Latin Artist on the Rise

After a five-year hiatus from the U.S. due to a visa revocation over a minor marijuana possession charge, Mexican musician Codiciado made a striking comeback. Barred from entry just as his career began to ascend, the Tijuana-born artist didn’t let this setback slow his momentum. He had already co-founded Grupo Codiciado in 2015 and rapidly gained industry recognition with eight full-length albums— from 2016’s Si Lo Digo Es Porque Puedo to 2022’s Cuadro de Honor via Rancho Humilde.
Undeterred by the challenges, Codiciado used this period to reinvent himself. He split from Grupo Codiciado to pursue a solo venture, a move catalyzed by both contemplation and encouragement from fans. “When we made the decision to split up, I really wanted to stop — I didn’t want to make music, because I was with the idea that we were a group and that people knew me for the group,” he tells Billboard Español. “But the people who were with me at the time gave me encouragement to say that it wasn’t over there, that it was just a stepping stone, a stumble. We had to keep going.”

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This new venture culminated in his 2023 solo debut, Golpes de La Vida, which delved into his personal and professional experiences. Rather than stalling, the separation from U.S. audiences fueled his resolve, setting the stage for a triumphant return.

Codiciado’s reentry into the U.S. market was marked by a successful five-date tour with sold-out venues and record attendance, particularly at Sacramento’s Hard Rock Live. The tour’s success not only reaffirmed his artistic presence, but also spurred him to schedule an extended second leg of the Ando Enfocado U.S. Tour. This new leg included 14 additional dates, starting in Brooklyn, New York on September 27 and wrapping up in Reno, Nevada on October 26.

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But before that, he will also be touring Mexico and performing at RUMBAZO 2024, a Latin music festival in its third edition in partnership with Billboard. Headlined by Nicky Jam and Luis R. Conriquez, the event will take place on September 13 and 14 in Las Vegas and will also feature Arcángel.

Meanwhile, the singer-songwriter has also been making the rounds on the Billboard charts. “Gabachas,” with Joaquin Medina and Sheeno, secured his first top 10 placement on the Latin Pop Airplay chart, reaching No. 9 in June. “It was merely a studio session,” he says of the creative process. “We got together in Los Angeles and spent about four or five hours hammering out the beat, the lyrics and the melodies.”

His musical influences and the roots of his passion for Mexican music were shaped by his surroundings and personal experiences in Tijuana. “The music I fell in love with [I heard] at home and in the streets of Tijuana, listening to corridos,” Codiciado explained. He cites Los Tucanes de Tijuana as a big influence, and mentions being 14 years old when he wrote his first song. “It was a corrido that I did for a…. I mean, I didn’t know about cartels in those days, just what I heard on the street, but it was a corrido for someone from Sinaloa,” he mentions.

On his stage name, Codiciado — which means “coveted” or “sought-after” — he adds, “[Codiciado] is something you want to have, something that costs. I told my former bandmates that we had to live up to the name, which was to stick so that we were actually sought-after — something that costs money, unlike any local band.”

When it comes to his style — as an artist who might be mistaken as a rapper, but also with a fashion sense that one might associate with Natanael Cano and the new wave of corridos — Codiciado was also ahead of the curve, donning urban wear before it was a thing in música Mexicana.

“I had several disagreements with older colleagues, because they thought I was [dressing this way] to look out of place. Many took it as an offense, saying, ‘No, man, we’re the same, and you’re wearing durags, caps and sneakers, while we’re here with cowboy hats and boots,’” he recalls. “I did it because I come from Tijuana. Although my parents are from Sinaloa, my culture is more urban. In fact, when Nata later broke out — and several other new young artists — everyone tried to have that image. It was a big change for the genre.”

Beyond his music career, Codiciado has remained committed to giving back to the community. His collaboration with La Fundación UFW, a foundation started by activist Cesar Chávez, underscores his dedication.

“We as a society have to be a little bit more noble and empathize more with people who don’t have,” says the artist born Erick de Jesús Aragón, who began earning money working in the Southern California fields. “It’s always good to do our bit. Even the people who work in the fields or on the streets have feelings and many times they share what they have. So, I always try to encourage others to do the same. If you have 100 pesos, give 10, 20, nothing happens. I try to have those approaches, not only with the fields, but also with children and families.”

Name: Erick de Jesús Aragón Alcantar

Age: 31 

Recommended Song: “Vamos Aclarando Muchas Cosas”

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Biggest Accomplishment: “My children. A four year old son and a ten year old daughter.”

What’s Next: “The second part of my Ando Enfocado Tour. [First] we are planning touring Mexico. The upcoming album is called No Lo Intenten En Casa, Vol. 2, because when I was with Grupo Codiciado, we did No Lo Intenten En Casa. That album contains corridos bélicos. We want to give continuity to volume two. I already have it recorded — I’m just working on the vocals so we can have it ready for November.”

Cris MJ’s love for reggaetón was instilled in him by his parents. “I didn’t watch cartoons growing up, I watched reggaeton music videos,” he tells Billboard — admitting that when he was eight years old, he would imitate urban artists at his school talent shows. 

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Inspired by old-school reggaetón acts, such as Daddy Yankee, Jory and Ñengo Flow, as well as American Trap artists Travis Scott, Drake and Lil Baby, the emerging Chilean artist decided to teach himself how to make music.

His first creations were music videos recorded on his iPhone and songs uploaded by himself on DistroKid— ”it was difficult for a reggaetón artist to get support here,” he explains, especially in his hometown of La Serena (located on the coast of Chile). However, he intended to make a name for himself by uploading Spanish covers of some of his favorite English rap and trap songs on social media.

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At one point of his career, Cris — who has spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart with his FloyyMenor-assisted “Gata Only” — fell into a depression, and almost quit music. He explains that he didn’t believe in his project because of negative comments he heard on the streets. 

But his leap of faith arrived in 2020, when he moved to the capital of Santiago, and unleashed his first official single called “Como Tú Ninguna,” a catchy urban-mambo that locally put him on the map. “I like doing all styles of music, but overall with futuristic beats or beats that I can vibe with,” he says. 

The song that ultimately opened all doors for him, however, arrived in 2022: “Una Noche en Medellín” — a hard-hitting perreo that highlights the vibrant Colombian nightlife. After going viral on TikTok, it landed on Karol G’s radar, who later jumped on the remix, invited fellow Colombian Ryan Castro to join in, and even included it on her Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) album. 

The powerful collaboration — which Karol & Cris first performed together at the 2023 Viña del Mar—earned the Chilean act his first Hot 100 entry, when it debuted at No. 68 last year in August.

Cris MJ “Una Noche En Medellín”

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Now, following his debut albums Welcome to My World (2022) and Partyson (2023), Cris continues to herald the Chilean reggaetón movement with “Gata Only.” Similar to “Medellín,” the infectious reggaetón track — about going after an attractive girl — skyrocketed on the charts after building virality on social media. 

The seven-week No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs marks the first time any Chilean artist has entered the top 10 since La Ley and Ednita Nazario’s “Tu Sabes Bien” peaked at No. 8 in 1999. Prior to that, it was Myriam Hernández’s “Huele a Peligro,” which peaked at No. 5 in 1998. 

“For us, this is very important. It’s a pride for all Latinos to be on that chart,” Cris said to Billboard in a previous interview. “In fact, before we released the song, I knew it was going to be a global hit. I’m proud because it’s not only helping my career, but also the one of my colleagues.” 

Cris is currently making the rounds with his latest track “Si No Es Contigo.” Below, learn more about this month’s Latin Artist on the Rise.

Name: Christopher Andrés Álvarez García

Age: 22

Recommended Song: “Una Noche en Medellín”

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What’s Next?: Following an extensive tour in Mexico, the Chilean artist is headed to Europe, where he will spend nearly two months touring. He also plans on releasing new music, including a collaboration with Junior H and Bryant Myers.

Biggest accomplishment: Cris MJ says his biggest career accomplishment so far has been to be able to buy his car and own a home in Santiago. In addition to making history on the Billboard charts, he’s also nominated at the 2024 Heat Latin Music Awards (Premios Heat).

As Peso Pluma‘s main songwriter, Roberto Laija penned some of the Mexican star’s early hits, including “El Belicon,” “Siempre Pendientes,” “PRC” and “AMG,” all of which helped catapult the artist to the top of the global charts.
Now, after writing multiple corridos-turned-anthems, and becoming a bonafide hitmaker, Laija — who is also Peso’s cousin — is forging his own path as a singer. While he’ll continue to write songs for Peso, he’s laser-focused on honing his performing skills and developing his career as an artist. Today, he’s no longer just Peso’s cousin or “the guy who writes songs for Peso,” as he says people would identify him, he’s Tito Double P.  

“I never thought I’d be a songwriter, much less an artist, but music was something that was always on my mind,” says Tito Double P over a Zoom interview. “As a kid, I was good with rhymes — and when I got to high school, I learned to play the guitar, because you either chose to do sports, learn chess or take guitar classes. I chose guitar, then chess — but never sports,” he adds with a laugh.  

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Born and raised in Culiacán, Sinaloa, the first song he ever wrote came in the way of a corrido, as a favor to a friend, although he didn’t thinking anything of it. “I took the info he gave me to write the lyrics, created a guitar tune and it wasn’t a bad song. I got excited and I wrote another corrido. But these were always just for me, I never showed them to anyone or had anyone record them for me, until Hassan (Peso’s real name) came along.”  

By then it was 2021 and Peso was looking to start his career. He had seen Tito singing in videos he uploaded to social media, so he hit his cousin up. “I told him to come over to Culiacán,” Tito remembers. “I had some corridos written, he asked me to sing one and I was so shy, but I sang ‘El Belicon’ for him. He liked it and said, ‘Let me sing it.’ We recorded it that same day, and it was the first song that I had given to someone to record — it was a boom.” 

The song entered Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in April 2022, becoming Peso’s big first hit. Initially, Tito thought it was just beginner’s luck. But by the second hit “Siempre Pendientes” and then the third “El Gavilán,” he started to really believe it; he was a songwriter. “This is what I’m meant to do,” he says he realized.  

While collecting hit after hit, Peso and other artists encouraged Tito to sing. He was hesitant, but taking that “let’s see what happens” mentality that went into writing songs, he’s applying it to this new era in his career. He was set to make his debut as a músican mexicana artist on Peso’s Génesis with “Gavilán II” and “La People,” but an audio of a dembow-inspired song he had written and recorded leaked and went viral on TikTok. He released it as a single in June 2023, in collaboration with Luis R Conriquez and Joel De La P. Since, he’s released a handful of songs, including team-ups with other acts like Gabito Ballesteros and Jasiel Nuñez.  

Tito Double P scored his very first entry on the Hot 100 earlier this month, thanks to “La People II,” with Peso Pluma and Joel De La P, which debuted at No. 69 on the all-genre tally. “I was afraid to sing at first, and it wasn’t like I was looking to be a singer — but it happened, and it happened well, and now I enjoy it,” Tito says today. “It’s been a process, but after singing on a stage, I want to keep going.”  

With his commanding hoarse vocals, a distinctive sound (powered by a trombone and an accordion) and a record deal with Double P Records (launched by Peso last summer), Tito Double P is already on his way to making a name for himself in a crowded field of a new generation of regional Mexican hitmakers. He’s currently working on his debut album, which he says will be a mostly regional Mexican album and will include duets. “Everything has come in a very natural way for me,” Tito says. “At the label we work as a family, we support each other’s ideas, and that makes you feel really confident, like you can’t miss.”  

Below, learn more about April’s Latin Artist on the Rise:

Name: Roberto Laija 

Age: 26 

Recommended Song: “’La People,’ because that’s when everything changed. Before I was Peso’s cousin, the guy who writes songs for Peso. ‘La People’ was everywhere and that’s when I became Tito Double P.”  

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Major Accomplishment: “I feel part of Peso Pluma, and that’s the biggest accomplishment, in a nutshell. It’s something that we are all very proud of. And well now also kicking off my career as Tito Double P.”  

What’s Next: “This year I started working on my upcoming album. I’m more focused, the production quality will be another level, it’ll be a totally different Tito Double P.”  

“These are real life situations,” Xavi tells Billboard Español, reflecting on the inspiration behind his gut-wrenching and fiery chart-topper “La Victima.” “I feel like we all go through obstacles or things like that in life. Sometimes you have to make songs out of that.”
In the booming landscape of música mexicana, Xavi, a 19-year-old Phoenix native, has rapidly emerged as a force to be reckoned with. His 2024 breakout, with the viral hits “La Diabla” and “La Víctima,” marks not just a high point in his career, but also a redefinition of genre boundaries.

Yet his story is one of triumph over adversity, marked by a life-altering accident and a bicultural upbringing that has influenced his musical craft. 

His musical journey began in the church pews, watching his grandfather sing with a passion that ignited his own love for music. “Since we were little, we used to go to church with my grandparents,” he says. “Just seeing my grandpa playing with so much passion — and the truth is that when he sang, he sang with feeling, he sang with love and he did it for God. I remember that day I fell in love with music.”

This early exposure, coupled with influences from Mexican crooner bands like Camila and Sin Bandera and global pop icons like Justin Bieber, shaped his diverse musical palette. Despite a challenging childhood marked by his parents’ separation and living between Phoenix and Sonora, Mexico, Xavi found solace and expression in music.

A pivotal moment in Xavi’s life came with a near-fatal car accident at the age of 16. This harrowing experience, which resulted in a cracked skull and changed facial structure, could have been a setback. Instead, it became a source of inspiration.

“God gave me a second chance to go on and try harder,” he shares. “I saw it initially as a negative, but it ultimately changed my mindset. Now, I’m grateful for every moment I have.”

Videos of Xavi, bandaged and playing guitar while recovering, went viral on TikTok, deepening his connection with fans and marking the beginning of his rise as a tumbados románticos pioneer, inspired by Natanael Cano’s groundbreaking corridos tumbados which Xavi discovered on SoundCloud a few years ago. With his riveting blend of rebellious guitar-driven corridos infused with romantic lyrics, Xavi is not just riding the wave of Latin music; he is crafting his own niche.

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The teen signed with Interscope Records in 2021 and began releasing a string of singles that showcase his unique subgenre that blends corridos tumbados with a poignant emotional depth.

His 2023 summer EP, My Mom’s Playlist — a tribute to his mother which features renditions of Latin pop and rock en español classics she loved — reflects his deep-rooted family values, and the support he receives from the. Meanwhile, his chart-topping singles testify to his no-holds-barred lyrical prowess and bewitching vocals, leading to his Billboard chart breakthrough.

At the end of December, Xavi debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 with not one but two entries: “La Diabla” and “La Víctima,” which have since reached peaks of No. 22 and No. 55, respectively. His global appeal is further evidenced by his presence on the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, with “La Diabla” reaching the top five on both.

Backed by management that aligns with his vision, Xavi’s future in the industry looks bright. As he gears up for an upcoming tour and continues to release new music, his philosophy remains grounded: “I live each day as if it’s my last, as tomorrow is never promised,” he asserts.

An extended version of this interview was published Jan. 29.

Name: Joshua Xavier Gutiérrez

Age: 19

Recommended Song: “Right now I like them all. But the one you really have to listen to is “La Diabla” because we made it with a lot of love for you.”

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Major Accomplishment: “Since we were kids, my brother [Fabio Capri] and I used to make music. There came a time when we stopped and thank God music reconnected us.”

What’s Next? “We’re going to be releasing surprises on our platform soon. There will be a lot of new stuff coming out for you to listen to.”