Taking a dip into the wide ocean that is Hispanic music
Ritchie Valens (1941-1959)
First and foremost, let’s dive into the classics. Ritchie Valens was a famous Mexican-American artist most famously known for adapting a rock-infused track “La Bamba” from a classic Mexican folk song. Despite his short-lived life and musical career, Ritchie created a plethora of iconic tracks like “Come on Let’s Go,” “Donna,” and “We Belong Together.” While his life was cut tragically short, Valens truly paved the way for Hispanic rock-and-roll musicians today and his legacy continues on! (P.S. La Bamba is also a fantastic film that tells us the story of his life which takes place in the 50’s, if you need a good film to watch this month this is a great pick).
Selena Quintanilla Pérez (1971-1995)
Onward to another timeless classic in the Hispanic music catalog! Quite possibly one of the most iconic female Hispanic artists of all time, Selena was only 15 years old when she first won the Tejano Music Award for “Female Vocalist of the Year.” Fame had come rapidly to Selena as a result of her countless hits, some including “Como La Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” and “Dreaming of You.” Selena’s story is both heartbreaking and captivating, her life story has also been curated into a famous 1997 film titled “Selena” starring Jennifer Lopez, it’s also a great film to check out if you haven’t!
J Balvin
Hailing out of Medellín Colombia, José Álvaro Osorio Balvín has vastly become a force to be reckoned with in the reggaeton genre with over 35 million records sold worldwide. His most well-known hit worldwide is “Mi Gente,” but his discography is filled with a wide variety of hits like “Safari,” Ay Vamos,” “6 AM,” and “Morado.”
Karol G
Also coming from Medellín, Karol G is a chart-topping, and award-winning singer known for her passionate blend of pop, reggeaton, and R&B. In the past few years, her career has immensely taken off with a variety of top-charting music videos and performances. Some of her best hits include, “QLONA,” “S91,” and “Poblando” which also features J Balvin!
Dengue Dengue Dengue!
An audio-visual duo by the names of Felipe Salmon and Rafel Pereira from Lima, Peru. These two mask-wearing artists have cultivated a way to blend various genres into a euphoric sound including techno, tribal, salsa, and psychedelic cumbia. Some of their greatest hits include, “Serpiente Dorada,” “Simiolo,” and “Como Baliar Cumbia.”
Kumbia Queers
This high-energy LGBTQ+ activist group & tropical-punk band heirs from Buenos Aires, Argentina have begun to gain popularity with their unique sound. Their name was articulated from the desire to reclaim and give more power to the word “Queer.” The curated mix of classical cumbia with alternative rock and pro-queer lyricism delivers this unique sound in a variety of their works like “Mientes,” “Feriado nacional,” and “Plantala.”