Latin Grammy Nominee, Leslie Cartaya, Returns to Musical Interludes

Published on January 30, 2026

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — The Marco Island Center for the Arts will welcome vocalist and composer Leslie Cartaya for a Musical Interludes performance at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The concert is part of ¡Arte Viva!, Collier County’s celebration of Hispanic arts and culture.

Cartaya is known for blending traditional Cuban rhythms with jazz and American funk. Born and raised in Cuba, her musical roots began with family improvisation and developed into a career that bridges Afro-Cuban, Afro-Latin and Latin American musical traditions.

She launched her solo career with the 2013 album No Pares, a 19-track recording that highlights her work as both a vocalist and composer. The album draws on Caribbean, Afro-American and Latin influences.

Before performing as a solo artist, Cartaya co-founded the Afro-Cuban funk band Palo! The group’s debut album, This Is AfroCuban Funk, was described by The New York Times as “the Cuban music of the new generation.” Her work with the band earned a Latin Grammy, a Grammy nomination and a Suncoast Emmy Award for the soundtrack to the documentary Miami Boheme.

Cartaya returns to the Marco Island Center for the Arts for this Musical Interludes engagement. Tickets are available at www.marcoislandart.org/musical-interludes/ or by calling 239-394-4221.

About Marco Island Center for the Arts

Marco Island Center for the Arts brings a wide variety of arts to its community through art exhibitions, engaging educational programs for adults and children and a diverse assortment of events. The Arts Center Theatre offers both produced and presented theater productions as well as other live entertainment. The Art Center and its theater serve as professional and financial drivers for visual and performing artists and educators through exhibition, performance and teaching opportunities while being a catalyst that fuels economic development, an understanding of cultural diversity and community cohesion