By Nicholas Jason Lopez
Over the span of nearly two decades, two-time Latin Grammy winners Rawayana have been everywhere from Coachella and Lollapalooza to even NPR's "Tiny Desk."
The Venezuelan band - whose members consist of Andréa "Fofo" Story, Alejandro "Abeja" Abeijón, Alberto "Beto" Montenegro and Antonio "Tony" Casas - have dabbled their music into genres like reggae, funk, salsa and electronic; a self-described "trippy pop."
They've arguably seen Latino music thrust into the upper echelons of pop culture, thanks to global superstars like Shakira, Bad Bunny and KAROL G.
Rawayana also haven't shied away from politics, using their platform to spread hope and awareness to the 2021 Venezuelan Crisis and ruffled feathers with then-President Nicolás Maduro, whose strong criticism of their song "Veneka" actually forced them to cancel a previous tour of the country.
When you take their recent album title of "Donde Es El After?" which roughly translates in English to "Where Is The After?" into literal account, they ironically got their answer earlier than anticipated.
Viral popularity heralded Rawayana to start 2026 when they (seemingly) predicted Maduro's capture by two days in the opening lines of "Si Te Pica Es Porque Eres Tú" with a bold reference to a speech from writer Arturo Uslar Pietri.
Focused more on happy, trippy island vibes than past releases - this 23-track extravaganza - released via Broccoli Records and distributed by Rimas Entertainment - gift us a handful of glitzy, confident vocals, sleek production and smooth rhythms.
Think of yourself on a tropical beach, basked in sun, margarita in hand, toes planted into the sand as you exhale, take a long sip and watch the waves crash about in the near distance. That's the chill vibe we get throughout 'Donde Es El After?' and we're here for it.
Guest spots by artists like Manuel Turizo, Grupo Frontera and DannyLux also help raise the album's coinage, not that star power is something Rawayana have ever lacked on their own.
If you've enjoyed the recent global expansion of Latin trap/pop, you can fully appreciate 'Donde Es El After?' for what it is.
Really.
Toss it into the mix of what's out now and it won't miss a single beat, thanks to excellent Bad Bunny-esque tracks like "La Noche Que No Había Uber," "Se Vienen Cositas," the party-centric "Amor De Contrabando" and probably our favorite, the catchy "Naguará," highlighted by ELENA ROSE's dreamy vocals.
While Venezuela still has a ways to go to get back to what was once deemed its "glory days," they at least have a soundtrack now to be proud of in 'Donde Es El After?' and within that album's title lies a true life lesson - focus on the moment, fight for a better life for yourself and those around you and you also just might find your "After."
