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Back In March, Laura & Santiago released the fantastic O Ma as the debut title on their new label, Creature Mode. Now, they bring you the incredible Juna, thesecond label release,featuring the soulful vocals of NANDI.
Take a large dose of positive energy, add the power of music, throw in a whole lot of love, sprinkle over a little bit of Ibiza magic and you’ve got the core ingredients for Laura and Santiago’s special sauce. With Santiago’s longstanding grounding as a DJ and producer and Laura’s saxophone prowess, they have become a world-leading double act combining the virtuoso impact of live instrumentation with the eternally emotive rhythms of house music.
The duo have recently updated their name, previously going under the guise of Lovely Laura and Ben Santiago. The two were solo artists who fell in love and started to gig together. Santiago explains: Early in 2026, Laura broke her wrist. This potentially life-changing experience, combined with time away from everything, has been a source of great reflection. Some might call it a rebirth. It is from this rebirth that we have decided the time has come to freshen things up. We are changing our name to Laura & Santiago!
After success with Real Love (alongside Marco Lys) on Nervous, and Cinnamon Flower on Todd Terry’s Freeze, Juna is a unique record and a labour of love. Originally recorded in 2020, the track features the incredible vocals of NANDI, sung in the southern African language of Ndebele, with a sprinkling of Zulu.
Juna starts with an infectious beat and jingly synth hook, paving the way for Laura’s catchy horn topline. NANDI’s beautiful lyrics join, soulful and uplifting, like the very best of those late 90’s vocal house divas, with added spirituality.
‘Umthwalo wam’ngiwuphethe / Ngizohamba, ngizohamba’
(I carry my burden / I’ll be on my way)
Already turning heads at 528 and Pikes, this is a track that gets people on the dancefloor and really going for it. It’s impossible not to feel joy when you hear Juna.
Santiago tells us more: ‘It has taken us this long to get it out! the biggest obstacle was clearing a sample we had used sung in Bambara, the national language of Mali. One winter morning, a chance meeting at Ibiza Airport led to the introduction of the extremely talented NANDI. My hairs stood on end when I first heard her vocals. We freshened up the drums, changed the bassline, and voila!’
Juna sounds especially incredible live, so come catch Laura & Santiago in Ibiza, at their Pikes and Café Mambo residencies, or one of their 528 headline slots right across the summer, or at one of the following amazing events:
Laura & Santiago International Dates
20.06 Liverpool: Cream Classical,
27.06 Hull: Café Mambo Ibiza Classics in the Park,
15.08 Reading: Café Mambo in the Park,
28.08 Reims, France: Vogue Club
05.09 Durham: Lumley Castle,
26.09 Dublin: TBA
03.10 Coventry: Cathedral
04.10 Chester: Cathedral
23.10 Amsterdam: ADE
Laura & Santiago Ibiza Dates
03.07 Pikes
11.07 528
20.07 TBA
01.08 528
14.08 Pikes
01.09 Café Mambo
07.09 TBA
08.09 Café Mambo
11.09 Pikes
15.09 Café Mambo
22.09 Café Mambo
29.09 Café Mambo
02.10 Pikes
06.10 Café Mambo
13.10 Café Mambo
Buy link: https://ffm.to/cm002
