6 Guarevel Sessions Spotlighting the Best of Dominican Indie

When music scenes are small, even the most talented artists run the risk of getting lost in the shuffle. That’s why documenting this work has become essential in indie circles, where key players capture unique local perspectives in blogs, zines, and even podcasts. In the Dominican Republic, singer-songwriter and producer Emmanuel Bonnet, better known simply as Bonnet, has undertaken this daunting task with cinematic flair. Co-founding and leading the charge behind the Guarevel sessions, Bonnet and his team are simultaneously providing an expertly-produced platform for local indie artists while immortalizing their intimate performances. 

“Sometimes it’s challenging connecting with audiences with just the music,” he tells Remezcla, “But live experiences can turn that around, so I think having a platform to spotlight those performances is really important. A lot of these artists are very thankful that I’m supporting their music, but I’m the one who feels like they’re supporting my project when they accept my invitation to do a session.”

Inspired by the work of renowned institutions like KEXP, AudioTree, and NPR’s Tiny Desk, the first Guarevel session was uploaded to YouTube in June 2018. The channel now boasts over 50 different performances and each session is complete with short, breezy interviews contextualizing the world of the artist. Bonnet believes that fostering spaces with a broad array of perspectives can connect voices and audiences from across the scene, both rising and seasoned.

Guarevel’s extensive session catalog is filled with Dominican underground stars, including NIKÓLA, La Gran Mawon, SNENiE, Alina Labour, The Cat Lady, Luitomá, Boundary, and even Bonnet, himself. And while we recommend you deep-dive through Guarevel’s stacked YouTube page, we’ve gone ahead and selected six magical sessions to help you get your feet wet.