Barack Obama chose Candela, by the Buena Vista Social Club, as one of the 46 songs in his summer playlist for 2026, published this Thursday on Instagram, making the Cuban classic the only piece from the island featured in the annual selection of the former U.S. president.
The song, composed by Faustino Oramas —known as «El Guayabero»— appears on the third page of the list, alongside names like Johnny Cash, Nina Simone, Neil Young, Drake, and Anderson.Paak, in a blend that encompasses soul, blues, jazz, reggae, hip-hop, and African music.
Obama accompanied the post with a personal message dedicating the selection to the memory of Irish musician Glen Hansard, who passed away the day before in a motorcycle accident in Dublin at the age of 56.
"It starts with a song that Michelle and I love by Glen Hansard, a great musician who tragically passed away this week. Our hearts are with his family," wrote the former president.
The list also includes Latin artists such as Rawayana and Manuel Turizo with Inglés en Miami, and Vale Pintos, Brytiago, Casper Mágico, and Héctor «El Father» with La Father Remix, reflecting the growing influence of Spanish music in Obama's musical preferences.
Candela belongs to the self-titled album by the Buena Vista Social Club, recorded over six days at the EGREM studios in Havana in March 1996 and released in 1997 by World Circuit Records.
According to the record label, the album became a worldwide phenomenon that sold over 8 million copies and contributed to the rise of Cuban and Latin American music on a global scale.
The album, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder, won the 1998 Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Traditional Album and was inducted in April 2022 into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress of the United States.
The official video of Candela on YouTube has accumulated over 16.5 million views.
This is not the first time Obama has turned to Cuban music for his playlists. In December 2021, he included Patria y Vida among his favorite songs of the year, and in the summer of 2022, he added Guantanamera in the version by Wyclef Jean featuring Celia Cruz and Lauryn Hill.
The tradition of publishing summer playlists began in August 2015, when the White House partnered with Spotify during the presidential vacation in Martha's Vineyard, and it has established itself as a cultural event followed by millions of people each year.
International interest in the legacy of the Buena Vista Social Club is experiencing a renewed surge: in June 2025, the Broadway musical based on the project won five Tony Awards at its 78th edition, solidifying the Cuban musicians from that historic recording as essential figures in global popular culture.
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