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.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
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, or elsewhere. See our recommendations this month below:
Name: BENITEZ
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Although he only recently made his debut as an EDM artist, BENITEZ, whose real name is Kristhyan Benítez, is an award-winning pianist and composer with an extensive career in classical music. Having released albums including the 2021 Latin Grammy winner Latin American Classics, the 2023 nominee Afro-Cuban Dances, and his latest LP, Latin American Classics, Vol. 2 (all on Steinway and Sons), the virtuoso Venezuelan artist based in Mexico City presents this new project as “an act of artistic honesty.”
“After many years of a career in classical music career —which continues in parallel— I felt the need to show another side of my creative universe: one that is freer, more visceral, and linked to the rhythm, the dance floor, my Latin American roots, and the electronic music that has always inspired me,” he tells Billboard Español. This Thursday (Aug. 28) he releases his first official EP as BENITEZ, Telescopio, which he describes as “a cosmic journey where Latin soul, electronic rhythms, and the nostalgia of the dance floor turned into an observatory coexist.” — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song For Your Playlist: “rouge naturel”
Name: Gonza Silva
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Through songs like “Filosofía,” “Lágrimas de Sol” and “Luces de Bengala,” Venezuelan singer-songwriter Gonza Silva brings a new sensibility to Latin pop by fusing it with the honesty of indie folk and deep, reflective lyrics. With a sweet voice driven by acoustic guitars, analog textures and mandolin, Silva’s music is like an embrace for the soul, an invitation to celebrate our imperfections and connect with our inner essence. This year, Silva released his debut album under Warner Music Latina, the 12-track Pronto Estaré Bien, with the potential to resonate with a wider audience. – S.R.A.
Song For Your Playlist: “Lágrimas de Sol”
Name: Ian Cordova
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: With over 6 million Spotify listeners and over 42 million streams across digital platforms, Ian Cordova is one of the strongest emerging voices in Mexican regional urban music — and his recent debut on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart confirms this. The 25-year-old artist just entered the charts with his ode to a lover, “Linda Mujer,” at No. 46, largely driven by streaming activity. Born in the U.S. but raised in Mexico, Cordova — whose lacerating vocals could be reminiscent of Grupo Frontera’s Payo — brings a unique and recognizable style to the booming Mexican music market. His latest single is “Qué Voy Hacer Contigo,” a sentimental, Mexican-tinged reggaetón jam about an old flame who remains on his mind. — S.R.A.
Song For Your Playlist: “Linda Mujer”
Name: Kane Rodriguez
Country: United States
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Rodriguez has burst onto the regional Mexican scene with dizzying speed — thanks to his cover of “Se vuelto locos,” which went viral on TikTok, and has surpassed 81 million streams so far — and now has more than 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Unlike most singers of the tumbados movement, the 19-year-old Mexican American newcomer wasn’t born in California or Arizona, but rather in Texas. A singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, he blends cumbia, banda and norteño, while creating a unique identity. “I want to do everything — corridos and romanticas — music is endless, and I’ve been in contact with it at home since I was little. I come from a family of musicians,” he explains to Billboard Español.
Last April, Rodriguez released his debut album, La Batuta, under La Empresa Music, the label that discovered him, and Warner Music Mexico. His growing international appeal has turned Rodriguez into one of the most promising personalities in the current música mexicana scene. His list of hits includes “On D Gas,” “Tu Forma de Ser,” “Santal 33,” “Un Pinche Beso,” “GDL,” “La Chula” and “Lo Logre.” — TERE AGUILERA
Song For Your Playlist: “Lo Logre”
Name: La Muchacha
Country: Colombia
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: While La Muchacha, born Isabel Ramírez, is hardly a newcomer, she is set to make her Los Angeles debut performing at The Ford’s Bajo La Luna show on Sunday, Aug. 31, along other must-see artists Silvia Pérez Cruz and Y La Madrigal. The gravitas of La Muchacha’s lyrics — often of resistance, reflection and mysticism — tells the somber, yet sometimes hopeful, stories of Latin America, often powered by folkloric rhythms, bold vocals and nostalgic acoustic guitars. Taking inspiration from Mercedes Sosa and Violeta Parra, La Muchacha’s songs are moving, thought-provoking and timely, making her a standout artist of her generation. — GRISELDA FLORES
Song For Your Playlist: “Igualada”
Name: Mama Estoy Brillando*
Country: Cuba
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: At a time where the tropical-tinged reparto music is dominating the Cuban urban scene, there’s a slender diamond in the rough called Mama Estoy Brillando*—who’s creating music on his own terms. The rising artist from La Habana, whose real name is Wilfredo Alejandro Sosa Espinosa, officially kicked off his music career during the 2020 Pandemic with debut single “Alter Ego” — an alternative rock song — followed by the eerie trap number “Crew.” Dubbing himself an artist with “multiple personalities,” and inspired by the artistry of Kanye West, Mama Estoy Brillando* (Mom, I’m shining), is currently making the rounds with his EP Las mil y unas noches, which flaunts his versatility, ranging from hip-hop to R&B to rock music, as best heard on “la época del amor” and “JLO & BEN” with Chris Tamayo. — JESSICA ROIZ
Song For Your Playlist: “Miopía”
Name: Matt Louis
Country: Puerto Rico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Matt Louis is all about crafting a mood. Armed with a sultry, genre-blurring take on Spanish R&B — and a magnetic stage presence — the Puerto Rican artist demands attention with every verse and movement. At the recent Mutha showcase at Brooklyn Paramount on Aug. 23, where he joined queer luminaries like Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa and Brazilian superstar Ludmilla, the rising star proved himself a force to be reckoned with. While the least established on the roster, he captivated the room as the opening act, delivering a performance that felt larger than the moment he stood in.
He performed tracks from his 2025 debut GAMMA, closing with an emotional speech that honored his roots and the cultural weight of performing as a gay, Afro-Caribbean artist on such a pivotal stage. On “Luna,” a standout song from the new album, Louis shifts between velvety vocals and entrancing reggaeton beats, made for late-night club action. With his braids, dramatic fur coat, and bare chest as shown in the music video, he embodies the otherworldly mystique his music carries. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Song For Your Playlist: “Luna”
Name: MËSTIZA
Country: Spain
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Four years ago, friends Pitty Bernad and Belah — who happen to be artist and producers in their own right — joined forces for the musical DJ duo Mëstiza. Redefining the electronic music scene, the Spanish-based pair became known for progressively fusing traditional flamenco with modern house, techno and Afrohouse beats, to name a few subgenres. Their hypnotic live sessions and cultural performances have even earned them their own residency at the popular nightclub venue Hï Ibiza in the Balearic Islands. In 2023, Mëstiza released its debut studio album Quëreles, and are preparing for the release of sophomore set Spanish Chica, at the end of 2025. — J.R.
Song For Your Playlist: “Báilame”
Name: Rosa Lune
Country: United States
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Rosa Lune is a Mexican-American duo creating a bilingual alt-R&B sound that is both minimalistic and immersive. Comprised by sisters Adria and Ximena Zárate — who were raised between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Valencia, Spain, and are now based in San Francisco — Rosa Lune began releasing music this year, with songs including “Génesis,” “Orquídea,” “Emperatriz,” and “Me Estoy Cayendo.” “We only started this project a few months ago and try to be a bit faceless/nameless to have some mystery and let the music speak for itself,” the sisters tell Billboard Español, adding that they began making music together as a way to process their inner worlds, “transforming late-night voice notes and shared journal entries into songs that explore vulnerability, identity, and surreal intimacy.” It’s an early act definitely worth checking out. — S.R.A.
Song For Your Playlist: “Emperatriz”
