{"id":2018006,"date":"2026-06-29T21:26:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T18:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2018006"},"modified":"2026-06-29T21:26:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T18:26:40","slug":"heri-iznaga-cain-culto-more-emerging-latin-artists-on-our-radar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2018006","title":{"rendered":"Heri Iznaga, Cain Culto & More Emerging Latin Artists on Our Radar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\tTrending on Billboard\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tEvery month,\u00a0Billboard<\/em>\u00a0Latin<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Billboard Espa\u00f1ol\u00a0<\/em>editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think \u201cdiamantes en bruto,\u201d or \u201cdiamonds in the rough.\u201d These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream \u2014 but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.<\/p>\n
See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tOur latest edition of\u00a0On the Radar\u00a0Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, who we discovered by scrolling on social media, networking, or coming across their music at a showcase, for example. See our June 2026 recommendations\u2014in celebration of Pride Month\u2014below.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\tLauyrn Hill Receives Living Legend Icon Award After Incredible Tribute at 2026 BET Awards: ‘I Want People to Know What We Can Do’\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\t\t\t\t\tKelly Rowland Salutes Sylvia Rhone With Ultimate Icon Award at 2026 BET Awards: ‘Music Needs Us to Stand Up for It Like Never Before’\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\t\t\t\t\tJanet Jackson Presents Teyana Taylor With Icon of the Year Award at 2026 BET Awards: ‘I Will Wear This Title Loud & Proud’\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Name:<\/strong> Cain Culto<\/p>\n
Country:<\/strong> Colombia, Nicaragua<\/p>\n
Why They Should Be on Your Radar:<\/strong> Cain Culto is building a world all his own. The Kentucky Latin art-pop artist \u2014 born to Colombian and Nicaraguan immigrant parents and shaped by religious fundamentalism, bluegrass fiddle and salsa alike \u2014 has become one of the most fascinating new queer voices on the fringes of Latin music. His work folds protest, camp, satire and spirituality into a sound that feels unruly yet intentional, whether he\u2019s channeling political urgency on \u201c\u00a1BASTA YA!\u201d with Xiuhtezcatl or pure pop delirium on \u201cBIMBAMBAU,\u201d his May release inspired by Gloria Estefan and Celia Cruz. More recent drops like \u201cTantra\u201d and \u201ccucuru\u201d continue to expand his shape-shifting aesthetic ahead of what looks to be a breakout new chapter. \u2014 ISABELA RAYGOZA<\/em><\/p>\n
Song For Your Playlist:<\/strong> \u201cBimbambau\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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Name: <\/strong>Carlo Lafontine<\/p>\n
Country: <\/strong>Mexico<\/p>\n
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: <\/strong>In a genre like Regional Mexican music, representing a diverse community is an act of courage. Lafontine exemplifies perseverance and hard work\u2014qualities that have helped him forge his own path and garner support from fans of norte\u00f1o<\/em> and banda<\/em> music who stand against discrimination based on personal preferences. He\u2019s opened for major stars like Yuridia and recently participated in Mexico\u2019s LGBT+ Pride parade. Hailing from the north, it was doubly challenging for him to be his authentic self; yet, despite the obstacles, he has advanced his career with an impeccable image, his cowboy hat worn with pride, and a steadfast commitment to doing what he loves. His 2025 song \u201cArcoiris\u201d\u2014which reflects on his life and the struggles he faced in becoming a Mexican music artist\u2014is his most defining work today. \u2014 TERE AGUILERA<\/em><\/p>\n
Song For Your Playlist:<\/strong> \u201cArcoiris\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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Name: <\/strong>Heri Iznaga<\/p>\n
Country: <\/strong>Cuba<\/p>\n
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: <\/strong>As a guest judge on \u201cLa Voz Guacalito\u201d\u2014a local singing competition in Miami,\u2014I discovered Heri Iznaga\u2019s undeniable talent at first hand. During the three-month-long contest, the Cuban singer-songwriter not only captivated the audience with his soothing, sugary vocals, but also his stellar showmanship and demanding stage presence. Poised to become a future breakout Latin artist, Heri, who\u2019s been releasing music since 2020, can navigate from emotive, bilingual lyrics to just about any genre, including dance-pop, love ballads, funk, and beyond. Heri ultimately was crowned first-runner up on \u201cLa Voz Guacalito,\u201d leaving him with a hefty cash price and many opened doors. Following the competition, Heri will begin working on original Spanish-language music to further embrace his Cuban identity. \u2014 JESSICA ROIZ<\/em><\/p>\n
Song For Your Playlist: <\/strong>\u201cfriend\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Why They Should Be on Your Radar:<\/strong> With nearly 150K followers on Instagram, Paredes became a household name, first and foremost as the musician, \u201cMartimbal\u201d (a wordplay of her first name and the timbales instrument). As a professional percussionist, the Venezuelan artist has worked with coveted Latin stars such as Maluma, Chino y Nacho, Alejandro Sanz, Franco de Vita, and Rawayana, to name a few. In the midst of her more than 15-year trajectory, Paredes began to explore her singing abilities, releasing her own, feel-good songs since 2020 that include \u201cAgua de Mar,\u201d \u201cValora,\u201d \u201cLo Mejor Est\u00e1 Por Venir,\u201d \u201cBailemos Las Dos,\u201d and \u201cMezcla, Brinda, Bebe.\u201d This year, she performed with Maluma on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon<\/em> and at the American Music Awards. \u2014 J.R.<\/em><\/p>\n
Song For Your Playlist:<\/strong> \u201cAgua de Mar\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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Name: <\/strong>Robbie Elias<\/p>\n
Country: <\/strong>Cuba<\/p>\n
Why They Should Be on Your Radar:<\/strong> Robbie Elias consistently weaves pop music, queer identity, and Miami culture into his artistry. From songwriting to singing and live performance, he has built a career that balances his own shows with collaborations alongside some of Latin music\u2019s biggest names, including Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Alejandro Sanz, Marc Anthony, Daddy Yankee, and Natti Natasha, serving in roles ranging from background vocalist to producer and songwriter. He has also been trusted to produce records for internationally recognized drag performers, including RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race stars Morphine Love Dion and Xunami Muse. Signed to Warner Chappell Music, the two-time Grammy winner is also the creator and headliner of Tribute to Pop, a residency at Faena in Miami Beach and Faena New York. He is currently writing and recording a new album, which he describes as bringing together the full scope of his artistry. \u2014 CATA BALZANO<\/em><\/p>\n
Song For Your Playlist:<\/strong> \u201cCan I Be Me\u201d<\/p>\n\n
[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/heri-iznaga-cr-shotsbynoodles-press-billboard1800.jpg?w=1024″] Trending on Billboard Every month,\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Latin\u00a0and\u00a0Billboard Espa\u00f1ol\u00a0editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think \u201cdiamantes en bruto,\u201d or \u201cdiamonds in the rough.\u201d These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream \u2014 but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[48,226],"class_list":["post-2018006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-billboard-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2018006"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018006\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2018006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2018006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2018006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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