlist below.