Guacamaya Latin Band + Xaawo Kiin

Guacamaya Latin Band is led by José Mesa. José and fellow band member Joel Rojas Arriaga were forced to leave Venezuela in 2014 due to political repression and social upheaval that impacted freedom of expression.

The band plays a mix of Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Calypso, Reggae, Afrobeat, Balkan, Psychedelic Cumbia, Samba, Salsa, Merengue, Drum ‘n’ Bass, and US and UK sounds.

Guacamaya Latin Band is currently composing original material fusing the styles and rhythms of the coastal regions of Venezuela as part of their African heritage. They combine these sounds with lyrics that talk about who they are, how they love and relate, exodus, and speak out on issues facing the people of Venezuela and South America.

The band has played at countless UK venues and festivals, including HOME, The Met in Bury, Freight Island, Manchester International Festival, the British Pub Awards, and the Stockton-on-Tees Riverside International Festival.

 
Xaawo Kiin started singing in Ethiopia as a refugee and performed on stage for the first time in 2008.  She composes original music and writes her own lyrics. She is among the top ten Somalian female musicians, with a huge following within Somalia and the Somalian diaspora. 
 
Xaawo moved to the UK in 2010, releasing her first song in 2011 and is now based in Manchester.
 
Her music is heavily influenced by Somali culture and includes laments, love songs, and empowering songs that explore political and social issues.  Xaawo brings broader Somali culture into her music by wearing different cultural clothing and incorporating dance and crafts within her performances.
 
Through the Spotlight programme, she aims to develop her UK audience and introduce Somalian styles to the wider UK music scene.