According to the RIAA, the Latin music industry had another record-breaking year in 2022, with revenue increasing by 35%. Artists like Bad Bunny and Karol G continue to top the charts and sell out massive tours — and there are even more rising stars right on their tail, ready to take the music even further.
2022 featured a slew of breakout acts from Latin America and the diaspora. Unapologetic and unapologetically honest artists like Tokischa and Villano Antillano achieved massive success, while rappers like Blessd and Trueno gained attention for their spontaneous, freestyle-inspired sounds.
The Latin Recording Academy named Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada as the year’s Best New Artist, alongside Cuban singer Angela Alvarez, who is 95 years old. Meanwhile, Omar Apollo was nominated for the same award at the Grammys for his brilliant LP Ivory, and Sebastián Yatra helped Encanto’s music become a viral sensation heard around the world.
The talent pool is only growing, and there are numerous new artists making waves across Latin genres. From pop spitfire Gale to dembow wunderkind Angel Dior to multi-talented girl group Bella Dose, these are the acts we believe will break through in 2023.
Loyal Lobos
Andrea Silva’s debut album as Loyal Lobos, Everlasting, was full of finespun reveries that established her as an introspective singer-songwriter and guitarist who was constantly bridging bicultural worlds through her music. She captured memories and a sense of longing for her childhood in Colombia through bilingual lyrics while ruminating on her life in Los Angeles. “Bummed,” a catchy single released in late 2022, is a preview of new music she’s been working on and demonstrates how she’s refined her confessional songwriting and graceful sound.
Bella Dose
The R&B trio FLO has been making waves in the UK, but the United States also needs a rising girl group. Consider Bella Dose, which consists of Melany Rivera, Thais Rodriguez, Brianna Leah, and Jenni Hernandez. The bilingual group released the Spanish album Suelta in 2021, which included their bachata hit “Si Me Llamas.” Expect the TikTok-savvy queens to channel the pop-rock sounds of last year’s hit “Bite” in the new year, as well as get sexy with songs like “Talk Too Much.” The girls in Bella Dose have the star power to become major players in Latin pop, thanks to their choreo-filled performances and electric chemistry.
Luna Luna
The music of Luna Luna is like falling in love. The Texas-based band combines lo-fi pop, funk, and R&B with dreamy and relatable lyrics written in both English and Spanish. Kavvi Gonzalez, Danny Bonilla, Kaylin Martinez, and Ryan Gordon discovered a community of indie music lovers of color on TikTok five years after their debut LP. Luna Luna is gearing up to release more music and go even bigger in 2023, following the release of her comeback single “Talk Too Much” last year.
Gale
Gale is already a natural force. After writing on Christina Aguilera’s Latin Grammy-winning album Aguilera last year, the Puerto Rican singer has spent the last few months preparing to release her own album. On singles like “D Pic,” a pop-punk condemnation of creeps who send unsolicited dick pics, and a hint of Gale’s vivacious, tongue-in-cheek lyricism, she’s given fans a taste of the eclectic sounds she’s playing with. —J.L.
Niko Rubio
Niko Rubio’s debut EP Wish You Were Here, with its beachy, Pacific Coast Highway-inspired sounds, earned the Mexican-Salvadoran songstress an opening slot on Omar Apollo’s tour last year. She’s released the coquettish bedroom pop single “Dream Girl,” the moody pop-punk track “Love Me Till U Hate Me,” and the Julieta Venegas-esque “Olvidar De Ti” in the last few months, and the self-proclaimed “princesa del mar” is set to make waves in the new year.
Yadam
Yadam grew up in the United States, Venezuela, and France, and his music sounds like a tapestry woven from all the influences around him. Songs like “Otras Mujeres,” a tender track written to empower queer listeners to “reclaim control over who they love and how they are loved,” show how Yadam elegantly blends sounds and styles into emotional tracks that are understated yet powerful.
Letón Pé
Letón Pé’s meteoric rise has felt inevitable since the release of her tropi-pop breakout “The One” in 2019. Last year, the Dominican beauty collaborated with indie pop legends like Clubz and Irepelusa, released her house and reggaeton-infused debut EP La Caleta, and even performed riveting live shows in Miami and Mexico City. Consider the rousing single “Dale” not only as an inspirational earworm, but also as a foreshadowing of future hits.
Dillom
Dillom is already the ruler of South America. Since 2019’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol.9,” the irreverent rap powerhouse has dominated Argentina’s radio and festival circuit, skyrocketing two years later with the release of his mold-breaking LP Post Mortem. The RIP GANG’s enfant terrible will finally make it north in the spring, with a performance at Mexico’s Tecate Pa’l Norte festival and a thirst for world dominance. Don’t fall asleep.
Angel Dior
The word is dembow, and Angel Dior is preaching it. With breath-defying verses and wordless hooks, viral hits “A I O” and “Zuculento” established the Dominican dembowsero as the genre’s next unmistakable voice, inspiring multiple dance crazes. With co-signs from trailblazers like Chimbala and La Materialista, as well as an invitation from Bad Bunny to perform at his massive Santo Domingo show, you have a global star on your hands.
Yendry
Yendry, a Dominican-Italian singer, has been steadily growing her fan base since 2019, attracting listeners with a rich, velvety voice that can tackle any genre. Her influences span the globe and include deconstructed, forward-thinking variations of R&B, dembow, reggae, pop, and more, demonstrating her versatility. She spent 2022 collaborating with everyone from J Balvin to Damien Marley, and her next big career move is an album she’s been working on for over a year.
