The Son That Unites Us: Cuba Vibrates at Cubadisco 2026

Havana is getting ready to move to the rhythm of its music. From May 16 to 24, the 29th International Cubadisco Fair 2026 will turn the capital into the epicenter of the national recording industry. With son as its cultural compass — recently declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity — and the memory of Jorge Gómez as its guiding light, the event promises a week of intense debate, business, and, of course, plenty of dancing.

The fair will unfold across two emblematic venues: Pabellón Cuba, which will host the trade fair with 53 confirmed participants and a range of side events, and the Covarrubias Hall of the National Theatre of Cuba, the site of the awards gala on May 16. Indira Fajardo, president of the Cuban Music Institute, described the gathering as the leading showcase for Cuban music and a collective effort to make artistic creation visible despite today’s difficult economic climate.

The lead-up to the event has already offered a snapshot of the vitality of Cuba’s music scene. Out of 220 works submitted, the panel of experts selected 124 nominees in the general categories, in addition to 35 in the special categories. The figures underscore the prestige the award continues to hold for both established and emerging artists.

This year, however, the atmosphere at the nomination ceremony, held at the Habana Libre Hotel, carried a bittersweet note. The edition pays posthumous tribute to Jorge Gómez Barranco, a founding figure of the event and its president for more than a decade, who died recently. His absence left a palpable silence in the room, but his legacy resonated in the memory of those in attendance. “It is an honor to dedicate this edition to someone who devoted his life to expanding this celebration,” Cary Diez, president of the Cubadisco 2026 Prize, told the press.

The list of contenders shows that in Cuba, all music has a place. In the heritage section, the category De la Tradición Sonera brings together landmark albums such as Yo soy el son by Ecos del Tivolí, Tributo al tres cubano by Pancho Amat, and Destino by Maikel Dinza. The latter reflects the evolution of a genre that, as one researcher said during the symposium, “is not the past, but the seed.”

Jazz also holds a privileged place. The Abreu brothers are competing with Rastros del Alba, while Belinda Guerra and her Cuban Jazz Ensemble are in contention with Bebop Havana, and Mayquel González is vying for the prize with Cháchara. In singer-songwriter and popular song categories, diversity is the rule: from the intimate proposal of Locuras by Rolando Luna and Annys Batista to the force of dance music. In the latter field, attention is focused on the generational showdown in the category Son Contemporáneo / Salsa, where Virus by Formell y Los Van Van stands alongside Mira como vengo by Issac Delgado and the newcomer Entrando al aula by Juan Ballestero y Havana City.

The singer-songwriter tradition remains strong. Amaury Pérez returns to competition with Cómplices, in a trova category that also includes collective projects paying tribute to Silvio Rodríguez and Ángel Quintero. At the other end of the spectrum, urban music arrives in force with Wampi’s El Rey de La Habana, Fabicile’s Labios Rojos, and Obsesión, which presents Luciérnaga. Crónicas de Luz.

For the first time, Cubadisco has added the category En redes to its competitive lineup. The category recognizes productions designed for the digital ecosystem, such as the podcast “Música al Día” and the teaser “Detrás del muro,” a clear sign of how the industry is adapting to new platforms.

The program, moreover, extends beyond the competition itself. From May 19 to 21, the Salón de Mayo at Pabellón Cuba will host the international symposium. Specialists will focus on son as an expression of cultural identity, with tributes to researcher José Reyes Fortún on his 80th birthday, the 55th anniversary of the National Museum of Music, and the 40th anniversary of the magazine Clave. Meanwhile, the television channel of the same name will once again become Canal Cubadisco, bringing the programming into homes across the island.

Despite the difficulties, the event has maintained its commitment to growth. A total of 220 works were entered into competition, offering clear evidence of the sector’s vitality. The Havana Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Daiana García, received seven nominations for De todos los colores y también sinfónico and Habana a toda cuerda, reflecting the exceptionally high technical standard of Cuba’s concert music.

Cubadisco 2026 is, at its core, a celebration of resilience and talent. As Cary Diez put it, the aim is to defend artistic quality above financial backing. In the end, what lingers in Havana’s memory is not just a melody, but the certainty of a culture that keeps reinventing itself without missing a beat.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez