hispanic-artists-recs

[hispanic-artists-recs]

Hispanic Artists To Listen To!

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month–which just ended last week– and Latin music making its way into global music charts, I want to spotlight some of these Hispanic music artists that deserve a listen. Whether you are Hispanic yourself, trying to immerse yourself in the culture, or simply a music lover looking for some new music recommendations, this blog is for you!

Want to check if your favorite songs are making the charts? Click Here

American music and entertainment magazine Billboard, is a fun resource to look at to find out what songs are currently trending through music charts, news updates, videos, reviews, and more. You can filter each chart by global reach or genre to get more accurate information about your musical niche.

THE MARIAS

If you’re a fan of indie bedroom-pop, you’ll love The Marias’ retro, dreamy sound. The Marias is a Latinx band that formed back in 2016 named after its lead singer, Maria Zardoya. Zardoya alternates between English and Spanish lyrics as she incorporates her Puerto Rican roots with her soft, velvety vocals. With Josh Conway on the drums, Edward James on the keyboard, and Jesse Perlman on the guitar, they create a psychedelic and atmospheric sound using guitar riffs and jazz elements. Zardoya and Conway wrote and produced their first track “I Don’t Know You" which was discovered and played by a radio station igniting their success.

Click here to check out this interview where Zardoya talks about the fate behind the band’s start and career. 

Give this performance a listen to hear what they're about!

I recommend:

“No One Noticed”

“Otro Atardecer” (with Bad Bunny)

“Carino”

“Heavy”

“Over the Moon”

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

OMAR APOLLO

Starting as a guitarist at his Catholic church in Indiana and writing songs in his bedroom on the side, Mexican-American artist, Omar Apollo, amassed overnight success when he uploaded “Ugotme” to Spotify back in 2017. Since then he has collaborated on works with Daniel Caesar and Kali Uchis and learned from producers including Pharrell Williams. Nominated for the 2023 Best New Artist Grammy, he has established a name for himself with his ambient, bilingual and soulful music. He sings about his Mexican heritage, trials with love, and experiences as a gay man while mixing in elements of Mexican culture like singing with a live mariachi.

Click here to read more about Apollo's early music days.

To truly experience the world of Omar Apollo I recommend tuning into his NPR Tiny Desk performance!

I recommend: 

Evergreen

Ugotme

En el Olvido

Killing Me

Done with You

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

KALI UCHIS

Kali Uchis is a Columbian-American artist who has reached mainstream success with her bilingual tracks, but also fully Spanish albums over the years. She has a dreamy voice with a genre-bending range akin to classic oldies, 2000s R&B, and high tempo reggaeton. Living out of her car in Virginia with a love for music, Uchis focused on creating and solidifying herself as an artist. Her music started to gain traction after she released her songs online, connecting her to artists in the Los Angeles music scene she would later collaborate with. Her name might sound familiar if you didn’t already know about her because of her popular tracks with Tyler the Creator, Daniel Caesar, SZA, and Omar Apollo. 

Click here to read a Q&A interview where Uchis shares her unique journey to stardom.

For some live Kali Uchis check out this video!

I recommend:

After the Storm (ft. Tyler the Creator)

Melting 

Your Teeth in My Neck

Dame Beso // Muévete 

No Eres Tu (Soy Yo)

Listen on Spotify / Apple Music

Here are some honorable mentions:

Peso Pluma, Ivan Cornejo, Eslabon Armado, Natalia Lafourcade, Rauw Alejandro, Rita Payés, Mon Laferte, Julieta Venegas, Café Tacvba, and Fuerza Regida

Have other recommendations? Reply with your personal favorites or song recommendations below!