Few festivals in the UK—or indeed around the world—can claim the kind of cultural longevity and consistent reinvention that La Linea has achieved. Launched in 2001 by Como No!, the UK’s leading Latin music promoter, the festival was created at a time when Latin artists were largely overlooked by mainstream British stages. Twenty-five years on, La Linea has become not just a fixture in the capital’s musical calendar but a reflection of London itself: diverse, curious, and constantly evolving.

What began as a pioneering platform for pan-Latin expression has grown into a festival with international reach and local depth, championing the diversity of Latin cultures at a moment when global interest has never been stronger. This year’s milestone edition marks more than an anniversary, it marks a transition. At the centre of it are two people: Elena Beltrami, the newly appointed Director of Como No! and La Linea, and Andy Wood, the company and festival’s founder, whose quiet persistence helped Latin music gain a lasting foothold in the UK.

A few days ago, we reached them to discuss the 2025 edition of the festival and much more. From Elena’s first year in charge to the subtle recalibrations of audience, identity and sound, we explored how La Linea and Como No! are balancing legacy with innovation, and how Latin music itself is flourishing in a world where borders—musical or otherwise—are increasingly porous.

It’s been nearly a year since Elena Beltrami took the reins at Como No! and its flagship event, La Linea. As she sits down to reflect on her first twelve months in the role, she radiates that particular kind of excitement that comes from balancing new ideas with the weight of legacy.

“I started last April, exactly,” she says. “It’s been really, really full-on and, of course, trying to keep up with Andy’s legacy… that was a big responsibility.”

Andy, of course, is Andy Wood, founder of Como No! and the driving force behind La Linea since its inception in 2001. For much of its life, La Linea has been a unique fixture in London’s musical calendar, offering a focused yet expansive take on Latin music at a time when such scenes were rarely given centre stage in the UK. Now, marking its 25th year, the festival finds itself not only celebrating its past but navigating a vibrant, globally interconnected present.

“It’s been an amazing year,” Elena continues. “We’ve promoted some really cool shows with Como No!. We have one coming up in two weeks at the Roundhouse with Seu Jorge, which we’re super happy about.”

But it’s La Linea 25 that Elena speaks about with the most visible excitement. The full line-up has already been revealed, and it reflects a curatorial vision that feels both rooted and exploratory: anchored in community while unafraid to push boundaries. “We’re very, very excited. The line-up is quite varied,” she says. “I’m trying to have a line-up that is as inclusive as possible. So we have a lot of young artists. For some of them, it’s the first time they’ve performed in London.”

That sense of expansion isn’t just thematic, it’s geographical. This year’s edition will venture into new venues across the capital, as well as beyond it. “We’re also doing two regional dates with New Regency Orchestra in Cambridge and Manchester,” Elena says. “Absolutely, we are expanding the borders of La Linea.”

These new dates are more than simple offshoots; they’re woven into the wider project. “We are promoting them as part of La Linea, because they are going to be part of New Regency Orchestra’s UK tour, which we are supporting,” she explains. “We received PRS funding to support New Regency and to nurture the band and help them grow. So it’s all part of the project.”

What’s particularly notable is how swiftly Elena has immersed herself in the Latin music landscape. Her background in world music had already taken her across continents, but Latin culture had never been a central focus, until now. “I feel super, super proud and grateful to have this opportunity,” she says. “I was mainly focused on world music — a wide range of countries — but never so much Latin. And I’m very happy to support the Latin community here in London and in the UK.”

Over the past year, she’s travelled to Latin America, attended international conferences, and built new connections with artists and industry networks across the continent. “It’s been a great experience,” she says. “At the moment, the Latin music market is really flourishing. It’s never been so rich.” She’s particularly struck by what’s happening in Colombia. “You can totally tell — in some countries like Colombia, for example — the music scene is really exploding.”

London, too, is feeling the effect. “Compared to a few of years ago, there’s a lot more competition,” she says. “There are more bands touring in Europe. And so I’m super, super happy. I’m thrilled to make this grow during the year.”

Just as she finishes, Andy joins the conversation, catching up quickly. Elena, now well into her stride, is asked what she thinks is fuelling this international surge in interest for Latin music, not just the chart-dominating juggernauts like reggaetón or salsa, but the grassroots, genre-blurring expressions coming from across the continent.

“A lot of really mainstream artists have taken the scene internationally much more than before, Bad Bunny, Shakira, other huge artists,” she says. “The music industry saw this as a potential income and a way to make more business. So you can see that bigger, corporate promoters are more inclined to book Latin artists now.”

Andy, listening closely, nods. “Yeah, I don’t know maybe it’s something filtering down from the mainstream success of Latin music,” he says. “I think the top five most-streamed tracks on YouTube last year were all in Spanish. So whether that filters down…” He pauses, then adds: “Maybe it’s that, because those kinds of streaming charts are so global now, if you’re not speaking English somewhere in the world, then it doesn’t really matter whether the track is in English or another language.”

It’s a trend he’s seen before, one that moves in cycles. “Over the time of La Linea, over the last 25 years, there’ve been different points when Latin music definitely had a big boom. When Ricky Martin came through, and Jennifer Lopez at the same time. That also coincided with the time Buena Vista Social Club was coming through too, in the late ’90s.”

Then, as quickly as it arrived, the momentum dipped. “But yeah,” he says, “it is interesting that, as a subcontinental regional movement, Latin American music does tend to have that global popularity. Whereas, despite the size of the populations, you don’t get that with Indian music or Chinese music in such a broad way.”

If La Linea 25 feels like a bold new chapter, it’s because it is. This year’s programme is defined by its breadth and forward-thinking approach, embracing artists who challenge conventions of genre, identity, and representation. While the festival continues to honour established voices, the 2025 line-up reflects a new generation of Latin artists redefining what the music—and the culture—can be.

“There was a huge responsibility in trying to have a really outstanding line-up,” says Elena Beltrami, reflecting on her approach to this milestone edition. “Especially compared to the one that Andy did last year, which was so successful and also so diverse.”

This time, her focus leaned into the margins; towards up-and-coming artists carving out their own spaces, often in niche markets, and many of whom had never set foot on a London stage. “They might be less commercial, less known, but they’re doing something really special. It felt like a huge opportunity to showcase them.”

Several of those artists—Juana Aguirre, Ana Lua Caiano, Baby Volcano—are among the most exciting new voices emerging from the Latin diasporas. “Baby Volcano has just been selected for BIME in Bogotá,” Elena notes. “So, you know, they’re getting attention.”

There’s also Rodrigo Cuevas, the flamboyant Spanish performer blending Asturian folk with queer cabaret, making his long-overdue London debut. “He’s a huge artist in Spain, and he’s never come to London before. It’s great to give him that opportunity.”

Similarly, Ed Maverick returns for a rare European performance—his first in London for years—while Francisco El Hombre, the Colombian band known for their activist spirit and explosive energy, will play what could be their final show. “It will be their last ever,” Elena says. “They’re taking a big break from the scene. So it was really important to have them here.”

Inclusivity isn’t just implied in the booking; it’s central to the festival’s identity. “I tried to have a line-up that is very inclusive,” Elena says. “There are a lot of queer artists, Rodrigo Cuevas, Alex Etchart, Villano Antillano, who is a trans rapper from Puerto Rico. And Francisco El Hombre, they’re a queer band too.”

This commitment extends to gender representation, not as a quota but as a recognition of the breadth and depth of artistic voices shaping Latin music today. From the emotionally charged performances of Silvia Pérez Cruz to emerging acts like Anel Vakai, the line-up reflects a broader spectrum of experience. “We’ve always included women in the line-up,” Elena notes, “but this year, it’s more deliberately foregrounded.”

As La Linea pivots towards a more dynamic, younger audience, the response—particularly from London’s own Latin communities—has been telling. “Of course, it was a challenge,” Elena admits. “Some of the festival’s long-time followers didn’t recognise many of the names, because the previous editions had more classic, established names from the Latin scene.” But that, in itself, was part of the strategy. “I wanted to attract a new audience and expand the festival in a new direction. Especially for the younger generation of the Latin community living in London.”

This retargeting has been more than cosmetic. Behind the scenes, the team have refreshed the festival’s visual identity, launched a new website, and reworked the La Linea logo. But at its heart, Elena insists, the guiding principles remain unchanged. “It’s always been about musical quality, and about outstanding artists. That’s still the core.”

For Andy, who’s seen the festival evolve over decades, the transformation feels natural, and necessary. “Twenty-five years is a long time,” he says. “When La Linea began, it was when that whole ‘world music’ thing was at its height. Back then, it was easier to reach an Anglo, London-based general audience, because people were listening to music in other languages more readily.”

Since then, the so-called “world music” audience has splintered, while London’s Latin communities have grown and evolved in ways that are now shaping the festival itself. “When we began, you had a lot of first- and second-generation Latin Americans in London,” Andy explains. “Now we’re into the third generation, people who might not even speak Spanish or Portuguese, but who have that heritage and are now going back, discovering the music, reconnecting with the culture.”

Elena, he says, has been instrumental in aligning La Linea with those new cultural rhythms. “She’s looked at global movements—musical, political, social—and thought about what the Latin American response to those movements is.” He points to artists like Villano Antillano, whose music exists at the intersection of gender politics, reggaetón and urban poetry. “It connects with those different audiences. That’s crucial.”

Back when the festival began, things were simpler, and more analogue. “It was basically pre-internet in any sophisticated way,” Andy recalls. “Audiences came on trust. Maybe you read a listing or a short review. You hadn’t heard the artist, there wasn’t anything to stream.”

Today, the challenge is almost the reverse. “People hear one track through a streaming playlist or a video game, and that’s it. The hard part is convincing them it’s worth spending money and time to see an artist live.”

That, he believes, is where the festival format becomes vital. “It’s like a Green Man festival, in a way. Somewhere like Glastonbury or WOMAD—you wander, you discover. La Linea gives you that. A chance to stumble into something unexpected.”

Career development remains a thread running through the festival’s DNA, especially post-COVID, when touring remains precarious. “We’ve always worked with artists over time, encouraging them to come back, to grow,” Andy says. He recalls working with Eliades Ochoa back in 1994—“before Buena Vista Social Club even existed, before anyone thought he’d be part of it.” There’s something satisfying, he says, about maintaining that long view.

And while the artists evolve, so do the spaces that host them. La Linea 25 will unfold across a mix of well-loved and newly embraced venues. “It’s about choosing the right place—not just in terms of capacity, but energy,” says Elena.

She’s expanded the venue map deliberately. “This is the first year we’ve had a show at EartH in Hackney,” she says. “It’s also the first time using smaller independent spots like MOTH Club or Oslo. And Islington Assembly Hall. I’ve worked with them before as a promoter, so it made sense to bring that relationship into the festival.”

Each pairing of artist and venue has been carefully considered. “The show with Ed Maverick is at Union Chapel. I don’t think it could be anywhere else,” Elena says. “It’s such an intimate performance. That venue will make everything feel triple special.”

The same goes for Silvia Pérez Cruz, whose spectral voice and presence demand something sacred. “That concert will be magical there,” she smiles. “MOTH and Oslo, on the other hand, are perfect for the underground, independent vibe of the artists playing there. And the Jazz Café, it’s always a great partner for this kind of programming.”

“So yes,” she concludes, “there’s definitely been a lot of thought. I believe these are the perfect venues for these shows.”

If La Linea is the stage, then Como No! has always been the engine. For over two decades, the organisation has quietly shaped the UK’s relationship with Latin music, booking the artists, building the partnerships, and pushing the scene forward. Now, with a shift to not-for-profit status and renewed Arts Council support, it’s entering a new phase—more ambitious, more collaborative, and more committed to nurturing the next generation.

“From last year, Como No! became a not-for-profit, part of the National Portfolio of the Arts Council,” Elena explains. “That was a big change in the organisation.” The new status brings with it board members—Andy Wood now chairs the board—and a peer group to support long-term development.

With funding in place, the company has widened its remit. “We want to open up to new activity,” Elena says. “To support not just international acts, but emerging talent here in the UK.”

One of this year’s most tangible initiatives is an open call that invited UK-based Latin artists to apply for a chance to support shows at La Linea. The response exceeded expectations, and four standout acts were selected. “It’s something I really want to keep doing,” Elena says, “because it’s a great way to give them visibility and support.”

Casa Nuestra, a young band from Liverpool, will open for Eliades Ochoa at the Barbican—“the biggest show of their lives,” Elena says with a smile. Babo Moreno, an up-and-coming Brazilian jazz artist receiving praise from the likes of Gilles Peterson, will support Francisco El Hombre at Jazz Café. Brisa, a rising Peruvian singer, opens for Silvia Pérez Cruz at Union Chapel. And La Patri will share the stage with Muerdo.

Alongside the concerts, La Linea is launching its first community event: a free workshop at Brixton House run by the London-based collective Queer Salsa, with music and dance led by Popola. “We want to keep doing big, amazing concerts,” says Elena, “but at the same time, we want to nurture, give opportunities to new artists and new audiences.”

This openness reflects a wider shift in London’s Latin scene, one that both Elena and Andy agree has accelerated in the past five years. “There are so many musicians now based in London,” Andy says, “including a third generation of Latin Americans who were born here. And the level of talent is incredible, not just in London, but all over the UK.”

That’s partly why Como No! launched Latinas of London, a series created by Andy and hosted by Desta French. “We did the first event after La Linea last year, then one at Jazz Café in January, and we’re doing another in September,” says Elena. “Each night is a showcase of amazing Latina artists based here.”

But the question remains: does London now have a Latin music scene of its own, or is it still borrowing its fire from elsewhere?

Andy reflects for a moment. “There are elements of it that are very distinct,” he says. “Because London is such a global music capital, the dream for the majors is to find the Latin Adele or the Latin Ed Sheeran here and run with it globally.”

Yet what’s developing is something more grounded and arguably more interesting. “Take New Regency Orchestra, for example,” he continues. “That’s not something you’ll find happening in New York or Havana right now. It’s very much rooted in London: young jazz musicians playing with Latin traditions, putting it through a London filter. And it works.”

He mentions a recent remix competition involving the orchestra and Mr. Bongo. “What’s emerging from that is either a really UK-specific Latin sound, or beat-heavy, hip-hop-influenced Latin music. There’s something distinct happening here, and that’s good.”

He also highlights London’s expanding Latin music infrastructure, events taking place at every scale, from intimate 100-capacity pub gigs to major venues like Shepherd’s Bush Empire. “It’s not just La Linea or Como No! anymore,” Andy notes. “Other promoters and venues across the city are now playing their part.”

The global spotlight on Latin music will likely intensify this summer, with the arrival of South by Southwest in London. “In Austin, Latin music has always been a big part of SXSW,” Andy notes. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens here, whether the London Latin scene becomes more visible to the world.”

After La Linea wraps, Como No! has a strong season ahead. “We’ve got some really exciting gigs,” Elena says. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs headline Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 5 June to mark their 40th anniversary. Then Alexander Abreu y Havana D’Primera, a major Cuban orchestra, play Electric Brixton on 26 June.

There’s more. Nação Zumbi will celebrate 30 years of Da Lama ao Caos. “And Quinteto Astor Piazzolla return to the Barbican after 25 years. Then there’s Babasónicos, one of the biggest Argentinian bands, coming to KOKO.”

So what does the future hold—for Como No!, La Linea, and for Latin music in the UK?

“We’ve got guaranteed Arts Council funding for the next three years,” says Elena. “So we hope to build on this and create continuity.”

And if you haven’t explored the line-up yet? “Definitely check the website—lalineafestival.com,” she urges. “There’s a new design coming. And if you don’t know the artists, give them a listen. They’re all outstanding. We can’t wait to welcome you!”

La Linea Festival returns for its 25th edition from 22/04 to 05/05,
bringing vibrant Latin sounds to stages across London

Explore the full programme and book your tickets HERE