Latinx artists who are also a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are breaking records and making waves within the Latin music scene. Since Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin kicked down the proverbial closet door by coming out in 2010, more LGBTQIA+ Latinx musicians have emerged louder and prouder than ever.
Into this decade, LGBTQIA+ Latinx musicians are continuing to proudly represent the community — while also breaking records and topping charts. Openly bisexual artist Kali Uchis scored one of year's biggest Latin hits of last year with the sensual "Telepatía." Brazilian superstar Anitta, who is also openly bisexual, shot to the top of Spotify 200 chart this year with the viral "Envolver." This year's Coachella saw the history-making debut of two Brazilian artists in the LGBTQIA+ community, Anitta and drag superstar Pabllo Vittar.
More and more LGBTQIA+ Latinx musicians across Latin America and the U.S. are stepping forward and letting their truths shine in their music. Mexico City's Blue Rojo is emerging a fresh queer voice in Latin pop. Colombia's LoMaasBello is speaking up on behalf of both the queer and Black communities through her powerful songs. Argentina's María Becerra is making strides across the globe as an openly bisexual artist.
Before this year's LGBTQIA+ Pride Month comes to a close, GRAMMY.com is spotlighting six queer Latinx artists on the rise.
María Becerra
María Becerra has become one of Argentina's top artists, and now she's extending her success across Latin America and the U.S. With the release of her debut EP 222 in 2019, Becerra opened up about identifying as bisexual. In the swaggering "Dime Como Hago," she sang about whisking her friend away from her unworthy boyfriend.
Last year, Becerra was nominated for Best New Artist at the Latin GRAMMY Awards, thanks in part to her debut album Animal. She also became the first artist to land four songs within the top five spots of Billboard Argentina's Hot 100 chart.
In 2022, Becerra has teamed up with J Balvin for the sexy "Qué Más Pues?" — which the pair performed together at the GRAMMY Awards in April — and Camila Cabello on the disco-pop anthem "Hasta Los Dientes." Her second album La Nena de Argentina is due later this year.
Blue Rojo
Blue Rojo is taking Latin pop music into the future. On his debut album, Solitario, the Mexican-American singer blends elements of electronica, punk, and reggaeton music into his deeply personal songs.
As an openly gay artist, Blue's sexuality directly influences how he writes his songs as well as how they come to life in video form. Throughout Solitario, he sings about his unrequited crush that he has on a straight man, with the heartbreaking "Después de la Pandemia Volví a Ser Católiko" calling him out directly. ("Diego, talk to me please," he pleads in Spanish.)
Blue later channels the rush of romance into his synth-pop anthem "No Te Kiero Olvidar," where he shares a sweet kiss with another man in the music video. He continues to push boundaries in the carnivalesque and sexy "Soy Tu Payaso Papi 3000."
Ambar Lucid
Like Kali Uchis and Omar Apollo, Ambar Lucid is a U.S.-born artist who is embracing her Latinx roots in her music. Like her peers, she also openly embraces her queer identity by singing about her guy and girl crushes in her music.
She lives up to her Lucid name with psychedelic R&B anthems like "Get Lost in the Music" and "Fantasmas." In her dreamy single "girl ur so pretty," Lucid flexes in Spanglish about how she can treat her friend better than her boyfriend. "Forget your boyfriend/ Let me set you free," she sings.
Lucid is kicking off a new era in her career with her alter ego Estrella. "Estrella is stepping in to inspire and radiate new energy," she said about this new era in career. "[She's] less fear-based, more confident, and I'm having more fun with what I do."
LoMaasBello
LoMaasBello is emerging as a strong Black and queer voice in Colombia. Since the release of her defiant single "ShutUp" in 2019, the Bogotá-based singer and rapper — who identifies as a non-binary trans woman — has spoken out for the trans and Black communities in her music.
LoMaasBello sounds transcendent in the love song "Pensándote" and later she lets her rap flow run wild in the bedroom banger "Rico." Like her EP title, LoMaasBello also calls herself "Marica Negra" (a reclamation of "marica," a queer slur in Spanish) and she embraces that title proudly in the empowering "QBBK."
She is very much a visual artist as well. Her powerful music video for "Vivas" to dedicated to "the memory of all the murdered women and trans people in Colombia and the world." LoMaasBello's message adds, "To be trans shouldn't cost us our lives."
Willie Gomez
After serving as a backup dancer for gay icon Britney Spears, Willie Gomez is now breaking out as a singer himself. In 2017, the Dominican-American artist formally launched his music career with the alluring "Mojados." In follow-up singles like "Salvaje" and "Borracho De Tus Besos," Gomez has continued to embrace his Caribbean roots by blending reggaeton beats with elements of pop.
At the same time, Gomez is also expressing his love of dance through his colorful music videos. Like the times he's danced with Britney, he brings the heat and passion of his moves into his steamy choreography.
The openly gay musician is working on his debut album with George Noriega, who has helped Ricky Martin and Shakira achieve crossover hits. Gomez's latest tease of his LP is the smoldering single "Vicio." As Gomez has said himself, he's felt the love from the LGBTQIA+ community during his work with Spears and now in his own music career.
"It makes me feel very proud of who I am, of who we are," he recently told Remezcla. "To get that support from the entire community is very special for me."
Young Miko
Young Miko is emerging as a strong queer voice in the Latin rap scene. Hailing from Añasco, Puerto Rico, the rapper/singer only started releasing music a year ago, but has already generated enough buzz to play shows around the world and earn playlist spotlights on Apple Music and Spotify.
Last year, Young Miko made her debut with the sassy "105 Freestyle," which has recently gone viral on TikTok in Puerto Rico. She followed that up with fierce "Vendetta" alongside fellow Puerto Rican star Villano Antillano, a knockout collaboration from two rappers in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Young Miko is continuing to shine with her swaggering and laid-back bangers "Puerto Rican Mami" and "Standard." She also teamed up with Puerto Rican singer Alejo for the sensual love song "Un Poquito." Young Miko's career may just be beginning to take off, but she — along with every artist on this list — is already blazing a trail forward for LGBTQIA+ Latinx representation.