12 Ecuadorian Bands You Should Listen To

Ecuador has numerous bands within a wide range of genres. There are bands that already have a fan base outside of Ecuador and others that are just starting up. When you listen to their songs you will realise that their inspiration comes from different things like nature, politics, life, love, or personal situations. Whatever they sing about and whatever style they play, here are 12 that should be on your radar.

Swing Original Monks

Swing Original Monks is a catchy, colourful band that has been a hit all over Ecuador, and even a few countries in South America since 2010. It is a fusion band that mixes Ecuadorian folklore, rock merengue, jazz, and electronic beats including different instruments. The band members come from Latin America, United States and Europe, but are currently based in Quito. Swing Original Monks encourage their concert attendees to dance along. Some of their most popular hits are “Caminito”, “Grita Pregonero”, “Fiesta Popular” and “Amor Inalámbrico”.

Swing Original Monks “Caminito” | Swing Original Monks Music / YouTube

Da Pawn

Da Pawn “Ballenas de Ruido en vivo (El Peón en el Obraje)” | Da Pawn / YouTube

Paola Navarrete

Paola Navarrete is called the Queen of Ecuadorian alternative pop having suddenly appeared in a relatively male-dominated music scene of Ecuador. The Quito-based artist started singing at a young age and also played in the band The Buffands and later decided to study music. Navarrete has toured with bands like Da Pawn, Tripulacion de Osos, and Jazz the Roots. Navarrete is said to have a sweet and soft voice where she can hypnotise the listeners.

Paola Navarrete “El Mar” | Paola Navarrete / YouTube

Mateo Kingman

Mateo Kingman is a spiritual and experimental singer from the Ecuadorian Amazon. Kingman brings natural landscape, water, and colourful and psychedelic movements into the music videos. His debut album, Respira (Breathe),came out in 2016. His lyrics direct us into a complex relationship between high mountains and the rainforests that also represent a message in order to raise awareness.

Mateo Kingman “Sendero Del Monte” | AYA Records / YouTube

Los Corrientes

Los Corrientes is an experimental urban-pop band from Guayaquil that uses a mixture of rhythms. The lyrics are based on everyday feelings, personal stories, and reflections on universal topics. It is an unorthodox band that strongly believes ‘art belongs to the society that inspires it’, and that their content is created freely without any barriers – which also means fans can download all of their songs for free.

Los Corrientes “Soy Chiro” | Los Corrientes / YouTube

Ricardo Pita

Ricardo Pita is a musician from Guayaquil who studied music in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Pita’s unique style has caught the attention of media and fans not only in Ecuador but also in other countries in Latin America. He has also been called the Ecuadorian Bob Dylan. Pita started off by playing with his friends and started to get requests after uploading demos on YouTube. Ricardo Pita is also the former bass player for Niñosaurios. His music is said to be undervalued in Ecuador, but he is doing quite well in Chile and Argentina.

Ricardo Pita “Viento Eterno” | Ricardo Pita / YouTube

Alex Eugenio

Alex Eugenio is a musician from Guayaquil who is venturing into genres like folk and rock, having been in the Ecuadorian music scene for over a decade. One of his most popular songs is “Corazón Abondonado” (Abandoned Heart). The song is about a meeting of two lonely people, who fall in love because of fate and luck. Eugenio has been inspired by the traditional Latin American genre called Bolero, a slow-tempo genre where you dance closely.

Alex Eugenio “Corazón Abandonado” | Sofar Guayaquil | Sofar Sounds /YouTube

Niñosaurios

Niñosaurios is an indie-rock band from Guayaquil that mixes rock with different genres. The band was formed in 2005 and started off with a faithful fanbase after playing at local bars. The band was originally named Los Hijos de Victor (Children of Victor) but later changed their name to Niñosaurios which is a reflection of their joyful, fun, and energetic music.

Niñosaurios “Tonto” | Ecuacanal Ecuador / YouTube

VINU

Daniel Vinueza Benedetti uses the artist name VINU. He is a musician from Guayaquil who was previously the frontman of the band Cadaver Exquisito. His debut album, Serpientes y Escaleras,contains eight tracks and eight remixes by an electronic producer named Serlinn, creating a double disc. VINU goes under the genres lo-fi pop, indie-pop, and electronica.

VINU “Regresar (Serlinn Majora’s Mix)” | VINU / YouTube

Tripulación de Osos

Tripulación de Osos is an independent and alternative rock band based in Quito. They started in 2013 and proposed a new energy to the rock scene in Quito. They are known for being energetic on stage, which always engages the people who attend their concerts. Their music and lyrics reflect topics from daily life all the way to the surreal. They vary between light and dark, without complications and always with an unpredictable, satirical touch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVFlu5cFkdX/?taken-by=tripulaciondeosos

Nuevo Bravo

Nuevo Bravo is a new alternative rock/grunge band from Quito. Members of Nuevo Bravo previously played for friends and collaborated with other musicians before starting off as Nuevo Bravo. Its had live concerts at different locations in Quito, like Cafe Democratico and El Pobre Diablo. Its first music video, Miel, released end of May 2017.

Nuevo Bravo “MIEL” | Nuevo Bravo / YouTube

Toño Cepeda

Toño Cepeda is an upcoming and new musician who has already got a fanbase around Ecuador. Cepeda’s latest album La vida en el espacio (Life in space) came out in July 2017. He has said that his newest album is a good representation of him as a person and that it is a journey that goes through acoustic parts and sometimes rock’n’roll or punk. Cepeda has been in bands like Biorn Borg, Rarefacción, and Can Can.

Toño Cepeda “Bang” | Sofar Guayaquil | Sofar Latin America / YouTube

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.