The Rise of Latine Indie Pop Music

For clarification “Latine” is the Spanish gender-inclusive term for those of Latin American ancestry, while “Latin” is a term used by the music industry as a catch-all genre for various styles of music from Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.

Growing up, I was always listening to music in Spanish at home or in the car. My parents were always playing Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia, or Reggaeton. For me, those were the main genres of music made by Latine artists; they were all that I was exposed to. Thanks to Latine owned media companies, like TV networks Univision and Telemundo and radio stations 97.9 La Mega and La X 96.3, I was fortunate enough to have media outlets that provided consistent representation. But as I got older I realized that these companies were an exception and the representation of Latine artists in the music industry is subpar. Award shows like The Grammys and media players like iTunes would lump together songs sung in Spanish or Portuguese, regardless of genre, and put them under the umbrella of a “Latin” category.

The problem with shoving all of these genres together into one category is that it leaves little room for diversity, both in sound and the types of artists we see. Latine artists are limited in their ability to experiment with different genres and in expressing themselves artistically. Diego Ortíz, an editor at Rolling Stone Colombia, says it's difficult for Latine artists to break free from the restrictions of the “Latin” genre, claiming “the Latin industry is so married to genres — they prefer strictly defined sounds. It has to be reggaeton or pop or rock.” This “marriage” makes it difficult for Latine artists to be recognized in their respective genre and confines them to a category in which completely different sounding artists have to all compete with each other for representation. It’s the same defined sounds, with the same looking artists, coming out victorious every single time, which perpetuates the idea that all Latine artists make the same kind of music.

Thankfully we’re seeing some progress now. Spotify and Apple Music are at least acknowledging the range in the “Latin” category and have made playlists for the different genres that Latine artists pertain to. However I’m most interested in the newest emerging generation of artists. As more and more Latine artists are now based in the U.S. and Canada, there is an interesting blend of genres that I’ve never heard before. Latine artists have made their way into indie pop music and are using elements of Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia, and Reggaeton in their work. 

As a Latine woman born here in the States, this is especially exciting to see. Most of these artists are first generation independent artists, navigating life away from their roots with no experience in the industry. Through their work, I get to hear influences of the music I grew up with and listen to experiences that are similar to mine. Latine indie pop music is particularly special to me because it encompasses the feeling of being born in one place, with your heritage in another, and struggling to find a true sense of belonging in either of them. There’s a sense of comfort in hearing the stories of people like me; we’re all just trying to figure out how to exist in a space when we have parts of ourselves left somewhere else.  

It’s equally important to see that the genre is becoming more and more diverse. Since most artists in this genre are independent, they aren’t restricted by a label to sound or look a certain way. They get to express themselves authentically, without the pressure of the industry. In this way, indie pop has become a space for queer Latine artists to thrive in a way that I never saw growing up. Similarly, it has allowed me to see brown and black artists make their way into a predominately white genre. Since Latine indie pop is already a blend of multicultural and multilingual influences, it makes collaborations with other artists of different backgrounds seem effortless. It’s also important to note the switch of languages in specific songs. Some songs, depending on the artist, are completely in English, some are only in Spanish, others are in Spanglish, and this decision is left completely up to the artist themselves. Through indie pop, Latine artists are demanding for an accurate representation of the first gen experience on their own terms. 

It’s authenticity that drives the music that comes from these artists and the results speak for themselves. Even while all being stuck in the same umbrella of a genre, each artist has their own unique and dreamy sound. I’ve become so fond of the genre that I’ve made my own playlist on Spotify featuring Latine indie pop artists on the rise, along with other Latine artists in pop and R&B.

Some of the songs and artists featured are: 

angel - Kali Uchis (Colombian-American)

Tamale - Daniela Andrade (Honduran-Canadian) 

Nena - YENDRY (Dominican-Italian)

QADIR - Nick Hakim (Chilean-Peruvian-American)

Frío - Omar Apollo (Mexican-American)

Lonely - Sofía Valdés (Panamanian-American)

Tú - Maye (Venezuelan-American) 

Mantequilla - Esty (Dominican-American)

Amongst many others … Here’s the link to the playlist if you’re interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42M6B8oqbgzFa8WEAXQ8pp?si=657c977525f84b8a