Tag Archives: Champeta

Camilo Enlists Shawn Mendes for Bilingual “Kesi” Remix

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Camilo’s latest single is getting a major assist…

The 27-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has joined voices with Shawn Mendes for the newly released bilingual version of Camilo’s ultra tropical love anthem “Kesi.”

Camilo

It’s the first time the pair has worked together, and the moment was made possible after Mendes reached out to Camilo over DM.

“I was like listening to, I heard KESI And I was like, I’m obsessed with this song. I’m just going to, I slid in his DMS and I was like, ‘Please let me do a verse on this song because I’m obsessed with it,'” the “Señorita” singer told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.

Camilo said in a statement that he wasn’t planning on releasing a remix of “Kesi,” off his chart-topping Mis Manos album, but when Mendes proposed the idea, it was an immediate yes.

“Being a big fan of his music, the pure idea of hearing him singing in Spanish is something that made me so excited. The fact that he decided to sing in our language for the first time in his career on a song with me is one of the greatest honors I’ve had in my career as an artist.”

The remix stays true to the original sounds rooted in traditional champeta, a genre that originates from the coast of Colombia. The twist comes comes near the remix’s minute-mark with Mendes singing a verse in English, and then transitions to Spanish to sing the chorus: “If you tell me right now that you want me by your side, that would be beautiful … but you don’t tell me kesi (yes).”

This release comes as Camilo embarks on his global Mis Manos Tour, which kicked off in Spain and includes 16 sold out dates in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Carlos Vives Performs 21-Minute Set as Part of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk At-Home Concerts

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Carlos Vives is putting his desk foot forward…

The 59-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter is the latest artist to appear as part of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk at-home concerts, bringing his Colombian flavors to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Carlos Vives

During his 21-minute set earlier this week, during which he was joined by a seven-member band, including his longtime backup vocalist and gaita player, Mayte Montero, Vives kicked off things off with his 1995 hit “Pa’ Mayte,” showcasing the spirited champeta dance.

He then performed one of his newer records, “Cumbiana,” dedicated to the diverse community of Colombia, his Shakira-assisted bop “La Bicicleta,” and the infectious “No Te Vayas,” released earlier this year — all while dancing barefoot in the comfort of his own home.

“On this Tiny Desk during this quarantine, we have written most of the songs for our new album, Cumbiana Vol. 2, next to our producer Andres Leal and Martin Velilla,” says the six-time 2020 Latin Grammy nominee during his performance.

Vives is confirmed to speak at the 2020 Billboard Latin Music Week taking place October 20 to October 23. He’ll be joined by internationally renowned Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in an enlightening conversation on the power of music and the arts as a global agent of change for a better society.

 

The new Tiny Desk (home) concerts, which have featured special guests like Billie Eilish and BTS, are “the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.”