Over the past few years, artists in the LGBTQ+ community have become more of a force in the Latin music scene. They’re breaking down barriers and normalizing queer romance and relationships in Spanish-language songs. The biggest Latin acts today are also a part of the LGBTQ+ community, including Anitta, Tokischa, Young Miko, and Maria Becerra.
“I feel like we’re killing it honestly,” rising Venezuelan singer La Cruz previously told Uproxx about the LGBTQ+ takeover of reggaeton, which was largely dominated by straight men. “We have a very beautiful community. We just live freely. In a way, we sing about freedom and love, which are what the world needs.”
Queer acts in Latin music are not just taking over reggaeton, but also other genres like dembow with Tokischa, Latin pop with Blue Rojo and Yadam, and alternative music with Bruses. With Uproxx celebrating LGBTQ+ stories and voices, here’s a list of 10 recent albums and EPs to check out by Latin artists.
Álex Anwandter – El Diablo En El Cuerpo
Álex Anwandter is a queer pioneer in the Latin music scene. Since his breakthrough album Amiga in 2016, the Chilean singer-songwriter has proudly represented being a gay pop star in his alternative hits. Anwandter is also a producer and he helped sculpt Julieta Venegas’ Latin Grammy-winning LP Tu Historia last year. In May, he returned with an album of his own, El Diablo En El Cuerpo. Anwandter turned to dance and disco-infused music to let his freak flag fly high. For the fierce club banger “Unx De Nosotrxs,” he teamed up with queer Chilean icon Javiera Mena. Anwandter also put a strobe light on the complexities of coming out in “Ahora Somos Dos.”
Bruses – Cuando Ella Me Besó Probé A Dios (2023)
Bruses first made an impact last year with her debut album Monstruos. The Mexican singer-songwriter celebrated every fiber of her fabulous being, including being lesbian, in the angst-driven anthem “I Like 2 B.” In October, Bruses leaned further into her queerness with the EP Cuando Ella Me Besó Probé A Dios. She showed a poppier side to her alternative sound in “Más Que Amigas” and “Crimen,” her ode to a forbidden same-sex romance. Bruses is punk rock at heart for being unafraid to be who she is.
Blue Rojo – Solitario (2021)
Blue Rojo broke down boundaries for queer representation with his debut album Solitario in 2021. In the dark and genre-bending LP, the Mexican singer-songwriter explores his heartache from having an unrequited crush on a straight man. The album opens with the electro-pop rush of the love song “No Te Kiero Olvidar.” After having lost all hope, Blue Rojo turns to the religion of his childhood in the cathartic “Después De La Pandemia Volví A Ser Católiko.” He later reclaims the Spanish gay slur “puto” in the empowering “Eslabón De Bombón.” Blue Rojo has continued to push his sound and Latin pop to new places.
Conexión Divina – Tres Mundos (2023)
In the male-dominated música Mexicana scene, Conexión Divina is proudly representing women and the LGBTQ+ community. The Mexican-American group originally included two queer members, lead singer Liz Trujillo and Ashlee Valenzuela. Sandra Calixto is an ally to LGBTQ+ community. After performing at Coachella, Conexión Divina released their debut album Tres Mundos. The music video for the sad sierreño song “Odio” shows the young women trading male and female partners like it was square dancing. Trujillo then shows herself in same-sex romances in the band’s videos for songs like “Las Ganas” and “La Receta.” In September, Valenzuela left the group and joined Designo Cestial. Daniela Santiago took her place in Conexión Divina.
La Cruz – Hawaira (2022)
La Cruz is making waves in reggaeton as the genre’s first leading gay artist. The rising Venezuelan star went viral during LGBTQ+ Pride Month thanks to his breakthrough hit “Quítate La Ropa.” In that music video, men are perreando, or twerking, to La Cruz’s sexy reggaeton romp. Fortunately, the song put eyes on La Cruz’s debut album Hawaira, which was released in November of last year. He first started singing about gay love in his songs like the dreamy “Boulevard” and the alluring “Te Conocí Bailando.” Now La Cruz is normalizing gay lust in his latest single “Easy Boy,” which previews his next album.
Mabiland – Torque Vol. 1 (2022)
Since the release of her breakthrough album Niñxs Rotxs in 2021, Mabiland has become an empowering Black and queer voice in Colombia. The following year, the Quibdó-born rapper shifted gears with her follow-up EP Torque Vol. 1. Mabiland received co-signs from Julieta Venegas, who spoke about being in awe of her artistry in “Poetry,” and Juanes, who sang his praises of her in another voice note. Mabiland shined in the blazing hip-hop banger “Quema” where she promised that messing with her is like playing with fire. In the music video, she put a spotlight on her Afro-Colombian culture much like in her previous releases.
Ricky Martin – Play (2022)
An artist who busted down doors for LGBTQ+ visibility in Latin music is Ricky Martin. Since coming out as gay in 2010, the Puerto Rican superstar has proudly represented who he is in his songs and music videos. Last year, Martin released his most recent EP called Play. He seamlessly blended bolero and reggaeton in the sexy “Ácido Sabor.” In singing about indulging in a romance that could be “dangerous,” Martin gave the LGBTQ+ community an anthem. The music video for “A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal” with Reik stars Spanish model Ángela Ponce, who was the first openly trans woman to win the title of Miss Spain.
Villano Antillano – La Sustancia X (2022)
Villano Antillano became one of the top Latin rappers last year when she collaborated with Bizarrap on the viral hit “BZRP Music Sessions #51.” The Puerto Rican star later got a co-sign from Bad Bunny when he invited her to perform at his Un Verano Sin Ti concerts on their island. Antillano then unleashed her debut album La Sustancia X where she celebrated the resilience of women and the LGBTQ+ community as a transfemme non-binary artist. In the reggaeton banger “Cáscara de Coco,” she name-checks queer pioneer La Delfi while giving her props to women with tough skin. Antillano has kept the lyrical firepower going strong since then.
Yadam – Belamor (2023)
Yadam is reviving Latin pop while putting his own rainbow-colored twist on the genre. The Venezuelan singer-songwriter moved to France to pursue his music career and that multicultural sound is reflected in his songs. In September, he released his debut album Belamor, which follows the relationship of a gay couple from the giddy beginning to the heartbreaking end. In the power pop of “Beso,” Yadam sings about not letting anything get in the way of a kiss from the man of his dreams. He also pushes boundaries about a gay romance on the low in the flamenco-infused “Otras Mujeres.”
Young Miko – Trap Kitty (2022)
Young Miko has become the go-to collaborator in reggaeton and Latin trap. This past year, the Puerto Rican star collaborated with Bad Bunny on “Fina,” Karol G for “Dispo,” and Feid in “Classy 101.” While flexing with her versatile flow in every song, Young Miko has also proudly sung about her love for other women. Young Miko first made an impact with her debut EP Trap Kitty, which was released last year. She spit fierce rhymes about being queer in “Bi” with Brray and later exalted baddies in the playful trap banger “Riri.” All eyes will be on Young Miko in 2024 for her hotly-anticipated debut album.
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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