5 Minutes with Candeleros: Rhythm, Roots, and Revolution

Candeleros are more than just a band, they are a vibrant, genre-defying force that channels the chaotic, celebratory spirit of their roots into electrifying, percussion-driven sounds. Hailing from Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina, the Madrid-based collective draws together the pulsating rhythms of Afro-Caribbean traditions, the raw energy of punk and psychedelic rock, and the bass-heavy textures of urban electronic music. 

With no conventional frontman, Candeleros let their instruments do the talking, crafting hypnotic live performances that transport audiences into an immersive, communal experience. As they prepare to take their music to new frontiers, including their long-dreamed-of debut in Africa, the band remains deeply rooted in their ethos: to create from the soul, celebrate musical diversity, and resist the limitations of genre. 

Listen to ‘La Cumbia del Chinche’ now, while you read this exclusive interview

Looking back, what was your earliest entry into music appreciation? And music

production?

We’re immigrants from Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina, and music is just part of who

we are. We come from really loud and musical places where music and chaos go hand in

hand. There’s always music playing — at every celebration, on every street corner, on the

metro, on the bus, and even when someone passes away. Noise is impossible to escape.

At parties, you’ll hear everything from salsa and merengue to rock and hip hop, pop rock to

soukous and somehow people will go wild no matter what’s playing. That mix shaped us.

Our backgrounds span Caribbean music and our own folklore, Bass Loud Music,

psychedelic rock, hip hop, punk, urban music, and even 8-bit sounds. We never really

wanted to fit into just one box because we grew up surrounded by so much variety.

Making music for us feels natural. It’s also part of this constant journey to stay connected to

where we come from while exploring new sounds and creating something that’s truly our

own.

What message do you hope listeners take away from your music?

We want listeners to feel that music has no limits. There’s beauty in every style, and when

we mix them together, we’re celebrating diversity and cultural richness. Our music is an

invitation to dance, but also a way to reconnect with our roots, while staying open to new

urban and global influences. We want people to feel that tradition and modernity can come

together in harmony. We absolutely love playing live. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons we keep making music. It’s not just about feeding our own souls or egos — it’s about sharing that unique moment with everyone, getting lost in the music together, and feeling free while the show’s happening.

We don’t have a lot of lyrics in our songs, talking about love and singing could be cheesy!.

We have a lot of respect for words, and, to be honest, we’re awful singers and even

Screamers! Instead, we talk to our audience through the sounds of our instruments. It’s more

complicated than just using our voices, but it’s also rewarding. We want people to get

curious about the instruments they see on stage, the unique sounds we create, and the way we experiment with them during our shows. But more than anything, we want people to step out of their daily reality, even for just a moment, and find an oasis in our shows. We want it to feel like a place where people can come together and connect as a community.

Outside of music, what inspires you?

Life itself is our biggest inspiration. Coming from places with intense political and economic

challenges, we’ve learned to live fully — coffee, corn, cassava, mango, rum, weed, laughter

— all the simple joys. We find inspiration in food, traveling, and the incredible people we meet. Madrid has been a big part of our creative process, but we’re inspired by every place we visit, every culture we experience, and every story shared. We make music to connect with people, represent our roots, and embrace the diversity that makes life beautiful.

Is there a particular moment in the music industry that inspires you today as an

artist?

We’re really inspired by the rise of independent artists from the Global South, who are

reclaiming their own stories and getting the recognition they deserve. Traditional rhythms

that were once overlooked are now taking over the global music scene, and artists are

blending old-school heritage with modern sounds. There’s always something new and exciting to discover. We’re not the kind of people to get stuck in the past. From Corridos Tumbados to sonideros to dembow, champeta, and Caribbean bass rhythms, the folkloric music from our own countries and the Caribbean to the alternative African scene with Singeli, Gqom, Amapiano, and Nyege Nyege artists, to the Latin American underground mixing styles like raptor house, guaracha, digital cumbia, hip hop, electronic bass, and queer Latincore, the SoundSystem movement, the alternative vinyl tropical music scene — there’s so much happening. I mean, we like it LOUD. Real music that creates community. The only music that doesn’t inspire us is the one made by artificial intelligence. But who knows, we may become robots.

How do you stay motivated and inspired to continue creating, especially

when facing adversity?

The energy we receive from our audience during live performances is our main motivator. It’s

our glue. Creating the kind of music we do is not easy. For the more alternative scene, it’s maybe too percussive and labeled as “latino music” (boring) , and for purists, it’s often too weird. And on top of that, we don’t have a singer — people connect more easily to music when there are words, even if it’s just a silly phrase (we’ve got some pretty dumb lyrics, haha). We’re also making music in a place where we don’t have roots, contacts, or family — we had to figure out how to connect with the industry and people from scratch. But Spain, and especially Madrid, have really embraced us, giving us the love and support to feel at home here. Having a band is already hard. There are so many amazing musicians out there, and making a space for yourself isn’t easy. And beyond making music, there’s a whole list of things to handle — paying rehearsals/studio, recordings, vinyls, artwork, staying visible, etc. All of it requires time, energy, and resources that aren’t always available. But what truly keeps us going are the live shows and our bond as a band. Candeleros is more than six guys hitting instruments — it’s our community.

In your opinion, how has your genre evolved over the years, and where do you think

it could head in the future?

African, Caribbean and Latin American music have evolved by blending with global sounds,

and even the urban/pop scene is reconnecting with its roots in search of authenticity. This

has made listeners more open to exploring different genres, including their own. Rock is

dead (thanks, Jah!), but music keeps moving—it’s a collective race where we all feed off

each other. Right now, Africa and the Caribbean are leading the way, but honestly, no one knows what’s coming next—especially with AI stepping into the game, creating “artists,” “art,” and even mixing music. But at the end of the day, there will always be real artists making music from the soul, keeping traditions alive while pushing them forward.

What can we expect from your future releases or creative projects?

This year, we’re releasing the second part of El Bululú, featuring new songs and remixes by amazing artists from the Global South. On top of that, one of our biggest dreams is about to come true. I once joked that if we ever played in Africa, we could break up the band—well, now we’re heading to Maputo, Mozambique, and the Bushire Festival in Eswatini! We hope to collaborate with local artists, share some Venezuelan percussion workshops, eat incredible food, and soak up everything we can. We come from places where Africa’s influence is still alive in everyday life, so this trip feels like coming full circle. We’re beyond grateful for the opportunity.

We’re also on a journey to explore and experiment more with Venezuelan rhythms as the

foundation of everything we do—always with freedom, but with the deep respect these

traditions deserve.

Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that no one would expect.

Honestly, we’re in this band for the simple reasons—traveling together, drinking beers,

tasting exotic drinks, eating delicious food, and wandering beautiful places, sometimes under

the effect of LSD. That’s what it’s really about. The band is just an excuse for all that.

We also love taking our percussionist to the weirdest, most random places and shows.

What is one piece of advice you want to leave with your fans?

Stay open-minded while staying grounded in where you come from. Keep dancing, creating, and living life to the fullest—even when things get tough. Eat your vegetables, drink plenty of water (and a bit of rum!), and use substances consciously. Love your loved ones, and never forget that the best friend is the one you haven’t met yet. Stay curious, but NEVER, EVER start a band—unless you’ve got at least one musician on board! And most importantly, always respect those who came before us, because everything we do is part of a bigger story. Support our immigrant movement—tomorrow it could be you. Stick together, especially in these times of anxiety and uncertainty. And remember, never fight with your colleagues about  politics, politicians love to divide us into opposing teams just to have us fight for their own interests.

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