BEST NEW ARTIST
Borja
With a solid, deep and very Iberian vocal range, Borja offers his take on modern romantic pop songs par excellence. The young singer/songwriter and producer, who hails from Barcelona, debuted his first album Rimas Del Verbo Amar in May. The record, which he worked on for nearly six years, is a compendium of his own romances and the complicated emotional journey each one represented. The influences of other great Spanish artists in the genre are palpable, but Borja distinguishes himself through his reinterpretations of traditional themes mixed with contemporary rhythms that the new generations enjoy. (Ana Santiago)
Conexión Divina
The trio of young Mexican-Americans Liz Trujillo (voice and guitar), Ashlee Valenzuela (requinto) and Sandra Calixto (bass), from Los Angeles, Arizona and Dallas, respectively, make up the first female sierreña music group. In typical Gen Z fashion, the girls met on social media, and when they decided to connect live, Valenzuela and Calixto moved to California. The rest is musical history made by three girls pushing boundaries. Trujillo’s superb contralto, the tongue-in-cheek nod to pachuco style and LGBTQIA+ aesthetic was well received at this summer’s Coachella Festival. The release of their single “Odio” was an instant success that overflowed into their first album, Tres Mundos, which included collaborations with Gabito Ballesteros and Los Aptos. (Néstor Díaz de Villegas)
Ana Del Castillo
In the lush world of tropical music, Ana del Castillo emerges as a bright star with a huge voice. Whether singing of festive reveries or celebrating life with unapologetic confidence, her lyrics strike a chord with her ever-growing fan base. Hailing from Valledupar, Colombia, the 24-year-old artist began her musical journey at seven years old with Los Niños del Vallenato. Five years later, she made waves on the Colombian TV show, El Factor X, and in 2019 she burst onto the international scene in 2019 with her irresistible dance-floor number “Ya Es Mío,” signaling the beginning of her ascent. Filled with beautiful accordion and guitar interplay, her debut album El Favor de Dios sees del Castillo as one of Colombia’s most promising vallenato singers. (Isabela Raygoza)
Natascha Falcão
Singer/songwriter Natascha Falcão is not afraid to push boundaries with her music, which embraces and amplifies the diversity of Brazilian musical rhythms. After launching her career in 2019 with the EP Kitsch Completo, she took her time to bring her follow-up debut album, Ave Mulher, to life earlier this year. The record explores the sounds of her native Pernambuco, in Brazil’s northeastern region, and puts a contemporary twist on genres such as coco, maracatu nação, forró and mangue with electronic timbres and textures. Falcão’s electrifying stage presence — she recently toured throughout Brazil — and refreshing spin on MPB are evident in songs like “Coco Que Eu Sei”, “Adeus” and the mesmerizing “Banho De Flor.” (Lucas Villa)
GALE
At just 30 years old, Puerto Rican singer/songwriter GALE has already composed for renowned artists like Shakira, Anitta, Juanes, Pharrell Williams and Cardi B. She wrote her first song at age seven, at a time when her biggest influences were Alanis Morissette and Christina Aguilera. In 2022, she fulfilled her dream of working with one of them and co-wrote “Brujería” and “Santo,” from the album Aguilera, which earned her several Latin GRAMMY nominations. After her solo debut in 2021, Gale released her first album, Lo Que No Te Dije, a pop record that includes “D Pic,” in which Gale masterfully replaces expletives with sonic flourishes and denounces men who send explicit photos without consent. (Ana Monroy Yglesias)
Paola Guanche
Just because Paola Guanche is celebrating her first Latin GRAMMY nomination, doesn’t mean she’s not a veteran musical performer. Raised in a family of musicians in Miami, the Cancun, Mexico-born singer has been a network television staple for over a decade. Since winning the inaugural edition of La Voz Kids in 2013, the charismatic singer has defined her sound, masterfully combining R&B with pop, genres that were enshrined in her debut EP Reencuentro. Across its five tracks, the work boasts a drive and confidence rarely seen in such a young artist. It’s impossible not to think of the gifted performer Lauryn Hill when listening to Guanche singing “Prohibido” or “Quiero”. The voice of this artist transports the listener to a rhythmic and harmonic space, and exudes a truly impressive level of intimacy. (Andrew Casillas)
Joaquina
Joaquina Blavia, known to her fans simply as Joaquina, has been writing songs and sharing them online with the world since the age of 13. A graduate of Latin GRAMMYwinning producer Julio Reyes Copello’s Art House Academy, Joaquina is also part of a prestigious academic program in collaboration with the Abbey Road Institute. Born in Venezuela and raised in Miami, the young singer-songwriter has emerged as a talented lyricist with a special knack for capturing the nuances of teenage angst in a way that is equally catchy and poetic. Building a fanbase may not have happened overnight, but getting noticed by industry heavyweights certainly did not take long. Joaquina opened for Fonseca during his tour dates in Colombia and the United States, and recently released Los Mejores Años, her latest EP, which holds the promise of a rising star. (Lissette Corsa)
Leon Leiden
Leon Leiden is proving that his talent and success aren’t limited to just one genre. The Mexican multi-instrumentalist first launched his career in 2016 with EDM, but it wasn’t until 2020 that his creations catapulted him internationally after going viral on TikTok. A year later, Leiden debuted El Morro Que Hace Música, an album that blends Latin pop with elements of electronica, trap and reggaeton. Since then, the producer has explored genres like hip-hop and R&B in songs like “Ya No Se Mueve,” featuring Nanpa Básico, and experimented with rock on the remake of “Florecita Rockera” alongside the Colombian group Aterciopelados, and Thalia. Leiden recently put a contemporary spin on 2000s-inspired pop in his joint EP MP3 with fellow Mexican act Francely Abreuu. (Lucas Villa)
Maréh
“I’m not a big fan of those who turn their art into a discourse. It is much more powerful to make criticisms from what is not so obvious or so explicit,” said Colombian Federico Galvis, better known as Maréh, in an interview. Proof of this is his most recent creation, Tierra De Promesas, a tribute to his native country that takes inspiration from his grandfather’s life — one of the precursors of agroecology — and the Colombian strike that took place in 2021, where a large majority of young people demonstrated to demand changes in the South American nation. Over 11 tracks, each one named after a specific ecosystem, the former anthropology student sings about love and glorifies the natural beauty of the second most biodiverse country in the world. Thanks to an exquisite blend of pop and jazz rhythms, Maréh offers an oasis of hope and a glow that extends to any part of the world. (Andrew Casillas)
TIMØ
Colombian band Timø first made a splash back in 2019 when their effervescent pop debut, “Bebamos,” went viral. Comprised of schoolmates Andrés Vásquez (bass/vocals), Alejandro Ochoa (guitar/vocals) and Felipe Galat (guitar/vocals), the vocal trio went on to release their debut EP, Algo Diferente, in 2020. The band reached new levels of popularity with hits like “Espejito, Espejito,” which was a massive hit on digital platforms and TikTok. A year later, Timø toured Latin America with several sold-out shows, and teamed up with acclaimed producers Mauricio Rengifo and Andrés Torres for the group’s first full-length album. Released in March, Estemos Donde Estemos remains committed to the group’s sonic brand of high-octane, fist-pumping, easy-to-sing-along-to-pop anthems. (Lissette Corsa)
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