Stephen Sanchez Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on May 21, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Stephen Sanchez is officially making his mark in the music world…

The 20-year-old Latino American singer has been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list for 2023. The annual list features the next generation of superstars.

Sanchez, who has logged 460.2 million streams, evoked classic romance with his waltzing, 1950s-indebted hit, “Until I Found You,” which soundtracked hundreds of thousands of TikToks featuring wedding and couple celebrations.

The 2021 single crossed over from viral success to radio hit last year, reaching No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.

And while the Mercury/Republic Records crooner has released several versions of “Until I Found You,” he has also shared some new, retro-leaning tunes ahead of his fall tour.

“There has been a really healthy growth and certainly lots of adjustment,” says Sanchez, “but I’ve been having a hell of a good time along the way.”

But Sanchez isn’t the only Latino artist to make the list.

Angela Aguilar, born to Regional Mexican music royalty, has become a star in her own right.

The 19-year-old Mexican American singer, who has logged 322.8 million streams, scored her third top 10 entry on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart in March with her collaboration with Yuridia, “Qué Agonía.

After spending the past few years on the road with her family for their top-grossing Jaripeo Sin Fronteras show, Aguilar will embark on a solo tour titled Piensa En Mí this summer.

DannyLux has also made the cut…

In April, the 19-year-old Latino American artist made his Coachella debut, performing his signature sad sierreño anthems in front of a significant crowd. It was a full-circle moment for the singer-songwriter, who grew up in the Coachella Valley area. He says he’s most proud of bringing his family along with him, “and for them to experience all of this as well,” but his impact extends well beyond his circle: DannyLux is helping usher in a new global era for Mexican music, which led to a record deal last year with Warner Music Latina in partnership with his independent label, VPS Music.

Ivan Cornejo secured his first Billboard chart entry with his 2021 debut album, Alma Vacía, at the age of 17, landing at No. 2 on Regional Mexican Albums. That same year, the project’s “Está Dañada” became the second regional Mexican song to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100. The singer-songwriter has since maintained momentum, with his sierreño tunes — mostly backed by melancholic requintos and emotional vocals — helping Cornejo score his first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with his second set, Dañado.

The Linda Lindas, featuring the half-Latina sisters Lucia de la Garza and Mila de la Garza and Latina guitarist/singer Bela Salazar, rose to acclaim in 2021 with a live performance of the band’s song “Racist, Sexist Boy,” performed live at the Los Angeles Public Library. The four-piece punk group settled in last year with its debut album, Growing Up, released on Epitaph. The act subsequently toured the project at festivals, as well as on North American and international treks, during which Lucia de la Garza says she “really got the idea of how widespread the reach of the internet and streaming platforms are.”

Since debuting with his Into the Unknown EP in 2020, Riovaz has released music at a steady pace, with uptempo dance hits like “Prom Night” and “I Feel Fantastic” being among fan favorites. Most recently, the New Jersey native boosted his catalog with his February EP, Disturb the Norm — his first project to arrive since signing to Darkroom Records, in partnership with Geffen, last summer.

To come up with the list, Billboard editors and reporters weighed a variety of factors in determining the 2023 21 Under 21 list, including, but not limited to, impact on consumer behavior, measured by metrics such as album and track sales, streaming volume (listed here as each artist’s on-demand official U.S. career streams, according to Luminate), social media impressions and radio/TV audiences reached; career trajectory; and overall impact in the industry, specifically during the past 12 months. Unless otherwise noted, Luminate is the source for sales/streaming data.

Here’s the complete look at the Latino/a artists named to this year’s 21 Under 21 list:

Ángela Aguilar
Age: 19
Label: Machín Récords
Publisher: SESAC
Management: Pepe Aguilar
Total Streams: 322.8 million
Born to regional Mexican music royalty — her father is Pepe Aguilar and her grandfather is Antonio Aguilar — the artist has become a star in her own right. In March, her collaboration with Yuridia, “Qué Agonía,” scored the ranchera singer-songwriter her third top 10 entry on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart. After spending the past few years on the road with her family for their top-grossing Jaripeo Sin Fronteras show, the 19-year-old will embark on a solo tour titled Piensa En Mí this summer. Inspired by Pepe’s career, she says, “It’s nice to have someone that you admire at home, someone who can direct me in the right direction because everything that I’m going through, he has already gone through.”

DannyLux
Age: 19
Label: VPS Music via Warner Latina
Publisher: Warner Chappell Music
Management: Jose Luis Aguilar
Total Streams: 217 million
In April, DannyLux made his Coachella debut, performing his signature sad sierreño anthems in front of a significant crowd. It was a full-circle moment for the singer-songwriter, who grew up in the Coachella Valley area. He says he’s most proud of bringing his family along with him, “and for them to experience all of this as well,” but his impact extends well beyond his circle: DannyLux is helping usher in a new global era for Mexican music, which led to a record deal last year with Warner Music Latina in partnership with his independent label, VPS Music. “I feel like there is a lot of pressure,” he says. “You have to stay consistent because it’s so easy to just fall off.”

Ivan Cornejo
Age: 18
Label: n/a
Publisher: n/a
Management: Pamela Cornejo
Total Streams: 1.1 billion
Ivan Cornejo was 17 years old when he secured his first Billboard chart entry with his 2021 debut album, Alma Vacía, landing at No. 2 on Regional Mexican Albums. That same year, the project’s “Está Dañada” became the second regional Mexican song to ever enter the Billboard Hot 100. The singer-songwriter has since maintained momentum, with his sierreño tunes — mostly backed by melancholic requintos and emotional vocals — helping Cornejo score his first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with his second set, Dañado. (A deluxe edition arrived last December.) “The most exciting part about being a young artist is the influence my music can have on other upcoming artists,” he says, which can best be reflected in his feature on the Yahritza Y Su Esencia “Inseparables” that dropped last fall.

The Linda Lindas
Age Bela Salazar, 18; Lucia de la Garza, 16; Eloise Wong, 15; Mila de la Garza, 12
Label Epitaph Records
Publisher Warner Chappell Music
Management Fly South Music Group
Total Streams 12.8 million
Riding an initial viral wave in 2021 spurred by a live performance of its song “Racist, Sexist Boy” at the Los Angeles Public Library, the four-piece punk group settled in last year with its debut album, Growing Up, released on Epitaph. The act subsequently toured the project at festivals, as well as on North American and international treks, during which Lucia de la Garza says she “really got the idea of how widespread the reach of the internet and streaming platforms are.” In April, the band returned with single “Too Many Things” and a Coachella performance, which it will follow by opening for Paramore and playing at Lollapalooza Chicago in August.

Riovaz
Age 19
Label Darkroom Records/Geffen
Publisher n/a
Management Jacob Byrnes, Argenis Hernandez
Total Streams 215.6 million
Since debuting with his Into the Unknown EP in 2020, Riovaz has released music at a steady pace, with uptempo dance hits like “Prom Night” and “I Feel Fantastic” being among fan favorites. Most recently, the New Jersey native boosted his catalog with his February EP, Disturb the Norm — his first project to arrive since signing to Darkroom Records, in partnership with Geffen, last summer. “A lot of people are focusing only on streams and followers, which to me doesn’t make me fall in love and remember an artist,” says Riovaz. “Success, to me, is to be remembered for your contributions to the music industry and the scene you’ve built around yourself as an artist … Community has always been a big part of my career in the early days, so taking that from the internet into real life is still such a crazy thing to me.”

Stephen Sanchez
Age: 20
Label: Mercury Records/Republic Records
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
Management: LoyalT Management
Total Streams: 460.2 million
Plenty of aspiring artists write love songs in their bedrooms intended for their crushes. But few have evoked classic romance quite like Sanchez did with his waltzing, 1950s-indebted hit, “Until I Found You,” which soundtracked hundreds of thousands of TikToks featuring wedding and couple celebrations. The 2021 single crossed over from viral success to radio hit last year, reaching No. 23 on the Hot 100 and topping the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. And while the Mercury/Republic Records crooner has released several versions of “Until I Found You,” he has also shared some new, retro-leaning tunes ahead of his fall tour. “There has been a really healthy growth and certainly lots of adjustment,” says Sanchez, “but I’ve been having a hell of a good time along the way.”

Yahritza y Su Esencia Among the Latinx Acts Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Yahritza Martinez has proven she is one to watch…

The 15-year-old Mexican American singer and her brothers, who make up the act Yahritza y Su Esencia, have been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, Billboard’s annual celebration of some of the most exciting and successful young artists in the music industry including Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and more.

Last month, Yahritza became the youngest Latin performer to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Soy El Unico.”

To date, Yahritza and her brothers have notched 52.9 million streams.

But Yahritza y Su Esencia aren’t the only Latinx act to make this year’s list.

Eslabon Armado, consisting of Brian Tovar, Pedro Tovar, Ulises Gonzalez and Damian Fidel Pacheco, have released four consecutive chart-topping albums over the past two years — all of which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart.

The band took a longer-than-usual break before releasing its latest album, Nostalgia, on May 5. During that time, the group added new members Gonzalez and Pacheco.

“Releasing back-to-back albums was good for our career, but we decided to take a break writing new music so that we could come back stronger,” the Mexican-American sierreño group says. “Our biggest challenge as young artists is staying relevant and creating music that connects with our fans.”

Ángela Aguilar is being heralded for logging 240.1 million streams in her young career.

The 18-year-old Mexican American singer, the daughter of Pepe Aguilar, says she “had been working with my parents’ record label all my life,” having signed to Machín Récords herself in 2012.

Nearly a decade later, in 2020, she scored her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart with the Christian Nodal-assisted single “Dime Cómo Quieres.”

Aguilar says the biggest benefit of being a young artist is “the ability to DM someone about a collaboration.”

Earlier this year, she scored her second No. 1 on the chart with “Ahí Donde Me Ven.”

The Latin Grammy nominee is eager to explore acting, like her father has, and says some of his best career advice includes being “respectful of your craft and the public — to keep your roots well-embedded in your heart.”

Tiago PZK has notched 7.1 million streams.

The 20-year-old Argentine singer and rapper was only 6 years old when he discovered his passion for music, thanks to Daddy Yankee’s 2007 song “Impacto (Remix)” (featuring Fergie).

Tiago PZK (who also cites Justin Bieber as inspiration) has since created his own fusion of R&B, reggaetón and alternative rock, best heard on his five Billboard Global 200 hits: “Además de Mi,” “No Me Conocen,” “Entre Nosotros,” “Salimo de Noche” and “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 48.”

In 2021, the artist born Tiago Uriel Pacheco signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Sony Music Publishing U.S. Latin and, this year, a record deal with Warner Music Latina (through a partnership with indie Grand Move Records). Looking ahead, he says he’s most excited to tour: “It will make me travel the world and strengthen me mentally.”

DannyLux has garnered 4.8 million streams.

The 18-year-old Chicano alt-rocker is a self-taught musician who hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters chart at just 17 years old thanks to his work on Eslabon Armado’s “Jugaste y Sufrí” (off the band’s third album, Corta Venas).

The sierreño artist has since signed a record deal with Warner Music Latina (in partnership with his indie label, VSP Music) and released his ultra-melancholic album, Perdido Sin Ti. He’s already working on new music because, as he says, consistency is key. “Since I’m young, I have so much time to grow up to be the best artist I can be,” he says, citing Bad Bunny’s career as an inspiration because “he never gave up.”

The Linda Lindas, comprised of Mila de la Garza, Eloise Wong, Lucia de la Garza and Bela Salazar, have logged 6.9 million streams.

The all-girl group broke out onto the scene with their viral hit “Racist, Sexist Boy,” which they performed live from the L.A. Public Library.

Luis Vazquez Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Vazquez is one of the young ones to watch…

The 15-year-old Puerto Rican salsa singer has been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, which features a mix of young chart-toppers, TikTok stars-turned-artists and on-the-verge breakout acts, among many more making waves in the industry right now.

Vazquez kicked off his music career at just 5 years old, having joined the musical group Los Bravitos de la Plena, founded by his musician father in Puerto Rico.

By 2019, Vazquez was discovered by artist manager Andy Martinez, who signed him to his label, JAK Entertainment, with a 360 deal. Earlier this year, Vazquez, whose biggest inspiration is Victor Manuelle, released “Tu Fan,” an urban-infused salsa track that highlights his crisp, dulcet vocals. “Tu Fan” scored Vazquez his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart, making him the youngest soloist to arrive at the summit since the chart began in October 1994.

But Vazquez isn’t the only Latinx artist to make the list…

Lucia de la Garza, sister Mila de la Garza and their fellow The Linda Lindas members, Bela Salazar and Eloise Wong, have made the cut.

The Linda Lindas first played together in January 2018 (before they were officially a band) when Dum Dum Girls founder Kristin Kontrol had them accompany her at the Los Angeles Girlschool festival.

By April 2019, the Latinx and Asian American punk rockers had opened a one-off date for Bikini Kill. The group has since independently released its debut, self-titled EP; placed a synch in Amy Poehler’s February film Moxie; and in May — after going viral with its anti-intolerance hit “Racist, Sexist Boy” — sisters Lucia and Mila, cousin Eloise and friend Bela signed with Epitaph Records and made their late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Pedro Tovar Jr., Brian Tovar and Ulises Vázquez are also celebrating their place on the list…

Together they form Eslabon Armado.

Just six months after the band’s third album, Corta Venas, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart in January, the teenage band from Patterson, Calif., landed another chart-topper on the tally with Tu Veneno Mortal, Vol. 2. The 12-track set was the act’s fourth No. 1 in less than 13 months. With new member Ulises Vázquez now in tow, the trio — which won top Latin album artist of the year, duo or group at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards — doesn’t plan to slow down.

“I have a new strategy for the remainder of the year: release music when people expect it least,” reveals group member Pedro Tovar. “I want to have that element of surprise like other mainstream artists have done.”

For the complete 21 Under 21 list, click here.

A committee of Billboard editors and reporters weighed a variety of factors in determining the 2021 21 Under 21 list, including, but not limited to, impact on consumer behavior, measured by metrics such as album and track sales, streaming volume (listed here as each artist’s career global total to date), social media impressions and radio/TV audiences reached; career trajectory; and overall impact in the industry, specifically during the past 12 months. Where required, record-label market share was consulted using MRC Data market share for album plus track-equivalent and stream-equivalent album consumption units. Unless otherwise noted, MRC Data is the source for sales/streaming data.

Carlos Alcaraz Among ESPN’s ’21 Under 21′ Tennis Players to Watch in 2021

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Alcaraz is among the phenoms to watch this year…

ESPN has announced tennis’ 21 under 21 for 2021, with the 17-year-old Spanish tennis player among the sport’s rising stars making the grade.

Despite the circumstances of the 2020 season, Alcaraz managed to move up 350 spots the rankings by year’s end, moving from No. 491 to No. 141, even reaching a career-high of No. 136 in October.

He started the year with back-to-back titles on the ITF Futures tour and was granted a wild card into the Rio Open in February. And the then-16-year-old made the most of his ATP Tour level debut, upsetting former World No. 17 Albert Ramos-Viñolas in 3 hours, 36 minutes in the opening round to become the first player born in 2003 to win a match and the youngest match winner since 2013. Alcaraz called the victory the high point of his season.

Following the restart of the season in August, Alcaraz went 20-4 in ATP Challenger events and won three titles at Trieste, Barcelona and Alicante, as well as playing in the final at Cordenons. He was named the ATP‘s Newcomer of the Year and is the youngest player in the top 600.

But Alcaraz, who idolizes fellow countryman Rafael Nadal, has even bigger goals for 2021. He hopes to make his first main draw appearance at a major in Australia in February and then play in all of the Grand Slams. As for his ranking? He’s hoping to make another big push in the new year.

“I want to finish the year in the top 50,” he said.

But Alcaraz isn’t the only Latinx tennis player to make the list…

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez completed her high school studies in the spring during the tour stoppage.

The 18-year-old half-Ecuadorian tennis player made her major main draw debut at the Australian Open in January — just a year removed from winning the junior title — but it was what she did in the weeks following the event that raised tennis fans’ eyebrows.

After losing in the first round in Melbourne, Fernandez scored her first win over a top-10 player (Belinda Bencic) while representing Canada in the Fed Cup (now known as the Billie Jean King Cup) in Switzerland. Later that month, she won six matches in seven days as a wild card qualifier in the Mexican Open, rolling into the final, where she ultimately lost to Heather Watson. The following week, she advanced to the quarterfinals at the Monterrey Open, defeating 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the second round.

Fernandez made a second-round appearance at the US Open and advanced to the third round of the French Open, where she took a 5-1 first-set lead over Petra Kvitova before the two-time major champion came back to win.

Fernandez thinks her 2021 will be even more successful. Her plan is to reach the top 10 by the end of the year.

Thiago Seyboth Wild wasn’t exactly the favorite entering the Chile Open last February after cracking the top 200 for the first time. But having notched one of the biggest wins of his career the week prior at the Rio Open in 3 hours, 49 minutes — the longest match ever in tournament history — over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and taking World No. 32 Borna Ćorić to three sets the next round, the then-19-year old Brazilian tennis player was flying high entering the event.

What he did over the course of the week in Santiago was even more impressive.

Seyboth Wild knocked off three seeds en route to the title, becoming the first player born in the 2000s to win an ATP event and the youngest Brazilian champion in the Open era.

He found mixed results after the restart, losing in the first round of the US Open and not making it past qualifying at the French Open. But he made a finals appearance at a Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence, which lifted him to a career-high No. 106 in the rankings.

Seyboth Wild hopes to build off what he achieved in 2020 in the new year, although he says he focused more on some of the small things during the preseason.

Here’s the complete list in alphabetical order:

Carlos Alcaraz
Age: 17
Ranking: 141
Country: Spain
Career highlights: Winner of three ATP Challenger titles and three ITF Futures titles; Won his ATP main draw debut at the 2020 Rio Open

Bianca Andreescu
Age: 20
Ranking: 7
Country: Canada
Career highlights: Champion, 2019 US Open, 2019 Indian Wells and 2019 Canadian Open

Amanda Anisimova
Age: 19
Ranking: 30
Country: USA
Career highlights: Semifinals, 2019 French Open; Champion, 2019 Copa Colsanitas

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Age: 20
Ranking: 21 (77 in doubles)
Country: Canada
Career highlights: Fourth round, 2020 US Open; Six-time ATP finalist; Doubles champion, 2020 Paris Masters

Leylah Fernandez
Age: 18
Ranking: 88
Country: Canada
Career highlights: Third round, 2020 French Open; Finalist, 2020 Mexican Open

Hugo Gaston
Age: 20
Ranking: 162
Country: France
Career highlights: Fourth round, 2020 French Open

Coco Gauff
Age: 16
Ranking: 48 (45 in doubles)
Country: USA
Career highlights: Fourth round, 2019 Wimbledon and 2020 Australian Open; Doubles quarterfinals, 2020 Australian Open; Champion, 2019 Linz Open; Doubles champion, 2019 Washington Open and 2019 Luxembourg Open

Varvara Gracheva
Age: 20
Ranking: 94
Country: Russia
Career highlights: Third round, 2020 US Open; Seven ITF titles

Kaja Juvan
Age: 20
Ranking: 104
Country: Slovenia
Career highlights: Second round, 2019 Wimbledon, 2020 US Open, 2020 French Open; Seven ITF titles

Sebastian Korda
Age: 20
Ranking: 118
Country: USA
Career highlights: Fourth round, 2020 French Open; One title on ATP Challenger Tour

Marta Kostyuk
Age: 18
Ranking: 99 (112 in doubles)
Country: Ukraine
Career highlights: Third round, 2018 Australian Open, 2020 US Open; Three ITF singles titles, two ITF doubles titles

Ann Li
Age: 20
Ranking: 98
Country: USA
Career highlights: Third round, 2020 US Open; Three ITF titles

Caty McNally
Age: 19
Ranking: 121 (42 in doubles)
Country: USA
Career highlights: Third round, 2020 US Open; Doubles quarterfinals, 2020 Australian Open; Doubles champion, 2019 Washington Open and 2019 Luxembourg Open

Lorenzo Musetti
Age: 18
Ranking: 128
Country: Italy
Career highlights: Semifinals, 2020 Sardinia; Third round, 2020 Italian Open; One ATP Challenger title and two ITF Futures titles

Brandon Nakashima
Age: 19
Ranking: 166
Country: USA
Career highlights: Second round, 2020 US Open; One ATP Challenger title and two ITF Futures titles

Anastasia Potapova
Age: 19
Ranking: 101 (133 in doubles)
Country: Russia
Career highlights: Second round, 2019 Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon; Finalist, 2018 Moscow River Cup, 2018 Tashkent Open; Doubles champion, 2018 Moscow River Cup, 2019 Lausanne

Thiago Seyboth Wild
Age: 20
Ranking: 116
Country: Brazil
Career highlights: First round, 2020 US Open; Champion, 2020 Chile Open

Jannik Sinner
Age: 19
Ranking: 37
Country: Italy
Career highlights: Quarterfinals, 2020 French Open; Champion, 2020 Sofia Open, 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals

Iga Swiatek
Age: 19
Ranking: 17 (75 in doubles)
Country: Poland
Career highlights: Champion, 2020 French Open

Clara Tauson
Age: 18
Ranking: 152
Country: Denmark
Career highlights: Second round, 2020 French Open; Seven ITF titles

Dayana Yastremska
Age: 20
Ranking: 29 (90 in doubles)
Country: Ukraine
Career highlights: Fourth round, 2019 Wimbledon; Champion, 2018 Hong Kong, 2019 Hua Hin, 2019 Strasbourg

Lunay Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Lunay isn’t old enough to drink in the United States, but he’s already making his mark in the music world.

The 20-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton and Latin trap singer has been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list.

Billboard‘s annual ranking of powerful young voices includes arena headliners and promising new talent, familiar names and new musicians quickly rising toward the mainstream. For groups, if most members are under 21, they were considered eligible.

Lunay is recognized for having total streams of 524.5 million.

After posting videos of himself freestyling on Facebook in 2017, Lunay got a call from producers Chris Jedi and Gaby Music. Two years later, Lunay was collaborating with reggaetón superstars Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny on “Soltera (Remix),” his first top 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, peaking at No. 3 and raking in 343.2 million U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

Signed to indie label Star Island, the rising artist, who has since scored collaborations with Ozuna and Anuel AA, credits his success to two things: “humility and hard work.”

But Lunay isn’t the only Latino artist to make the list…

Manuel Turizo earned a spot for having total streams of 328.1 million.

Back in 2017, the 20-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer, then only 16, scored a viral hit with debut single “Una Lady Como Tú.” Since then, he has topped the Mexico Airplay chart with “Quiéreme Mientras Se Pueda” and the Latin Airplay list with his Sebastián Yatra–Rauw Alejandro collaboration “TBT.”

Turizo says his second album, Dopamina, will “dominate” 2021. “I hope that by the time I’m 60, people will still be consuming my music and going to my concerts,” he says. “It’s not about being at the top. It’s about acquiring an audience [that will be] by your side throughout your career.”

Natanael Cano has also made the grade…

The 19-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter has earned a total of 905.3 million streams in his short career.

Six months into 2020, Cano — who only launched his career in 2019 — became the third-most-consumed Latin artist in the United States, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data’s midyear report, ranking just behind Bad Bunny and Ozuna.

Since partnering with Bad Bunny on “Soy El Diablo (Remix)” in October 2019, Cano has released four projects, including Trap Tumbado in June, cementing his place as a leading force in trap corridos. And as his career continues to grow in the United States, by 2021, he says, “I’d love to reach every corner of Mexico.”

A committee of Billboard editors and reporters weighed a variety of factors in determining the 2020 21 Under 21 list, including, but not limited to, impact on consumer behavior, as measured by such metrics as album and track sales, streaming volume, social media impressions, and radio and TV audiences reached; career trajectory; reputation among peers; and overall impact in the industry, specifically during the past 12 months. Where required, record-label market share was consulted using Nielsen Music/MRC Data market share for album plus track-equivalent and stream-equivalent album consumption units. Unless otherwise noted, Billboard Boxscore and Nielsen Music/MRC Data are the sources for tour grosses and sales/streaming data, respectively.

Camila Cabello: The Highest Ranking Hispanic Artist on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Cabello is making her mark before she’s even legal to drink…

The 20-year-old Mexican and Cuban singer has landed in the Top 5 of Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, the highest-ranking Hispanic artist on the list.

Camila Cabello

Following her December 2016 departure from successful girl group Fifth Harmony, Cabello has already managed to land six songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including her debut solo track “Crying in the Club,” a preview to her in-the-works debut LP.

In addition, she’s managed to land major endorsements, including a bilingual campaign with Skechers.

Coming in behind Cabello, the young men of CNCO, at the No. 9 spot.

The victors of reality show La Banda’s inaugural season have been learning about pop stardom while on tour with Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias and Ariana Grande.

Their international hit “Reggaetón Lento” has racked up over 300 million plays on Spotify and 1 billion YouTube views. And the single recently got a massive push, thanks to a remix featuring Little Mix.

Meanwhile, Becky G maintains a presence on the chart for another year.

The 20-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper comes in at No. 14.

“What empowers you is acknowledging, ‘I am who I am’ — I feel like that’s the influence I want to be making,” says Becky G, who followed up 2014’s career-launching hit “Shower” by honing in on her Mexican heritage.

In 2016, she kicked off a run of Spanish-language singles with “Sola,” which landed on the Hot Latin Songs chart, and her new Bad Bunnycollaboration “Mayores” reached No. 10 on the September 30 chart — her highest peak yet.

Brandon Arreaga rounds out the list at No. 19, as a member of the boy band PRETTYMUCH.

With One Direction’s hiatus, Arreaga and his fellow members of PRETTYMUCH are aiming for the crown with 1D guru Simon Cowell in their corner.

Debut single “Would You Mind” recently bowed on the Mainstream Top 40 chart; a full-length is in the works with contributions from Ed Sheeran and French Montana, plus a choreography-heavy live show to go along with it.

Fifth Harmony to Perform at This Year’s Latin Grammy Awards Show

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui are ready to make their Latin Grammys debut.

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members have been added to the performance lineup for this year’s awards show.

No word on what song the all-girl group, named to this year’s Billboard 21 Under 21 list, will perform, but the ladies did release a Spanish version of their hit single “Worth It.” Entitled “(Worth It) Dame Esta Noche,” was released earlier this summer.

In addition to Fifth Harmony, the Latin Recording Academy has booked OMI, Ricky Martin, Espinoza Paz, Maluma and Banda el Recodo to take the stage at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on November 19 for Latin music’s biggest night.

Six-time Grammy winners Banda El Recodo, Latin urban phenom Maluma and regional Mexican star Paz each received one nomination this year — best banda album for Mi Vicio Más Grande, best urban performance for “El Tiki,” and best regional song for “Perdí La Pose,” respectively.

Pop idol Martin is also among this year’s nominees, having scored three nods: record of the year and song of the year for “Disparo Al Corazón” and best contemporary pop vocal album for A Quien Quiera Escuchar.

Previously announced performers include Julión Álvarez, Bomba Estéreo with Will Smith, J Balvin, Choc Quib Town, Silvestre Dangond, Nicky Jam, Natalia Jiménez, Natalia Lafourcade, Juan Luis Guerra, Major Lazer and mØ, Matisse, and Raquel Sofía.

Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year Roberto Carlos will also grace the stage for a special performance.

Fifth Harmony Named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 List

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Camila Cabello, Lauren Jauregui and Ally Brooke Hernandez are the Latinas on top…

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members have been named to Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, the music magazine’s annual look at the hottest artists in all genres who can’t yet legally purchase.

The ladies of Fifth Harmony come in at No. 2, up three spots from last year’s ranking.

After heavy touring in 2014, Fifth Harmony finally released the all-girl group’s debut album, Reflection, in 2015. The wait was totally “Worth It,” to quote the title of the smash third single off the album, featuring rapper Kid Ink. The tune climbed to No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album cracked the top five of the Billboard 200, proving once again that these former The X Factor contestants are a real-deal girl group.

In September, the quintet quickened the pulses of Harmonizers — the name given to its legions of superfans — by announcing that work had begun on album No. 2.

“You’ll have music to soothe your soul soon, everything will be fine, we love you to death and we’re not going anywhere. I promise,” Jauregui told Billboard, looking ahead to another big year.

But the girls of Fifth Harmony aren’t the only ones returning to the 21 Under 21 list.

Becky G comes in at No. 12, dropping three spots from last year’s list.

The 18-year-old Mexican American singer/rapper and soon-to-be Power Rangers’ Yellow Ranger was one of the first artists to sing out against Donald Trump.

When Trump made his now-infamous anti-immigrant remarks in June 2015 campaign speech, he was challenged by the singer, rapper, and actress born Rebecca Marie Gomez. Becky G released “We Are Mexico” in the wake of Trump’s comments to show she’s proud of her Latin heritage.

Born in Inglewood, Calif., to parents of Mexican descent, Becky G has incorporated Latin sounds throughout her career, and in 2014, she rose to fame with the singles “Can’t Get Enough” (a Latin Rhythm Airplay chart-topper featuring Pitbull) and “Shower.”

As she continues to prep her debut album — a hotly tipped set she’s prefaced with the 2015 singles “Lovin’ So Hard” and “Break a Sweat” — she’s also found success on TV, playing Valentina Galindo on the Fox series Empire.

Meanwhile, Luis Coronel makes his debut on the list…

The 19-year-old Mexican American singer who is already famous throughout the Latin music world is getting ready to go global.

Born in Tucson, Coronel is prepping album No. 3, the follow-up to last year’s mega-selling Quiero ser tu dueño. That album reached No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, making Coronel the youngest solo artist in 13 years to rule that particular tally.

With his next LP, the former YouTube star is looking to continue expanding his sound and giving his millions of “Coronelas,” or diehard fans, genre-defying music that incorporates different rhythms.

“We’re adding more instruments and more up-tempo sounds so that people can feel good and dance,” Coronel told Billboard in August, when he debuted the single “Nada Más Por Eso.” “I know that the fans are going to love it, they’re really going to enjoy it.”

Click here to see the complete 21 Under 21 list.

Coronel Releases Inspirational Holiday Single “Feliz Navidad”

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Coronel is spreading a little love this holiday season…

The 18-year-old Mexican American cantante, who was named to this year’s Billboard‘s 21 Under 21 list, has released the lyric video for his brand new Christmas song “Feliz Navidad.”

The clip for his acoustic accordion-and guitar-accompanied inspirational ballad, not to be confused with the Jose Feliciano classic of the same name, shows Coronel greeting his female fans, and giving the luckiest of the girls a kiss on the cheek.

The lyric video was released this week, already garnering 14-thousand views on YouTube.

In October, Coronel became the youngest solo artist in 13 years to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart with his sophomore album Quiero Ser Tu Dueño. “Tenerte,” the first single from that album, rose to the top of Regional Mexican Songs, where it currently stands at No. 12.

An artist for a new Latino generation with ranchera roots and pop appeal, Coronel will be up for the Male Artist of the Year at Univision’s Premios Nuestro Awards in Feb. 2015. He’ll end this year with an appearance on Azteca America’s Christmas special Navidad Azteca, and be the subject of a mun2 special, Estrellas de Reventon: Luis Coronel on December 14.

“Feliz Navidad” is available for download on iTunes.

Becky G to Perform at the First-Ever iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Becky G is gearing up for a little iHeart fun…

The 17-year-old Mexican American singer, rapper, actress and CoverGirl model has been added to the roster for the upcoming iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina concert in Los Angeles.

Along with Becky G, who was named to this year’s Billboard 21 Under 21 list, the updated roster includes Pitbull, J. Balvin, Jesse & Joy, Daddy Yankee and La Original Banda El Limon.

They join previously announced performers Ricky Martin, Alejandra Guzman and Prince Royce.

The Latin music celebration will take place Nov. 22 at the Forum in Inglewood and will also feature surprise guests.

The iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina is the newest of iHeartMedia‘s concert showcases with events like the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

Fans can buy tickets through Ticketmaster; tickets range from $71.70-$439.90.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: 21 Under 21