Stephanie Santiago returns with new single full of Bossa minimalism and Afro-Brazilian grooves

After 2022’s hit track “Alma Carnavalera” clocked over 300k streams on Spotify, London-raised Colombian Stephanie Santiago is back with new single “Campo de Minas”. A fusion of Bossa minimalism and Afro-Brazilian grooves, it marks a new chapter in her exploration of Latin American, revealing a sound refreshed by life in London and Latin American lineage.

Produced alongside her regular collaborator Andres Pascua, the musical inspiration came from their shared love for Brazilian music. While her previous two singles took their cue from the Colombian styles of cumbia and bullerengue and lent on a synth, electronics and programmed drums sound, this time they wanted something more acoustic and percussive. Surprisingly, the Colombian-based percussion ensemble La Legion were vital in this switch. Their contribution was directed and arranged by Jorge Arciniegas who thought of harnessing the Afro-Latin swing of samba reggae, as well as instruments like the clave, udu drum and guiro. With their percussion recorded live at the State of The Art recording studio Altar Audio in Bogotá, Colombia, they carry the listener on a gentle ride of eclectic sounds.

Throughout the song, Stephanie’s soft, sad vocals narrate her reflection on belonging and heritage. She was inspired by a conversation she overheard while working as a mobile hairstylist in a “yuppie Brit” household, “I was disregarded in conversational topics and experienced racial microaggressions” she said. “I was not exactly hurt by this, but it reinforced the idea that race and class discrimination prevails in modern society… just in a more subtle way.”

“Campo de Minas”, which translates as “Minefield”, chronicles the experience of othering, eagerly searching for happiness while dodging life’s everyday prejudices. Stephanie, whose Colombian parents are both musicians, was raised in a home where cumbia and salsa were played daily. Her early work explored genres that ranged from reggéaton to punk, but now Stephanie’s looking to her Latin American heritage to soundtrack her search for identity. As the harmonious poignancy of ‘Campo de Minas’ reveals, the journey of self-discovery is not always an easy one.

Born in South London to Colombian musician parents – her father an accordionist, her mother a singer – cumbia and salsa filled Stephanie’s childhood. But like anyone, she needed to find her own way, to discover London’s multifarious subcultures, to get lost in the energies of youth music. Her early work reflects this, with forays into soul, jazz, reggaeton, even punk, opportunities to experiment but also refine an inherent talent for songwriting and an ability to inhabit songs with her voice.

Glimpses of Latin music have emerged in her music before – it would be impossible for them not to – but her latest series of releases alongside Colombian producer Andres Pascua reveal a new chapter in her career in which her heritage and search for identity are brought to the fore.