In 2023, Billboard‘s Latin Artist on the Rise series featured a select group of artists who had a breakthrough inside or outside of their genre, scored a significant chart feat and/or created a buzz that was impossible to ignore.
A wide-ranging group of 10 up-and-coming Latin artists were spotlit — including Mexican superstar Peso Pluma, who went on to become one of the year’s biggest artists in any genre. The 24-year-old hitmaker was March’s Latin Artist on the Rise, where he talked about his quest for global domination and being up for the challenge to take música mexicana to new heights.
“I want to go to Brazil, Spain, Argentina. I’m up for the challenge. The regional Mexican artist is emerging — we’re growing within the industry, you can’t deny that anymore,” he said then. Today, Peso has led the regional Mexican renaissance, entering 23 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 this year alone. His third studio album, Génesis, also made history when it debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for a Mexican music album.
Other emerging regional Mexican music gems that were featured include Chino Pacas, who this year scored a label deal with Street Mob Records, founded by Fuerza Regida‘s frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz, following hit song “El Gordo Trae El Mando.” And Gabito Ballesteros, who is signed to Natanael Cano‘s Los CT Records and a frequent collaborator of Peso Pluma’s (“AMG” and “Lady Gaga”).
Another artist who was part of our Latin Artist on the Rise series was Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina, who won best new artist at the Latin Grammys in November. Most recently, the Universal Music Latin artist signed a management deal with Global Talent Services (GTS).
Below, we highlight all the artists who were featured as part of the coveted Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise series throughout 2023.
Featured On: January 26
Memorable Quote: “I would have broken out in Puerto Rico, but being a woman — and to a certain extent, being a maricón — with all the social impact, the marginalization, and all the discrimination that goes with it… Making a name for yourself in one of the most misogynistic, sexist, and violent countries against feminized people and women is very strong.”
Featured On: February 28
Memorable Quote: “I come from the favela here in Rio de Janeiro, where funk is a very strong genre. It’s a musical genre that saves lives. In these communities, you have a lot of connections with funk and Black music. I started singing and began appearing in the media through funk. I saw that my musical range was wide, that I could do everything I dreamed of, everything I wanted to do. So I started to invest more in this, and now I am at this moment.”
Featured On: March 23
Memorable Quote: “I feel like Mexican Music has come close to really going international, but it hasn’t fully happened yet. The United States isn’t everything. I want to go to Brazil, Spain, Argentina. I’m up for the challenge. The regional Mexican artist is emerging — we’re growing within the industry, you can’t deny that anymore.”
Featured On: April 27
Memorable Quote: “I love corridos. But doing corridos in Mexico is like putting the best taco spot when there are 20,000 taco spots. So, what was key? Everyone is doing corridos [in Mexico], let me try doing reggaetón in Mexico. What my heart says and wants at that moment, I’ll do. My heart said: ‘Guey, people are liking ‘La Bebe,’ you know you have good reggaetón, so drop it.’”
Featured On: May 25
Memorable Quote: “Internationally, I think it is the best music moment for Spain after so many years, because very young kids are going viral and that’s incredible. In my generation, it was more challenging to leave Spain — but lately, what’s happening with Quevedo, for example, is crazy! In a matter of months, he went viral and has the respect of the whole world. Now we are also seeing many Spanish artists at the top of the local charts. I think it’s a huge moment for Spanish music right now.”
Featured On: June 29
Memorable Quote: “In Puerto Rico, SoundCloud was an era, around 2016 to 2019. Many artists that were very present in SoundCloud today are established artists, like Bad Bunny, Rauw Alejandro, Lyanno, Joyce Santana, Brray and Alvarito Diaz. When you started making music, and you started under the category of SoundCloud rappers, not many people took you seriously — but [these artists] gained half a million to millions of streams in Puerto Rico. Being a tiny island, that’s a lot of streams. Nowadays they’re classics. You go to a Rauw concert and he sings SoundCloud songs with Lyanno at the Choliseo or the Hiram Bithorn [stadium], and the people know them in their entirety.”
Featured On: July 27
Memorable Quote: “I am proud to be living this moment. Natanael [Cano] opened the doors for us. At the time it was difficult for him, with all the criticism and bad comments, but he was able to do it — and today it’s our turn. I feel happy to be able to open a new path for the talents that come after me. Just as I have my idols, I would like to be that for the artists who come along the way.”
Featured On: August 31
Memorable Quote: “I do a lot of things with love, with a lot of passion for my fans, and I think that is reflected [in my music]. And I help people heal through my art — or well, that’s what they tell me.”
Featured On: October 26
Memorable Quote: “I am very happy with everything that is happening and the reception from the fans that are always supporting us. I really feel like I’m not very famous yet. I’m just making music and people really like it.”
Featured On: November 30
Memorable Quote: “[Winning the Latin Grammy was] one of those moments when time stops and you are in front of so much, and you feel like your head is pounding and everything is like in slow motion. Out of nowhere I started seeing everything in slow motion. I felt like I entered an alternate reality. [Laughs.] The truth is that I didn’t expect it. Seriously, honestly, I didn’t expect it.”