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.
The renowned Música Mexicana group was joined by Gabito Ballesteros—also making his first appearance on Fallon—to perform their hit collaboration “La Fresa.”
