Havana – Cuban teenagers Fabio and Diego Abreu seem shy at first, but the moment they step on stage, they become confident, filling a concert hall in downtown Havana with a hypnotic form of traditional jazz.
The Abreu brothers, ages 19 and 17, are part of a new generation of musicians reviving Cuba’s music scene. They are filling a void left by established performers who have emigrated or stayed abroad as the island endures one of its most devastating economic crises in decades. Their rise is also being fueled by the opening of small, private venues for their performances and the relatively recent spread of internet access on the island, which they are using to promote themselves.
“We do what we love, and we are lucky to make a living from what we love, which is music,” said 19-year-old Fabio Abreu shortly before a concert at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano—a sprawling cultural center housed in a former factory that now operates as an art gallery, music venue and nightclub.
And it’s not just good old traditional jazz like Abreus. Young musicians in Cuba are experimenting with everything, mixing traditional Cuban music like timba and salsa with newer, bolder sounds like electronic music and hip-hop.
The Cuban music scene is both complex and interesting, said Michel Hernandez, a writer and journalist specializing in music. “The recent migration of major Cuban artists – many with established careers – has created a void that is now being filled by a new generation of musicians,” he said.
The new scene is very hybrid, he said, mixing rock, pop and electronic music with traditional Afro-Cuban musical styles such as “son,” which is the root of salsa. The phenomenon has led to the rise of new genres, including the highly commercial “Reparto,” a genre that originated in Havana’s working-class neighborhoods and is known for its explicit lyrics.
In addition to new sounds, many of these artists now perform in small, private bars that have opened in the last decade. And in the absence of a formal recording industry, young Cuban artists rely heavily on social media and the internet — tools that have only been widely available on the island since late 2018. They also rely on music videos, some of which are made with very low production budgets, shared between phones.
One of them is Melanie Santiller, a 23-year-old pop singer-songwriter who has gained a following among young people. She credits online videos for much of her success. Her Instagram account boasts 248,000 followers, while her YouTube channel has 73,000.
“We, the emerging musicians, are the ones who carry the flag and shape the future of Cuban music,” she said. “For me, this is a defining moment.”
The current “Reparto” genre is a fusion of reggaeton and traditional island sounds, which artists like El Tafer and Bebeshito have helped bring to the United States.
“Cuba has produced many impressive artists, countless very important orchestras,” said Dasiel Musteljer, a 22-year-old musician who performs under the name Wampi.
Trained as a saxophonist, Wampi is one of the most prominent “Reparto” creators with 712,000 followers on Instagram and over 300,000 on YouTube.
With a European tour scheduled for November and December, Wampi is also collaborating with Cuban global stars such as Cimafunk, a testament to his growing influence.
“Young people should take full advantage of this moment,” he said.
____
Follow AP coverage in Latin America and the Caribbean at
