What’s happening in the New Year?
24 January, 2026Now that everyone’s presumably focused on the year ahead rather than looking back wistfully at last Christmas, here are a few bits and pieces, events, concerts and such like that might help cement your plans.
Upstairs at Ronnie’s
The famous first-floor secondary venue at Ronnie Scott’s has been recently refurbished as a plush new venue with room for 140 punters. The first-floor space has been completely redesigned as an intimate auditorium, combining cutting-edge acoustics and world-class sound and lighting systems with a striking, contemporary interior (I’m told). The British-Colombian soulful singer Sasha Keable will headline the launch show on Wednesday, February 4th 2026, setting the tone for a varied programme that will no doubt include its fair share of Latin music.
¡Cumbia, Mi Amor! at the Fox and Firkin on Valentine’s Day
On Saturday evening, 14th February, Movimientos will be putting on a bash that should get the streets of Lewisham reverberating. Las Chanchas will be headlining with their electrifying take on Peruvian chicha. They’ll be supported by the cumbia favourites of Los Milagros, while the decks will be graced by the Colombian guest, Guayaba, with a mix of Latin bass, cumbia and club sounds, ably supported by the London vinyl-selector, Crucial Juice, and Movimientos’ own DJs. Get yer loverly tickets ‘ere!
Nyron Higor in London and Brighton, March 2026
The new Far Out Brazilian singer-songwriting star, proclaimed as such on this very site, will be bringing his “beautiful music” (in the opinion of Coco Maria, and quite a few others) to London’s Jazz Café on the 6th March, followed two days later by an appearance at Brighton’s Alphabet, as part of a European tour with his three-piece band that includes Bruno Berle and Batata Boy.
Early acts for the La Linea festival
Presented by Como No, the 26th edition of London’s biggest and longest-running Latin music festival is scheduled to run this year from 20th April to 6th May. The line-up will be 90% female, in keeping with the festival’s commitment to amplifying women’s voices in Latin music.
As part of the male quota, Brazilian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zé Ibarra, best known as the lead vocalist of Latin Grammy-winning contemporary MPB group Bala Desejo, will make his UK debut at the Jazz Café on Wednesday 6th May. The festival has also confirmed an exclusive show from one of the most successful Mexican rock bands of all time, Caifanes. Selling over 3 million albums worldwide, the band were named one of the 100 Greatest Artists in Latin American Rock by Rolling Stone and will swap stadium stages for a special intimate show at The Garage on Tuesday 28th April.
On the distaff side, the Portuguese Latin Grammy nominee and one of Fado’s brightest rising stars, Sara Correia, will appear at the Barbican on Monday, 20th April. Following her sold-out London debut last year at Hootananny Brixton, Spanish singer-songwriter Lia Kali performs at Village Underground on Thursday 23rd April. Argentinian Nu Cumbia singer-songwriter La Yegros, described by the Guardian as the “queen of the scene”, brings her hypnotic fusion of electronica, psychedelia and Nu Cumbia to The Fox and Firkin in Lewisham on 24th April, performing tracks from her 2024 album Haz. And performing on the same day at the Jazz Café, the innovative indigenous Peruvian artist, Renata Flores, will present her first-ever London show with her powerful blend of trap, pop and Andean sounds. The elegant Mexican singer and songwriter Silvana Estrada, who won the Latin Grammy in 2022 for Best Newcomer, will make her La Linea debut with a show at the Union Chapel on Wednesday, 29thApril. (You can watch her NPR Tiny Desk performance HERE.)
There’s also a welcome return for Latinas of London, led by UK-based Latin artist Desta French and celebrating London’s vibrant Latina community at the Jazz Café on Saturday 2nd May. Also at the Jazz Café, Eliane Correa presents Las Salseras – A Tribute to Celia Cruz, a one-night-only homage marking the centenary of the legendary Cuban singer. The show features an all-female salsa band incorporating musicians from across Latin America and the UK.
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