trova
what it is
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century there grew up in Oriente, and especially Santiago de Cuba, a group of itinerant musicians, trovadores, who moved around earning their living by singing and playing the guitar. According to one writer, to qualify as a trovador in Cuba, a person should a) sing songs of his own composition, or of others of the same kind; b) accompany himself on the guitar; and c) deal poetically with the song.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make trova a playlist
turn these 24 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is trova?
Trova is one of the great roots of the Cuban music tree. In the 19th century there grew up in Oriente, and especially Santiago de Cuba, a group of itinerant musicians, trovadores, who moved around earning their living by singing and playing the guitar. According to one writer, to qualify as a trovador in Cuba, a person should a) sing songs of his own composition, or of others of the same kind; b) accompany himself on the guitar; and c) deal poetically with the song.
What are good trova albums to start with?
Try Pánico by Manuel García, Eco by Jorge Drexler, Cuerpo y Alma by Pedro Aznar, and Voy y vuelvo by Nano Stern.
Who are some women making trova?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/trova/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making trova, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20