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From Dominican dembow to baile funk and Chilean reggaetón, explore how First on SoundCloud Latin artists are shaping the global music scene and making history.
Latin music continues to make significant strides across the globe, infusing the international music scene with diverse rhythms ranging from sierreño to Dominican dembow to baile funk and beyond.
As we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, kicking off September 15, it's inspiring to spotlight artists like Lomiiel, who is revolutionizing the new dembow movement, Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko on her rapid ascent since first posting on SoundCloud, and Ludmilla from Brazil, whose energetic performances electrified this year's Coachella. These artists exemplify how digital platforms can subtly yet powerfully amplify emerging voices, shaping the modern contours of Latin music.
Lest anyone forget, one of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century, Bad Bunny, who first began uploading his music on SoundCloud while still being a grocery bagger in Puerto Rico. In an in-studio interview with Billboard from 2018, Bad Bunny talked about how his music was discovered via SoundCloud.
“I created all the production, the lyrics, the music and published it on SoundCloud.” — Bad Bunny
El Conejo Malo first made his presence known in 2016, after his single “Diles,” released on SoundCloud. He attracted enough viral attention to both get him a label deal with Hear This Music and Rimas Entertainment and earn a remix featuring established reggaetón hitmakers Farruko, Arcángel and Ñengo Flow (and a fellow rising star in Ozuna).
Rauw Alejandro, a dynamic force in reggaeton’s second wave and beyond, reflected on his early days uploading music. "SoundCloud was a huge tool for me when I started my career,” the Latin pop superstar told Billboard Español before his headlining set at the 2024 Governors Ball Music Festival.
“I remember on the Island, everybody was down with SoundCloud, listening to this shit. It was a small group: Myke Towers, Alvarito Díaz. Bad Bunny. All the artists back in the days, like in 2017.”
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The sentiment is echoed by the rapid-rising star, Young Miko, a rapper also from the Island. She notes, "In Puerto Rico, SoundCloud was an era, around 2016 to 2019,” she told Billboard in 2023. “Many artists that were very present in SoundCloud today are established artists, like Bad Bunny, Rauw Alejandro, Lyanno, Joyce Santana, Brray, and Alvarito Diaz.”
“When you started making music, and you started under the category of SoundCloud rappers, not many people took you seriously, but [these artists] gained half a million to millions of streams in Puerto Rico,” she continued. “Being a tiny Island, that’s a lot of streams. Nowadays they’re classics. You go to a Rauw concert and he sings SoundCloud songs with Lyanno at the Choliseo or the Hiram Bithorn [stadium], and the people know them in their entirety.”
That influence extends beyond the Puerto Rican shores into the evolving genres of regional Mexican music, one of the breakout scenes of the last year.
Stars such as Ivan Cornejo, Xavi, DannyLux, and Conexión Divina — all part of the burgeoning Gen Z sierreño wave who have been featured in SoundCloud’s Scenes: Música Mexicana 2024 short documentary, showcased their contributions to this evolving musical landscape. "I actually found out about the tumbado movimiento through SoundCloud," said the Phoenix superstar Xavi, famous for viral hits like “La Diabla” and “Corazón de Piedra,” referring to genre pioneers like Natanael Cano and Grupo Codiciado.
As we immerse ourselves in the celebrations of Latinx Heritage Month, let's applaud the diverse voices that bring Latin music to life. These artists have not only found their audiences but have also inspired a new generation to appreciate and perpetuate the rich cultural tapestry of Latin music.
Since launching curated playlists in 2019, SoundCloud has been pivotal in uncovering and promoting new talent. In January 2023, SoundCloud moved its curation process in-house, which has led to a 25% increase in listenership across its official human-curated playlists.
The playlists highlighted here continue to generate excitement both within the Latin music ecosystem and beyond. Explore these dynamic scenes that are making waves globally, not just online.
Dominican dembow, a fast-paced, dance-oriented style that’s a derivative of reggaetón, originating in the Dominican Republic. Acts like Lomiiel, Tokischa, Donaty, Rochy RD, and more, are at the forefront of this scene.
Baile funk, also known as funk carioca, is a Brazilian hip-hop subgenre from Brazil’s Río de Janeiro's favelas. The most visible representative of this music is Anitta, but beyond the baile funk superstar, acts such as Ludmilla, Mc Rodolfinho, and Luísa Sonza are some to watch out for.
Bachata continues to be a stronghold in Latin music, with Romeo Santos and Prince Royce taking the reins, but there are other voices buzzing such as YEИDRY, Andrw John, and more.
UK and Chicago drill are one of the most impactful scenes to burst out of SoundCloud. However, we also highlight the explosive growth of Latin drill, which has made massive strides in places like the Bronx, Colombia, and Spain. Here are some of the most prominent key players, like Jon Z, Moreno ITF, and Chucky73.
For the latest in Latin music, explore our flagship playlist, LA MULTITUD: New Latin Pop, on SoundCloud, including new songs from Chilean reggaetón’s key players, FloyyMenor, Cris MJ, and more. Updated weekly, with fresh tracks and emerging artists.
CREDITS: Words by Isabela Raygoza. In addition to being SoundCloud’s Latin music lead, Isabela is also the associate editor of Billboard Latin/Español.
