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Shop nowDecoding "Despacito"
An Oral History of Latin Music
Narrator
Leila Cobo
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Length
8 hours 18 minutes
Language
English
A behind the scenes look at the music that is currently the soundtrack of the globe, reported on and written by Leila Cobo, Billboard's VP of Latin Music and the world's ultimate authority on popular Latin music.
Decoding "Despacito" tracks the stories behind the biggest Latin hits of the past fifty years. From the salsa born and bred in the streets of New York City, to Puerto Rican reggaetón and bilingual chart-toppers, this rich oral history is a veritable treasure trove of never-before heard anecdotes and insight from a who's who of Latin music artists, executives, observers, and players. Their stories, told in their own words, take you inside the hits, to the inner sanctum of the creative minds behind the tracks that have defined eras and become hallmarks of history.
FEATURING THE STORIES BEHIND SONGS BY:
José Feliciano • Los Tigres Del Norte • Julio Iglesias • Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine • Willie Colón • Juan Luis Guerra • Selena • Los Del Río • Carlos Vives • Elvis Crespo • Ricky Martin • Santana • Shakira • Daddy Yankee • Marc Anthony • Enrique Iglesias with Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona • Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee • J Balvin with Willy William • Rosalía
Leila Cobo is a Fulbright scholar from Cali, Colombia. Cobo is also a classical pianist, novelist, and executive Editor for Billboard. She has published two award-winning novels that have been translated into German and Italian. Her novel, The Second Time We Met, won the Latino Book Award for Best Popular Fiction and was selected by MSN and Latina as one of its top summer reads. Her biography on Jenni Rivera remained among the top 10 most-sold books in Spanish in the United States for more than 25 consecutive weeks and was named a top read by publications such as Latina and People en Español.
Leila Cobo is a Fulbright scholar from Cali, Colombia. Cobo is also a classical pianist, novelist, and executive Editor for Billboard. She has published two award-winning novels that have been translated into German and Italian. Her novel, The Second Time We Met, won the Latino Book Award for Best Popular Fiction and was selected by MSN and Latina as one of its top summer reads. Her biography on Jenni Rivera remained among the top 10 most-sold books in Spanish in the United States for more than 25 consecutive weeks and was named a top read by publications such as Latina and People en Español.
Reviews
“An up-tempo journey through some of Latin music’s greatest hits. . . . The narrative is rapidly paced, just like the music that fills its pages, and is best served while playing the songs it chronicles. At its core, this is a book about believing in what many considered impossible: “It’s too much Spanish,” said American radio programmers about the titular megahit, which demonstrates the power of music to change attitudes. There is something special about learning the magic of this music from the people who were there and how seemingly niche sounds like salsa, which began in the streets of New York City in the 1960s, would end up resonating in places as far-flung as Japan. The organizer and host of Billboard’s annual Latin Music Conference, Cobo is a highly knowledgeable guide, and she delves deep into the canon to make a convincing case for Latin music as a significant driver of American culture at large. An entertaining oral history of the songs that put Latin culture on the map.”—Kirkus Reviews Expand reviews