Photography by Gabriel Cano.
Idania Hernández is a master of 20 instruments. Last year, we featured her in the May edition of the Oak Cliff Advocate to share about her musical journey and opening her own LLC.
She moved to Dallas a decade ago and has been living in our neighborhood for about four years.
Now, Hernández is preparing her new EP De Cuba al Mundo, which means “from Cuba to the world.” Upon its expected release this fall, she will be submitting for consideration of the Grammy Awards for the first time.
What about our neighborhood helps you with your career aspirations?
I have been living in Oak Cliff for the past five years, and since I arrived, I have discovered a very diverse and vibrant artistic world. One of the things I appreciate most about this community is the sense of freedom it gives you as an artist — to create, to express yourself, and to bring your own experiences and culture into your music.
There is also a wonderful openness to different musical styles. People here have a broad appreciation for music, and I have seen audiences embrace everything from salsa, cumbia, bachata, and reggaeton to ballads, reggae, and many other genres. When the music is performed with passion and authenticity, people connect with it.
I especially feel that throughout Oak Cliff, and particularly around Bishop Arts, there is music in the air. It is a place that gives you a lot as a musician, composer, creator, and artist. It allows you to connect with other artists, discover new venues, gain new experiences, and find new opportunities.
There are also so many cultural celebrations and community events throughout the year, such as Cinco de Mayo, Día de los Muertos, Bastille Day and many others. These events create opportunities for artists to share their work and connect with different audiences.
For me, Oak Cliff has been an important part of my artistic growth. It has given me the freedom to be myself as an artist, while also surrounding me with a community that appreciates culture, creativity, and music in all its forms.
Tell me about your latest project. What genre and instruments will you use for this project?
My most recent project is my first EP, De Cuba para el Mundo (From Cuba to the World). I chose this title because this project represents the result of my entire musical journey — from the moment I began studying music in Cuba, to becoming a professional musician there, and eventually continuing my career and musical growth here in the United States.
This EP is very meaningful to me because it brings together years of experience, learning, perseverance and artistic evolution. It reflects what I have absorbed from both Cuba and the United States — a country that I also consider a part of my story because it opened its doors to me and gave me the opportunity to continue growing as an artist. My experiences here, especially in Dallas and the Oak Cliff community, have contributed tremendously to my musical vision and to the artist I am today.
Musically, De Cuba para el Mundo is rooted in Afro-Cuban music while embracing the different influences that have shaped me throughout my journey. You can hear elements of jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, salsa, Cuban son, reggae and other contemporary sounds. One of the things I value most as a singer is interpretation, and that is also an important part of this project.
The EP has also allowed me to live out two very special dreams. Having Tito Puente Jr. on “Havana to New York” is incredibly meaningful to me because of the connection to the legacy of Celia Cruz and Tito Puente, whose music I admired from a young age. Their work was an inspiration to me, so seeing that tradition become part of my very first EP is truly a dream come true. I am deeply grateful to Tito Puente Jr. for sharing his artistry and helping me honor that beautiful musical legacy.
Collaborating with DJ Kane, the original singer of Kumbia Kings, was another dream come true. I admire his career and, especially, the authenticity he brings to his voice and performances.
In addition to singing, I played several instruments on the recordings myself, alongside the talented musicians who contributed their own artistry to the project. For me, this EP is more than a collection of songs. It is a reflection of who I am, where I come from, and everything I have experienced along the way. It carries my Cuban roots, my culture, my experiences in the United States, and the artist I have become through all these years. De Cuba para el Mundo is my way of sharing that journey with the world.
What led to that collaboration with Tito Puente Jr.? Are there any other collaborations on the EP?
My collaboration with Tito Puente Jr. came about in a very unexpected and almost magical way. Last year, I was hired to open one of his concerts and also to play with his backing orchestra. While I was performing before his set — singing and playing the timbales — I noticed Tito in the audience, recording my performance. Seeing his enthusiasm for what I was doing was an unforgettable moment for me.
During that same performance, while I was playing with his orchestra, he invited me to play the timbales during his own show. That experience was incredible. The connection we forged on stage is something I will always remember; it eventually inspired me to compose “Havana to New York.”
The song was my way of expressing what that moment meant to me and honoring the musical bond between Cuba and its artists, as well as the great legacy of Celia Cruz and Tito Puente — artists I had admired since childhood. I shared the song with Tito and asked if he would be interested in collaborating. When he agreed, I honestly couldn’t believe it. He also appears in the song’s music video, which makes the collaboration even more special.
I am deeply grateful to Tito Puente Jr. He is not only an extraordinary musician with an incredible legacy but also a very humble, kind, and authentic person. Working with him has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.
The EP also features DJ Kane, the original lead singer of Kumbia Kings, on the track “Amo Tu Boca.” That collaboration also came about very organically after we met at a performance. I admired his career and his authenticity as an artist, so I suggested he lend his voice to one of my songs, and he loved the idea immediately.
“Amo Tu Boca” holds special significance because I composed the music based on a poem by the Cuban writer Carilda Oliver Labra, whose work I deeply admire. The song fuses elements of reggaeton, jazz, and other contemporary sounds, while DJ Kane brings his unique style with a section that blends singing and rapping. Both collaborations came about naturally, yet they brought something very special to the EP: culture, tradition, passion, and the connection between different generations of Latin music.
What inspired you to prepare your latest EP?
The inspiration for this EP came in a very unexpected way. It actually began with a conversation and a decision between AJ Solíz, who is currently my executive producer and also a very good friend, and me. AJ has a great deal of experience and vision, and originally, the idea was simply to record the song with Tito Puente Jr.
When we heard how well the song came together, we realized that there was something special there. We decided to create at least three more songs and bring them together as a complete EP. So, in a way, the project was born organically, without being something I had originally planned.
I also felt that the timing was right. I have reached a point in my life and career where I have the maturity, experience and musical knowledge to allow everything I have learned throughout the years to flow into this project. For me, this EP became an opportunity to bring together everything I have experienced as a musician and share it through my music.
What does it mean to you to submit your music for Grammy consideration for the first time?
Having the opportunity to submit my music for consideration for a Grammy for the first time is an incredibly meaningful moment for me. The Grammy has always represented one of the highest recognitions in music, so being able to place my work in that space is something I am deeply grateful for.
For me, it is not only about the possibility of winning an award. It is about reaching a point in my career where the music I have been creating throughout all these years can be presented on such an important platform and considered alongside the work of artists from around the world.
This is my first EP, and it carries so much of my journey — from my musical education and roots in Cuba to everything I have learned and experienced here in the United States. Having the opportunity to submit De Cuba para el Mundo for Grammy consideration feels like a recognition of that entire journey.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
