60,815 minutes, 1,014 hours, or 42 days is the amount of music I streamed on Spotify in 2023, almost all of which was in Spanish (although one American artist did sneak into my top five artists of the year). In that time, I listened to 868 artists. Here are my 3 favorite up-and-coming Latin artists I became a fan of this year.
Number one on my list and in my heart is Latin Mafia. Admittedly, the name is misleading considering their music is some of the most smooth, relaxed, and well-composed I’ve heard in a while.
The independent Mexican group is composed of three young brothers, Milton, Emilio, and Mike De La Rosa. Twins Milton and Emilio are the vocalists for the group, while the older brother, Mike, produces, and they all write their songs. They got their start in 2021, and have accrued over 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify since, without having released an album or being signed to a record label. So far, they’ve put out 12 songs, with genres ranging from indie Latin pop to afro-beats to R&B. The trio sold out the Olympic Velodrome in Mexico City (over 11,000 tickets) last May, and, more recently, performed at Flow Fest 2023, a popular Latin music festival that featured global superstars such as Wisin & Yandel, Feid, Maluma, and Ozuna.
I adore their honest and familiar lyrics, it feels as though they put my experiences and emotions into musical form, with a relatability that is hard to find in today’s urban Latin music scene. Their musical range and style have made me fall head over heels for their music, especially the newly released `Patadas De Ahogados,’ which features fellow indie Mexican artist, Humbe. Credit is due to my best friend, Camila, who introduced me to them when they’d only released three singles: Ciudad De Las Luces, Mas Humano, and Julieta, which have continued to be some of my favorites.
25-year-old Puerto Rican-born artist, Young Miko, is second on my list and has quickly gained an impressive amount of fame in the past year, with 28 million monthly Spotify listeners, and deservingly so. Her main genres, Latin urban, rap, and trap have traditionally been male-dominated; however, her boundary-breaking music has begun to take over the scene. What I love most about her is that her on and off-stage personas are genuine, humble, and unique.
Her first single, ‘105 Freestyle,’ was released in 2021, and her debut album, ‘TRAP KITTY’, was released in July of 2022. Her signature swagger and style are consistent throughout her music, but also in her features on other artists’ songs. Maintaining an identity is no easy task, especially for a relatively new artist, but even on her most notable collabs such as ‘FINA’ with Bad Bunny, ‘DISPO’ with Karol G, and ‘Classy 101’ with Feid, her rhythm and flow stay on point.
Young Miko has performed at several notable music festivals including Flow Fest 2023 and Baja Beach Fest, opened for Karol G’s worldwide “Mañana Será Bonito Tour” and performed at the “Mañana Será Bonito Fest” shows in Medellin, Colombia.
The last, but certainly not least, artist on my list is Ivan Cornejo. At only 19 years old, he’s accrued over 1.1 billion total streams, and has 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify. He’s a regional Mexican artist born in California who produces mostly Corridos, a genre that has gained popularity in recent years. He’s propelled to the number two most listened to regional Mexican artist in the US, and placed in the top 10 overall Latin artists in the US, helping him win “Debut Artist of the Year,” at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards. He released his first album, ‘Alma Vacia’ at 17 years old, and the following year, he released his second album, my personal favorite, ‘Dañado.’
Ivan Cornejo’s true talent lies in his ability to make you feel. His lyrics and music style transport you instantly into a moment of emotion. Some of my favorite songs are ‘2NDO CHANCE’ with Becky G, Llamadas Perdidas,’ and ‘Está Dañada.”
