Festival Latino music lineup brings in '80s pop singer Brenda K. Starr
Eighties R&B and pop hitmaker Brenda K. Starr, known for the power ballad "I Still Believe," is among the performers lined up for Festival Latino 2024 in August, according to an announcement by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts.
Held in Genoa Park, the free annual festival offers Latin music from different countries, food, fashion, art, dance and children's activities. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 10-11.
The planned headlining artists, their places of origin and musical genres are:
Aug. 10
La Nueva Estrategia, Mexico, regional Mexican music
Hailing from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, La Nueva Estrategia has rapidly made a name for themselves since forming just eight years ago, with hits including "?Cómo Se Siente?" "Lo Dice El Corazón" and "Amores Van Y Vienen."
Several successful tours have sent La Nueva Estrategia across Mexico and the United States, including their current tour in support of their latest album, "Parrandeando Con La Nueva Estrategia." The band also has toured in Canada.
Tony Vega, Puerto Rico, salsa
Born into a musical family, performing came naturally and early to Vega, who began playing the conga for a children's band at age 10. After growing up in Philadelphia, Puerto Rico and New York, he eventually moved back to Puerto Rico, where he first began to sing. He played with several bands before launching a solo career.
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Five decades later, Vega has secured his position as an internationally known salsa star, with a sound recognized by its infectious beats, distinctive vocals and soulful melodies. His numerous albums include his 1988 solo debut, "Yo me quedo," which went gold and yielded several popular songs including the English-language salsa track, "Love is Forever."
Aug. 11
Brenda K. Starr, U.S., salsa
Starr first scored a dance-club hit in the mid-'80s with "Pickin' Up Pieces" from her debut album, "I Want Your Love."
In 1987, her eponymous sophomore release featured what is considered Starr's signature song, "I Still Believe," which was covered years later by Mariah Carey. (Fun fact: Carey sang background vocals for Starr in the late '80s and Starr helped Carey get a recording contract by giving a demo tape of hers to Sony Music head Tommy Mottola at a party.)
Starr, whose mother is Puerto Rican, learned Spanish to help revive her career and by the late 1990s, she had reinvented herself as a successful salsa, tropical and Latin pop artist.
Héctor Acosta “El Torito,” Dominican Republic, merengue
Best known as "El Torito" ("The Bull"), Acosta is a versatile musician who moves easily between merengue, bachata and bolero. After singing lead for the successful Los Toros Band, he went on to even bigger success as a solo artist, with hits like "Me voy," "Con Qué Ojos" and "Levántate," among others.
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Beyond the musical realm, Acosta is known for his humanitarian work and political involvement. In 2020, he was elected senator representing the Monse?or Nouel Province of the central Dominican Republic. He was reelected this year.
All programs and artists are subject to change. For more information about Festival Latino, visit festivallatino.net.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Festival Latino music lineup announced for Aug. 10-11 in Genoa Park
