Silvana Estrada, Angela Alvarez, C. Tangana, more Latin Grammys nominees to add to your playlist ASAP
Are you on your 100th listen of Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Sin Ti"? If so, we get it.
The 23rd annual Latin Grammys on Thursday will showcase marquee acts such as Rauw Alejandro, Rosalía and Christina Aguilera, who have racked up several nominations – including record of the year, album of the year and song of the year – but these chart-toppers aren’t the only artists making an impact.
From best new artist picks including Silvana Estrada and 95-year-old singer Angela Alvarez, to song of the year nominees Nathy Peluso and Carla Morrison, we are sharing 10 more artists carving a space in Latin music.
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Yahritza y Su Esencia
A snippet of Yahritza y Su Esencia's haunting breakup ballad "Soy El Unico" went viral on TikTok before jumping to the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart and No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 15-year-old artist became the youngest Latin performer to make the all-genre chart. Yahritza and brothers Armando and Jairo are on their way to revolutionizing Mexican music with their own take on Norte?o music.
– Pamela Avila
Our faves:
"Esta Noche" ("Obsessed")
"Soy El Unico" ("Obsessed")
"Dejalo Ir" ("Obsessed")
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The Marías
The Marías are seeping into pop stardom with their bewitching blend of electro indie rock and jazz-inflected psychedelia. With a voice that sounds like a cross between Billie Eilish and Belanova’s Denisse Guerrero, Puerto Rican singer María Zardoya’s understated vocals punctuate the band’s evocative lyrics and lush production.
The band released its Grammy-nominated debut album “Cinema” in June 2021 and followed with a Latin Grammy nod for its Bad Bunny collaboration “Otro Atardecer,” which became a Hot Latin Songs top 20 hit.
– Edward Segarra
Our faves:
"Hush" ("Cinema")
"Un Millón" ("Cinema")
"Fog as a Bullet" ("Cinema")
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Carla Morrison
After five years away from the industry to prioritize her mental health, Mexican indie-pop guitarist and singer Carla Morrison made her comeback with "El Renacimiento" in April. Her third studio album is nominated for best contemporary pop vocal album. Grammy-nominated "El Renacimiento" is an evocative and reflective body of work, with dreamy electro-pop sounds, touching themes of self-love, mental health and rediscovery.
– Avila
Our faves:
"Contigo" ("El Renacimiento")
"Ansiedad" ("El Renacimiento")
"Eres Tú" ("Déjenme Llorar")
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Nathy Peluso
Argentinian rapper and singer Nathy Peluso is blazing a trail in Latin music with her genre-bending style and inimitable voice. The 27-year-old seamlessly fused alternative hip-hop and neo soul on her debut album “Calambre,” released in October 2020. She pairs this eclectic mix with vocals that alternate between pop princess and rap mistress.
Peluso’s guest verse on the Christina Aguilera girl-power anthem “Pa Mis Muchachas” earned her four nominations at this year’s Latin Grammy Awards, including record and song of the year.
– Segarra
Our faves:
"Buenos Aires" ("Calambre")
"Business Woman" ("Calambre")
"Sugga" ("Calambre")
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Bomba Estéreo
Bomba Estéreo are electrifying Latin pop with its electro tropical sound, combining euphoric dance beats with warm Caribbean rhythms. Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, the band originated with the 2006 compilation album “Vol. 1,” which saw musician Simón Mejía link up with vocalist Li Saumet on “Huepaje.”
Mejía and Saumet solidified this musical chemistry on sophomore album “Estalla.” 2021’s “Deja” scored Bomba a trio of nominations at this year’s Latin Grammys, while its Bad Bunny collab “Ojitos Lindos” earned them one for record of the year.
–Segarra
Our faves:
"Soledad" ("Deja")
"Como Lo Pedí" ("Deja")
"Se Acabó" ("Deja")
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María Becerra
Argentinian singer María Becerra, 22, parlayed viral fame as a teen into a booming music career. After making a name for herself with vlogs, singing videos and dance tutorials, Becerra self-released the EP “222” in September 2019 and followed with “Animal” in August 2021.
On “Animal,” which earned Becerra a nomination for best urban music album at this year’s Latin Grammys, she disarmingly transforms herself into a bona fide reggaetonera, juxtaposing emotional lyrics with feel-good latin trap beats.
– Segarra
Our faves:
"Acaramelao" ("Animal")
"Wow Wow" ("Animal")
"Mi Debilidad" ("Animal")
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Silvana Estrada
Raised singing Mexican son jarocho and baroque choir music, Silvana Estrada's voice is both timeless and a breath of fresh air. Nominated for best new artist and best singer-songwriter for her debut album "Marchita," the 25-year-old's vocal delivery exudes a haunting melancholy – her album, after all, came to Silvana after a breakup with her first love.
– Avila
Our faves:
"Tristeza" ("Marchita")
"Más O Menos Antes" ("Marchita")
"La Corriente" ("Marchita")
C. Tangana
Madrid-bred rapper C. Tangana began his musical career in 2005, but it was his third studio album "El Madrile?o," released in 2021, that scored him his first top 10 and first entry on any Billboard albums chart. It also scored him his first Latin Grammy nomination as a performer for song of the year and record of the year. "El Madrile?o," meant to be played in its entirety, feels like a tribute to his Spanish roots, with 12 out of the 14 tracks featuring folk, rock and flamenco artists.
– Avila
Our faves:
"Demasiadas Mujeres" ("El Madrile?o")
"Ateo" featuring Nathy Peluso ("El Madrile?o")
"Tú Me Dejaste De Querer" featuring La Húngara, and Ni?o de Elche ("El Madrile?o")
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Angela Alvarez
Cuban singer-songwriter Angela Alvarez proves it's never too late to fulfill your dreams. The 95-year-old, the oldest musician to be nominated in the best new artist category at the Latin Grammys, composed her first song at age 14. In 2021, she released a self-titled debut album and this year, landed a role in "Father of the Bride," where she performs a song from the soundtrack "Quiéreme Mucho."
– Avila
Our faves:
"Ansias Locas" ("Angela Alvarez")
"Mi Gran Amor" ("Angela Alvarez")
"Quiéreme Mucho" (Angela Alvarez")
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Pol Granch
Spanish-French singer-songwriter Pol Granch, who’s up for best new artist at this year’s Latin Grammys, got his start on the Spanish version of “The X Factor” in 2018, winning the talent competition’s third season. Granch then released a self-titled EP in 2019 and debut album “Tengo que calmarme” in June 2020.
His latest album, “Amor Escupido,” features romantic confessionals from the 24-year-old, set to a propulsive mix of dance rock tunes.
–Segarra
Our faves:
"Lüky charm" ("Amor Escupido")
"solo x ti" ("Amor Escupido")
"De Colegio" ("Amor Escupido")
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latin Grammys 2022 playlist: Angela Alvarez, Silvana Estrada, more
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