Candela Records Is Here To Put UK Latin Music On The Map

A musical tidal wave, which originated in Latin America and had been gaining momentum for just over a decade, finally broke on UK soil in 2020.

During the pandemic, streaming platforms found themselves awash with “urban Latin” sounds, and by the time Britain took its first, tentative steps towards post-Covid normality, reggaeton—and all its off-shoots—had become an ever-increasing feature of our nightlife lexicon. 

This came as no surprise to Jose Luis Seijas and Luciano Pinto—two music lovers who had been fostering Latin American culture in London for many years—and by July 2021, they had founded the UK’s first Latin music-focused label, Candela Records. This would be the latest branch of their cultural operation known as Latino Life, which already comprised a festival, a magazine, a social media platform and numerous club nights in the capital. When it launched in collaboration with Atlantic Records, Candela marked a fresh era for the music of the Latinx diaspora. 

A number of British Latinxs are making waves in London’s musical circles and gaining traction for a movement that represents a new generation of artists. Parallel to this, the streaming revolution has proven the taste non-Spanish-speakers have for everything from reggaeton to Latin trap and even ‘Spanglish’ styles that cannot be defined by a genre. With this landscape as their setting, Jose and Luciano have been forging their own path in an endeavour to make Candela not just a leading record label, but a cultural hub with a respected legacy.

We caught up with the founders to talk about Latin life in London, how and why they linked up with Atlantic Records, and what the future could hold for UK-based Latin talent.

COMPLEX: Tell us about the thinking behind the partnership with Atlantic Records. What made the two parties want to join forces?

Luciano Pinto: It was a series of events. Jose has been doing this for about 20 years, I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I think that together—previous to the deal—we positioned ourselves as the go-to people for Latin American ‘stuff’ in the UK. Austin Daboh, who is the Vice President of Atlantic, noticed that and saw an opportunity to connect with people that knew what was happening in the Latin world and build a division that worked alongside Atlantic. From Austin’s side, it was a visionary move and connecting with us made total sense for him because, with the experience that Jose and I had in the Latin world, it just came together perfectly.

Jose Luis Seijas: During lockdown, a lot of things changed the focus for record labels. Latin music really exploded and that helped give visibility to what we were doing. 

Luciano: Labels were looking at it like, “How can we become a part of this?” I think Austin saw that opportunity, saw that explosion online, and Candela was created off the back of that. Between myself, Jose and Austin, we created Candela from scratch, and I think it was a great move to become a part of what is happening now. 

What was the gap in the market that you were trying to fill?

Jose: Traditionally, the UK music market has been very protective of itself. That’s why it’s very hard to get non-UK music onto UK radio. But there is a new generation of people that was born here that have roots somewhere else. For me, it’s always been about how we can get that music of this generation of bicultural kids out there. That’s what I really would like to highlight: music from the UK made by Latinos that grew up in that bicultural environment. And it’s not just a sound, it’s a whole art. The issues they are talking about—immigration, violence, whatever it is —are just their experiences. I think that’s important to be documented in music. 

Why is it significant that you are doing this with Atlantic in particular rather than any other label? 

Jose: I think it’s because we share similar views in the sense of, rather than promoting all the big stars, we’re focusing on our guys. Atlantic has a rich history of working with niche communities and niche genres, dating back to the ‘60s and ‘70s, but I think what’s most important is not necessarily the label, but the people behind the label. Specifically, people like Austin. You’ve got people that are just data driven, who are not looking past what’s hot right now and who are not taking any risks. And then you’ve got people that are pioneers and visionaries. They’re looking at trends that are going to be building over the next couple of years, and I think working with Austin was important for me because he demonstrated that he’s willing to take those risks. The guy is a visionary. It’s important to be working with people like that who are willing to go the extra mile to make things happen. 

Luciano: They really have an ear to the ground. You have other labels, but they don’t really see ‘it’. I think they’re too busy focusing on the big artists. Atlantic? They have a vision in terms of where they want to go. And for us, we’re not interested in promoting Maluma or Anuel AA. I love what some of them do, but I don’t think that’s exciting. I think the exciting thing is being groundbreakers and bringing the sounds of the British Latino community to the world. Colombian people doing drill in London, a Chilean guy doing hip-hop, singing in broken Spanish… All of that’s super exciting for me and for everyone involved.

Reggaeton, like salsa before it, has Afro-Caribbean roots and influences. Can you tell us more about the links the genre has with dancehall?

Jose: In terms of the rhythm itself, someone created something called the “Pounder Riddim” and the “Pounder” got the most samples just because it was an instrumental. 30 years ago, an instrumental was gold dust, not like now when you can erase a voice from a song. Rappers would buy instrumentals and that’s how they would rap. The rhythm was heavily sampled by Shabba Ranks [on “Dem Bow”] and other producers. There was a Jamaican community in Panama from when they built the canal and from Panama, the music went everywhere through this guy called El General, a guy who would sing songs in Spanish with the melodies of the big Jamaican hits of the moment, like “Dem Bow”. El General had a song that sounded like “Dem Bow”, and from there the rhythm went to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico then kind of made it its ‘thing’ and it blew up everywhere. So there is definitely a direct link. No one can doubt that. 

Do you feel like the UK Latin scene is more accepting of its African heritage than other parts of the Latin American diaspora? If so, why?

Luciano: I wouldn’t say more, no. In places like Colombia or Brazil, you’ve got massive Afro-Latino communities that are well in touch with their roots. I think, in London, it’s a similar case, but we’re also living amongst and have experiences with other communities. I think the whole world is opening to the fact of how connected we all are.

Jose: You become more aware of yourself when you leave your country. In Venezuela, I was just Venezuelan. I consider myself more Caribbean than South American, and coming here, I realised that I have more in common culturally with Jamaicans than Chileans. So here you redefine your identity, in a way. Here, there is that acceptance of Black culture, which I think is fantastic, and I think that empowers that aspect of Latino identity. 

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced since establishing the label?

Luciano: One of the challenges we face, which I think we’ve been dealing with quite well, is being able to develop that sound that’s going to work in this market in the UK. One that can be applicable to radio and playlists and be accepted by the UK audience, and at the same time, be repurposed to the Spanish markets. I think “Hotsteppa” by Angelo Flow, J Spades and Diztortion is the perfect example of that balance; it’s got enough Spanish to appease the Spanish market and it’s got enough English to be able to get it onto UK radio. We’re not ticking boxes—we’re trying to do this as organically as possible. So to be able to find that balance has been a bit of a challenge, but I think we’re on our way to doing it. 

Tell us about some of the artists on your roster.

Jose: Angelo Flow is the golden boy with the ability to play at the very top of the industry. He’s got a polished look and sound that we think can be the international breakthrough. He grew up on reggaeton—he really loves it—and he’s got the vocals to back it up. He’s quickly becoming that complete package. 

Luciano: Guala is an OG of the scene. There has been a lot of talent coming up through the years, but he represents the mature side of artists that have come through and, lyrically, he’s just really, really good. He’s that proper rapper you can put in a room with other rappers who will truly stand his ground and shine.

Jose: Alvarez Funk is an exceptional talent. A beast of a musician, he’s a singer, pianist, trombone player, arranger and composer. He appeals to an audience that maybe reggaeton doesn’t appeal to that still belongs to the diaspora, so he kind of covers that gap. You put Alvarez Funk on any stage in the world and he’s bringing it.

Luciano: And then we’ve also signed the lieks of Lisey Tigra and Latyno Bbi to development deals. We’re really working!

How do you keep your finger on the pulse in terms of artists, and what do you look for in a potential signing?

Luciano: When we originally started Candela, we built a database of active artists from the UK that we saw potential in. As we’ve gone on, that database has grown and we’ve added information to it. It’s really a full-time job, just staying in communication with artists, organising sessions, making ourselves approachable to the artist community and creating opportunities like live shows where we can engage with these artists. It’s a constant process of creating these grassroots opportunities and engaging with them. We do events that allow multiple artists to come in, and then from there, we screen them. Then it’s about taking those insights and creating more opportunities for them. To stay ahead of the curve, it just requires great communication skills and being approachable to the artist community.

Jose: I’m always at the clubs. People approach me and 99% of the time I say, “Yeah, here’s my number”. It’s very organic.

Luciano: Very organic, and now it’s got to the point where, rather than us tapping in with artists, artists are tapping in with us, because they see what we’re doing. It creates a new funnel of artists coming through. The way I see it, if you’re a Latin artist and I don’t know about you, then you’re doing something wrong, because I’m going out there and I’m doing my research. If I don’t know about you, you're not making yourself visible enough. 

What does a development deal with your label look like compared to a record deal?

Luciano: From the very beginning, we always wanted Candela to be almost like a springboard. Candela isn’t set up to create the next Michael Jackson, but what we are set up to do is to help these grassroots artists get all the opportunities they need in order to then propel themselves to the next level. That might mean them going onto a major label, or going onto Atlantic directly, or that the relationship is so great that they want to sign with Candela. The options are open for them. 

Jose: As we said, it’s all organic with us. With some artists, there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about the industry and a lack of certain knowledge. I thought, “Well, what happens if you start teaching them when they’re just starting their careers?” Candela was the first Latino company to become a National Portfolio Organisation, and when I applied for the funding, I created this plan to develop artists from all angles. It’s about giving young Latinos the opportunity to really develop in the areas they need so that they have a chance. It would have been very hard for us to start signing kids who didn’t know what PRS or split sheets were. Trying to get them into a studio wasn’t right, so the development basically takes a different shape with each person. We team them up with a mentor and, at the same time, give them some training. The mentors are heavy hitters; I’m talking two Vice Presidents of Live Nation, the creator of Sofar Sounds, the head of sponsorship for Glastonbuy, a couple of high-level managers, and I think the results are going to be phenomenal because you’re going to get some kids who are going to be really well connected. It’s very unique, but I think it’s needed. I think more people should be developing young artists, giving them a better chance of being successful.

What is Candela’s philosophy that informs your day-to-day?

Jose: I work really hard. I like working hard. I don’t like owing favours to people. The harder and the smarter you work, the better results you’re gonna get. That’s how I see things in terms of the label. I don’t know if this is going to be the label that gets the next big hit, but what we’re trying to do here is create a cultural legacy that in 30, 40 years’ time will hopefully be there. The philosophy is to build something bigger than ourselves for the next generation to have representation in the music industry—in the UK, and beyond.

Luciano: For me, as a young British Latino, it’s a case of creating a legacy that is going to allow future generations to go on and create a career in the arts. We’re two or three generations deep and that’s something that wasn’t there before. I’d like to think that what we’re doing is we’re creating an infrastructure to help the third and fourth generation have a lane here. That’s what drives me. One of the things I struggled with growing up as a young Latino was being able to identify myself in this melting pot of different cultures. Having our own label, having our own festival, all of these things bring a sense of community pride and belonging. We might not be the next Puff Daddys, but through hard work and determination, we’re definitely going to be a massive contributor to what the infrastructure will be in the next 10 or 15 years.

How does it feel when you look back at the early days, playing reggaeton on pirate radio and struggling to get permits for events?

Luciano: Everything is a journey and a development. I’m really proud to come from that. Pirate radio created a lot of big careers in the music industry, and it’s where a lot of genres develop from. I always knew that I wanted to work in music, and every step along the way, everything I did contributed to that journey. When I look back on those days, I think, “We fucking deserve to be here!” We really worked our arses off.

What do you envisage the future holding for Candela Records?

Jose: Something I’m really proud of is the fact that when you come to us, you’re already going to be performing and be exposed to a certain amount of people almost straight away. We’ve created this ecosystem in which we have the festival, the parties, the events, the incubators and so on. So the future is more of that. We have an environment that we’ve created and it’s just growing. Better gigs, bigger gigs, more opportunities for people, because it’s all about exposure. The more people get to see these artists, the better for everyone.

Luciano: The more we do and the more projects we deliver, the more we gain the respect of the international community on a global stage. People are taking notice of what we’re doing, and I’m not talking about here—I’m talking about players in Spain, players in Latin America, players in the U.S. I think how we’re winning that respect is by putting our money where our mouth is. We’re literally taking artists from scratch, developing them, signing them and then putting them on big stages. We’re doing the full 360 in-house and that is respectable to anyone, in any sector, of the music industry. We fully believe in our guys. They’re going to be at the frontline when we do connect internationally, and that’s where I want to see Candela: becoming part of the global community.