Every year, Billboard’s Latin staff compiles a list of artists to watch in the coming months. In honor of 2023, we are spotlighting 23 Latin and Spanish acts that cover a broad variety of Latin music genres, from pop to reggaetón to R&B, música Mexicana, and rock.
In true fashion, Billboard Latin’s Artists to Watch list does not focus on brand new talent, but rather, on artists who have already made an impact, be it in the charts, media, streaming platforms, or public consciousness, and who we believe will make significant strides in their careers in the coming year.
A significant number of rising Mexican acts are on the list, like Bratty, who with her charming lo-fi pop tunes will be performing at the 2023 Coachella Festival; Victor Cibrian, whose raspy voice is bringing a fresh take to the corrido movement; and Grupo Frontera, who since going viral last year, has become the only Regional Mexican act to achieve three songs on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, to name a few.
All eyes are also set on the latest generation from Spain, including acts such as Quevedo, whose electro-urban fusions got international traction with his Bizarrap-assisted “BZRP Music Session, Vol. 52” and Pol Granch, who was nominated for best new artist at the 2022 Latin Grammys. On the list are also a wave of fierce and unapologetic Boricuas, like Villano Antillano, authentically making a name for themselves in a male-dominated industry.
Additionally, we recognize artists such as Grupo Marca Registrada and Lasso, who’ve been hustling in the biz for over a decade and thanks to their new-found social media virality have not only gotten more fans but also their first-ever Billboard hits in 2022.
Some of the names on our list will be known to you, some will not. But we believe that all will make their next big mark in 2023. Below are Billboard’s 23 Latin and Spanish acts to watch in 2023, listed in alphabetical order.
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BRATTY
Image Credit: Adrian Monroy/Medios y Media/GI Sinaloa’s BRATTY knows how to find her way around a charming pop tune. Whether she’s navigating through bedroom lo-fi productions or surfy unabashed punk, Jenny Juárez (real name) brings her whimsical allure to her growing fan base. Taking cues from the likes of Best Coast, her playful songwriting also sparks the imagination, singing about birthday parties and trips to Japan. The Culiacán native produced her first album Todo Está Cambiando (2018) in her bedroom; and the following year, she went four times platinum featuring in Ed Maverick’s “Ropa De Bazar,” while amassing 115 million streams on Spotify for that one song. BRATTY has also collaborated with Cuco, Mon Laferte, Hinds, and Girl Ultra; and has remixed Metronomy’s “Thinks Will Be Fine.” On January 26, she released her kitschy, Es Mi Fiesta Y Si Quiero Hago Un EP. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
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Chris Lebron
Image Credit: Acoustyle Communications Dominican singer/songwriter, Chris Lebron, has a beautiful, deep tenor that he puts to use in soul/R&B-tinged tracks and content that veers from romantic to spiritual. Lebron’s vocals and heart-felt delivery have already earned him respect from the likes of Romeo Santos, who features him on “Siri,” from his album Formula, Vol. 3, and Sech and Jay Wheeler, who both sing in the remix of Lebron’s hit “Desde mis ojos.” His debut EP, Versos de un Cardiaco, released last year, positioned him overwhelmingly as a soloist, and his song “Desde mis ojos” has over 33 million streams on Spotify. Lebron releases independently but is distributed by Sonar, the new company launched by Noah Assad (Bad Bunny) and The Orchard. — LEILA COBO
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CRYS
Image Credit: Francisco Gonzalez Since her debut in 2018, Miami-born Cuban-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter CRYS continues to break through and take firm steps as an emerging artist in Spanish Christian music. Her mix of pop with R&B, and reggaetón elements, along with synths and electronic percussion give her a fresh, modern sound with a Latin twist. Her bilingual compositions speak on themes such as love, faith, and hope. With a powerful voice and catchy choreography in her videos, she has captivated the attention of a younger, global audience, and she continues to climb the Latino gospel side, quickly becoming a promising Christian artist of her generation. Her most recent release, “Por ahí voy” has more than 400,000 views on YouTube since its release on Jan. 13, and within her collaborations with Christian artists is “Malos Tiempos” with Alex Campos. She will soon release the single “Negocios” with Blanca, as part of her new EP of the same name. — LUISA CALLE
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GALE
The Puerto Rican pop artist (real name: Carolina Isabel Colón Juarbe) belongs to the new class of Latin singer/songwriters who’ve gotten their start penning hits for others. In GALE‘s case, it’s pretty big names: Juanes, Fanny Lu, Manuel Turizo, and Christina Aguilera, the former resulting in a Latin Grammy for Aguilera’s album Aguilera. But GALE’s performance chops are also fierce, a mix of vocal prowess and dynamic onstage presence—as she displayed in her showcase at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Week. Signed to Sony Music U.S. Latin and managed by Rafael Restrepo (Juanes’ manager) GALE, 29, is prepping her debut album for release this year, with a sound she describes as “Bad Bunny meets Dua Lipa meets Avril Lavigne.” — L.COBO
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Grupo Frontera
Image Credit: Todd Spoth A border town group, from McAllen, Texas, Grupo Frontera kicked off their career in early 2022 as a local act. They winged it covering classic pop songs with a Norteño sound… but it worked. Their cover of Morat’s 2018 single “No Se Va” not only became a massive sound on TikTok but also entered the Hot 100 chart with 4.8 million U.S. streams (up 43%) and 1,000 downloads sold (up 278%) in the Sept. 23-29, 2022, tracking week, according to Luminate. Taking advantage of the momentum, the six-member group—with the help of Latin hitmaker and fellow McAllen native, Edgar Barrera—began releasing original music, resulting in their latest collaborations, “Que Vuelvas” with Carin León and “Bebe Dame” with Fuerza Regida, each respectively, entering the Hot 100 chart dated Jan. 7, 2023. — JESSICA ROIZ
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Grupo Marca Registrada
Image Credit: Courtesy of RB Music A new label deal with Interscope Records (in partnership with their indie label RB Music) is serving as Grupo Marca Registrada’s reintroduction to listeners who are now discovering their music. While the norteño-sierreño group was founded in 2014 in Sinaloa, the four members — Fidel Osvaldo Castro, Luis Fernando Medina, Fidel Jiménez and Ángel Mondragón — have scored recent key collaborations with Junior H (“El Rescate” and Luis R. Conriquez (“Puro Campeón”) that have earned them their first entries Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. Taking into consideration that collabs have been important for their renaissance, the group has a promising upcoming duet with Grupo Frontera. — GRISELDA FLORES
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Kevin Kaarl
Image Credit: Hector Vivas/GI With his distinctive deep voice, prickly guitar notes and profound lyrics, Kevin Kaarl’s music caresses both the ears and the soul. The 22-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter doesn’t shy away from showing his emotions and vulnerability in layered folk ballads like “Cómo Me Encanta,” “Te Quiero Tanto” and “Por Qué No Me Comprendes?,” all part of his 2022 13-track album Paris Texas. On Monday (Jan. 30), he released the Apple Music Home Session: Kevin Kaarl Single with two songs — “Por Qué No Me Comprendes?” and the bilingual tune “On My Mood” — recorded live from the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. This Spring he’s going on a 25-date U.S. tour that begins on March 4 in Sacramento, California, and includes stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, New York, and Chicago, among other cities, before closing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 6. For a full list of tour dates and tickets, click here. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
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Lasso
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Music Mexico The Venezuelan singer-songwriter with a sweet, raspy voice and cool pop sound has a bright year ahead with an upcoming album. After a number of key collaborations with Cami (“Un Millón Como Tú”,) Danna Paola (“Subtítulos”), and other acts, Lasso told Billboard late last year that he plans to release a more intimate set in 2023, with singles including “DIOS,” “Algodón,” “Yo-Yo” and his biggest hit to date, “Ojos Marrones,” which also had a remix with Sebastián Yatra. The singer-songwriter, soon to be 35 on Feb. 18, discovered his passion for music at 11 and has been releasing music professionally since 2012, but his star really started soaring with the turn of this decade, when he got his first Latin Grammy nomination in the coveted best new artist category (2021) and then made his Billboard charts debut with “Ojos Marrones,” which peaked at No. 66 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and at No. 39 on the Billboard Global Excl. US in September 2022. — S.R.A.
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Ludmilla
Image Credit: David Becker/GI for The Latin Recording Academy Brazilian powerhouse performer Ludmilla has been steadily rising to the top with her insatiable baile funk versatility that spans pop, trap, R&B and more. “I think of funk as an agent of change, especially in the lives of so many peripheral people who don’t have opportunities,” she told Billboard Español. “Funk Embraces and elevates, it makes us claim our place in the world.” With a banner year which saw the ascending star win a Latin Grammy for her album Numanice #2, the Rio de Janeiro native more recently inked a management deal with WK Entertainment/Central Sonora. She also holds the title as the first Afro-Latina artist to reach one billion streams on Spotify. The singer-songwriter is currently working on her next album. — I.R.
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Majo Aguilar
When Majo Aguilar first made her stellar album debut Mi Herencia, Mi Sangre, she instantly showed star power. As the granddaughter of ranchera legends Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre (both from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema), María José Aguilar Carrillo (real name) seemingly inherited that signature yearning kind of vocal chops known in the regional Mexican style. It’s a hypersensitive delivery that displays the agony and ecstasy of love loss and found, where she exemplifies this in 2022’s Se Canta Con el Corazón. Majo Aguilar is currently nominated for two regional Mexican categories at 2023 Premio Lo Nuestro, for female artist of the year and mariachi/ranchera song of the year. — I.R.
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Marc Seguí
Image Credit: @mikephyton2 Marc Seguí’s delicate and sugary vocals are his most valuable instrument, which he uses to tell stories of love and heartbreak in a way that makes you both swoon and even appreciate the stories that don’t have a happy ending. The Spanish alt-pop artist stands out visually — thanks to the bright colors in his music videos and fashion style — and lyrically with songs that thrive thanks to his ability to navigate topics that are extremely relatable. Featured in PMC’s inaugural LA3C Festival last year, the 25-year-old may look like the literal boy next door but onstage wearing oversized t-shirts with colored nails but his onstage presence really hooks you as he dances and jumps across the stage making it hard for anyone there to stand still. After showcasing the colorful side to him, Seguí is embarking on a more emo-like project that spotlights a darker side to him kicking things off with the recently-released rock song “Plaza En El Cielo.” — G.F.
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Paola Jara
Image Credit: Forza Records / Andrea Ramírez PR Colombian singer-songwriter Paola Jara has definitely made a name for herself, as she represents one of the most imposing female voices of Colombia’s “género popular.” Backed by the prevalent genre from a region of Antioquia that has deep roots in the regional Mexican genres such as mariachi and ranchero, and also includes elements of corrido and Hhuapango, Jara’s power vocals carry a lot of emotions in her interpretation. After hitting the road with La Conquista Tour alongside her husband and singer Jessi Uribe, Jara wrapped 2022 with her most recent musical EP titled Sin Ti, which includes two of her favorite covers: “Después de Ti” by Alejandro Lerner and “No Te Pude Retener” by Vanessa Torres. — INGRID FAJARDO
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Pol Granch
Image Credit: David Becker/GI for The Latin Recording Academy “My grandmother always told me that music is the words of the soul,” Pol Granch previously told Billboard. Taking her advice to heart, the Spanish-French singer-songwriter was able to channel his emotions through his Amor Escupido album, where his sophisticated vocals best fused both his Spanish and French roots. On the set, Granch navigates from a mix of electronic sounds to innovative pop-punk. Vocally, he exudes a unique sweetness in which he guides you through his heart as a window of communication between his heart and his deepest feelings. At the 2022 Latin Grammys, Granch was nominated for best new artist. — I.F.
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Polimá Westcoast
Image Credit: John Parra/GI for Sony Music Latin In 2018, Polimá Westcoast entered the music industry with his edgy “Trap Star,” which best captured his trap star-meets-rockstar aura. Hailing from Santiago, Chile, the 25-year-old singer born Polimá Ngangu Eduardo Miguel Orellana has made a name for himself locally and in Latin America, ultimately landing a gig at the reputable Lollapalooza Chile festival. But it was his viral 2022 hit “Ultra Solo” that put his infectious vocals and beats on a wider radar. Narrating the story of a person who’s “ultra lonely” after a breakup, the Pailita-assisted track not only landed on the Billboard charts but also counts with a fiery remix alongside Paloma Mami, Feid and De La Ghetto. The Chilean act has also collaborated with J Balvin, Quevedo, and Mora, to name a few. — J.R.
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Quevedo
Image Credit: Fernando Sanchez/Europa Press via GI Quevedo is the perfect example of a new generation that’s fusing reggaeton beats with European electronic sounds. The most characteristic feature of the Madrid-born singer is his deep voice which also has this very particular sound that reaches high and low tones. Born Pedro Domínguez, the artist made his first Billboard chart appearance last year in February with “Cayo La Noche,” featuring El Ima, Cruz Cafuné, Bejo, La Pantera, Juseph, and Abhir Hathi, on the global charts, and later scored two additional entries with “Si Quieren Frontear” in collaboration with DuKi and De La Ghetto and the Bizarrap-assisted “BZRP Music Session, Vol. 52.” Additionally, the smash hit scored Quevedo his first No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. — I.F.
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Rels B
Image Credit: Ruiz/fotopress/GI Spanish act Rels B, also known as Skinny Flakk, began recording as a rapper but has evolved into more R&B and urban/pop territory with highly relatable lyrics and memorable melodies. The versatility has aided his very rapid growth and awareness in the last five months, since signing a co-management deal with Argentine execs Fede Lauria (Bizarrap, Nicki Nicole) and Pepo Ferradas (Camilo, Lali Esposito). His monthly listeners on Spotify rose from 15.6 million in November to 17.6 million today, and he placed two songs on Spain’s Promusicae year-end charts: the more urban “Mi Luz” alongside RVFV at No. 21 and his urban/pop “Cómo dormiste” at No. 86. After playing a 27-date tour of the U.S. and Latin America last summer, he’s now gathering steam for bigger Latin American dates, beginning in February in El Salvador. Rels releases music under his own Flakk Records and Dale Play, Lauria’s label. He is signed for publishing with Sony Music Publishing. — L.COBO
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Rusherking
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Rusherking (born Thomas Nicolas Tobar), who started out freestyling in the streets of Argentina, lives (and thrives) in both urban and pop spaces thanks to his vocal range that adapts to whatever genre he decides to sing in. He can go from a deep tenor for reggaeton/rap songs (listen to the Duki-assisted “Bailando Te Conocí“) to more melodic, almost whisper-like vocals for pop songs (which can be heard in his collab with Reik “A Mi Lado). While Rusherking is currently becoming a local hometown hero with a sold-out show at the impressive Luna Park Stadium and his upcoming show at the Movistar Arena in March, he’s well on his way to dominating beyond Argentina with star-studded collabs featuring fellow Argentine hitmakers such as Emilia, Tiago PZK and María Becerra. — G.F.
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Ryan Castro
Image Credit: Davis Bernal A captivating and inspiring story of a dreamer who made his dreams come true, Ryan Castro, known as “El Cantante del ghetto,” was able to connect with his fans through social media thanks to the unique Medellin slang in his lyrics and his vibrant perreo fusions. In 2022, Castro opened Karol G’s sold-out show at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellin, performed alongside J Balvin at the MTV VMAs, and had his first-ever U.S. tour, in addition to being named one of Billboard’s Latin Artist on The Rise and winning best new artist at Los Heat Awards. Both of his viral singles, “Mujeriego” and “Jordan,” entered the Billboard Global 2022 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, and topped the year with the release of his EP Los Piratas. — I.F.
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Trueno
Image Credit: Sebastián Arpesella After being crowned champion of the Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos and the Freestyle Master Series in 2019, Trueno has steadily gone from local rapper to global hitmaker. The 20-year-old Argentine artist (real name Mateo Palacios Corazzina), born in Buenos Aires, has — along with a troupe of emerging acts from Argentina such as Duki, Lit Killah and Tiago PZK — revolutionized the hip-hop and rap scene in his home country. With three entries on the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Exc. US charts, Trueno’s love for old-school hip-hop, which takes inspiration from anthems such as The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” takes center stage in his latest album Bien O Mal. The set, a love letter to Argentina and the streets that raised him, is lyrically potent with politically-charged and emotional lyrics showcasing Trueno’s ability to navigate wide-ranging topics that hit home for him. — G.F.
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Victor Cibrian
Image Credit: Rancho Humilde With his deep, raspy-yet-crispy vocals, relatable lyricism, and melodious corrido tumbao sound, Victor Cibrian easily represents the new generation of Música Mexicana — and many of the genre’s established acts have begun to take notice. With his young career still blossoming, the Mexican act already landed collabs with Fuerza Regida, Natanael Cano, Luis R. Conriquez, and most recently, Régulo Caro in “El Beso de la Muerte,” to name a few. Cibrian made a big bang with his debut track “En El Radio un Cochinero,” which went viral on TikTok, and earned him the viral song of the year award at the coveted 2022 Premios de la Radio. Last summer, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs, Regional Mexican Airplay, and both Global charts. He unleashed his 10-track set Cargando Piedras via Rancho Humilde/Sony Music Latin, which includes no features and only his authentic talent. — J.R.
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Villano Antillano
Image Credit: Courtesy of La Buena Fortuna Music Highlighted as Billboard’s first Latin Artist on the Rise in 2023, the Puerto Rican rapper is poised for major impact. With Bad Bunny and Residente co-signs, an unflinching debut La Sustancia X, and a viral Bizarrap session, Villano Antillano is quickly becoming a household name in Latin America and beyond with her fiery bilingual snaps and wicked wordplay. “What makes you an outstanding rapper is not about how many words you know, or whether you can rap in an academic way — it’s about how you use the language,” she told Billboard Español. “It can be the language of everyday life. I use a lot of words that maybe aren’t popular like in the rest of the world, but it’s how I speak Spanish, and how it’s spoken in the Caribbean. That’s what really makes a rapper.” This year, she’s set to perform at global festivals such as Lollapalooza Argentina and Chile, Colombia’s Estéreo Picnic and Bombastic in Spain. — I.R.
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Wiplash
Image Credit: Pablo García With their electric flamboyant rock — and swaggerful energy — Wiplash is resurrecting the vintage style and catapulting it into the future. On their Latin Grammy-nominated album RPDF and their follow-up Sobredosis RPDF, the Monterrey/Mexico City four-piece, who met on TikTok, have continued to gather a loyal fan base that’s helping define a generation of glammy rock lovers alike. Last Christmas, they released their latest acoustic EP Poniente, which testifies their ability to entice listeners with their steel string-laden reworkings. Alternative rock en Español is in promising hands. — I.R.
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Young Miko
Image Credit: John Parra/GI for Amazon Music In the summer of 2022, Bad Bunny invited rising Boricua artist Young Miko to perform on stage during his packed Un Verano Sin Ti concert at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan. Later in the year, she was featured on one of Arcángel’s tracks on his album Sr. Santos. This year, she received the ultimate Karol G stamp of approval after the Colombian artist invited Miko to take a shot together during her Calibash set in Los Angeles. It’s her effortless ability to tackle sultry-yet-fierce rap bars as well as belt a sugary chanteo that explains why top-tier acts have their eyes set on her. The Añasco-born artist was discovered by Latin hitmaker Caleb Calloway, who produced her debut single “105 Freestyle” in 2021, and has already collaborated with artists such as Lunay, Lyanno, and Akapellah, to name a few, in addition to releasing her debut set Trap Kitty. — J.R.