BY: Alexis Eichelberger

International music is heating up in the United States. We love Justin Bieber and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” as much as the next person, but there are so many more Latin songs and artists we can’t get enough of. Many of our favorites had phenomenal years in 2019, dropping super hot hits throughout the year and in recent weeks.

Here are the six Latin artists we loved in 2019:

Prince Royce

Geoffrey Royce Rojas, known on stage as Prince Royce, is a Dominican artist born in New York. Known for his blend of Latin pop and R&B, he’s been a regular on the Billboard Latin charts since his first major hit, “Corazón Sin Cara” reached number one in 2010. He released five singles throughout 2019, dropping the latest just a few weeks ago. “Dec. 21” is a blend of R&B and electropop over a Latin beat with very sexy lyrics. The music video is a sensual, intimate portrait of a couple shot in a way that feels almost panoramic.

ROSALÍA

Rosalía Vila Tobella, or simply ROSALÍA on stage, is a Grammy Award-winning artist from Spain. A leading voice in Latin music since her debut in 2013, she’s known most for her artistic interpretation of urbano or Latin hip-hop music. (Think Spain’s Cardi B, but with more Latin than trap beats.) ROSALÍA’s latest release, “A Palé”, is her fifth single of the year. It’s an edgy, bass heavy track with heavy hip-hop influences. Its music video is thoroughly unnerving and fascinating, and feels very dystopian.

 

Bad Bunny

A SoundCloud success story, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, or Bad Bunny, was discovered the 21st century way. The Puerto Rican rapper released his debut single in 2016, and has gained notoriety in the United States and beyond since. In 2018, he collaborated with Cardi B to release her number one single “I Like It,” and scored a feature from Drake on his single “Mia.” He was prolific in 2019, releasing several singles. His latest hit “Vete” is an unapologetic breakup song with a simplistic but resonating music video.

 

J Balvin

A frequent collaborator with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, or José Álvaro Osorio Balvin, is a Columbian reggaeton singer whose successes have led him to work with a number of superstars like Beyonce, Pharell Williams, Cardi B and more. J Balvin’s big hit of the year was “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life,” a blend of funky Latin pop and hip-hop featuring the Black Eyed Peas. The music video captures all of song’s infectious party energy and sets it to futuristic neon imagery.

KAROL G

The stunning KAROL G, or Carolina Giraldo Navarro, hustled hard in her early career, but since the release of her debut in 2017 she’s proven herself worthy of the many awards she’s earned. KAROL G released her second studio album OCEAN this year, but that wasn’t enough for her. The Columbian urbano and reggaeton singer has released two singles since, one of which features the eternal American queen of rap Nicki Minaj. “Tusa” is a girl power anthem with an infectious pop beat, and its video is the makings of a girly pink paradise.

Becky G

Rebecca Gomez, or Becky G, is a California-born Latina with a few Billboard Hot 100 Hits under her belt. She’s toured with J Balvin, Bad Bunny, and another of our Latin favorites, Daddy Yankee. Her much-anticipated debut studio album Mala Santa dropped in October 2019. Her most popular tracks from the album include the steamy hits “Sin Pijama” and “Cuando Te Besé.”