From reggaeton to banda to indie rock and beyond, this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival —set for April 15-17 and April 22-24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio — includes the most extensive and diverse list of Latino artists in the festival’s lineup history.
Several artists from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico will make their festival debut, along with other multigenerational performers whose lineage spans from all over Latin America. Here are 10 worth catching in-person — if you’re going — or on the Coachella livestream.
Anitta: Hailing from Brazil, the pop star continues to make her name for herself on the world stage, singing in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In her ascension to fame, Anitta incorporated Brazil’s popular baile funk sound, but she has since expanded into other genres, particularly reggaeton, creating a unique mix of Latin music. She’s garnered a large following on TikTok and recently became the first Brazilian in history to top Spotify’s global chart. She has collaborated with artists such as Cardi B, J Balvin and Saweetie. Stream these songs: “Envolver,” “Me Gusta” and “Vai Malandra.”
Layla Benitez: Quite a few EDM artists are performing at Coachella, but Benitez’s fusion of deep house and Afro house produces an unrivaled sound. The Puerto Rican-American and New York City DJ is the daughter of DJ John “Jellybean” Benitez, who was successful in the ’80s house music scene and has produced for artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. Layla Benitez has played at the Tribeca Film Festival, Soundtuary in Miami and EK Guardians in Tulum. Stream these DJ sets: “Originals² | Beatport Live,” “Guardians of Ek/Soy Ser @ Vagalume (Tulum live 1.8.20)” and “Boiler Room @ Space Park (Miami LIVE 8.28.21).”
Jean Dawson: The Afro-Mexican artist was raised in Tijuana, Mexico, before moving to San Diego. Growing up, he developed a relationship with both cultures that inspires his music. Dawson doesn’t have a defined sound, but there are traces of ’90s grunge, hip-hop and moody indie rock sung in English and Spanish in his work. He’s collaborated with A$AP Rocky and is signed by the legendary producer Rick Rubin. Jean Dawson joins the list of artists making their way from the smaller Viva! Pomona festival to Coachella. Stream these songs: “Triple Double,” “Power Freaks,” and “90s Green Screen.”
Grupo Firme: The group, which hails from Tijuana, is the new face of banda but can also throw down some Norteño and mariachi tracks that emulates the soul foundation of a Mexican party. For a brief moment they were considered an underground act, but with their younger Millennial and Zoomer approach to social media and their contemporary take on regional Mexican classics, they quickly rose to prominence with YouTube subscribers now at 6 million and 4.3 million followers on Instagram. Grupo Firme continues to sell out tours quickly on both sides of the border and the band’s upcoming 8-date stadium tour in the U.S. includes two dates at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Stream these songs: “Pideme,” “Ya Supérame” and “El Tóxico.”
Karol G: Hailing from Medellín, Karol G has come a long way from winning Colombia’s “The X Factor” competition. She first got her footing in reggaeton when she collaborated with Reykon on his single “301.” She’ll be the second reggaeton star from Medellín playing Coachella, following J Balvin’s well-received performance in 2019. She was nominated in 2021 for four Latin Grammys and has since collaborated with other artists such as Becky G, Maluma and Nicki Minaj. Stream these songs: “Tusa,” “Bichota” and “Sejodioto.”
The Martinez Brothers: The Puerto Rican-American duo haling from the Bronx got their start in their teens and made a name for themselves in the techno and club scenes around the world. They have played significant EDM festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival. This summer, the two are slated to have their first residency on the island of Ibiza, located off the coast of Spain. Stream these songs: “PAP (Pendiente Al Paso),” “Let it Go,” “Bappi.”
Ed Maverick: The folk singer from Delicias, Mexico, first performed in the U.S. at the Tropicalía Festival in 2019. He’s since incorporated psychedelic and indie rock into his melodies that leave you yearning. Album titles such as “Mix Para Llorar En Tu Cuarto,” which roughly translates to a “Mix For You to Cry to in Your Room,” give you a pretty good idea of what vibe to expect. He wears his heart on his sleeve, sometimes resulting in the audience wearing theirs under their eyes. Stream these songs: “Fuentes de Ortiz,” “Acurrucar” and “Lo Que Pienso.”
Nicki Nicole: The 21-year-old Argentine rapper’s music career started on YouTube when she was 19. She amassed a large following and caught the attention of Sony Latin Music. She flows naturally through trap, reggaeton and R&B, but can also fiercely freestyle. She’s collaborated with Los Ángeles Azules, Mon Laferte, Rauw Alejandro, and Lunay. Stream these songs: “Colocao,” “Wapo Traetero” and “Sabe.”
Pabllo Vittar: One of the most famous drag queens in the world will be taking the stage at Coachella. Vittar is a Brazilian drag queen who has a massive fanbase on Instagram at 12.5 million followers. Vittar first went viral after uploading a Whitney Houston cover of “I Have Nothing” on YouTube and later performing it on national television in Brazil. Vittar collaborated with major pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Charli XCX and Thalia. Stream these songs: “Corpo Sensual,” “Amor de Que” and “Modo Turbo.”
Giselle Woo & The Night Owls: This band is one of the few acts from the Coachella Valley playing the desert. Giselle Woo & The Night Owls have climbed their way up from local talent shows in their hometown of Cathedral City and have shared the stage at Chella with Mon Laferte and Los Tucanes de Tijuana. Woo is also a part of another band, Las Tías, a duo who predominantly sings in Spanish. Woo’s voice offers a hypnotic harmonization over the band’s bluesy and psychedelic sound. If you’ve ever been curious about the music coming from Southern California’s desert, you don’t want to miss them. Stream these songs: “Coachella Gold,” “No Basta” and “Everything.”
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