It seems the difference between “Latinx” and “Hispanic” continues to confuse the masses where both terms are incorrectly used interchangeably to describe the collective Spanish speaking community. This time the controversy comes with the reveal of Spanish flamenco artist Rosalía on the cover of Vogue México, as the face for their list of  “20 artistas latinos.”

If you were alive over the weekend, then you likely caught the Twitter backlash that criticized Vogue for its latest faux pas.

For its latest cover, Vogue México recently featured Rosalía for an issue that headlined a group of “20 artistas latinos.

Rosalía, again, is not Latino. The artist was born in Catalonia, Spain and while she has collaborated with Latino artists like J Balvin, she is– again– not Latino. Vogue’s cultural flub is a reminder that as much of a rising influence as Latino artistry and culture continues to be, the nuances of our culture and history remain in the blindspots of many consumers. And yes, even of Vogue México’s, a media giant, that has made great strides to improve the diversity on its pages in recent years, particularly with features of minority women like Mexican indigenous actress Yalitza Aparicio. 

Latinx Twitter was quickly ablaze with comments reminding people of the correct usage: “Latinx” is for Latin America, “Hispanic” is reserved for those from Spain. 

But beyond the literal distinctions, the term “Hispanic” is loaded with ties to colonial history between Latin America and Spain. Starting in the 1500s, what was then known as “New Spain” (colonized areas including Latin America) led to the massacres of indigenous communities or forced assimilation to Spanish culture. Additionally, diseases wiped out a large portion of the population leading to mortality rates as high as 90 percent throughout Latin America.   

In short, despite the fact that Rosalía speaks Spanish, calling her Latina is culturally insensitive and grossly inaccurate.

Rosalía herself discussed the difference during an interview with Fader in May 2019 saying “If Latin music is music made in Spanish, then my music is part of Latin music. But I do know that if I say I’m a Latina artist, that’s not correct, is it?” The singer, who makes music inspired by Andalusian flamenco culture, clarified that she’s “part of a generation that’s making music in Spanish” and suggested that others should decide if she should be included in a modern definition of what “Latin” music sounds like.

In the interview, she addressed how the term is used loosely in the media though the article does mention the controversy she sparked after saying she felt “Latina” when she traveled to places like Mexico. 

Since the Vogue México cover is in Spanish it can be translated to “Latin Artists” referring to Spanish music overall.

However, due to the sensitive nature of the terminology, it’s important to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of the distinction. 

This isn’t the first instance in entertainment where the distinction needed to be made. Recently, One Day at a Time creator Gloria Calderón Kellett tweeted about how she needed to clarify that the writer she’d been sent was Hispanic not Latinx. 

She then tweeted a chart created by Bustle to provide a visual interpretation of the differences between “Latinx” and “Hispanic.” 

The music industry as a whole has yet to adopt this vocabulary and properly use it and the uproar is not on the spotlight placed on Rosalía but rather the fact that there are plenty of indie Latinx artists who deserve attention. 

Rosalía is a five-time Latin Grammy nominee who came out with El Mal Querer in November of last year.  She spoke with Billboard about the Andulasian influence in her neighborhood growing up that sparked her love for flamenco since the folkloric music has its origins in that community in Southern Spain. 

“That folklore is part of who I am, and that’s the key: I don’t want to lose my roots. I think that’s what gives you your identity. Rather than trying to adhere to some kind of global pop standard, it’s much more interesting to look to my roots and to the popular music of where I’m from. Not now or ever will I put flamenco aside,” she told the publication. 

Though her last album was an ode to flamenco, she has explored other more contemporary sounds and collaborated with Latinx artists include J Balvin, who is from Colombia. Their reggaeton track was a global hit providing an opportunity for a distinction to be made between the way they could’ve been identified but that wasn’t necessarily the case. 

Even well known Spanish artists like Enrique Iglesias and Alejandro Sanz are often referred to as Latino/Latinx artists. Yet, even the U.S. census has been identifying people of Spanish descent using “Hispanic” as a catchall term since 1980. In neither instance was the word used properly and the vocabulary continues to evolve now that the gender-inclusive term Latinx has become the preferred identifier for younger generations. 

While Rosalía’s music is worthy of attention and praise, it’s important to note that, like Portugal and Brazil, Spain and Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America are two distinct cultures that shouldn’t be conflated. If English artists and Americans can be identified as such and not grouped together solely based on language, it’s not much to ask that distinctions be made when it comes to “Latinx” versus “Hispanic.” 

The Coachella Valley is known to most as the home of one of the largest music gatherings, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. But if you look deeper, the desert area is home to miles of agriculture, a developing suburb, and a growing music scene.

Ocho Ojos, a local band from the Eastern Coachella Valley, is a product of that underground culture that many outside of the area might not be aware of. The group, Danny Torres (Synthesizer), Cesar Flores (Guitar/Vocals), James Gastelum (Bass) and Rafael Rodriguez (Drums), wears their hometown on their sleeve and are proud of it.

The group’s name, Ocho Ojos, is Spanish for eight eyes, a reference to the thick black glasses that both Flores and Torres wear.

Dressed in matching white button-ups and white patent leather shoes, similar to the kind chambelanes wear for a quinceanera, the group likes to keep it fresh. Flores says he found the shoes at a local Goodwill one day and realized this was going to be their look. It was also helpful during the hot Coachella nights to be wearing white.

“If you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you play good,” Torres said. “It’s a part of who we are as a group and a reflection of our style.”

The group, which started as a duo of only Flores and Torres in 2016, started off by playing backyard gigs in their hometown. They slowly moved up to bars and local clubs and after a year, people began recognizing them.

“We just wanted to create songs that people could dance to and escape to,” Torres said. “We moved up after a year and soon we realized that people got attached to the group.”

After three years, the group would expand to a four-piece, with the addition of Rodriguez and Gastelum. This has helped them keep up with the numerous requests to play shows throughout the Coachella area.

The group likes to call themselves a “psychedelic cumbia band.” It’s a tribute to the fusion of sounds they’ve been inspired by.

Their style is what makes Ocho Ojos so unique and popular in the Coachella Valley. The group says they were inspired by the music they and their parents listened to growing up. It was a mixture of cumbia, classic rock and a lot of heavy metal.

“The music I grew up listening to had a huge influence on me and really inspired much of the music we are creating today,” Torres said. “People here love our sound and I think it’s a reflection of what we listened to growing up.”

That sound is thriving in Coachella’s alternative music scene, where indie rock, desert rock, and punk are more popular than ever. The mixture of cumbia is a tribute to their Latin upbringing and plays a special part in their success with locals.

“Our environment inspires our music. It’s consistent right in the middle of the area and the desert,” Rodriguez. “We even have a song with a sound of a snake in it, I think Coachella inspired us all.”

While the group had success, it wasn’t until a last-minute addition to the 2017 Coachella lineup that they had their big break.

When Ocho Ojos first performed at the Coachella Festival in 2017, they performed on a Sunday to a small crowd of about 100-150. The group was also a last-minute addition, so their name wasn’t on the official concert poster and found out they’d be on the bill on Monday of that week.

Fast-forward two years later, the group was officially part of the lineup and performed along with the likes of Bad Bunny and Tame Impala. When comparing those two different experiences, Torres says it felt like the second time around the group in a way earned the spot.

“It was a completely different experience and it was a completely different process,” Torres said. “We made the lineup and we weren’t just that band from Coachella, we made it because of who we are. We felt like rock stars that night.”

From playing in bars and backyard gigs, the group felt the event was a culmination of all that hard work put forward. Rodriguez says after attending the festival as fans for years being on that stage was special.

“It was surreal after attending the festival for years to find yourself up there it felt like an out of body feeling,” Rodriguez said.

The sky is the limit for Ocho Ojos as they now plan on expanding their reach beyond Coachella.

The group sees growth in themselves and their unique sound that has played a big role in where they are today. For them, performing at Coachella wasn’t anything close to the pinnacle of what they hope is a long music career but another stepping stone.

“All the work that goes on behind the scenes and all the little things that you consider the tedious work is important,” Torres says. “If you go into it with the idea that you’ll be famous it won’t work.”

They hope to continue expanding their fan reach and keep touring around the country. Their love of experimental music and more importantly, their love for the Coachella Valley is what drives them to keep going.

“It’s that desert love and that appreciation for what music has brought into our lives,” Gastelum says. “At night when the temperatures drop, people are dancing and they are enjoying the night, we love it and it keeps us going.”

READ: As Coachella Weekend Two Starts, Some Want Concertgoers To Respect Those Cleaning Up After Their Day Of Partying