10 Rising Latin Music Stars to Watch For in 2021
As we’re well in 2021 now, here are some new Latin music artists to keep on your radar for the rest of the year. On your playlists with Bad Bunny, Karol G, J Balvin, Sech, and Natti Natasha, here are 10 Latido Music-approved acts to add to the mix.
Myke Towers
Myke Towers encompasses the best of Latin hip-hop right now, whether that be in reggaeton or Latin trap music. His smooth flow can find its footing in any genre. He started off 2020 on the right foot with his breakthrough album Easy Money Baby where the Boricua rapper flexed his versatility. In this era of #BlackLivesMatter, the Afro-Latino rapper made an impact with the powerful “Michael X,” a tribute to Malcolm X. Towers broke the dawn with Thalía on “La Luz,” one of her strongest club anthems. He closed out the year with his Para Mi Ex EP featuring the bubbly “Bandido” that’s making waves. After signing a distribution deal with Warner Music Latina and Warner Records this week, the sky’s the limit for Towers.
YENDRY
YENDRY has been making moves in the music industry for a few years now as an independent artist. After growing up in a poor neighborhood in Santo Domingo, her mother took her to Italy in search of a better life. Now that YENDRY has the mobility to move between both countries, her music reflects that global perspective. In October, she signed with RCA Records and Sony Music Latin, and her music since then is fire. YENDRY sings in English and Spanish on the genre-bending and empowering “Diablo.” Her latest “Se Acabó” is a stunning reggaeton banger featuring Dominican rapper Mozart La Para. YENDRY’s blazing her own trail while paying homage to her diverse roots along the way.
Sinego
In the Latin music scene, EDM by Latinos is underrepresented. Colombian producer and DJ Sinego is changing that with his mesmerizing mixes. He has an affinity for boleros as evidenced by his single “No Soy de Aquí,” a twinkling rework of the Facundo Cabral classic. His music incorporates Latin elements, but there’s also a global influence with Dutch DJ Robby East co-producing the song. Sinego blends house music and boleros on his original “No Te Creo (Nada)” (and also sings in it!). Then there’s the sad yet sexy “Verte Triste.” The DJ with luminous locks is dropping a new EP next month, so there are more bolero bangers on the way.
Lali
Argentina’s pop princess Lali is crossing over since the release of her breakthrough album Brava in 2018. The album’s title is a sentiment she took to heart with her adventure mixes. On the alluring “Besarte Mucho,” she impressively blended reggaeton, Latin trap, and salsa music. Lali extended her reach the following year on “Lindo Pero Bruto” with Thalía. The two singers kicked himbos to the curb in the girl power anthem. With last November’s Libra album, she took her career to the next level in “Ladrón” featuring Argentina’s trap music queen Cazzu. Two of the country’s powerhouses are heartbreakers in this fierce collaboration. Next up, Lali stars in the upcoming Netflix series Sky Rojo this March.
Jhay Cortez
The biggest Latin music song in the world right now belongs to Jhay Cortez with his Bad Bunny collaboration, “Dákiti.” The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter was most known as a writer of other reggaetoneros’ hits, but now he’s making his mark as an artist and taking reggaeton into the future. Cortez is also a visionary in Latin trap as evidenced by his genre-bending banger “Kobe En LA.” In his tribute music video to the Lakers star, he sits on a basketball hoop of fire. A total slam dunk! As we wait for Cortez’s upcoming album Timelezz, he came into 2021 swinging in the knockout track “Los Bo” with Myke Towers.
Anitta
In the Latin music realm, Anitta is putting her country of Brazil on the map. There are no language barriers to her talents as she sings in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The pop star has come through with bangers in past like the reggaeton romp “Downtown” with J Balvin and the EDM hit “Sua Cara” with Diplo’s Major Lazer and Pabllo Vittar. Anitta can find her groove in any genre. As she gears up to release her next album Girl From Rio this year, Anitta is embracing Brazil’s baile funk in “Me Gusta” with Cardi B and Myke Towers. In her latest “Loco,” she gives reggaeton more of the funk makeover as well.
Villano Antillano
Following in the footsteps of late rapper Kevin Fret, Villano Antillano is giving reggaeton and Latin trap music a queer reckoning. The Puerto Rican rapper, who identifies as non-binary, is pushing back on the machismo and homophobia in both genres. They’re doing that by reclaiming in their music the queer slurs in Spanish. In 2018, Antillano first made an impact with “Pato Hasta La Muerte,” which was a shot at “Intocable,” Anuel AA’s homophobic diss to Cosculluela. Their latest song “Pájara” features the queerest slurs that Antillano wears proudly. Antillano’s flow is both flamboyant and goes hard as they spitfire with a wig on.
Manuel Turizo
There’s no denying Manuel Turizo’s deep baritone voice in reggaeton music. The 20-year-old singer from Colombia sounds beyond years on previous hits like “Una Lady Como Tú” and “Vaina Loca” with Ozuna. Both songs are also reflections of where Turizo can take that voice of his, whether in the sweet or sensual direction. For his upcoming second album Dopamina, he’s embracing more of the latter. Joining forces with fellow heartthrobs Myke Towers and Rauw Alejandro, the trio came through with the irresistible “La Nota.” Turizo becomes a bad habit that’s hard to kick in his latest “Mala Costumbre” with reggaeton pioneers Wisin y Yandel. More Manuel, please.
Ivonne Galaz
Rancho Humilde is known as the home of corridos tumbados with marquee acts like Natanael Cano and Junior H. Ivonne Galaz, the label’s first female signee, is making space for the women in the emerging genre. The Mexican singer-songwriter debuted in late 2019 with the magical “Golpes de la Vida,” a duet with Cano that she wrote. She followed that up with the tumbados girl power moment “La Rueda” featuring her labelmate Natalie López. Galaz went solo towards the end of 2020 her first single, the swaggering “A Mi Modo.” “My turn,” she says at the halfway point. Yes, it is!
Eslabon Armado
While corridos tumbados are on the rise, so is the Sierreño that Eslabon Armado is taking to the top. The Mexican-American trio scored a three-peat of No. 1 releases on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Albums chart last year. On their most recent LP, December’s Cortas Venas, the guys give the Sierreño an emo edge with songs like “Ando Más Que Mal” and “La Mejor de Todas.” The teens are reviving the sound of Ariel Camacho, their late Del Records labelmate, with a refreshing twist. Eslabon Armado even turned Italian singer Gianluca Grignani’s “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos” into a wistful Sierreño.
