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Part of the new wave of Latin artists testing tropical waters, Rauw Alejandro is back on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart, as he wraps a four-year hiatus and returns with his second top 10 since 2020.
The classic salsa romantic “Tú Con Él” by the late Frankie Ruiz, covered by Rauw Alejandro, makes its top 10 entrance on the Tropical Airplay chart (dated Dec. 21) as the song flies 14-7 in its second week assisted by a robust 107% gain in audience impressions, to 2.6 million, on the Dec. 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate.

While the late Ruiz placed 11 entries on Tropical Airplay, including seven top 10s and two No. 1s, the 1985-released “Tú Con Él” did not enter as the chart officially launched almost a decade later, in 1994. The cover by Rauw Alejandro takes the Puerto Rican to his second entrance and top 10 on the ranking, after “Fantasías,” with Farruko, sent both artists to No. 2 in 2020. (The Latin rhythmic tune arrived before Tropical Airplay changed from a station-based to a genre-based tally).

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It’s not the first time a song by Ruiz finds its way to a Billboard chart after his passing. Victor Manuelle incorporated excerpts from his 1989 hit “Deseándote” into “Otra Noche Más,” which added a new top 10 to both salsa singers’ Tropical Airplay careers in March. Further, it gave Ruiz his first entry since 2012 and first top 10 after the No. 7-peaking “Vuelvo a Nacer” in 1998. For Victor Manuelle, meanwhile, the time-traveling collaboration turned into a record-extending 65 top 10s.

Further, Charlie Cruz’s take of Ruiz’s “Tú Con Él” peaked at No. 19 on Tropical Airplay in 2018.

“Tú Con Él” also grants Rauw Alejandro a 32nd entry on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where it opens at No. 45. There, the song joins another Rauw track from his No. 1 album Cosa Nuestra: “Que Pasaría,” with Bad Bunny, surges 43-31 with 4 million audience impressions, up 28% from the week prior. Rauw’s fifth studio album debuted atop Top Latin Albums and Tropical Albums charts (Nov. 30) with the largest streaming week of 2024 for a Latin album.

In sum, “Tú Con Él” has translated into a profitable revival for Rauw Alejandro, with multiple entries across Billboard charts. Let’s look at those recaps:

Peak Position, ChartNo. 69, Billboard Hot 100No. 65, Billboard Global 200No. 98, Global Excl. U.S.No. 6, Hot Latin SongsNo. 45, Latin AirplayNo. 7, Tropical AirplayNo. 5, Latin Streaming SongsNo. 5, Latiin Digital Song Sales

Over on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, while radio airplay surges, streams for “Tú Con Él” drop by 1%, to 3.4 million, and sales rise by a 6%.

SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers for Rhythm + Flow season 2 are included in the content below.
First came American Idol and shows like The Voice, and then Netflix put its own spin on the format with its first hip-hop competition series Rhythm + Flow in 2019. Following a five-year hiatus, the streaming giant rolled out the red carpet for season 2’s return of Rhythm + Flow in November.

R+F fielded aspiring artists auditioning across the country, from Atlanta to a basement music hall in Michigan that Eminem once roamed, with a check for $250,000 on the line.

Although their fate would be held in the judges’ hands as Netflix tapped the trio of DJ Khaled, Latto and Ludacris to step into the hot seat and find the last one standing, they had some help in discovering the next star with guest judge appearances from Eminem, Big Sean, GloRilla and more throughout season 2.

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“I think it gives people an inside look at what really goes into becoming an artist,” Latto — who won The Rap Game in 2016 — tells Billboard. “I think social media gives this perception that you blow up overnight and some people are lucky enough to do that, but I think a lot of times all three of us can attest that this is blood, sweat and tears. It’s a lot of being put on the spot and come up with the plan.”

While the judges dished out plenty of constructive criticism and praise throughout the season, the process was also reciprocally rewarding for Ludacris, who was inspired creatively by some of the contestants’ hunger.

“It’s so good for me being in the game for so long to get that hunger and energy of when you are trying to prove to the world that you are that motherf—–r,” Luda explains. “I was loving every minute of just from that perspective of putting myself in a room full of people that had so much to prove.”

Back when he had a fear of flying, DJ Khaled grinded for years on the road before becoming the We The Best mogul he is today. He preaches that same mantra to emerging artists to not skip steps and embrace the process laying the foundation for what’s to come.

“When you win overnight, you win so big on top and now you gotta find a way to keep going,” the Miami hitmaker says. “You might be going down now. I want to remind artists: Don’t try to skip the steps. Enjoy it, enjoy every moment of it.”

Khaled continues: “We gotta make sure that we tell the young artists make that music that will play forever. You might not be able to make that record today. But your process will and then you’ll enjoy it more. I always look at that blueprint with Quincy [Jones]. It doesn’t matter how old you are… They always try to put a time cap on hip-hop… You could do this forever.”

John Legend also returns as a producer of the rap competition series. “What I love about this show is you really get to know these artists and they’re creating original music that’s based on their real life,” he relays to Billboard. “I think that’s something that no other competition show can offer.”

Season 2 champion DreTL ended up hoisting the trophy and taking home the six-figure check after edging out California native Jay Taj in the final round, which the judges described as “a close call.”

Every time Ludacris attempted to put a ceiling on DreTL’s ability, he surpassed expectations and eventually couldn’t be denied.

“He just kept surprising me in areas where I thought he would only reach a certain amount of expectations,” Luda says of giving Dre the nod. “If your trajectory is starting a certain way, but you continue to ascend, that lets me know I don’t know how far you can get past someone I’m looking at that’s already considered great. You might go into another stratosphere of greatness. I just saw him ascend the entire show.”

From the camaraderie to the competition and bars, all 10 episodes from the rap competition series are now available for streaming on Netflix. Watch our full interview with the three superstar judges below.

Chlöe Bailey and Burna Boy were seen getting cozy, which quickly turned into fan speculation of their relationship status. Keep watching to learn more! Tetris Kelly: Are Chlöe Bailey and Burna Boy more than just friends? Well, Spotify is fanning the flames on their ‘Love Language’ playlist. Chlöe and Burna have set dating rumors ablaze […]

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.  This week: Getting in some of the last viral hits of 2024 — from alt-pop dances to country grief — and a final goodbye to one of the biggest music-boosting melodramas of the last decade.

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Lola Young’s ‘Messy’ Cleans Up Thanks to Viral ‘Dance’

Can a dance go viral if it’s barely a dance at all? That’s been the debate raging around Lola Young’s breakthrough single “Messy,” which is zooming up the Billboard Hot 100 thanks in part to a viral clip in which influencer Jake Shane and model/social media star Sofia Richie vibe out to the British singer-songwriter’s vulnerable soul-pop track.

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Posted on Nov. 28, the 14-second TikTok clip finds the pair performing some vaguely defined moves, including finger-guns and a half-shimmy, while facing the camera. The comments on the clip are lightly clowning their dance skills, but Young herself approved (“ly guys,” she wrote), and since it was posted, streams of “Messy” have skyrocketed: the song logged 3.9 million official on-demand streams U.S. during the week ending on Nov. 28, according to Luminate, and that numbers more than doubled to 9.1 million streams two weeks later.

While “Messy” moves up from No. 90 to No. 64 on this week’s Hot 100, Young also comes in a few spots higher on the chart with “Like Him,” her collaboration with Tyler, The Creator on his Chromakopia album. Both tracks have greatly expanded Young’s profile as the year comes to a close, and could set up a big 2025 for the South East London native. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

Sam Barber’s “Indigo” Streams Surge Thanks to Mournful TikTok Trend 

After breaking through with 2022’s “Straight and Narrow,” Missouri-bred country musician Sam Barber has scored his first Billboard Hot 100 hit with his Avery Anna-assisted “Indigo” (No. 98, chart dated Dec. 21) — and the heart-wrenching duet could fly even higher. 

Originally released on Oct. 31, “Indigo” collected over 1.16 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the period of Nov. 29-Dec. 5, according to Luminate. That number jumped nearly 400% to over 5.7 million streams the following week (Dec. 6-12). Over the past week, TikTok users have latched onto the following lyric from the song’s chorus: “I used to shine bright like gold, now I’m all indigo.” Generally about losing your spark, the lyrics have now come to soundtrack grieving parents and partners. On TikTok, the official “Indigo” sound has amassed nearly 95,000 posts. 

With strong streaming momentum and an official music video still on the way (as well as a Shaboozey co-sign), “Indigo” could very well grow into one of 2025’s earliest hits once the holiday season passes. – KYLE DENIS

‘Yellowstone’ Finale Offers Closing Bumps for Lainey Wilson Hit and Willie Nelson Classic

It’s a wrap on the second half of Season Five of Yellowstone, with its season finale attracting over 11 million viewers – a record for the show in what is most likely its last-ever episode. No spoilers here for the Paramount Western drama, but as the show has done throughout its five and a half seasons, the finale was heavily stocked with emotional country anthems – including multiple performed within the show by recurring cast members and real-life modern country artists Ryan Bingham (Walker) and Lainey Wilson (Abby). 

Wilson took the stage on the Yellowstone finale to perform her 2024 hit “Hang Tight Honey,” which reached No. 61 on the Hot 100 earlier this year, while Bingham performed his Friday-released “A Song for the Stone.” Wilson’s hit saw a major bump following its use in the finale, with the song notching 86,000 official on-demand streams and over 700 digital sales on Monday (Dec. 16), gains of 47% and 2,669% from the prior Monday, according to Lumiante. (As a just-released song, Bingham’s numbers were up a more marginal amount.) 

But Yellowstone has never just been for the kids, and the finale also featured prominent usage of Willie Nelson’s 1980 ballad “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” in its closing. Consequently, the classic was up 162% on Monday from the week before in streams, to just over 35,000. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Ceechynaa Spins Streaming Hit Out of Shock-Rap 

From Central Cee to Little Simz, the MCs on the other side of pond have been putting in work throughout the year. In the last few weeks of 2024, Ceechynaa made sure that she wasn’t left out of that conversation. 

The 20-year-old South London drill rapper made waves in 2023 with “Last Laugh” — which eventually got an NLE Choppa remix – but her new single has already made an even bigger impact. On Dec. 5, she dropped “Peggy” — a jaw-dropping drill track begins with her “peggin’ that man at the back of the bus” and ends with her proclaiming, “They said I’m a masculine bitch ’cause these little n—as ain’t really a man.” Our favorite American female rappers have been proudly waving the sexual liberation flag for decades now, but few go as far as Ceechynaa does on “Peggy.” During the four-day period of Dec. 6-9, “Peggy” earned over 888,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate. By the period of Dec. 13-16, that figure leapt 95% to over 1.7 million streams. In its first week of release, “Peggy” claimed over 1.92 million streams. On YouTube, the track’s official music video has earned over 1.5 million views in just a week and a half – that’s more hits than the music video for the NLE Choppa “Last Laugh” remix earned in 11 months! 

Building on her already-solidified online fandom, the official “Peggy” sound plays in over 97,000 TikTok posts, the bulk of which follow children having their parents blindly react to the song’s outrageous lyrics. Already her very first UK Singles Chart entry (No. 79), “Peggy” could help Ceechynaa make her Billboard U.S. chart debut should its streams continue to rise. – KD

Additional reporting by Hannah Dailey.

BINI is beloved by the Philippines as they’re crowned as Billboard Philippines’ No. 1 artist of the year for Billboard’s ‘Global No. 1s’ series. BINI talks about why they believe they’ve succeeded, their love for BINI CORE, how they’re using their stardom to spread Filipino music and more! Billboard is launching its inaugural ‘Global No. […]

There lies an immense honor in the title “The Nation’s Girl Group.” In South Korea, fans have bestowed the distinguished designation on K-pop juggernauts like Girls’ Generation and TWICE over the years. Yet only one group throughout the Philippines’ rich musical history has received the honorific: Star Music’s eight-member girl group BINI.
With a name inspired by the Filipino word binibini (which means “young lady”), the all-Filipino “Pinoy pop” (P-pop) group — comprising leader Jhoanna and members Aiah, Stacey, Colet, Sheena, Maloi, Gwen and Mikha — was brought together by ABS-CBN’s Star Hunt Academy program and has spent the past four years since its debut making a name for itself. In 2024, after releasing two full-length albums and performing at scores of mall shows and events, BINI finally broke through into the mainstream. The group now has four viral chart-topping singles (“Karera,” “Pantropiko,” “Salamin, Salamin” and “Cherry on Top”) and has received numerous prestigious awards both locally and internationally.

In conversation with Billboard Philippines, Aiah calls 2024 “really BINI’s year. We couldn’t believe that all of this happened in one year alone.” The members of BINI, who in Aiah’s words “started out as a bunch of girls from different parts of the Philippines,” feel substantial pride — and disbelief — about being the No. 1 act in the Philippines. Other top artists in the country, such as renowned folk-pop band Ben&Ben, alternative group Cup of Joe, beloved singer-songwriter TJ Monterde and the soulful Arthur Nery, established themselves as celebrated hit-makers in recent years — yet it was BINI’s dominance that reigned supreme over the past 12 months. And as the group’s popularity grows in and out of the Philippines, BINI’s members take their prominence seriously.

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“We feel honored to be representing the Philippines on the global stage because this has always been our dream to begin with,” Jhoanna says. “Because we [Filipinos] can do it. All you need is the support of our fellow Filipinos. Because with Filipinos, their level of support is different. And I want this to show that we’re capable of this — especially as we bring ourselves onto the global stage.”

Aiah wearing CHED STUDIO Top and Skirt, KATARI Necklace.

Shaira Luna

Colet wearing VIÑA ROMERO Tube top, CHED STUDIO Barong top and Skirt, KATARI Earrings.

Shaira Luna

Such global visibility comes with pressure. “I think [the pressure] is what pushes us to become better,” Maloi says, “and I think it’s OK to be nervous every time that [others] say that we are The Nation’s Girl Group. Because maybe when we’re nervous, it shows that we’re still grounded.”

“[The title] didn’t come from us,” Sheena explains, “it came from the people themselves. It means that they see something in us –– they see potential. So it’s on us to give back and prove to them that we do deserve this title.” Maloi calls the honorific “a responsibility that we should live up to.”

But while “we’re grateful and extremely humbled that there are titles like that given to us,” Sheena says, “the most important thing for us is our connections with our BLOOMs [fans] and the Filipino people.”

On social media today, BINI’s rapidly expanding and fervent fan base of BLOOMs is reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s Swifties, Beyoncé’s Beyhive and BTS’ ARMY.

But because BINI debuted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, its fan base has different — and perhaps more significant — origins. Connecting with audiences proved difficult for the group, so it made an effort to develop its own online community where the members could genuinely relate with fans despite their idol status. “We didn’t have ABS-CBN as a network anymore and we didn’t see many idols who felt authentic to their audiences, which is why we had to [really] find ways in which we could promote ourselves,” Gwen says.

“The pandemic was the time when we tried our very best to be seen online — especially since that was a great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves at that time,” Aiah says. “We did a lot of solo and group content, and we would have assignments so we could also get to tap different markets, age groups and all that. I think it helped us a lot.”

Colet puts it even more directly: “We would do livestreams, vlogs and other gimmicks online, and sometimes we’d just film ourselves doing random things inside the house we were cooped in together — because that was really the only way in which we could let people know that BINI existed at the time,” she says.

Today, BINI has nearly 18 million followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify. It has harnessed the power of those platforms to inspire several dance challenges (especially with 2024’s summer anthem “Pantropiko”) and other interactive content that encouraged their BLOOMs to participate and strengthened the artist-audience bond.

“People want people who are relatable,” Aiah says. “There are so many people who have told me that with all the attention we’ve made online, it turns out that we’re relatable. And that’s great!”

Gwen wearing VIÑA ROMERO Top and Skirt, KATARI Earrings.

Shaira Luna

Jhoanna wearing R.A.F. Dress.

Shaira Luna

Those connections have gone from social media to concert venues. “Whenever we perform, I feel it’s important to not just focus on the cameras but also to look at them in their faces and eyes to make sure they feel as if they’re also with us in this performance,” Mikha says.

“Whenever we see the support of our BLOOMs, it’s what keeps us motivated,” Sheena adds. “They really want us to hit the global stage, which is why we really want to aim for it –– just to tell them that we’ve got you, you know? Like, you can trust us, we can do this, and all we need is your support to keep us pushing.”

But BIN’s rapid ascent hasn’t come without challenges. Its members have faced hateful comments, unfair criticism and privacy breaches that have threatened their mental health. The members of BINI, like Chappell Roan or girl group NewJeans, have been forced to adjust to fame within a very short period. “At first it was really hard,” Sheena says. “It’s true that we’ve waited for this big break –– but it’s so different when you have so many people looking at you. Even if you only mean good things or positivity, they can still take it as a bad thing by twisting your words.”

But the group realizes that, to an extent, this is a reality of the modern digital world. “You really can’t avoid these things,” Colet says. “Before, I was actually the most affected by what I’d read online. But eventually, you learn how to filter what is a genuine comment and what isn’t, or whether its intentions are pure or not.”

Gwen has become mindful of her time online. “You shouldn’t waste your time [on such comments],” she says. “I’ve been dealing with it since my [Pinoy Big Brother] days. It’s really just something you learn.”

But such hateful behavior is tougher to ignore when it makes its way into the physical world. Members of BINI have been followed to their homes — or even to the bathroom — by fans. “Some people, by choice, do not understand nor do they choose to respect our privacy,” Aiah says. “At first it was really overwhelming, and it gave me so much anxiety. Now, it’s become a test of boundaries for us and a test of patience. It’s a learning process to this day.”

On some of her rest days, Jhoanna recalls, fans would pass her home and call her name from outside the window. “It can get really scary because here they are — coming up to my personal space,” she says. “It’s really important to set boundaries because while I do understand why some people would react like that, we’re still people at the end of the day.”

Maloi wearing HAROLD AND HARRY Top, VIÑA ROMERO Skirt, KATARI Earrings.

Shaira Luna

Mikha wearing SHOP YOYA Top, VIÑA ROMERO Skirt, KATARI Necklace.

Shaira Luna

As these cases increased and intensified over the past year, Aiah eventually spoke up on social media, asking fans to respect her privacy. While her comments received a mixed response from fans, Aiah and the rest of BINI were surprised when several other artists expressed gratitude for how she brought attention to the issue.

“Apparently, there are a lot of people who have been afraid about this,” Aiah says. “Ever since we spoke about it, I received a lot of thank-you messages because it was like I was also speaking on behalf of them. It made me realize that with our platform, we really get to represent the local music scene in a lot of different ways that we never expected.”

BINI now represents Filipino music and P-pop on the international stage — and the members want to increase recognition of Filipino music as they expand globally.

“It’s such a great responsibility [to have],” Aiah says. “We’re not just doing this for ourselves, because there are also so many artists out there who believe in this for us, old ones and new ones alike. It’s so cool to see how much trust they’ve put into us, because what happens is not just our success, but it will also come up as everyone’s success.”

But Colet dispels the characterization of BINI’s members as trailblazers. “We’re just following the path of those who came before us in order to sustain what Filipino music is known for so that it can become recognized even more,” she says. “We have so much to offer the international scene, and what comes from the Philippines is truly beautiful.”

To Jhoanna, lifting up other Filipino artists is only fair, since major artists in the country have championed BINI since it debuted, whether posting covers of BINI hits (TJ Monterde’s viral version of “Salamin, Salamin”), inviting BINI’s members to collaborate (Cup of Joe featured Jhoanna in a music video) or celebrating BINI’s milestones.

Promoting their peers is, she says, “our means of giving back to the scene who have given us so much. The [Filipino] scene is so rich, and it deserves recognition of its own merit –– because we started out like so many others from there. We just need the push for them to get bigger and more recognized worldwide.”

“Our goal isn’t just to bring BINI into the international scene — our goal is to have all Filipino artists be appreciated and known internationally as well,” Mikha says. “Since we are representing the country, we want to bring the Philippines with us — incorporating our culture, language, humor, talent and everything else as we move forward in our career.”

Sheena wearing R.A.F. Top and Skirt, PAXON Bolero.

Shaira Luna

Stacey wearing R.A.F. Top and Skirt, KATARI Earrings.

Shaira Luna

In 2025, BINI will have a bigger platform than ever to do just that. After a busy 2024, the group is preparing for more of the same in the new year — at least, when it comes to its calendar. As for new music, Maloi teases something “very unexpected” from what BINI has done thus far. “It’s taking a step up from what we’ve done in the past,” she says. “It’s like a different chapter of BINI –– almost as if we’re evolving into BINI 2.0.”

In 2024, BINI brough its Biniverse tour to Filipino and Canadian markets, wrapping its touring for the year with three November concerts — dubbed Grand Biniverse — at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the Philippines, where it announced the forthcoming single “Blink Twice.” The act has also announced a colossal, mid-February show at Bocaue’s 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena. “We still don’t know how it’s going to go,” Colet says, “but whatever happens, we’re just so excited for the day to come because our dreams are finally happening.”

Sticking to what Maloi calls “BINI-core” has helped the group maintain the authenticity its fans have appreciated since its early days — and to gain new ones. “Our core remains the same, which is comprised of our love for our craft, the fans and what we do,” she says. “It’s all still there, and it will only change as we mature and the world we’re working in continues growing with our fandom.” Aiah adds: “With all the success and the music that we have, I want everyone to remember us as people and how we are the same BINI girls after all this time.”

And they’re in it for the long haul — even if, when words like “legacy” get thrown around, it makes Aiah “feel like I’m 50 years old.” Stacey predicts BINI singles like “Pantropiko” and “Da Coconut Nut” will “stick around with anyone, no matter who you ask.”

For now, though, something else transcends all the accolades and recognition BINI has received. “It’s obviously an honor to be recognized as The Nation’s Girl Group,” Maloi says, “but with all those people that we were able to reach, the most important thing is that we realized that we have the power to make people dance.”

Flavor Flav was down in Washington D.C. this week as he celebrated the festive season at the White House’s holiday party on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 17). The rapper seemingly went back to the presidential home a day later when he got the honor to play piano at the historic residence. Explore Explore See latest videos, […]

Rising J-pop singer Hibiki dropped a digital EP called “Desire (Latin Mix)” that includes a Latin-flavored mix of her first original number that was featured as the festival song of the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival this year.
Listen to it below.

The lyrics are all in English, and the budding star notes that the song expresses her will to be heard by music listeners not only in her home country but also around the world, and to expand her work as an artist on a global scale.

Rihanna attended Mariah Carey’s last Christmas concert, and the pop superstar gifted Ri something special to remember the night. Keep watching to see their interaction and the gift! Tetris Kelly:Say what, RiRi?! Rihanna lived her best life at Mariah Carey’s last Christmas show in Brooklyn, including getting her boobs signed. Let’s get festive. Rihanna was […]

Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.

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Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, who we discovered either by networking or coming across their music at a showcase, and beyond. See our recommendations this month below:

Artist: aLex vs. aLex

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Country: Guatemala

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: aLex vs aLex, born Sofía Insua, has been capturing attention long before her solo venture. She once fronted Easy Easy, one of Guatemala’s popular alternative bands, succeeding former frontman Jesse Baez. Having lived in Berlin and New York, Insua’s global exposure has infused her music with a unique and eclectic perspective. Since adopting her new moniker earlier this year, she has been releasing tracks that will be part of her upcoming EP, slated for February 2025, a project that she is both producing and crafting final touches on with Gabriel Dinero, a London-based fellow Guatemalan. Her music, featuring bilingual songs, intertwines supple bass riffs with her radiant melodic voice. The track “Nadie lo Sabe” with Tita is a smooth R&B jam, while “see me 4 the first time” combines drum and bass with glitchy, experimental and soulful elements. Additionally, opening up for the Spanish singer Ralphie Choo in New York has further cemented her presence in the music scene. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “tener t”

Artist: Andrez & Yudy

Country: Colombia, Cuba

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Andrez & Yudy are a married couple — in life and in music — who I met in October during Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami. There, they spoke to me enthusiastically about the professional project that began more than 15 years ago in West Palm Beach, Florida, performing at small events and restaurants. In 2022 they decided to go one step further and create musical shows in which they pay tribute to past legends. Today, Andrés Zapata and Yudy Figueroa – originally from Colombia and Cuba, respectively – are promoting their first original song “Será El Amor,” a tender ballad fused with regional Mexican in which they show off their vocal prowess, with new singles already lined up for February and May 2025. – SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song For Your Playlist: “Será el amor”

Artist: Brazil21

Country: Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: One of the first things you notice about Brazil21 is his cool flashy style: berets, sheer tops and fur. Then when you hear his music, it’s swaggering, with a vibe that’s both captivating and innovative. He’s swiftly making waves on SoundCloud, where his tracks see a growing fanbase with their sandungueo and urban flair. Recently, he shared the mic with Jean & Alex and sP Polanco for a saucy bachata track on “Serenata,” paying homage to the sounds of his native island. Earlier this month, the Santo Domingo artist teamed up with July’s Latin Artist on the Rise, Lomiiel, for a tribute to “Selena” that features an insatiable dembow rhythm. The music video showcases them cruising around in luxury cars, with a girl donning the late singer’s iconic purple suit. The song celebrates Selena’s unmistakable dance moves with a modern twist, encapsulating both nostalgia and a fresh wave of Latin music vibrancy that’s impossible to ignore. — I.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Selena” x Lomiiel

Artist: Sarah La Morena

Country: U.S.A.

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Born in Sacramento, Calif. but raised in Zacatecas by a Mexican immigrant family, Sarah La Morena (real name: Sarah Palafox) is an emerging Música Mexicana artist creating all the buzz on social media. With nearly one million collective followers between TikTok and Instagram, the talented songstress — who is not Latina, but sings solely Latin music — has built a solid and admirable following thanks to her impressive, powerhouse vocals and on-point Spanish-speaking skills. Sarah has been in the music industry since 2019, showcasing her heartfelt rancheras, such as her version of Juan Gabriel’s “La Farsante” and Jenni Rivera’s “Que Me Vas A Dar.” Earlier this year, she gained more momentum after surprising and singing-along with Grupo Firme at a concert meet-and-greet during their Ultima Peda tour. — JESSICA ROIZ

Song For Your Playlist: “El Farsante”