Pandora is looking ahead to the rising stars of 2023. Today (Dec. 6), the popular music streaming platform released its 2023 Latin Artists to Watch, debuting exclusively on Remezcla. The Pandora programmer is doing things a little different and they’re not just looking at the past year — but they’re also looking to the future. They’ve put together lists from different genres of artists who they believe will be the stars of the upcoming year.
We’ve got our eyes on the “Latin List,”featuring the Latine artists that they believe will have the biggest impact, both culturally and materially in terms of listenership on the platform in 2023. Now, going on its 8th consecutive year, the list — curated by the Pandora Latin content team — features artists throughout Latin America: From Mexico, Grupo Arriesgado, Kevin Kaarl, and Nathan Galante made the list. Proudly representing Argentina are Emilia, Tiago PZK, and Sael while Puerto Rico is represented by Young Miko and Brray.
“Being U.S.-based, the artists selected on Pandora’s Latin Artists to Watch list this year represent and reflect the listening habits of our diverse Latin audience, as illustrated by the over indexing of Mexican and Puerto Rican artists. We are excited to see the further cementing of artists from Argentina in the US Latin Music ecosystem, as well,” says Pandora’s Latin Music curation team.
Past Latin Artist to Watch alumni includes some now-superstar names like El Alfa (2016), Myke Towers (2017), Rosalía (2018), Rauw Alejandro (2019), and Los Dos Carnales (2020). We’ve put together all the artists in the 2023 Latin Artists to Watch list below as well as some facts about each of the rising stars so you can get to know them more. Check out this year’s complete list exclusively below:
1
Brray
“Brray is a singer, songwriter and rapper known for his unique style of narrating what happens in the streets of his native Puerto Rico, telling stories through his songs in a way that listeners find relatable. With a distinct voice and a signature style of rapping, Brray brings versatility and freshness to the Latin music scene.”
2
Emilia
“Emilia is an Argentine singer-songwriter, musician, dancer, and actress known for Latin hits such as ‘intoxicao,’ ‘No Soy Yo’ featuring Darell, ‘cuatro veinte,’ ‘Perreito Salvaje’ with Boza, ‘rápido lento’ featuring Tiago PZK, ‘De Enero a Diciembre’ with Rusherking, “como si no importara” and “Esto Recién Empieza” alongside Duki, as well as her Destiny’s Child interpolation ‘La Chain.'”
3
Grupo Arriesgado
“Hailing from Culiacán, Mexico, the norteño quintet, Grupo Arriesgado, has officially gone international with Los Mitotes, their first tour in the United States this fall. They’ve earned critical acclaim and were Premios De La Radio nominees this year for hits like ‘Enloquecido’ and ‘El Fugitivo (En Vivo),’ expanding the Regional Mexican band’s audience well beyond their hometown borders.”
4
Kevin Kaarl
“Kevin Kaarl is a 22-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter and musician whose gift of writing and producing songs has taken him from his hometown of Meoquí, Chihuahua in Mexico all the way to perform on big stages alongside prominent artists like Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Leon Bridges.”
5
Lara Project
“Manuel Lara and Felix Lara are the brothers behind Lara Project, a duo from Valencia, Venezuela who create synth-heavy, new wave, ‘80s-inspired songs that sound both retro and completely original. With songwriting, producing and engineering credits on hits by Bad Bunny, Álvaro Díaz, Kali Uchis and Julieta Venegas, the brothers are poised to move into the spotlight with their own raw and inventive sound.”
6
Los Gemelos De Sinaloa
“Twin brothers Juan Moises and Roberto Cardenas were born in Paramount, California to a Sinaloan family.With tracks like ‘Si Me Ven,’ ‘Andamos Mejor’ and their most recent single ‘Sin Opción,’ the brothers have emerged as the new generation of Regional Mexican music.”
7
Nathan Galante
“Tijuanense singer-songwriter Nathan Galante is poised to revolutionize the Regional Mexican genre. At just 21 years old, he is the youngest songwriter to achieve #1 status on the Billboard Regional Mexican Charts with hits like ‘Ya Supérame’ from Grupo Firme, ‘Ya Solo Eres Mi Ex’ from La Adictiva Banda San José de Mesillas and ‘Cada Quien’ by Grupo Firme & Maluma, to name a few.”
8
Sael
“Santiago Mercado Gomez, artistically known as Sael, is a singer, songwriter and producer who is ushering in a new wave of Reggaeton and R&B from Argentina. He has collaborated with world-class Latin artists such as Feid, Randy, Mau and Ricky, Ecko and Manuel Turizo. His latest EP, El Pibe (Vol.1), released this summer via Black Koi Entertainment, features the hit ‘Sueños Húmedos.'”
9
Tiago PZK
“Tiago PZK is an Argentinian artist whose career took off and has become a breakout star. Recognized for his versatility when it comes to composing and creating music, his songs range from trap to R&B. In just two hours he sold out his first two shows of his first tour ‘Portales Tour 2022’ at Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires.”
10
Young Miko
“Multifaceted singer-songwriter Young Miko draws inspiration from the sounds and beats of hip-hop, rock, and reggae. Born in Añasco, Puerto Rico, she began to develop her artistic talent at a very early age. With her first EP Trap Kitty, released under The Wave Music Group, she is at the forefront of the new wave of Latin trap music.”