Eddie writes5 Dance Songs en Español to Celebrate Pride

by Eddie Sayago

As Pride festivities conclude across the world this week, there are numerous songs in many languages that celebrate the community and bring everyone to the forefront. Here are five dance songs in Spanish to add to your playlists and soundtrack for Pride Month, next dance party, and beyond...

Alex Anwandter “Siempre es Viernes En Mi Corazon”

From the album Amiga (Nacional Records, 2016)

The literal translation to this song title is “It’s always Friday in my heart”, which is not a bad way to view the world, especially when one needs a break from all the doom and gloom. This Chilean musician and filmmaker has his heart on his sleeve and is not afraid to express himself. As his career has advanced, Anwandter’s music has intertwined both political and personal issues, all served on a platter of danceable pop and visually poetic music videos (like the one for this song.)

Rubio “Hacia el Fondo”

From the album Pez (Jungla Music, 2018)

Rubio is from Fran Straube, who spent years with the band Miss Garrison, took a different route when she decided to work on a side project that evolved into a dark, mysterious, catchy techno-pop. Straube prefers to call it “intercontinental music, because it mixes of variety of sounds,” when asked about during a live performance at KEXP.  “Hacia el Fondo” (‘Towards the bottom’) is a seductive song about being afraid of losing a lover, a universal theme that transcends language, time and romantic preferences.

Kumbia Queers “Mientes”

From the album Pecados Tropicales (comfortzone, 2012)

Kumbia Queers originated as a cover band in Argentina, infusing queer poetry and humor with cumbia music to songs from The Cure and Madonna (two acts embraced by LGBTQ audiences for decades). Released in 2012, their debut album Pecados Tropicales has all their own original music, which includes “Mientes” (‘Lies’), which can double as someone no longer putting up with someone's lies and deceit and a declaration on no longer lying to yourself and others about who you truly are.

Christian Chavez “Libertad” (2011)

From the EP Libertad (2011)

Christian Chavez became instantly famous as a teen idol in Mexico in both a popular TV show Rebelde (which ran from 2004-2006), and a pop group, RBD, that prominently featured many of the band members on the series. Like Lance Bass from N*Sync, Chavez was outed publicly when pictures of him with another man began circulating in gossip sites and magazines. Unlike Bass, Chavez used this to launch a successful solo music career, including releasing “Libertad” (‘freedom’), in which he claims his freedom to be his authentic self.

Alaska y Dinamara “A Quien Le Importa?”

From the album No Es Pecado (Parlophone Spain, 1986)

No Pride playlist is complete without Alaska's signature song. Almost immediately upon its release in 1986, the Spanish-language LGBTQ community embraced this dance song (whose title translates to “Who cares?”) as their own. It was sung by attendees of the one of the first Madrid Pride Parades, which only had a couple of hundred participants. “The lyrics say a lot...if this is what I want to do, then that’s enough,” said Alaska (born María Olvido Gara Jova) on the radio show Latino USA in 2018. In 2017, she performed the song at World Pride Madrid; this time with a much larger audience singing along.