genre Afrobeats

In an increasingly global music world, stars are popping up from every corner of the planet. But rising Colombian star Venesti may be the first to come from Guapi, a small, remote town near Colombia’s Pacific coast where there is nothing resembling a music industry.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“This is a place with maybe 25,000 people or less. People who come from a place like Guapi, don’t think they can be successful at this level,” says Venesti, who at 14 years old move to nearby Cali, known as a capital of salsa and a breeding ground for new rhythms.

Venesti, real name Faiber Stiven Caicedo Castro, carved out the artistic name Venesti from a play on words on his middle names, and began to do a mix of tropical and pop informed by the Afrobeats of his hometown. Last year, he won his first Billboard Latin Music Award, for Best Latin pop song for “No Es Normal,” alongside Nacho and Maffio.

Trending on Billboard

Building on the song’s mix of pop beats with Afro roots and sensibility, Venesti released his sophomore album Origen on March 28 — a 12-track set that incorporates traditional Afro Caribbean rhythms with Afrobeats, reggaetón and ultimately pop for broad appeal.

“I wanted to find my roots, my culture,” says Venesti. “This is an evolution of my sound. I’ve gone through salsa, bachata, and I’ve rescued many sounds from each genre, I’ve encountered a lot of folklore, fused with Afro culture.”

The album features many collaborators, from known names like Guaynaa and Nacho to rising Colombian DJs and artists. Some may not be as known to mainstream Latin audiences but they’re part of Venesti’s journey from small town boy with big dreams to his arrival in Cali, and later, Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena, all places whose music informs this album.

Below, Venesti gives us his picks of five tracks to begin his journey with.

“Taca Tu Tacu”

This came from a session with Gangsta, who is one of the most incredible producers today. We’d been talking forever and finally met in Miami. We chatted at home and set it up. I told I wanted to create a fusion of ancestral sounds, and he brought up currulao, a genre from the Pacific coast that’s set in five beats, and we put it inside the chorus. There’s like a currulao in the Afrobeat, and it may be my favorite song. [In terms of the lyrics] I began my career writing poetry, but I wanted a chorus here that you could feel rather than sing. The “Taca Tu Tacu” is the beat of my heart. The poem is recited by my heart.

“Tamo Ahí” (with DJ Pope)

This is the song that has that danceable rhythm, but the song is all about courtship, and you’re there, almost there. DJ Pope is Balvin’s longtime DJ and he’s also someone who’s come up to me and congratulated me for getting to where I am coming from a place like Guapi.

“Felina” (with Nacho)

I worked with Nacho in “No es normal” and I had that personal goa lof having him sing Afro. We agreed to do something else after “No es normal” and he had wanted to do another merengue. I said, bro, if you allow me, let me show you this other rhythm. And he fell in love. We did several songs, but in the end, we stayed with “Felina.”

“Me vas a extrañar” (with Jeivy Dance & Andy Alaska)

This is a heartbreak song. It’s sad to remember happy moments that are over, but it’s also about realizing it’s time to let go of the people who’ve hurt you. It’s about putting it all out there. I worked on this one with Jeivy Dance, this huge talent from Cartagena, and Andy Alaska, a DJ who’s going through a great moment. I hadn’t realized that Afro was being done like this in other parts of Colombia and the Pacific. The four DJs that are in this album are here based purely on friendship.

“Number 1”

This is the guy who is winning over the girl every day with little gestures. And when I say “gestures,” I don’t mean gifts; I mean a look, a call, those little things that matter, that are subtle. It’s a very romantic song and I think people will really connect with it.