The Rise of Alt Latino Artists

For better or for worse, the term “Latino/a artist” is fading away from the music industry at large as more artists of Latino descent, such as those who are presented, are simply labeled as “artists.”

Despite the term “Latino/a artist” fading away, the musicians presented in this list continue to incorporate aspects of their Latino/x/e culture within their music. Cuco

Chicano Batman

Chicano Batman is a four-piece group of Latino artists who come from different Latino backgrounds, according to a biography from KCET, a public broadcasting service in California. The group members include: Bardo Martínez, who is half Colombian and half Mexican; Eduardo Arenas, who is Mexican American; Gabriel Villa, who is Colombian; and Carlos Arévalo, who is of Salvadoran and Mexican descent. Compared to other Latino artists, Chicano Batman has taken a different approach to its music as they did not cross over from one language to another. A prominent example of this is their version of “This Land is Your Land.” In its version of the song, Chicano Batman sang the song in both English and Spanish (“Spanglish” for slang). Chicano Batman expressed cultural pride in this song by singing portions of it in Spanish while expressing American patriotism. In addition to “This Land is Your Land,” Chicano Batman has produced albums that include Spanish and English songs. An example of this is its “Cycles of Existential Rhyme” which include psychedelic rock songs, such as “Para Agradecer,” that are sung entirely in Spanish. The sounds of Chicano Batman resemble the Latino rock artists who came before it such as Carlos Santana. However, Chicano Batman differs from them as each song has a unique experimental sound to them.

Omar Banos, also known by his stage name, “Cuco,” is a Mexican American singersongwriter who brings The Rise of Al Latin flair into the lATino A indie-music category in a way that allows him to break out of the Latino category without completely abandoning Latino elements. For example, in one of his most known songs, “Lo Que Siento,” which translates to, “What I Feel,” Cuco interlocks Spanish and English to sing about how the girl he likes makes him feel. The song has instrumentals that fit more of a lofi and indie category but the lyrics give a Chicano rap vibe that infuses English with it. Cuco continues to cross-intersect Latin elements into several of his songs. He remixes older well-known Mexican songs with more modern instrumentation that fuses with the Spanish lyrics. One song that Cuco particularly does this on is, “Piel Canela.” The original song was

made by the Mexican trio Los Panchos and is categorized as a “bolero song” because the song is used for bolero, a Spanish dance characterized by sharp turns and stamping of the feet. Cuco’s version uses the same lyrics and melody as the Los Panchos version but has a more upbeat instrumental. Cuco not only manages to make his own style without being boxed in as a Latino artist who only makes Latino music, but he also allows himself the opportunity to experiment with more mainstream music and infuses Latin elements without feeling the need to be categorized to one specific genre.

Omar Apollo The Rise of AlTeRnATive ino ARTisTs Omar Apolonio Velasco, or Omar Apollo as most of us know him by, is a Mexican American singer-songwriter who sings in both Spanish and English. Apollo is best known for his Spanglish-language infused retro-soul and R&B music. His latest album, “Apolonio,”, showcases this mixture of Latin elements and modern R&B with songs such as “I’m Amazing” and “Dos Uno Nueve (219).” On “I’m Amazing,” Apollo raps and sings in both English and Spanish on a R&B beat. He continues to defy genres with “Dos Uno Nueve (219),” which layers Latin-infused instrumental with Chicano rap and brings a more modern sound to the table. The song is an ode to Apollo’s hometown 219 area code in Indiana. Apollo mixes Latin influences within his music in a way that defies being tied down to one genre (Latin) but rather mixes various genres to fit his own individual style.

Kali Uchis

Karly-Marina Loaiza, better known by her stage name, Kali Uchis, is a Colombian American artist and singer. Uchis is very vocal on her Colombian roots, and she ensures that it is heard in her work. “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios),” her latest album which features the hit “Telepatía,” has not only led Uchis to become widely known on a mainstream level but this album is also her first ever Spanish record and showcases her Latin background in a way that is not strictly categorized as the Latin genre. Uchis mixes both Spanish and English on the hit record, “Telepatía,” and mixes it in with R&B, reggaeton and a pop feel. Despite this being her first Spanishinfused album, Uchis’ music is not to be categorized within just the Latin genre but also pop and R&B due to the different instrumentation mixed in with Spanglish on various songs.

These artists all embrace their Latino roots in one way or another without feeling boxed in or categorized within the Latino genre. Using Latin influences, these artists imbed the Latin elements they grew up with and are inspired by into their own style. By implementing their Hispanic culture into their music and mixing it with various other genres, these rising Latino artists are breaking barriers within American mainstream music.

By: Gabriella Herran and David Ulloa