Latinas were huge at Coachella 2023. So when will one be a headliner?
After 20-plus years of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, we finally saw a solo Latino performer as one of the main headliners of the world-renowned event that happens here in our desert.
Being Latina, it was a proud moment for me to see Bad Bunny on the main stage, and even more so after the Puerto Rican artist shared the spotlight with other Latinos of different cultures — proof that we are capable of doing big things when the opportunity arises.
But even with the breakthroughs Latinos had this Coachella, its lineup dropped from 20 Latino acts last year to 11 in 2023. And I was also left waiting for the day when a Latina is given a chance at the top.
No Latina has ever been a main headliner at the festival, and it's a rare occasion to see women at all in the coveted spot.
Still, Latinas have proven themselves at Coachella in recent years, and I'm hoping that paves the way for when we can see one of them snag that honor.
2022 sets the stage
When I realized two Latinas were at least inching toward the top billing at Coachella last year, I wanted to talk to them about the mark in music history they now share.
While left out of the main headliner position, Anitta, from Brazil, and Karol G, from Colombia, are the first Latinas to have been featured on the event's principal stage, the Coachella Stage.
I had no luck with Anitta, but Karol G came through, just a day before she would reclaim the stage for the festival's Weekend 2 in 2022.
It turned out my weeks of chasing her were worth it, as she was the perfect source to talk to about representation at such a grand scale.
Both festival weekends, Karol G performed a mix of songs by Latino icons who, despite being favorited by many and having sold records across the globe, had never before boomed from any stage at Coachella.
With her crystal clear vocals, she powered through snippets of Gloria Estefan's "Conga," Celia Cruz's "La Vida es un Carnaval," Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" and others, in a medley that is still talked about among music lovers in the Latino community.
Karol G told me at the time (in Spanish): "The show I created is really a tribute to the Latino community, my country of Colombia, and my roots."
She commented on the pleasant surprise it was for her to see she wasn't the only Latina in the 2022 Coachella lineup. "I felt really proud to form part of this generation of women that are doing big things and things that are representative of where we come from," Karol G said.
Her shock at landing the Coachella Stage was evident, and Karol G shared she still had a lot that she wanted to accomplish. "I want to, who knows, someday, fill a stadium in Asia or in another continent. But I understand that to do that, I still have to fill arenas here in the United States," she said.
Karol G went on to sell out plenty of arenas in the U.S. during her $trip Love Tour in 2022. On Thursday, she announced she'll be going on tour again with her latest album, "Ma?ana Será Bonito," which made her the first woman with a Spanish-language album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
This month, when she was the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live," in an episode hosted by fellow Latina Ana De Armas, they both participated in the first all-Spanish-language preview for the decades-old show.
And while she hasn't been a main headliner at Coachella, she'll be the first Latina with top billing at Lollapalooza, another popular music festival out of Chicago.
As the dust (literally) settles from this year's Coachella, I've been thinking about other Latinas whose careers I want to follow and who may have a shot at making more history and representing us in spaces that are otherwise lacking, like Karol G.
Read why I think the following are Latinas to watch after their participation at the festival this month.
Becky G
Becky G may already be a multi-platinum, award-winning artist, but during her performances at Coachella this year — especially Weekend 1 — she showed that there's uncharted territory she could come to dominate in the music world.
When the Mexican American singer shared the main stage with Marca MP, Fuerza Regida and Peso Pluma, it served as a launchpad for what was a historic week for regional Mexican music in the U.S. Her recent song with Peso Pluma, "Chanel," is a crossover into traditional Mexican sounds for her, but has been well received. It currently has 36 million streams on Spotify since its debut on March 30.
"I've been working on my regional project," she said at Coachella.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Becky G in 2015, when "Shower," sang in English, was hitting the airwaves. Thereafter, she seemed to find a better fit in Spanish-language music, gravitating towards the reggaeton genre.
She and Karol G eventually made history with the song "Mamiii," the first all-Latina collaboration in the top 10 of the Global Spotify chart.
But I won't be surprised, just very excited, to see her reach new heights once she releases more music influenced by regional Mexican styles.
More: Becky G gets key to ‘the real Coachella’ and celebrates her Latina roots
Conexión Divina
Conexión Divina was one of two regional Mexican acts scheduled at Coachella this time, and the band's performances got much applause.
Because regional Mexican music is having a moment (again, thanks Becky G and also Bad Bunny, who shared his stage with Grupo Frontera), it's been perfect timing for Conexión Divina to have released their debut album, "Tres Mundos," on April 14.
It includes the hit "Odio," and the trio's favorites — as they shared with me in a conversation for The Desert Sun — "Only You," "Colores," and "Cómo Dolió."
After their Weekend 1 performance, members of the band predicted they'll headline on the Coachella main stage someday and I'm willing to agree, it's only a matter of time.
Kali Uchis
I already liked Kali Uchis's music, but her set at the festival showcased a stage presence and live vocals I didn't know she had.
The Colombian American singer-songwriter's impressive lyrics often touch on the mystical and wonder about the universe, with her most recent album titled "Red Moon in Venus." It earned Uchis her first top 10 entry on Billboard 200's all-genre chart.
Uchis typically sings in Spanglish to the tune of pop and R&B. For that reason, I'm not sure what Uchis meant when she told the Weekend 1 audience to lookout for her upcoming "Latin album" (perhaps more songs in only Spanish?), but I anticipate it will be full of hits.
Bratty
I noticed Bratty was left out of some publications' "Latino performers at Coachella" lists and I'm not sure why. The 22-year-old is from Mexico and sings fully in Spanish.
Bratty caters to the alternative rock genre that has been a little sleepy in Latin America in recent years.
With 43 million streams so far, Bratty's "Honey No Estas" has been played on Spotify more than some of the songs of her more widely known peers on this list, pointing to an audience that's ready to see a rebirth of rock in Spanish.
The famous guitar manufacturer Fender seems to have noticed, including Bratty in its "Next Class of 2023." It also gifted her a red guitar that I hope we get to see this budding rockstar use across more shows, including in the U.S.
Eliana Perez covers the eastern Coachella Valley. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @elianapress.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: When will a Latina headline Coachella? Keep an eye on Becky G and more
