Puerto Rican Icon Draco Rosa Brings Jazz and Psychedelia to Career-Spanning Tiny Desk: Watch

Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and Latin rock icon Draco Rosa is the latest artist to perform at NPR’s Tiny Desk, delivering a career-spanning set that blended psychedelic rock, jazz, and Latin rhythms. The four-song performance featured “Lie Without a Lover,” “Quiero Vivir,” and “Todo Marcha Bien,” before closing with an extended rendition of “Vagabundo,” the title track from his acclaimed 1996 album, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. After rising to fame as a member of Menudo in the 1980s, Rosa went on to co-write and produce some of Ricky Martin‘s biggest hits, including “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” “She Bangs,” and “The Cup of Life.” His solo career, meanwhile, saw him embrace a darker, more experimental sound, with Vagabundo becoming a landmark album in Latin alternative rock. For his Tiny Desk performance, Rosa was accompanied by a six-piece band, including Puerto Rican jazz trumpeter Charlie Sepúlveda, whose playing brought a distinctive improvisational dimension to the extended finale. The concert is part of NPR’s 2026 El Tiny series, celebrating Latin music during Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s performances have also included Alex Ferreira, who reunited with...