When you find a song you enjoy, are you eager to share it with the world? Well, it’s the same with our favorite artists. Fandom culture encourages us to share our interests or warm regards through online engagement — creating a parasocial connection between fans and celebrities. This phenomenon can be found in any online community, but a big one is K-pop. Whenever a Korean artist starts a livestream or creates an interactive post, fans are quick to express whatever they’d like to share with their favorite artist. One topic fans discuss in their interactions with their favorites is an artist or song recommendation.
Since K-pop has gained worldwide success outside of South Korea, it’s not unfamiliar to see K-pop idols listen to other artists from different parts of the globe. When you consider that one of the biggest markets for K-pop is Latin America, it leaves idols curious about the musical stylings and soundscapes found in these countries.
Thanks to curiosity, fans’ recommendations, and inspiration, idols express an interest in Latine artists that help expand their musical interests. After all, artists learn from one another and support their craft. Here are nine instances where K-pop idols enjoyed listening to music by Latine artists.
maye – “Tú”
Venezuelan-born American singer maye has become a well-liked indie-pop artist, with several K-pop artists streaming her delicate 2019 single “Tú.” With its serene soundscape and airy vocals, it’s no wonder idols are fascinated with her music overall. On March 9, BTS’ Jungkook shared Maye’s song in his Instagram story, displaying the lyrics. Once fans caught wind of this, they were overjoyed to see Jungkook share music by a Latina artist.
On Apr. 9, TWICE’s Chaeyoung shared a screenshot of her current music streams, which showed “Tú” and five other tracks in her recent streams. She has also shared maye’s other song, “Yours,” through the messaging app Bubble. Known for her avant-garde taste in music, it pairs perfectly with her personality.
Then on Apr. 27, NCT’s Taeyong shared a video on Instagram of his wardrobe as he listened to Maye. In comparison to the other two idols, Taeyong had the track playing in the background of the video — surprising fans that enjoy maye and NCT. It’s a lovely intersection for Latine K-pop fans!
Feid - “Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo”
On Oct. 2, Samuel Arredondo Kim, a Mexican-Korean soloist, posted a TikTok video dancing to Feid’s “Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo.” As he shared a freestyle dance to the track, you can see him singing the lyrics word for word. Of course, Samuel’s fans loved it, leaving positive comments calling him the “Latino King” and praising him for getting in touch with his roots. Some even forgot that he’s half Mexican, with Samuel finding it humorous and responding, “Literally keep laughing at this comment!”
Los Tucanes de Tijuana - “La Chona”
Last Oct., P1Harmony hopped on a livestream to greet fans and listen to music from the comfort of their hotel room. In the chat, multiple fans mentioned “La Chona” by Los Tucanes de Tijuana. Curiosity crossed their mind, leading them to search for the song online. When the song finally played, the vibe in the room immediately changed. Once they heard the first verse, P1Harmony danced with every bone in their body — displaying the energy many feel when listening to this banger.
Soon after, the clip reached virality with fans all over the globe. But the highlight of its virality came when Los Tucanes de Tijuana shared the clip on Instagram with the caption: “Wow! #LaChona never ceases to amaze us every day! Watch this video!” It’s one of the most memorable clips of 2021 that Mexican K-pop fans look back on to this day.
Michel Teló - “Ai Se Eu Te Pego”
In Nov. 2020, Stray Kids’ Bang Chan went on a livestream to share his live reactions while listening to music. One of the song choices was the 2011 hit “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” by Brazilian sertanejo singer Michel Teló. In the video, Bang Chan sings along, enjoying Teló’s music. Of course, it soon caught the attention of Teló — leading him to share the clip on his Twitter with the caption: “Sensational to see Chan’s affection again, from @Stray_Kids. Hope to see you soon in Brazil, mate!” It’s beautiful to see artists admire one another’s discography.
Ozuna - “Baila Baila Baila”
In Apr. 2021, GOT7’s BamBam did a livestream listening to his favorite songs. During his stream, Ozuna’s “Baila Baila Baila” began to play in the background. BamBam began to sing and dance along to the track, which is not unfamiliar since he is a huge fan of Ozuna. In 2019, BamBam openly said he wanted a collaboration with Ozuna at GOT7’s Mexico stop for the Keep Spinning 2019 World Tour. The love he kept showing for him led the Puerto Rican artist to follow him on Twitter, to which BamBam reacted by tweeting: “OMG…@Ozuna_Pr Thank you, Always and I will be a Number 1 fan.”
We’re still waiting for the day that Ozuna and BamBam work together for a spectacular K-pop x Latine collaboration!
Becky G, Myke Towers - “Dollar”
In 2020, KARD’s Somin did a livestream where she sang along to various songs on her playlist. During the stream, she played Becky G and Myke Towers’ “Dollar,” where she sang along to the lyrics with and without music. Later, she also listened to Becky G’s “Sin Pijama.” In a YouTube video for DIVE Studio Highlights, Somin shared that she was obsessed with Becky G’s music in both English and Spanish. Based on this, it’s clear that she most likely memorized her discography.
Chayanne - “Torero”
In Nov. 2020, solo artist Holland took to Instagram Live to talk with fans. In the chat, fans left song and video recommendations for him to enjoy during his stream. A couple of fans mentioned Chayanne as the perfect artist to listen to. Piquing his curiosity, Holland went ahead and picked the song “Torero.” As he watched the music video, Holland commented mid-video that he liked it while bouncing along to the beat. Hopefully, this instance of curiosity has encouraged him to share Chayanne with other artists.
Natanael Cano - “Pero No”
In Feb. 2021, NCT’s Jaehyun went live on his birthday for a special event. While talking about his gifts, cake, and speaking with fans, he played a song that fans were shocked to hear in the background. Around the ten-minute mark of the video, you can hear “Pero No” by Natanael Cano. Fans of Jaehyun were surprised and happy to see he enjoys listening to Mexican corridos, earning him the title of a true “takuache.”
Legado 7 - “El Doble M”
In Feb. 2019, Winner’s Mino did a livestream to virtually hangout with fans all over the globe. During his stream, he sang and danced along to music from his playlist while relaxing in his room. One song that captured fans’ attention during the stream was Legado 7’s “El Doble M.” Many began to call him a “fanboy of banda” after the video went viral.
But it doesn’t end there! Legado 7 came across his video and shared it to their Instagram stories — tagging Mino’s Instagram account. The group was flattered that Mino enjoyed their music and, at the time, followed him on Instagram.