Meet Nohe y Sus Santos

Please tell us the story of your group, how your journey has been since you started down this path.

Nohelia Sosa and myself (Randy Sanchez) formed the group in 2018.  We began working on our first album “Tempestad” in 2019 and it was released May 2020. Before the pandemic, we performed at various World Music Festivals including The Madison World Music Festival in Wisconsin.  A tour was planned for the USA and Canada in 2020 but has been put on hold until late 2021 or early 2022. 

Who is the leader of the band and what inspired you to put this group together?

I guess both Nohe and myself would be the ones to guide the band on it’s path.  I’m the Music Director of the band but I rely heavily on my band mates to decide where we go creatively.  I just try to keep it in order.

Please tell us about the members of your group and some background on each  band member.

Featuring musicians from Honduras (Nohelia Sosa-Vocals), and the United States (Randy Sanchez-Guitars, Justin Bransford-Bass, Dennis Javier Jasso-Drums) Nohe & Sus Santos finds its stride in creating songs that cross language and cultural borders, fostering a multicultural experience empowered by the new LatinX generation.Leading the group is Honduran singer and songwriter Nohelia Sosa. After being featured contestant on Azteca America’s music reality television show, La AcademiaUSA, where she placed third out of 30 participants, she recorded her debut album Deseo Inexplicable With Latin Grammy-winning producer Milton Salcedo. As she matured and stretched musically, “Nohe”, as she is known to all, had a vision of developing a small music combo with the focus of bringing her songs and music collaborations a unique forward sound that framed her stirring vocals. Employing electric guitar for an edgy rock feel and upright and electric basses and drums to provide a rock-pop backbeat, her newest project, Nohe & SusSantos, a quartet with a big sound, was born.

El Paso, TX music veteran and guitarist Randy Sanchez has performed and composed music with some of the Southwest’s best known Latin bands and also adds to the group’s arsenal of original song.

New Mexican bassist Justin Bransford utilizes his extensive knowledge of music, composition and performance to round out the band while his bass is the pulse of the group’s style, sound and songs

Dennis Javier Jasso is an award winning producer, songwriter, arranger and drummer and is a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards) and The Latin Recording Academy (The Latin GRAMMY Awards). He won the 2016 “Norman Petty Producer of the Year” award from the NM Music Awards and has also won several other NM Music Awards for his songwriting and arranging. His professional career as a musician began at this time playing with the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra and freelancing with various jazz, rock and theater groups.

Along with positive messages of self-identification and respect for our Latino heritage, the group also offers those unfamiliar with Latino culture and music a bridge on which to meet,a place where Rock and Pop interweave with Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms.

How did you come up with the name of your band?

We wanted a name that empowered our lead singer and showed our pride in a woman as our front person.  Santos sounded like a great name for the rest of the band.

How long has your band been together?

–We are now into our 3rd year as a band.

Tell us about the live performances you have done.

What we had was amazing.  Playing to people outside our region and to have them receive us with so much love is something we cherish.  We’ve played Meow Wolf a couple of times locally. Before the pandemic, we performed at various World Music Festivals including The Madison World Music Festival in Wisconsin.  A tour was planned for the USA and Canada in 2020 but has been put on hold until late 2021 or early 2022. 

Where are you from and what brought you to New Mexico?

We live in Santa Fe NM.  Santa Fe is such a great city for the arts and it has provided us a place to make a living and continue to be creative.

You have recorded a lot of covers by some very famous artists, how do you go about selecting what song you want to record?

Nohe usually picks a tune she loves.  Then we see how we can arrange the instrumentation to fit our set up and style. 

Have you encountered any struggles on your musical career path?

The pandemic has been the biggest struggle. For all of us.

Please give our readers some background on your music.

Nohe y Sus Santos (Nohe and Her Saints) is a four piece band that mixes Spanish and English vocals with the musical vibes of Central and North America. Incorporating Alt-Rock en Espanol, Cumbia and Pop grooves (and beyond! ), Nohe & Sus Santos delivers a LatinX vibe full of soul, passion and a good dose of attitude, accentuated by stabbing and sensual electric guitar, supple bass, fluid percussion – and that voice! Celebrated Honduran vocalist Nohelia Sosa completes a group of fabuloso musicians that can only be described as excitingly fresh, possessing a distinctive style that is all its own.

What song that you recorded has been the most popular?

I believe the song we recently put out called ‘Recuerdos, Tristeza, y Soledad by Marco Antonio Solís.  

What are your future aspirations as a band?

The band’s live shows are explosive, colorful, vibrant, fun affairs replete with stellar musicianship, and bold performances and attitude. And now once we are free of the Pandemic,  Nohe & Sus Santos will be ready to share their unique sound with national and international audiences. Oh and another album!  Look out for the singles!