Latine and Spanish pop songs made waves around the world in 2024. Superstars in the genre like Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis and Mexican artist Danna made triumphant returns, while rising stars like Letón Pé, Liniker, and Humbe shook up the scene.
Pop is another way of saying “popular,” so it encompasses an interesting and refreshing mix of multiple genres. Kali Uchis took Latine pop back to the top of the charts with her bilingual album Orquídeas. She is the perfect example of pop being a mixture of different genres, exploring genres like reggaeton in “Labios Mordidos” with Karol G, dance music in “No Hay Ley Parte 2” with Rauw Alejandro, and bolero in “Te Mata” on the LP. A shining gem on that album was the disco-infused “Igual Que Un Ángel,” which marked Peso Pluma’s first foray into pop music. At the same time, Kali infused pop with her roots in Colombia and the U.S.
Another mainstay of Latine pop that returned with a vengeance was Esteman. The Colombian singer-songwriter released his most daring yet album, Secretos. Throughout the LP, Esteman celebrated his roots and being an openly gay artist, especially in the colorful “Cartagena.” After dropping her middle name, Danna also made a bold statement with her album Childstar. She continued to push boundaries and Latine pop forward with her songs like “Atari” and “Platonik,” where she opened up about having a crush on another woman.
The Latine pop music scene has also seen the emergence of many rising stars. Liniker, who made history as the first trans artist to win a Latin Grammy in 2022, put a Brazilian spin on pop with her album Caju. Emilia and Nathy Peluso, two of Argentina’s leading pop stars, made a global impact with their fierce collaboration “JET_Set.mp3.” Humbe also solidified his place as Mexico’s leading pop boy with his hit “KINTSUGI.” Moreover, Letón Pé and Judeline are also reshaping and redefining pop with innovative approaches to the genre.
Read on for Remezcla’s best pop songs of 2024. — Lucas Villa
1
Liniker - “TUDO”
Liniker took Brazil by storm with her sophomore album Caju in 2024, a breath of authenticity wrapped in captivating songwriting. “TUDO” is a prime example of what the album makes you feel and why it connected with so many people (to the point ofamassing six million Spotify plays in its first 24 hours of release). In this solar song, Liniker embraces her desire to live a romance movie-kind of love. She wants the leading role, but not a passive one: she’s willing to pay the price to live the love of her dreams (“I invest in seeing you / I’ll pay whatever it takes”), and to verbalize it with no fear. Even when she sings, “If I’m immense for you / Then I’m sorry,” her tone implies she’s anything but apologetic. The radiant beats and chords tell you Liniker is not intimidated by her vulnerability. “TUDO“ feels less like a dedication to someone else and more like a celebration of Liniker’s own ability and courage to love deeply. And at the same time, an invitation for the listener to sing and dance this love away with her. — Ana Clara Ribeiro
Credits
Produced by: Liniker, Fejuca, Gustavo Ruiz, and Nave
Written by: Liniker, Fejuca, Gustavo Ruiz, and Nave
Video Directed by: Marcelo Jarosz
Record Label: Breu Entertainment
2
Emilia, NATHY PELUSO - “JET_Set.mp3”
If there’s a single person carrying the weight of pop en español on her shoulders, it’s Emilia. Since starting out her solo career, the Argentinean singer has consistently delivered pop excellence like 2022’s “intoxicao” and 2023’s “GTA.mp3.” Actually, make it her entire MP3 era, with its last single “JET.Set_mp3” being no different. Enlisting fellow Argentina Nathy Peluso, the supernovas delivered a somber, bitchy, “f*ck you, pay me” anthem for the girlies who are all about making money and have no time for love. Just as cinematic as the song itself, the music video drew inspiration from badass women-fronted films from the 2000s like The Matrix, Kill Bill, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, demonstrating how Emilia has been putting in the effort — and the budget — to live up to the popstar name. With her MP3 era coming to a close this year, the expectations for her work in 2025 are high. But based on track record alone, “la mejor carne importada de Argentina” will serve every time. – Alexis Hodoyán-Gastélum
Credits
Produced by: ZECCA & Big One
Written by: Daniel Isamel Real, Franscisco Zecca, Maria Emilia Mernes, Mauro Ezequiel Lombardo, and Nathy Peluso
Video Directed by: Facundo Ballve
Record Label: Sony Music Latin
3
Judeline - “INRI”
Spanish-Venezuelan breakout star Judeline delivered one of the most awe-inspiring moments in pop music this 2024 with the release of her debut album Bodhiria, a slick and detailed amalgamation of the music of her life that feels unique in its point of view. Produced by Mayo, Tuiste, Brwoni, Rob Bisel, and Judeline herself, second single “INRI” stands out for its mysticism, as she uses and subverts Catholic imagery to explore ways of love nurtured by spirituality. Her upbringing in the south of Spain plays an important role in the song, not only through her emotional vocal delivery, but also the Moroccan music she was able to pick up on the radio during her youth, which influenced the song. Add some contemporary pop and Afrobeats flavor to the mix, and we get an understated powerhouse of a song that foresees the great future that’s in store for Judeline. — Cheky
Credits
Produced by: Mayo, Tuiste, Browni, and Rob Bisel
Written by: Jordi Moreno Marquez, Lara Fernández, Pablo Gómez Cano, Pablo López García, and Rob Bisel
Video Directed by: Nono + Rodrigo
Record Label: Interscope Records
4
PJ Sin Suela - “TOP”
To many, PJ Sin Suela is a rapper’s rapper admired by fans and peers alike for his dexterous pen and ear for the music accompanying his bars. On his newest album, Toda Época Tiene Su Encanto, he channels that talent towards exploring more introspective themes around love, for others and oneself. Partly structured around a linear narrative, “TOP” is a single that reflects the peak phase of one’s crush on their significant other. Throughout its three and a half minutes, PJ lists off dozens of landmark achievements in history and declares his beau is better than them all. Over a snappy earworm beat, he bounces from verse to verse giddily, like someone locked in and fully in tune with his muse. Pop music might not be his usual terrain, but with “TOP,” he proves he can live up to his acclaim and continue crafting hits that sound fresh. — Juan J. Arroyo
Credits
Produced by: David B
Written by: Pedro Juan Vázquez Bragan
Video Directed by: Edgar Cruz Robles
Record Label: El Efecto Secundario
5
Letón Pé - “¿Cuándo Se Va'ir El Calor?”
Look, sometimes all you need is a catchy hook, a kiddie pool, and a dream. For Dominican pop chanteuse Letón Pé, those elements were more than enough to propel “¿Cuándo Se Va’ir El Calor?” into one of the defining songs of Summer 2024. Blending dembow and ’90s house into throbbing dance floor goodness, the track is further bolstered by the singer’s natural social media fluency, transforming an otherwise silly stream of consciousness into a deeply relatable earworm. You can clink ice-cold beers as you vibe or even vogue to the slinky club beat, but the song’s devilish magic lies in the fact you’ll only feel hotter and sweatier by the end. – Richard Villegas
Credits
Produced by: Julián Bernal
Written by: Julián Bernal, Leticia Pelliccione, and Michael Rincón Padilla
Video Directed by: Juanca Paulino
Record Label: LETON PE
6
Kali Uchis, Peso Pluma - “Igual Que Un Ángel”
“Igual Que Un Ángel” quickly stood out among Orquideas’s tracklist, not just for its lustrous disco-pop exterior, angelic undertones, and pristine hooks, but because it also featured one of the most surprising cameos of this year, and it really worked. Back in January, Kali Uchis revealed in an interview with Varietythat she was just as shocked as the rest of us when música mexicana megastar Peso Pluma agreed to hop on this track about an unattainable woman literally sent down from the heavens who dodges those with shallow hearts, but the corridos singer’s signature raspy vocals ended up perfectly complimenting Kali’s naturally coquettish flair. — Nayeli Portillo
Credits
Produced by: Dylan Wiggins, Carter Lang, and Kali Uchis
Written by: Carter Lang, Manuel Lorente Freire, Dylan Wiggins, and Karly-Marina Loaiza
Record Label: Geffen Records
7
Yeri Mua, RIXXIA - “U R SUCH A LAME! (RMX)”
Mexican artist RIXXIA struck a chord with her taunting “Ay que hueva,” uniting all the girlies in the same annoying situation with a lame f*ckboy who thinks he’s the sh*t. She took the club-ready anthem to the next level by bringing in Yeri Mua, allowing the perreo mexa queen to finish off the roast by adding her hilarious, unhinged, and unserious attitude that’s won the Internet over in the last years. With the remix’s pulsing dembow-inspired snare, pouty adlibs, and overall eye-rolling mood, the two artists offer a catchy, booty-bouncing earworm that describes a man child who needs to move out of his mom’s house ASAP – and we can’t stop pressing replay since it dropped in May. Ew! – Jeanette Hernandez
Credits
Produced by: LOOJAN
Written by: Erick Arturo Rivera Rozón, LOOJAN, Lucca, Luis Diaz, Paola Riccio, RIVVAA, and Yeri Cruz Varela
Record Label: RIXXIA
8
Esteman - “Cartagena”
Esteman followed up a big 2023 filled with milestone live performances, like selling out Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional, with an even bigger 2024 that delivered infectiously captivating new music. Leading up to the release of his latest album Secretos, Esteman shared “Cartagena,” a single showcasing his invigorating pop dynamics by infusing moments of vogue house and electro-synths with more traditional pop rhythms for a unique blend that is nothing short of dance floor liberation that circles around desire with every spin. Matched with a music video that packs on the choreography, the first of a three-part dance series, the song is everything you want in a pop single — it’s sensual, it’s emotive, and it’s innovatively pushing Latine pop into new corners. – Jeanette Diaz
Credits
Produced by: Pablo Stipicic and Christian Jean
Written by: Alejandro Ruiz Ocampo, Christian Jean, Esteban Mateus Williamson, and Pablo Stipicic
Video Directed by: George Gallardo Kattah
Record Label: Universal Music Mexico
9
Humbe - “Kintsugi”
When it comes to upward trajectories in pop music, few have had a career start as good as Humbe. However, such fast ascents tend to be turbulent, characterized by shaky next steps and songs of varying quality. Humbe proved that’s not his case by releasing a string of hits and collabs this year that not only kept his star shining, but also showed his willingness to experiment. “Kintsugi” was the best example, a song that could stand for a picture of Latine pop in 2024, as well as a mold-breaker. The song constantly warped into different shapes, going from dembow-like beats to half tempo, regaining velocity and dropping out again, stretching and shrinking without much regard for traditional song forms. It’s also a sex jam that redefines what a sex jam sounds like, exuding feelings of yearning and longing for physical touch through psychedelic electronics. And right in the middle, we find Humbe’s exquisite vocals, giving a true showcase of his talents by going from whispers to crooning to falsetto to full-throated singing. With “Kintsugi,” Humbe consolidated himself as a forward-thinking iconoclast in the making. — Marcos Hassan
Credits
Produced by: Nicolás De la Espriella
Written by: Emiliano Rodriguez Terrazas, Humberto Rodriguez Terrazas, and Nicolás De la Espriella
Record Label: PARASIEMPRE.wav Records
10
Danna - “ATARI”
While her peers explored genres like reggaeton and música mexicana, Danna returned to her pop roots with this year’s Childstar. Not only did the Mexican pop star drop her middle name from her stage name, but she also released the most ambitious album of her career. A standout on the LP was the alluring “ATARI.” Danna sang in Spanglish about wanting to bring her sexual fantasies to life with a person that she was lusting for. She blended synth-pop, EDM, and a bit of reggaeton into an irresistible club anthem. Danna solidified her place as one of Mexico’s most exciting and electrifying artists. — Lucas Villa
Credits
Produced by: Danna Paola Rivera Munguía, Manuel Lara, and Alex Hoyer
Written by: Manuel Lara, Alexander Daniel Hoyer Hurtado, Benjamin Alerhand Sissa, Danna Paola Rivera Munguía, and Nicole Horts
Video Directed by: Edgar Esteves and Paola Ossa
Record Label: Universal Music Mexico
