From breaking records on the global stage to preserving generations of musical tradition, Latinos continue to shape the music industry while bringing their cultural roots to audiences worldwide. The artists in this article represent different generation and genres, but shape a commitment to storytelling, cultural identity, and musical innovation. Their story can influence others far beyond the music charts, highlighting the growing global impact of music and artists who continue to redefine its place in popular culture.
María Zardoya
Written by: Varun Gulwadi
Photo credit: Vogue
Known as the frontwoman and lead singer of The Marías, María Zardoya is a Puerto Rican-born, Georgia-raised artist who transports listeners to dreamy, lush worlds through genre-bending music. Growing up, María’s father taught her to play guitar, leading her to write music of her own in both Spanish and English. María’s fusion of both languages is demonstrated throughout her many projects, both individually and through the band.
The Marías formed when producer Josh Conway met María in Los Angeles with the objective of creating music for film and television. After this meeting, the two started a relationship that would soon characterize and paint the worlds of the music they created. Following the release of their breakout debut album, the band collaborated with artists like Bad Bunny, Selena Gomez, and Cuco, placing them on the map.
In 2024, the group released their sophomore album, Submarine, garnering critical acclaim and widespread success. The album brought the band’s reach to new audiences on streaming platforms through the virality of songs like ‘No One Noticed’ and ‘Sienna’. The seamless blend of Spanish and English lyrics, infused with Latin musical influences into a psychedelic indie soundscape, creates a captivating story through song. Discussing the source material behind this album, María tells i-D Magazine, “The Marías was built on our romantic relationship, so when we broke up, we thought it might not continue. But we pushed through and realized what we have musically is still special.”
More recently, María has started an individual project under the name Not For Radio. On Oct. 10th, 2025, María released her first album under this name, Melt. This year, she expanded the soundscape she created, releasing a three-track EP, Bloom. In an interview with the Grammys, María shares how her cultural roots inspire her musically: “The whole vibe and the lyrics are heavily inspired by my love for the island.” María’s passion for storytelling and embedding her heritage into her music allows her to bring exposure to Puerto Rican culture for audiences around the world.
Karol G
Written by: Abigail Bierman
Photo credit: New York Times
Born Carolina Giraldo Navarro in Medellín, Colombia, Karol G is a Latina urbano pop and reggaeton powerhouse. After her breakthrough on Colombia’s spinoff of TheX Factor, she released her debut album ‘Unstoppable,’ in 2017. On this album, she solidified herself in the industry by collaborating with artists Bad Bunny, Quavo, Kevin Roldan, Ozuna, and Cosculluela. She’s released six studio albums, including her most recent, “NO ME ARREPIENTO DE SENTIR TANTO,” which came out in August of this year. Her song “BbY WOW” on this album features fellow Hispanic artists Judeline & rusowsky, and currently sits at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Her lyrics center on themes of love, heartbreak, and her own sexuality. The latter topic is regarded as reserved for the male performers in the Latin pop genre, and for a long time, was seen as a rather controversial thing for a feminine icon like Karol G to sing about. On the contrary, she does it with confidence and self-autonomy, breaking the barrier between what should and shouldn’t be written about, albeit from the male gaze.
She broke onto the Latin music scene at just 14, when she signed with Flamingo Records and Diamond Music. Her first single came out in 2007, titled “En La Playa.” As she told Paper magazine in 2019, she experienced trouble finding success in the male-dominated reggaeton arena. Reflecting on this, Karol G noted, “I wanna be remembered as someone who broke all the norms” (Biography). This year at Coachella, she became the first Latina woman to headline the music festival, despite the event existing since 1999. According to IMDb, Karol G has won 41 awards, including a Grammy in 2024 for her album “MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO.” Her other awards include a Latin Grammy for Song of the Year (2025), a Billboard Music Award for Top Latin Female Artist (2021), 41 wins globally, and 95 nominations. The artist is currently on a large stadium tour, planning to perform in cities in Latin America through the end of 2026 and early 2027.
Camila Fernández
Written by: Harper Robbins
Photo credit: Los Angeles Times
Camila Fernández comes from a long line of of musicians. As the granddaughter of Mexican music legend Vicente Fernandez, she continues to honor her family and culture within her music. Her most recent album, “Una Raya Más Al Tigre,” highlights this within the work. In an article with Billboard, she discusses honoring her family legacy through writing with passion and love for her entire family. She also spoke about what the new album entails speaking of “a lot of drama and a bit of romance in the songs on this album.”
One thing very interesting about her recent album is her performances with a full mariachi band throughout the album. It really draws on her heritage yet individualism as a musician. Her goal of passing on Mexican music to new generations is inspiring and impactful, and it drew me in as a new listener when reading.
Bad Bunny: Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio
Written bt: Alexa Marzen
Photo credit: Billboard
From bagging groceries to receiving widespread recognition and making history, Bad Bunny's journey is one worth recognizing. Known professionally as Bad Bunny, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was born on March 10, 1994, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Benito found his love for music at a young age, from singing in his church choir to freestyling at school. The stage name “Bad Bunny” came from a childhood photo of him wearing a bunny costume as a young boy, which he shared in an interview with ET.
Bad Bunny began sharing his music on SoundCloud while attending college. After uploading his song “Diles” in 2016, he caught the attention of producer DJ Luian, and his music career began to take off.
At just 32 years old, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has proven that, at a time when the world can feel divided and uncertain, music can bring communities together despite cultural differences and language barriers.
At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Benito made history when his album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS became the first Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year. By the end of the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny had earned 17 Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for the same album. His earlier album, Un Verano Sin Ti, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and became the first Spanish-language album nominated for the Grammy's Album of the Year, helping Spanish-language music reach a global audience.
On Feb. 8, 2026, Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rican culture to the Super Bowl LX halftime show, making history as the first headliner to perform the show predominantly in Spanish. Benito closed his performance with the message, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.” Through these words, he encouraged people to reflect on how they treat one another and reminded audiences of the importance of love, kindness, and understanding.
After several successful years, Bad Bunny shows no signs of slowing down. He is continuing his global music career, expanding into acting and filmmaking, building his presence in comedy through appearances on Saturday Night Live, and continuing to influence fashion and popular culture.
Recognizing his greatest accomplishments means looking beyond the awards he has won and the stages he has performed on. His greatest impact is the way he has helped bring Spanish-language music and Puerto Rican culture to audiences around the world. His journey shows that success does not require leaving your roots behind. As Bad Bunny continues to grow as an artist and entertainer, his influence reaches beyond music, reminding us that our differences can be celebrated and that music has the power to bring people together.
Selena Quintanilla-Perez
Written by: Vivian Patch-Quates
Photo Credit: CNN
Selena Quintanilla Pérez is largely considered the “La Reina de la Onda Tejana” or “The Queen of Tejano Music.” She was born into a musical family in the early seventies. Growing up, her father exposed her to Tejano music through the band he played in. He taught his children how to play and sing, which stuck with a young Selena as she moved her way up in the industry. Throughout her career, she would amass a large fanbase and collect multiple awards, including 3 Grammys and 36 Tejano Music Awards.
On March 31, 1995, Selena was fatally shot by her friend and president of her official fan club. The news shocked and devastated members of not only the Tejano music community but the Latin music scene as a whole. Later that year, her album Dreaming of You debuted on the Billboard 200. She was the first Latin Artist to make it onto the list. In the years since her death, she has been honored throughout the music industry with her induction into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her music continues to inspire many, and her memory lives on through the music she created and the accomplishments she achieved. She is still and will forever be known as “La Reina de la Onda Tejana.”
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