While reggaeton and música Mexicana currently dominate the Latin music scene, Latin pop is experiencing a vibrant revival — with female artists leading the charge. Both legacy and newer acts are putting a fresh spin on the genre, and their work is resonating with a new generation of fans.

Latin pop was one of the first Spanish-language genres to go global in the 1980s, thanks to the success of artists like Gloria Estefan and Luis Miguel. Into the next decade, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Thalia, and Paulina Rubio continued to put a proudly Latin American and Spanish twist on popular musical trends in the U.S. at the time. 

After the Latin pop explosion of the 2000s with Shakira’s global crossover, Christina Aguilera embracing her Ecuadorian roots, and the breakthroughs of co-ed group RBD and Belinda, the genre waned in popularity in the decades that followed as reggaeton and Latin trap became the leading Spanish-language sounds.

As nostalgia for Latin pop reaches a fever pitch, it has experienced a resurgence. Shakira made Latin pop a main event again last year when she explored electronica with trap beats in the kiss-off anthem "BZRP Music Sessions #53." Beloved 2000s co-ed group sold out arenas across the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia with its comeback tour. Female-fronted trio Belanova is coming back from a hiatus with the Vida En Rosa Tour after its electro-pop classics went viral on TikTok. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, here are 10 female artists to watch out for in Latin America and Spain who are leading a new Latin pop revolution.

Belinda

The most veteran artist on this list is Spanish-Mexican star Belinda. After making her mark on Latin America with children's telenovelas and in the U.S. in The Cheetah Girls 2 movie, she reshaped the pop-punk sound of the 2000s with her breakthrough album Utopía. At the 2007 Latin GRAMMY Awards, she was the only teen nominated for Song of the Year, for the angst-driven "Bella Traición."

Following a hiatus to work on other projects, she's primed to reclaim her place in Latin pop after signing with Warner Music last year. Belinda blends Mexican corridos tumbados with a twinkle of Latin pop in the fiery single, "Cactus." Like Shakira, she used her song as a therapeutic way to roast an ex (in this case Christian Nodal). Her recent studio sessions with corridos tumbados pioneer Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma's co-writer Tito Doble P hint at further exploration of her pop spin on música Mexicana she's dubbed "corridos coquette."

Danna Paola

Danna Paola is another veteran making her mark in Latin pop. She first secured her star status in Mexico and Latin America appearing in children's telenovelas and through her teenage music career. After starring in the Netflix series Elite from 2018 through 2020, she gained global notoriety. In 2021, she garnered her first Latin GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album for her sixth studio album, K.O.

After scoring a few reggaeton-infused hits, Paola broke onto the Latin pop scene in 2022, with the euphoric pop song "XT4S1S." She continued to explore genres with a nod to house music in the kiss-off anthem "1Trago" and synth-pop in the introspective "Tenemos Que Hablar." In the music video for the latter, Paola revealed there was a point in her career where her image and sound were controlled by a past management team. Now that she has reclaimed her career, she has co-produced most of her recent tracks. There's a darkness in the haunting "Aún Te Quiero" as Paola lets go of the past. Her progressive Latin pop album is due out later this year. 

Daymé Arocena

Daymé Arocena emerged as a Latin jazz star in 2014 as part of the Cuban-Canadian collective Maqueque. Her work with the jazz troupe garnered her a GRAMMY nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2018 for her work on Jane Bunnett and Maqueque's Oddara collaboration. 

After growing up in Cuba, Arocena moved to Canada and more recently Puerto Rico. There she worked with Eduardo Cabra, most known for his work in progressive urbano group Calle 13, on her new LP, Al-Kemi, which was released on Feb. 23. 

With her latest work, Arocena is proving she's an all-around Latin pop star. She blends the sounds of the Caribbean with stateside influences of jazz, R&B, blues, and disco. Showing there's no limits to the sounds of Latin pop, the reggaeton-fused R&B of "Suave y Pegao" with Puerto Rican artist Rafa Pabön and the funky "American Boy" also highlight how Arocena's soulful voice can't be bound to one genre. 

Kenia Os

Following in the footsteps of Belinda and Danna Paola is Mexican artist Kenia Os. Like many Gen-Z artists, the 24-year-old singer first started out as an influencer on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where she has amassed millions of followers. Os parlayed her massive social media audiences into a successful music career.

With her debut album Cambios De Luna in 2022, Os mixed elements of Latin trap and reggaeton into pop songs. After going full Latin pop on her follow-up LP K23, she went global. Os explored nineties house music in the alluring "Flores" and synth-pop in the flirty "Malas Decisiones." The latter became one of the biggest Latin pop hits of 2023 after it went viral on TikTok. The visual project for the K23 album later earned Os her first Latin GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Long Form Music Video. 

As she prepares her third album, Os continues to push the genre to new places, dabbling in drum and bass in her latest single "Bobo" featuring Álvaro Díaz. 

Sofia Reyes

Throughout her career, Sofia Reyes has seamlessly weaved together Latin genres with elements of pop. In 2017, the Mexican star was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin GRAMMY Awards. A year later, Reyes scored her first global hit with the cumbia-infused reggaeton of "1, 2, 3." Reflecting her boundless Latin pop sound, the song featured Jason Derulo and Puerto Rican singer De La Ghetto. 

Last November, Reyes released Milamores, the most adventurous album of her career yet. She became one of the first mainstream Latin acts to explore hyperpop in the frenetic "tqum" featuring Danna Paola. One of hyperpop's top artists, GRAMMY winner Kim Petras, jumped on the remix with Reyes and Paola. To create a therapeutic pop experience, she incorporated the healing frequencies of sound bowls in a few of the songs. That feel-good energy came through in the tropical "Rosas" and reggae-infused "Gaia" featuring Dēlian. A celestial standout on the album was "Luna" where Reyes sang about wanting to take a trip with her lover to the moon. Reyes' unique vision of Latin pop is out of this world. 

Aitana

Aitana is one of Spain's biggest Latin pop stars who has had success translating the sound of Y2K pop into her own fun and fierce version. The Barcelona-based singer became a household name in her home country after finishing as a runner-up on the reality show singing competition Operación Triunfo in 2017. Though she didn't win, Aitana achieved international recognition. A year later, she leveraged that exposure into her breakthrough hit "Teléfono," which was certified platinum in the U.S. and resulted in a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2019 Latin GRAMMY Awards.

For her third album Alpha, which was released in September 2023, Aitana was fully inspired by music from the nineties and 2000s. The feel-good "Las Babys" recalled the Eurodance of the Vengaboys and she embraced pulsating electro-pop in "Los Ángeles." The dreamy "Formentera" featuring Nicki Nicole sounds like something that could've come from The Cardigans. Aitana also teamed up with Danna Paola for the techno fantasy "AQYNE," reminiscent of the songs from Dance Dance Revolution. 

Emilia

Emilia is leading the Latin pop scene in Argentina. Thanks to the Y2K aesthetic on her latest album .MP3, the Argentine star is going global. Because of her refreshing spin on Latin pop, she was listed as one of GRAMMY.com's 25 Artists To Watch In 2024.

Emilia first broke through the Argentina music scene with her debut album Tú Crees En Mí? in 2022. That LP was loaded with trap and reggaeton-infused bangers like "Cuatro Viente" and "Intoxicao" featuring Nicki Nicole. 

On her follow-up .MP3, she leaned fully into the Latin pop genre. Living up to the LP's retro name, Emilia embraced music from the nineties and 2000s with tracks like the Kylie Minogue-inspired "GTA.mp3." On "La_Original.mp3." she introduced pulsating house beats, teaming up with fellow Argentine pop star Tini to sing in Spanish about having a "legendary flow" like "Madonna in the nineties." Emilia has since sold-out dates in Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain for her upcoming .MP3 Tour. 

GALE

Before becoming a rising Latin pop star and receiving a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist last year, GALE was co-writing hits for other artists. The Puerto Rican singer helped pen songs for Selena Gomez, Christina Aguilera, Anitta, Cardi B, and Shakira. After letting Shakira know that she wanted to become an artist of her own, the Colombian pop icon encouraged GALE to go for it.

For her debut album, Lo Que No Te Dije, which was released in May 2023, GALE seamlessly blended the music of her island with nods to the pop music she grew up with from Britney Spears, Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne. 

GALE channels the angst of Lavigne into the pop-punk of "Inmadura" and the explosive "Problemas." She pushes back against receiving unsolicited explicit photos from men in the defiant "D Pic." Against the dreamy synth-pop of "Nubes," she sings about the joys of female self-pleasure. Her breakup anthem, "Nuestra Canción," features house music colliding with reggaeton. Recently, GALE paid homage to Shakira by covering her classic "Inevitable." 

Mariangela

Another artist bringing an alternative edge to Latin pop is Mariangela. She was born in Monterrey, Mexico and later grew up in San Antonio, Texas. Mariangela's bicultural upbringing is reflected in her music, which blends Latin American genres with elements of pop and alternative music. As a singer/songwriter, she is inspired by artists like Paramore's Hayley Williams, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lana Del Rey. 

In 2022, Mariangela pulled inspiration from Depeche Mode’s "Never Let Me Down Again" for her song "Soñarte," which mourned the passing of a friend. The following December, she released her first EP 4+1, in which she explored other genres with her alternative grit. The EP included an entrancing and rock-infused take of the classic "Cama y Mesa" by Roberto Carlos. 

On Feb. 1, Mariangela dropped her debut album Sensible, which included a few of her past singles with newly-recorded songs. In her kiss-off anthem "Acto Final," she goes pop-punk as she bids an ex farewell from her life for good. Mariangela's electrifying spirit is reviving Latin pop like a shock from a defibrillator. 

Nohemy

Nohemy is reshaping music from Puerto Rico with a pop perspective. The rising Puerto Rican star gained attention in 2020 starring in the Natti Natasha-produced series "Bravas." Post-show, Nohemy continued forward with her music career, working with German producer The CRVV. 

On her debut album NOHAUS, released in March 2023, Nohemy's sound blends the pop that she grew up on, Caribbean rhythms, and European influences from The CRVV. Nohemy wrote the songs and co-produced the LP, collaborating closely with The CRVV to blend house, elements of trap, reggaeton, and pop in the fierce club banger "Loca" and the heart-wrenching "Perdón." 

Nohemy received a co-sign from one of her compatriots, Robi, who was featured on a remix of her dreamy love song "Te Vas." She continues to evolve, releasing singles including the atmospheric "¿Y Ahora Que?" and reggaeton-infused romp "On Top." 

How The Latin GRAMMYS Brought Latin Music Excellence To The 2024 GRAMMYs

Three of the most distinctive and powerful female voices in Latin pop joined forces on the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs stage in Miami on Nov. 14 for a medley of their nominated songs.

First to perform was Columbian-American artist Kali Uchis, with her bolero-inspired song "Te Mata" from her chart-topping Spanish-language album Orquídeas. Nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, Uchis also boasts nods for Best Pop Song and Record Of The Year for her track "Igual Que Un Ángel," featuring Mexican rapper Peso Pluma, and for Best Reggaeton Performance for "Labios Mordidos," featuring Karol G. This year's Latin GRAMMY nominations mark her first since her 2017 nomination for Record Of The Year for the song "Ratico," with Juanes. 

Dressed in a strapless, corset-style white satin gown, orchids fittingly adorning her mic stand, Uchis embodied old-school glamor and cool as she crooned the downtempo ballad. 

Next, alone on stage in a floor-sweeping white gown of her own, dance-pop singer/songwriter Elena Rose introduced a different kind of nostalgia with a performance of her upbeat hit "Caracas En El 2000," originally featuring Danny Ocean and Jerry Di. The single, an innocent and breezy ode to her Venezuelan roots, has amassed over 22 million views on YouTube and earned a nomination for Song Of The Year in addition to nominations this year for Best Pop/Rock Song for "Blanco y Negro" and Best Regional Song for "Por El Contrario." 

Known for her behind-the-scenes writing for stars like Bad Bunny and Selena Gomez, Rose has become a rising artist in her own right. Along with her Song Of The Year nomination, she earned nods for Best Pop/Rock Song and Best Regional Song, bringing her career Latin GRAMMY nominations total to nine.

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Last but not least, Argentine pop sensation Emilia captivated the audience with a portion of her hit "No Se Ve," a standout from her Y2K-aesthetic 2023 album .mp3, which is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album alongside Kali Uchis. In rhinestones and ultra-mini skirts, Emilia and her crew of dancers appropriately evoked the early '00s with a faithfulness that would give anyone flashbacks.

Emilia broke into the Argentine music scene with her 2022 debut, Tú Crees En Mí?, a trap and reggaeton-heavy album featuring hits like "Cuatro Viente" and "Intoxicao." With its follow-up, .mp3, she shifted to Latin pop with '90s and 2000s influences, teaming up with Tini and selling out dates across Argentina, Uruguay and Spain for her upcoming tour. 

Check out the complete list of winners and nominees at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs.

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Contemporary music is filled with artists who have transitioned from social media stardom to serious streams and even Music's Biggest Night. Kenia Os is proof of this trajectory: After building a massive following on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, she established as one of Mexico's top pop stars. 

Kenia Os' ability to pivot successfully is also apparent in her music. Her 2022 debut album Cambios de Luna leaned into trap and reggaeton, while follow-up K23 fully embraced Latin pop with elements of EDM. Her "Universo K23" netted Kenia Os her first Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Long Form Music Video. 

On her latest album, Pink Aura, the 24-year-old seamlessly blends her worlds of Latin pop and urbano music. "I feel very comfortable making pop," Kenia Os tells GRAMMY.com.  I also love Latin urban music and reggaeton, especially reggaeton Mexa that's blowing up…I wanted to make music in that style as well." 

Pink Aura sees Kenia pushing pop into new territory — with the help of some friends. Puerto Rican singer Álvaro Díaz is featured on the futuristic, drum 'n' bass-infused "Bobo," while Puerto Rican trans rapper Villano Antillano appears on the euphoric "VIP." Argentina's La Joaqui helps Kenia Os meld reggaeton with cumbia on the freaky bop "Kitty." Reggaeton Mexa, or Mexican reggaeton, artists Yeri Mua and Ghetto Kids join Kenia for the sensual banger "Mamita Rica." Elsewhere, Os also links up with another influencer-turned-singer Bella Poarch for the fierce "F* OFF."

In an interview with GRAMMY.com, Kenia Os opens up about overcoming the stigma against artists coming from social media and the empowering meaning behind her Pink Aura album. 

This interview has been edited for clarity.

How would you describe the experience of making the jump from YouTube and social media to becoming a pop star?

It's been incredible. It's been an adventure that I've been on for three or more years. 

At the start, and even now, it's still been a bit difficult to get respect from the music industry. Since day one when I started making music, I've always taken this very seriously, making great music with good producers and my record label. I feel very confident about this new album that we've put out and I feel fulfilled as an artist.  

As someone who did come from social media, what did your Latin GRAMMY nomination mean to you last year?

That day I cried all day. I couldn't believe it. I was very happy. It made me think about all the effort I’ve put in these past few years, and those times I was tired in the studio and thought about quitting. There were times I told myself, I don’t want to keep doing this because it’s very tiring to prove [to people] the artist that I am. I felt like everything was worth it. The hard work that me and my team have put into this over the years has been worth it.  

An artist that has a similar career trajectory to you concerning social media is Bella Poarch. I can imagine that you probably bonded well with her while collaborating on the song "F* OFF."

Working with Bella was an incredible experience. Sometimes when you do collaborations, there's artists that are very much artists. You know what I mean? They love music, but they don't know a lot about navigating social media or what works in that space. 

With Bella, what happened was that we could record TikTok videos and create content for social media. It was very natural and genuine. We shared ideas with each other like, "We'll make TikTok videos this way or you go here and I go there." [Laughs.] It was very genuine how we developed the content for marketing our collaboration. It was very beautiful. It's a very different experience to work with someone who also understands social media.

Tell me about the title of this new album — is there a story behind it?

My fans have asked me, "Kenia, why do you have everything pink? You have said before that you hated the color pink." It's not that I hated pink, but I had always said I didn't want pink in the background of my interviews, in my outfits, or anything. 

The other day I was with my mom, looking at photos from when I was a little girl, and I saw everything in my room was pink. I was thinking about when I started fighting this color. I realized I started to hold back that feminine energy to be able to face the industry, to be the person in charge of my family, and keep up that livelihood. For me, this album was forgiving that feminine energy, embracing it, and healing myself, and above all, letting it shine. 

You’re bridging the gap between Latin urban sounds and pure Latin pop on this album. Was that what you hoped to accomplish with that kind of fusion?

I feel very comfortable making pop. I love pop and it's the genre I enjoy the most. Every time I'm in the studio, I'm writing with my co-writers and producers, and we always make pop. 

I also love Latin urban music and reggaeton, especially reggaeton Mexa that's blowing up. We have artists in that scene who are becoming very big. I feel very proud and I wanted to make music in that style as well because I like going to the clubs and I like to hear myself within that genre. 

You collaborated with one of the top female artists in reggaeton Mexa, Yeri Mua, in "Mamita Rica." How would you describe the experience of working with her?

That was very beautiful. We went to the studio together and there was her whole team. There were her co-writers. 

We were all surprised because you would think that she puts effects on her voice, but no, that's how she really sounds. As we say, she sounds very sexy and makes noises like meowing. [Laughs]. It was very fun! It felt very great to work with her. 

All the reggaeton Mexa that's coming up in Mexico makes me so happy. I believe it was time with Mexico making more noise globally through música mexicana, reggaeton, and pop, and above all, with a sound that's very unique to us. 

You’ve always supported the LGBTQIA+ community throughout your career. On this album, you collaborated with Villano Antillano, who is breaking down barriers for queer artists in Latin music. How did the song "VIP" with Antillano come together?

It's very beautiful to know that I have a lot of fans in the LGBTQIA+ community and that they identify with my music and feel supported by me. It's very important for me to be someone who can speak up for them; it's important for me to support them as well and spread their message through my music, what I say, and with what I do. I stand with them and I'll support them in any way that I can.

Villana is one of my favorite artists. I love everything that she does. When she jumped on this track and we heard it, I almost wanted to cry. The song was perfect for her. When I met her, it was incredible because we connected a lot as friends. We were laughing the whole time while making the music video. We have the same ways of saying things. I love her so much. I loved getting to know her and I got a great friendship out of this collaboration.  

What do you want people to take away from the 'Pink Aura'?

I was telling my girlfriends the other day that this album is perfect for when you're getting ready [for a night out]. When you're in your room getting ready and putting on creams, perfume, and makeup. Then you have a little drink before going out to party. 

This was made so people can enjoy it and connect with it in their room, in their cars, and in the clubs. It was made with a lot of love and the most pink side of myself and feminine energy that I hope resonates with girls and boys too. I want to heal that part of us that we sometimes hide or put to the side in order to face certain situations in life. 

What do you want to accomplish next with your music?

I want to go global. I love my country and I love that my concerts in Mexico are always very full. The people of Mexico love me a lot, but I want to take my music to other countries. I want to be an artist that is internationally known. 

I love pop and I see myself doing pop all my life, but I want to experiment with more genres. I would love to do another reggaeton song and then a corrido tumbado song with guitars. Above all, I want to hold the flag of my country high up wherever I go.

10 Women Artists Leading A Latin Pop Revolution: Kenia Os, Belinda & More

Danna Paola feels comfortable coexisting with her shadows. 

The Mexican singer, model and actress first appeared on television at age five, and has spent recent years dwelling on memories of her youth. Now 28, Danna is dismantling the myths and taboos around her artistic persona.

This process resulted in CHILDSTAR, which arrives April 11. Danna's seventh LP is her most authentic production and one where she makes peace with her childhood.

Accomplishing this freedom took her two years of therapy, the singer confesses to GRAMMY.com. "I deconstructed myself and my beliefs and unlearned many things to learn new ones. The pandemic also opened Pandora's box. That's where everything came out."

Through that self-discovery process, Danna knew she had to break with a constant that had accompanied her for two decades: acting. The last character she portrayed was Lucrecia in the Netflix series "Elite," a popular role that led her to reignite her music career after an eight-year hiatus. Beginning to live authentically, without the vices that fictional characters can leave behind, was the crucial step that led the Latin GRAMMY-nominated singer to CHILDSTAR.

CHILDSTAR follows a lengthy depression and a break from her management team, which Danna has described as controlling. On the new album, she embraces indulgence — singing about female pleasure for the first time in her career — and draws inspiration from her after-hour encounters. CHILDSTAR's darkly powerful electronic rhythms and synth-pop, tell a tale about a weekend of partying, alcohol, and sex to create the perfect escape from "your demons, your life, and your reality." 

Ahead of her album release, Danna Paola discussed the processes that led her to break with her past, how her boyfriend was instrumental to her return to the studio, the synthesizer that inspired the album's sound, and the gift that Omar Apollo left for her. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Tell me about the process that led you to co-produce for the first time.

This album is made with a lot of love, many hours, but above all, a lot of freedom. It's a very energetic and aggressive album, liberating.

It was a journey of introspection, empowerment, and self-confidence. Beyond being a sad story, the complete meaning of the album is not to talk and throw shade at my childhood. [It's about what] I have discovered since that first therapy session to find and make peace with my past, and that instead of being a place of embarrassment for me, it empowered me.

CHILDSTAR is the first album in my entire career where every inch, detail, and decision are curated and made by me. That's something that I am very proud of. I made an album for myself and that little Danna who has always wanted to do this. 

It is energetic, super intense, and sexual. Electronic music, funk, dance, synth-pop, and R&B lead me to drain all these emotions. The choice of each song, and the details and creating them from start to finish, [has] been very cathartic.

In "The Fall," you sing, "You don't know me, you don't know s–– about me. I'm not a shooting star." Was it painful to relive the memories of being a child star?

Yes. I grew up in 2000s television. Back then, creating a child's image came from a lot of machismo: being the perfect girl, the girl who doesn't speak badly, the girl who smiles for everything, and whose characters are all good. She can't do bed scenes, can't talk about sex. 

With this project, I embrace that [version of] Danna. I told that girl that everything would be fine. It's OK if you make mistakes, and it is OK to fall in love. Falling in love terrified me because I've been on different projects… every six or eight months; the longest a project lasted for me was a year. I made relationships with people and friends, [but] people always left my life. I built a pretty lonely life; I almost did not spend time with my family. I poured my life into work.

I had this distortion of reality where Danna Paola was the superheroine, and I forgot who Danna was. That's why I stopped acting; creating characters and being in someone else's skin was moving me further and further away from discovering myself as a human being in the ordinary course of life, of creating myself based on situations, emotions, and relationships. 

In therapy, of course, I understood that. I made peace, and today, I am discovering many beautiful things about myself as a child that were precious, happy, and full of love. Of course, I don't blame my parents because they did their best. Nobody teaches you how to be a child star from age five.

The album led you to shine a light on your darkest sides. What did you discover about yourself and Danna as a person and artist?

I was terrified to take risks, to speak, or to create. [To me] creating a project takes a long time, at least with music. I discovered that, for me, [making music] is a spiritual act. It is an everyday practice. It is to continue to discover and continue to learn. It's falling in love again with my profession and giving the industry another chance.

I also learned that our capacity for reinvention is infinite so we can start over. Today, I also begin to be a little more human. However, I don't aspire to be an example for anyone. I want to share my experiences and the lessons I have learned so I can move forward, continue to love what I do, and not lose myself. I used to say that I wouldn't make it to 27. That was in my head.

I'm making a wonderful balance between my personal life and my work. I'm also building my family at home with my boyfriend [artist Alex Hoyer], my two little dogs, my friends, and my chosen family. It's making peace and creating the life of my dreams.

Do you like who you are now?

I love it. I continue to polish many things about my personality. I work hard to be a better human being. Life is about learning and transforming yourself. I can release another album in a couple of years; I may release another this year. I don’t want to stop making music. [I want to] continue transforming myself through my art. 

In the first two tracks, "The Fall" and "Blackout," you repeat that people don't know you. How would you describe the Danna of this record? 

She's a woman who is very sure of who she is, and nobody has given anything to me. I'm in love with my project, my music, and my life, and I'm enjoying it a lot.

I struggle a lot with fame, but today, I present myself as a liberated woman in a good headspace. I don't pretend to be perfect or an example for anyone. Quite the opposite; all I do is share experiences, lessons, and music.

I'm an artist in every sense of the word. I'm a creative, honest person and have a lot of love to give, and I love receiving it, too. That should be mutual. It's an energetic practice that when one really does things with love, the universe always rewards it.

In songs like "Atari" and "Platonik," you openly sing about female sexual pleasure. Is it the first time in your career that you sing about your sexuality? 

Yes. This album is very sexual. There's a taboo when it comes to women talking about sex. In reggaeton, there are thousands of ways in which we can talk about sexuality. In my case, I had always considered it forbidden. 

It's what I told you about the kid [actress] who doesn't [about sex], who's a virgin until marriage. There is no richer pleasure than sex and the sexual pleasure you can have as a woman. There's liberation, to feel good about yourself, with your body, and also the sexual education that I can also share with generations.

This liberation with my femininity is something that I also discovered: The pleasure of being a woman and having many experiences in my life that have led me today to enjoy who I am, to have a happy sex life, and to share it through my music.

In "Platonik," you discuss sexualizing a platonic relationship with a woman and sing "I can't help what I think in my bed." Why was exploring that relationship important to you?

I had a platonic love with a girl at a stage of my life. I kept this to myself; it was a personal experience that opened the conversation to a beautiful story.

I wrote this song with [producer and songwriter] Manu Lara. We made it in half an hour. This song has something unique because, besides talking about a personal experience that is also super sexual, it talks about universal love.

That's why I say that CHILDSTAR is an album of many stories that have marked my life and beyond, talking about only the childhood stage, which is what everyone speculates, but that's not the case.

You’re flirting more with synth-pop in this album. What caught your attention about this genre?

It comes from this aggressive part of saying, here I am. For me, electronic music connects and drains emotions. Every time I've been out partying, electronic music has been liberating for me, and when I put it together with pop and these lyrics, it has become a new way to enjoy the genre.

While creating CHILDSTAR in Los Angeles, I fell in love with a Jupiter [synth] we found at Guitar Center. That synthesizer is in every song. The inspiration [to use the instrument] comes from John Carpenter's synth album [Lost Themes III: Alive After Death]. In it, I discovered synthesizers had a way of incorporating sound design and darkness into the album. 

[Synth-pop is] the expression of that need to bring out the energy I had stuck through music. It’s an emotional purpose, the connection I have with electronic music.

Your boyfriend, Alex, was instrumental in making "XT4S1S" when you didn’t want to enter a recording studio. How was reconnecting with music with help from your romantic partner?

"XT4S1S" is the song that, to both of us, as a couple and as producers, connected us on a hefty level.

I was super blocked. It took me several years to get out of my depression hole. We returned one day from [La Marquesa park] here in Mexico, and started chatting. Alex opened his laptop and started pulling out a beat.

I started throwing melodies, and [shortly] we had the chorus. It brought me back to life. I started crying with excitement because I finally felt again these desires and this emotion that you feel when you create a song, and you can’t stop moving forward and keep creating.

I remember we recorded my vocals on a voice note and sent it to [the production software] Logic. Then, it took us four months to produce this song because it was a lot of discovery, in this case, for me as a producer.

Alex is a great musician, artist, a genius — and I don’t say that because he’s my boyfriend. Artistically, there’s a fascinating world inside his head that I have learned a lot from. 

The track "Amanecer," which features Omar Apollo, breaks dramatically with the story you tell in the album. Why did you end that party cycle with a more folksy, chill song?

"Amanecer" is a track that has us all in love. It was the last song I recorded for the album. 

I wrote it to my ex. On my birthday, he called me — I was already with Alex — and it was super weird. I always feared running into him on the street, seeing him with someone else, and feeling something. And it was the exact opposite. I had already healed internally, and that wound had stopped hurting. I stopped feeling all the emotions I had gone through in K.O., [the album nominated for Best Vocal Pop Album at the 2021 Latin GRAMMYs].

This song talks about knowing how to make peace and understanding how to let go. It’s the dawn of the album. It’s perfect to release all the drama, and all the intensity, and aggressiveness that is the entire album itself.

[The song invites you] to hug yourself and say everything will be fine. There is always an opportunity to start over. 

It also has a beautiful story. Manu [Lara] taught Omar Apollo the instrumental parts of the song, and he made some melodies. At the moment of receiving them, [Omar] agreed we would make a song together, [but] it was almost impossible to record together.

[Instead, Omar] told me "You can use the melodies I made" and left me the last part of "Amanecer." He left us with that magical essence.

10 Women Artists Leading A Latin Pop Revolution: Kenia Os, Belinda & More

There’s arguably never been a better time for artists on the ascent. With micro-fandoms finding kinship on the internet, songs blowing up on TikTok before going mainstream, and all-out fervor for live experiences in a post-lockdown world, a host of exciting new names are capturing the zeitgeist. 

Each of the 25 rising artists featured here has their own leveling-up story. Some have spent the past year touring with huge names, winning over new fans city by city. Some are set to release highly-anticipated debut albums that deliver on the promise of their early singles. And others are finally breaking through after years of steady grind.

It’s a sonically eclectic group, spanning gritty rap to aching indie-pop to throwback soul, with artists hailing from the U.S., UK, Australia, Mexico and South Korea. If there’s a common thread these rising stars share, it’s a sure sense of their purpose and a hopeful eye to the future. Whatever your musical preference, you’ll find a new favorite to cheer on in 2024. 

Writers Taila Lee, D. Mariah, Lucas Villa and Lior Phillips contributed to this list.

RIIZE

What To Watch For: A new single (Jan. 5)

SM Entertainment’s newest boy group has a simple mission: rise and realize together. That’s why their name, RIIZE, is a portmanteau of the phrase.

Already, the septet has solidified themselves as one of K-pop’s fifth-generation leaders. Their mini-album, Get a Guitar, sold over 1 million copies in less than a week and quickly landed them at the top of Korea’s music charts. And 2024 is on course to be an even bigger year for them. RIIZE will kick off the year at the Seoul Music Awards, where they received nominations for Rookie Of The Year, Popularity Award and more. Three days later, they’ll share their third release. — D. Mariah

Nailah Hunter

What To Watch For: Lovegaze (Jan. 12)

Nailah Hunter’s music is the soundtrack of a dream.

Inspired by everything from her dad’s church band to Hayao Miyazaki films, Hunter creates a divine ambience by blending a diverse array of sounds. Intricate folk, alternative indie and new age all factor into the L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist and composer's music, but one instrument has truly shifted her sonic trajectory: a baby harp received on her 19th birthday.  

Now a harpist, the musician employs this beloved instrument to craft an exquisite, atmospheric sound that’s like a gateway to another world. Her 2021 harp-driven reimagination of Radiohead’s "Talk Show Host" boosted her following, but she’s released music since 2019.

Hunter’s debut album Lovegaze drops on Jan. 12, and if anything like her latest releases, fans can expect a quietly glamorous, and perhaps mystifying, sonic dreamscape. — Taila Lee

TSHA 

What To Watch For: U.S. tour (Jan. 12)

With a deep love of house, R&B, hip-hop and pop running through her veins, TSHA's sound is all her own. The British DJ and producer born Teisha Matthews first cemented herself as one-to-watch with 2020's accomplished Flowers EP on pioneering electronic label Ninja Tune. Two years later, her debut album, Capricorn Sun, deftly showcased the full breadth of her skills, from the achingly emotive house of "Sister" to the driving breakbeats of "Dancing In The Shadows." 

In 2023, TSHA leveled up again with a standalone single, "Somebody," featuring the vocal heft of [Gregory Porter](https://www.grammy.com/artists/gregory-porter/5803) and [Ellie Goulding](https://www.grammy.com/artists/ellie-goulding/19043) (who slid into TSHA's DMs). "Somebody" showcases the producer's potential outside club music — a point she's driven home by debuting a full band live show. To start 2024 right, she's spending January on tour around the U.S., including a special edition of her Jackfruit club night in New York. Expect sets with plenty of bump, groove and deep feeling. — Jack Tregoning 

Brittney Spencer 

What To Watch For: My Stupid Life (Jan. 19), dates supporting Grace Potter and multiple festival appearances

Though her debut album is titled My Stupid Life, Brittney Spencer’s music is anything but thoughtless.

Rather, the album's title speaks to Spencer distancing herself from the need to feel perfect, and it’s this vulnerability that makes the Baltimore-raised singer/songwriter so relatable. Touching souls with her country EP Compassion and singles like "Sober & Skinny," Spencer has been steadily making a name for herself ever since her cover of the Highwomen’s "Crowded Table" went viral. 

She’s toured as a backing vocalist for Carrie Underwood and performed at the CMA Awards, but Spencer’s biggest year just might be 2024. Not only will she be spending the first few months opening for Grace Potter’s Mother Road Tour, but she’ll also be hitting a few major festivals, including the sold-out 2024 Stagecoach Festival in April and Kentucky’s Railbird Festival in June. — TL

October London

What To Watch For: The Birth Of Marvin Tour (Jan. 25)

With such a charming stage name, it’s almost too on-the-nose that October London  makes delightfully bewitching R&B perfect for an autumn afternoon. Hailing from Indiana, the singer/songwriter has an enthralling old-soul, silky smooth delivery that nets comparisons to the legendary vocals of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke.  

London first made waves back in 2016 when he scored a feature on Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid. Since, he’s released a handful of EPs and albums — including 2023's The Rebirth Of Marvin and Technicolor EP — that have collectively garnered millions of streams. 

In 2023, he hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart and performed at the 2023 Soul Train Awards — and that’s all before his North American tour launches in Seattle in January 2024. — TL

Sammy Virji

What To Watch For: North American tour (Jan. 26)

One of the first things that new fans notice about Sammy Virji is his boundless, ever-smiling energy. The Oxford-born DJ and producer is part of a new generation championing UK garage (UKG), a distinctly British genre experiencing a resurgence two decades on from its heyday. Virji's DJ sets — which blend UKG classics alongside bass-driven house and his own grin-inducing edits — have landed him on lineups alongside scene veterans like DJ EZ and DJ Q and new school revivalists Conducta and salute. 

Virji also excelled as a producer in 2023, dropping the raucous "Shella Verse" with grime MC Flowdan, the pumping house single "If U Need It," and "Hot In Here" alongside bassline master Champion. Meanwhile, his whirlwind set from DJ Mag HQ in August has hit a million views on YouTube, as fans clamor for his unreleased edits and remixes. 

From late January, Virji heads out on his debut North American tour, with a string of shows already sold out. For stateside fans, it's a rare chance to catch one of Britain's best in sweaty, jump-up club mode. — JT

VCHA

What To Watch For: New single "Girls of the Year" (Jan. 26)

In July 2022, JYP Entertainment founder J.Y. Park and Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman made history by announcing the development of the first American girl group trained under a K-pop system. The duo spent the next year recording "America2Korea," a nationwide talent search and survival competition series that would later birth VCHA.

Between months of training in Seoul and Los Angeles, the show’s six winners — Camila, Lexi, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee — previewed what’s to come with a teaser EP, SeVit (New Light), featuring the three original tracks they performed on the finale of "A2K." On Jan. 26, the dream will become even more of reality with their official debut single. — D. Mariah

Dylan Marlowe

What To Watch For: Headlining tour (Feb. 1)

Dylan Marlowe is preparing for a busy 2024.

Based in Nashville, the Georgia-born country singer was always surrounded by music, either listening to his drummer father’s Christian metal-rock band or following his mom’s passion for traditional country. Around his senior year of high school, Marlowe picked up a guitar, and it’s been history ever since.

From cheering to friendship in "Boys Back Home" to remembering a heart wrenching goodbye in "Record High," it’s clear Marlowe knows how to pen a hit. He’s already scored his first No. 1 on the country radio charts, through his songwriter credit on Jon Pardi’s single "Last Night Lonely."

The 26-year-old is already headlining his own tour early next year, along with opening dates for country rocker Brantley Gilbert. And with all these upcoming tour dates, it’s no wonder he was just named a promising new artist in Country Music Television’s Listen Up campaign. — TL

The Last Dinner Party

What To Watch For: Prelude to Ecstasy (Feb. 2)

There's an out-of-time quality to The Last Dinner Party, and it's not just their envy-inducing ruffled wardrobe. At times they sound like Kate Bush fronting Sparks — which is to say premium drama and lush, even baroque indie rock brilliance. 

The quintet of Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland, Abigail Morris, Aurora Nishevci, and Emily Roberts sprung from seeming total obscurity into one of the buzziest acts from the UK. While many artists with this kind of attention had seeded mixtapes and singles in social media and streaming, word started to spread internationally on The Last Dinner Party when they had released only one officially recorded song. 

Of course it helped that the track in question was the immaculately dramatic "Nothing Matters." They're now up to four singles, not to mention high-profile spots at festivals like Glastonbury, TV performances, and even opening slots for Florence + the Machine and the Rolling Stones. By the time their debut record, Prelude to Ecstasy, hits in February, The Last Dinner Party will be more than ready to take the leap to superstardom — if they haven't already reached it before then. — Lior Phillips

Destin Conrad

What To Watch For: Submissive tour (Feb. 4)

Destin Conrad has come a long way since his days on Vine. Little did he know that amongst his million followers was Kehlani, who would later invite him to the songwriting camp for her 2020 record, It Was Good Until It Wasn't: "That experience pushed me because I never did that. I felt the pressure to prove myself," he said in his biography.

Three years later, the fine-tuning of skills has led to his most mature project, SUBMISSIVE, which he released in October. "So much has changed in my life that has forced me to submit," he explained. "I didn't realize at the time that it gave me the power to be dominant, to be an adult, to grow."

Next year, Conrad will spend February to April promoting the album on the 36-stop Submissive Tour through the United States. — DM

Royel Otis

What To Watch For: Pratts & Pains (Feb. 9)

After a few years of honing their honey-and-silk guitar pop, the duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic broke through in their native Australia with the punnily titled Sofa Kings EP in 2023.  

The Sydney group specialize in a blend of propulsive rhythms and laid-back cool, and early indications suggest their upcoming LP Pratts & Pains could cement their case for slacker rock royalty. Freshly released single "Heading for the Door" builds to just the right level of guitar crunch to keep the falsetto flow from getting too sweet.

Fans of Broken Bells' shimmer and Metronomy's synthy clarity will find plenty to latch onto, but the college rock twist adds a fresh layer of intrigue. And while the February release date sets Royel Otis' debut album up as the perfect summertime sway for Aussie heat, Maddell and Pavlovic's nostalgia-triggering indie rock has the sort of magic to savor through the cold winter months in the Northern hemisphere, too. — LP

Bratty

What To Watch For: Tres Tour (Feb. 12)

Bratty, the brainchild of Mexican singer/songwriter Jennifer Abigail Juárez Vázquez, is refreshing Latin pop by infusing it with an alternative and angst-driven edge. The project gets its name from Best Coast indie rock duo’s song "Bratty." 

In April, Bratty made a mark as one of the few Latin acts to perform at Coachella. November saw the release of her third and breakthrough album Tres, which skillfully blends sunny surf rock with dark tones of grunge, while translating these style into Spanish on songs like "Radio" and "Ya No Es Lo Mismo." Come February, Bratty will embark on her inaugural U.S. headlining tour, the Tres Tour. — Lucas Villa

Chappell Roan

What To Watch For: Tour dates supporting Olivia Rodrigo (Feb. 23)

As her debut album suggests, Chappell Roan has experienced the rise and fall of a Midwest princess. 

Before she was 20, the Missouri native signed a coveted deal with Atlantic Records. After three years of making music she didn’t love, they dropped her. Then, she ended her relationship with her longtime boyfriend and moved back home with her parents. 

But that slump wasn’t the end of Roan’s story. She returned to Los Angeles in a last-ditch effort, created her first LP and began performing under a drag persona to much success. "I always dreamed of being able to feel this feeling, and I just happened to be able to sing it and it came out in music,"  Roan told Variety. 

Midwest Princess is only the first step into this new era of liberation — in February, she’ll perform on the highly anticipated, sold-out Guts World Tour in support of Olivia Rodrigo, who she met through their mutual collaborator, Dan Nigro. — DM

Flyana Boss

What To Watch For: The Bosstanical Garden Tour (Feb. 24) 

Flyana Boss knows how to run it up — after all, the hip-hop duo’s most viral TikTok is of them running and rapping.

Spotlighting their catchy rap hit "You Wish," the video racked up millions of views and consequently translated into millions of streams. Given the pair’s hard-hitting flow and unshakeable confidence, it’s no surprise Flyana Boss’ career has skyrocketed this year.

Folayan and Bobbi LaNea first met at Los Angeles’ Musicians Institute, but they didn’t become Flyana Boss (which, yes, rhymes with Diana Ross) until they reunited a while later. The rap duo dropped three EPs this year — Boffum, Vitamin FB and Make It A Double — signaling more of the exuberance and excellence to come.

With creativity and a sick beat or two, the lovable hip hop duo is taking the world by storm. Since going viral, the pair have collaborated with Missy Elliott, opened for Janelle Monáe on tour, and even have their own headlining 2024 tour. Trying to get on Flyana Boss’ level? You wish. — TL

Natalie Jane

What To Watch For: An international tour (Feb. 26)

With more than 9 million followers on TikTok, you have probably seen at least one of Natalie Jane’s buzzing videos. Maybe it was the one where she belted Gnarls Barkley’s "Crazy" in a parking garage, that time she harmonized "Part of Your World" on a kitchen countertop, or one of the many other snippets that made her one of the app’s most viewed artists of 2023. 

Now, she’s ready to carve a path of her own beyond the phone screen.

Jane premiered her EP, Where Am I?, on Nov. 17. The EP leads with alt-pop break up anthems "Seven" and "AVA" — two songs that are a trademark of her signature sound of powerhouse vocals, acrobatic riffs and blunt lyrics ("Who the f— is Ava?" she sneers in the latter). Next February, she will embark on her first headlining international tour, beginning in Santa Ana, California, and concluding May 16 in Dublin, Ireland. — DM

Yard Act

What To Watch For: Where's My Utopia? (March 1)

From Idles to Fontaines DC, the latest wave of British post-punk has made for some fascinating thrills. But where so many others (both in this current spate of bands and throughout the genre's history) either shout or offer a stoic cool, Yard Act put on their glasses and dance. 

For their 2022 debut, the quartet of James Smith, Ryan Needham, Sam Shipstone, Jay Russell found a way to puree bits of Sleaford Mods, the Fall, and Devo into a danceable fusion of rapid speak-singing, smirky social commentary, and nerdy rhythmic twitching. After earning raves in the UK and even a collaboration with Sir Elton John, they're set to release Where's My Utopia? Early singles like the groovy "Dream Job" show their satirical teeth. Co-producer and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr. daubs the gloss in a clever push-and-pull with Smith's rakish vocals, the result a neon black wonderland that will keep your feet and brain moving. — LP

Games We Play

What To Watch For: Life’s Going Great (release date TBD) & Northern American tour (March 15)

Games We Play embodies the charm of ‘00s pop-punk: raw lyricism, candid production and, most importantly, a disposition to live carefree. It’s these exact characteristics that herald the band as one of Head of Fueled by Ramen Johnny Minardi’s future faces of the genre, as he recently revealed in a roundtable discussion with GRAMMY.com.

Their upcoming album might be their most vulnerable yet. Ironically titled Life’s Going Great, frontman Emmyn Calleiro narrates his insecurities about his body and upbringing ("Pretty Boy") and becoming a divorcé at 23 ("too young"). The project is slated to release in early 2024. In the meantime, secure your tickets for their North American tour, commencing this March. — DM

Logic1000

What To Watch For: Mother (March 22)

Over the past five years, Logic1000 has emerged as one of dance music's most distinctive talents, with a sound that's rooted in classic house and inflected by UK bass and pop. Born in Sydney, Australia, and now based in Berlin, the producer and DJ born Samantha Poulter has released a string of standout EPs, including her 2018 breakout LOGIC1000 (featuring the R&B-sampling banger "DJ Logic Please Forgive Me") and 2021's You've Got the Whole Night to Go on her own Therapy label, which deepened and refined her sound with a strong thread of '90s nostalgia. 

In March, Poulter is set to release her debut album as Logic1000, *Mother*, which channels the rush of "love and inspiration" she felt as a new mother. Poulter describes the album — which she produced alongside her husband and longtime collaborator Thom McAlister (a.k.a. Big Ever) — as "a love letter to house music." That description fits the warm, enveloping atmosphere of singles "Grown On Me" and "Self To Blame," which both evoke the sun rising after a long night dancing. With the release of her most personal and complete statement yet, 2024 is the year of Logic1000. — JT

Emilia

What To Watch For: .MP3 Tour (April)

Emilia is putting Latin pop from Argentina on the map. The Nogoyá native debuted her first album Tú Crees En Mí? last year in which she explored reggaeton influences. In November, Emilia eschewed that sound for Y2K-inspired pop with her latest release, .MP3 LP. One house-infused banger, "GTA.mp3," channels Kylie Minogue's hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head." 

Emilia also ventured into new territory, blending Brazilian funk with EDM in "No_Se_Ve.mp3" alongside Ludmilla. In April, she will embark on the .MP3 Tour in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Last year, made history by selling out 10 concerts at Bueno Aires' Movistar Arena in under 10 hours. — LV

Teezo Touchdown

What To Watch For: Spend The Night Tour (April)

There's no one in the hip-hop world quite like Teezo Touchdown. Aaron Lashane Thomas not only refuses to fit into any traditional genre or style lines, his penchant for weaving nails into his hair and painting black Ts on his face show his approach before he even opens his mouth. 

That said, listeners have already become familiar with his unique flair — whether on tour with Tyler, the Creator, Vince Staples, and Kali Uchis, or in features with Drake and Travis Scott. The 31-year-old Texan's ability to leapfrog between styles and vibes reflects the wide musical spectrum of his youth, which included Marvin Gaye, Judas Priest, and Kraftwerk. The late-2023 release of his debut album How Do You Sleep At Night? highlighted that perfectly, Teezo nimbly bounding from rapping over thunderous Weezer guitars to delivering soulful Autotuned lines with Janelle Monáe. 

Now raking in millions of Spotify listens and set to take off on his own headlining tour, Teezo is more than ready to move into the spotlight, a fascinating character and artist. "I know that I'ma make it, baby, no if, ands, or buts/ I know that I'm a superstar but no one's looking up," he drops on album highlight "Familiarity." By the time 2024 rolls in, people won't be able to stop looking. — LP

ScarLip

What To Watch For: Scars & Stripes (Release date TBD)

An endorsement from Cardi B would mean a lot to any rapper, but for ScarLip (a.k.a. Sierra Lucas) that cosign resonated at another level. Both women share Bronx roots ("Don't come to Bronx with that s— 'cause we ain't f—in' with that s—," Scar spits on her smash single "This Is New York"), but their unflagging intensity and unique approaches to rap are perhaps deeper commonalities. And Cardi's not the only one taking notice; in addition to millions of streams, Snoop Dogg jumped onto a remix of "This Is New York" called "This Is Cali" and legendary producer Swizz Beats is set to produce Scar's debut EP.

ScarLip at times reaches into a DMX bark, capturing the grimier corners of New York rap. Her ability to burn the drill beats with a growly snarl and then float above the rhythm feels like the embodiment of New York tough — and gets the blood pumping. — LP

La Cruz

What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)

La Cruz is breaking ground in reggaeton as the genre’s first openly gay artist singing to other men in his lyrics. The Venezuelan singer is charting a similar path as other LGBTQIA+ artists like Young Miko and Villano Antillano that have become some of reggaeton's biggest stars. 

In November last year, La Cruz released his debut album Hawaira, which brought themes of gay love and lust into the reggaeton arena. During Pride Month, he went viral on social media with the sexy reggaeton romp "Quítate La Ropa," which caught the attention of Colombian superstar Karol G. Ahead of his next album in 2024, La Cruz turned up the heat with his freaky follow-up single "Easy Boy." — LV

Gabito Ballesteros

What To Watch For: A new album (Release TBD)

Gabito Ballesteros is rapidly emerging as a bright new talent in the música Mexicana scene. This past year, the Mexican singer became a sought-after collaborator and co-writer, working with artists like Peso Pluma, Becky G, Piso 21, and Conexión Divina. His notable collaboration with Peso Pluma and corridos tumbados trailblazer Natanael Cano on "AMG" reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

After signing with Cano's record label, Ballesteros and his fellow artists from Los CT joined Interscope Records in October. As he prepares for his first album release with Interscope in 2024, Ballesteros released his fiery cover of the classic "A Puro Dolor" by Son By Four. — LV

Latin Mafia

What To Watch For: Debut album (Release TBD) and multiple festival performances in Latin America

Latin Mafia, a versatile Mexican pop group, defies genre boundaries. The group includes producer Mike de la Rosa and his twin brothers Milton and Emilio. Their music, which blends R&B, reggaeton, trap, and house, is infused with heart and soul. 

In the emotional "No Digas Nada," Milton and Emilio confront machismo and toxic masculinity prevalent in Latinx culture, opening up about their struggles with anxiety and mental health. Latin Mafia gets the party started with the explosive reggaeton banger "Julietota," which ends on a contemplative R&B note. Next year, the group will hit the festival circuit with performances at Lollapalooza Argentina, Lollapalooza Chile, Colombia's Estéreo Picnic, and Mexico's Tecate Pa'l Norte. Latin Mafia's debut album will follow in 2024. — LV

Xavi

What To Watch For: An album of original material (unconfirmed)

Xavi is on track to becoming música Mexicana's biggest breakthrough star in 2024. The Mexican American singer released his breakthrough single "La Víctima" through Interscope Records in August. Since then, the haunting breakup anthem has gone viral on TikTok with over 53,000 video creations. 

At 19-years-old, Xavi sings with a soulfulness that's beyond his age. In December, he scored his first Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart with "La Víctima." As the sole wordsmith behind the song, Xavi also sits at No. 1 on the Latin Songwriters chart. Xavi is continuing to tease his hotly-anticipated debut project with his latest single, the fiery "La Diabla." — LV

30 Must-Hear Albums Coming Out In 2024: Green Day, Usher, Tyla & More