The Havana seven-piece is a passion project of Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks and son of Cuban exiles. Malo brought the band to Nashville in hopes they'll launch a career and build a bridge.
Israel's Netta, crowned for the song, "Toy," marked a return to the competition's hallmarks. Although she played into the over-the-top style, the singer thanked the audience "for choosing different."
Recorded live on stage at the Meyerhoff, Scott Simon joins BSO music director Marin Alsop and Leonard Bernstein's daughter Jamie for a conversation and musical celebration.
Though Cardi B's instinctive pose is that of a tough realist, her debut album allows for more vulnerable moments. Critic Ken Tucker calls Invasion of Privacy a "statement of principles."