Latin music in Canada

The introduction of Latin music in Canada began during the immigration waves of Hispanics into the country. The commercialization of Latin music emerged during the "Latin explosion" or "Latin

Canadian Latin music#

The Latin music scene in Canada began with the immigration of Hispanic people in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec, and Vancouver. Because of the large immigration move to these cities, Billboard magazine called this a “huge potential” for the popularity of Latin music in Canada. Since at least 1999, Hispanic artists have gained popularity at nightclubs, radio airplay, festivals, and TV appearances. The quintet band took part in the Rhythms of the World Festival and the International Merengue Festival held in Montreal. The band’s debut album in 2006 earned them a Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year. Randy Lennox of Universal Music Canada informed Billboard that they would be treating the release of Mi Plan as a “major release” similar to the marketing strategy used with Furtado’s English-language albums.

Latin American music in Canada#

The earliest Latin music musician who gained fame in Canada was Ferdinand Morton, who toured throughout Canada beginning in the 1910s and popularized Latin jazz in the country. Veteran musicians who later formed the Afro-Cuban All Stars in 1996, gained a following in Canada and brought Cuban salsa music to the country as early as the 1940s. Other tropical music recording artists such as the Company Segundo, Cubanismo!, Rubén González, and Los Mocosos, also became popular Latin acts in Canada. Her posthumously released album Dreaming of You (1995), peaked at number seventeen on the Canadian RPM Top Albums chart, and was certified gold by Music Canada that December. The 1990s “Latin explosion” brought the genre to the mainstream market in Canada. Beginning in 1999, Latin American music recording artists began selling platinum-certified albums—sales in excess of 100,000 units—in Canada including Selena’s greatest hits album All My Hits/Todos Mis Exitos (1999), Ricky Martin’s self-titled album, Jennifer Lopez’s On the 6, and Buena Vista Social Club’s 1997 debut album. Canadian music shops began stocking Latin music albums due to the mainstream success of Martin and Lopez. On November 6, 2010, Colombian singer Shakira’s ninth studio album Sale el Sol became the singer’s first Spanish-language album to impact the Canadian Albums Chart; peaking at number eleven. The album produced two top 40 singles, “Loca” and “Rabiosa”.

Iberian Peninsula music in Canada#

Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias moved to Toronto for six months while recording his debut studio album in 1996. Iglesias’ ninth studio album Euphoria was released in July 2010 for which he embarked on a world tour that included Canada. The album was certified gold for sales in excess of 40,000 units. According to musicologist Ilan Stavans, Canadians enjoyed the morna musical styles of Portugal.

Noted Canadian artists#

As the hispanophone community in Canada is still relatively small compared to English or French speakers, the genre’s prominence in Canada still derives more from the popularity of established international artists than from Canadian artists; however, a burgeoning number of Canadian artists have recorded and performed in Latin genres. This includes both artists who perform exclusively in traditional Latin, Spanish or Portuguese genres, and artists who blend Latin influences with other pop, rock or folk genres. *Eva Avila *The Battle of Santiago *Dan Bejar *Fito Blanko *Boogat *Jane Bunnett *Patricia Cano *Criollo *Alex Cuba *Beto Cuevas *Lhasa de Sela *Quique Escamilla *Nelly Furtado *Florence K *Tom Landa and The Paperboys *Norteño *Pacifika *Lido Pimienta *Adonis Puentes *Jessie Reyez *Alejandra Ribera *Samba Squad *Étienne Drapeau *El Unico Gio

External links#

*Hispanic Fiesta an annual Latin music festival held in Canada