Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.
Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, who we discovered either by networking or coming across their music at a showcase, or elsewhere. See our recommendations this month below:
Artist: Brayhan Rosales
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: At 24, Brayhan Rosales has been paving his own way in his native Venezuela, where in 2024 he received the Excelsior Award for best new male singer of the year. With a pleasantly sweet, melodious voice, and clean and romantic lyrics, the artist born in Boconó, in the western state of Trujillo, has released singles including “Indecente” and “Casualidad,” in which he fuses regional Mexican music with urban rhythms. It is an unusual but refreshing proposition for a Venezuelan artist.
“Since I was a child, I really like ranchera, regional Mexican music, and since I started singing I always had the dream of one day singing accompanied by mariachis,” Rosales tells Billboard Español. “One day I wrote a song with the idea of trying to make ranchera arrangements and I liked it so much that I decided to do it again and my community really liked the proposal.” Without any type of investment in his project at the moment, he hopes to be able to release new music soon. I really hope he does. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song For Your Playlist: “Casualidad”
Artist: De La Rose
Country: Puerto Rico
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: After uploading freestyle and cover videos on social media, De La Rose dropped her debut single “Harley” in 2021, while also introducing Latin urban music’s next promising act. The artist born Yuberkis Gabriela Marie de la Rosa Bryan, from Puerto Rico, has gained traction with her provocative bilingual lyrics backed by her sugary, high-pitched vocals — while her sensuality navigates genres like reggaetón, trap and R&B. As of 2023, De La Rose has stacked up key collaborations, which include Jhayco (“3D”), Quevedo (“Amaneció”), Sech (“Gym Girl”), and Myke Towers (“Móntate Baby”), but it was the viral “Qué Vas Hacer Hoy” with Omar Courtz (2024) that ultimately made put her on the map. — JESSICA ROIZ
Song For Your Playlist: “Palgo”
Artist: Whatuprg
Country: U.S.
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Hailing from the Atlanta area, Whatuprg is ascending as a compelling voice to watch — especially in the hip-hop and Mexican music fields. Making a bold leap with his latest track, “Z99,” where he veers into the domain of corridos for the first time. The song, released last Friday (Feb. 21) via Reach Records, showcases raw storytelling over gripping horns and acoustic guitar interplay. “I never give up since I found the way, if He fights my battles, there’s no reason to fear,” he belts out in Spanish with a gut-wrenching conviction.
Featured on SoundCloud’s Fresh Latin Music playlist this week and tagged under Christian & gospel, the single channels the Mexican-American’s distinctive flow and marks an adventurous new chapter in his career. Already known for his two rap-centric EPs (2018’s Pleasant Hill, 2019’s Raul) and one full-length (2022’s New Hollywood), Whatuprg continues to evolve artistically, making this a track you’ll want to keep on your radar. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Song For Your Playlist: “Z99”
