Last week, Remezcla reported Spotify’s head of U.S. Latin Editorial Antonio Vazquez’s projections on the rising Latine subgenres to keep an eye on for 2025. 

He said the platform’s top five emerging Latine subgenres in the U.S. include reggaeton chileno, Latin Afrobeats, reggaeton mexa, Latin electronic, and jazz colombiano. However, I hope these music trends open doors to another genre, Latin R&B.

Latin R&B often includes the smooth, slow grooves, and emotional depth of traditional Rhythm & Blues and sometimes new jack swing, while incorporating rhythms, instrumentation, and lyrical themes from Reggaeton, Boogaloo, Bachata, Salsa, and Dancehall.

Here are eight Latin R&B artists you should start listening to:

8. María Isabel

Queens, New York-born Dominican-American singer María Isabel provides soulful R&B for introspective listeners. She often talks about her lifelong love affair with writing poetry and singing in interviews. In describing her most recent project, Refinery29 said the artist gets “vulnerable and transparent — key elements of the emerging bilingual R&B singer’s art.” In 2021, she released her second EP, titled Sophomore EP, i hope you’re very unhappy without me which was a follow-up to Stuck in the Sky released earlier that year. 

TikTok: @mariaisabel

Instagram: @mariaisabel​

Spotify: María Isabel

7. G.A

Brazilian rap and R&B artist G.A released his debut album Sua Vez de Escutar in late March. The 8-song project features a percussive trap/R&B mix, one of the tracks from the album “ei mô” received over 17 million streams on Spotify.

TikTok: @og.azinho

Instagram: @azinho​

Spotify: G.A 

6. LATENIGHTJIGGY

Trinidadian-American singer-songwriter LATENIGHTJIGGY first gained attention for his genre-blurring sound and infectious melodies, fusing Dancehall, Reggaeton, Hip Hop, and R&B. His lyrics, both in English and Spanish, provide cross-cultural appeal. In 2021, Mitú included him in a list of “5 Artists From The African Diaspora Making Waves in Latin Music.” In 2019, he released the Flavors EP which featured the single, “Mimosas” which received over 13 million streams on Spotify. Then, he followed up with Flavors 2 in 2020 and Flavors 3 in 2022. 

TikTok: @latenightjiggy

Instagram: @latenightjiggy

Spotify: LATENIGHTJIGGY

5. Lalo Cortés

Lalo Cortés, a singer and composer from Bogotá, Colombia, emerged as a solo artist in 2020 after collaborating with Bogotá rapper TSH Sudaca in 2017 and singing backup for Neo-Soul and Hip Hop artist Lianna in 2018. Her style often floats between Jazz and Neo-soul, however, Cortés just released a new EP last month, titled Yo No Sé Querer Poquito which opens with a New Jack Swing track reminiscent of the late 80’s and early 90’s. This latest project reflects the evolution of her sound since her 2023 debut album, Re-Encuentro.

TikTok: @lalocortesmusic

Instagram: @lalocortesmusic

Spotify: Lalo Cortés

4. Junior Zamora

In a Remezcla profile, journalist Richard Villegas described singer, songwriter, and producer Junior Zamora’s look for his performance at the Estéreo Picnic as “a hybrid of Prince, Halle Berry in the film B.A.P.S., and RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Symone.” Zamora, a native of Cali, Colombia, blends Afro-Colombian rhythms, gospel influences, and futuristic sounds to create a unique fusion. Earlier this year, he received attention for his singles, “Hielo” and “Salsa y Clase.” Recently, he released his highly-anticipated sophomore album, titled Joyas Del Barrio.

TikTok: @juniorzamoraofficial

Instagram: @juniorzamoraofficial

Spotify: Junior Zamora

3. Chicocurlyhead

Atlanta-raised Panamanian singer Chicocurlyhead dreamed of becoming a soccer player before an impromptu studio session with friends led him to develop an interest in music. Then in 2022, he released the DIADREAMER EP where he effortlessly glided over R&B, Pop, and Hip-Hop beats in both Spanish and English. He continues to show growth and a promising career in his latest EP, NEVERENDING ROADTRIP which he said helped him express himself. However, a profile in The Atlanta-Journal Constitution said “the Afro-Latin singer and songwriter is mainly filled with gratitude about the journey it took to get here.”

TikTok: @chicocurlyhead

Instagram: @chicocurlyhead

Spotify: Chicocurlyhead

2. Jesse Baez

In an Apple Music interview, Chicago-born, Guatemalan-raised artist Jesse Baez said his top 3 all-time favorite albums included Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago, Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE, and Selena’s Amor Prohibido (Bonus Track Version) which highlights the artist’s diverse musical influences. Baez’s first performance as a solo artist took place in 2016 at Mexico City’s prestigious Ceremonia Festival, emerging as one of the first in a new wave of contemporary R&B en Español artists almost a decade ago. In April 2022, he released his well-received debut album, “Amor en Español” showcasing his narrative songwriting abilities. Since, he’s released a few singles including “Hablas,” “No Sé Vivir,” and “Pienso En Vos” in the last few months. 

TikTok: @jessebaez

Instagram: @jessebaez

Spotify: Jesse Baez

1. Daymé Arocena

In February, grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban star Daymé Arocena released her new album, an expansion into R&B, bossa nova, funk, and neo-soul. Recorded and produced in Puerto Rico with Eduardo Cabra of Calle 13, the album is titled Alkemi which is the Yoruba word for alchemy. The lead single “Suave y Pegao” features Dominican reggaetonero Rafa Pabön and “A Fuego Lento,” which was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Song of the Year, features Dominican singer Vicente Garcia. The 32-year-old artist grew up in Santos Suárez, a neighborhood in Havana, with a family immersed in rumba folklore. Arocena first received recognition for infusing Afro-Cuban folklore and a Latin-inspired Jazz sound which can be heard on her first solo album, “Nueva Era” in 2015.

TikTok: @daymearocena

Instagram: @daymearocena

Spotify: Daymé Arocena

These five artists represent a small fraction of the growing R&B en Español scene. In 2023, Billboard reported Spanish is now the second most listened-to language in music in the U.S., according to research presented by Luminate CEO Rob Jonas during Billboard Latin Music Week. This includes Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Bachata, Latin Trap/ Reggaeton, and Regional Mexican Music which grew +56 percent in on-demand audio streams through the first 34 weeks of 2023. 

As for 2024, Reggaeton and Urban Pop artist Karol G became the first Latina to win Woman of the Year at the Billboard Women in Music Awards. Then, Young Miko debuted on Coachella’s main stage after months of sold-out shows on her Trap Kitty tour.

These trends indicate that more Latin music genres could gain popularity among U.S. listeners in 2025.