Women in Latin Music
Meet eight of the most important women in the history of Spanish-language music.
Ilustración conjunto de mujeres artistas de habla hispana (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
Throughout the history of Latin music, we have enjoyed the art of great women who, with their voices, have become authentic icons and points of reference in the musical culture of the Spanish language.
Ilustración de Chavela Vargas (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
Here we will discover eight of the most important women in the history of Latin music.
Chavela Vargas
Born in Costa Rica, her heart was always in Mexico. Chavela is an iconic figure of Mexican rancheras and the bolero, a legend of 20th-century Latin music.
Ilustración de Celia Cruz (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
Many remember her for her great voice and her rebelliousness: she wore men's pants, smoked, and carried a gun. You may know some of her most famous songs: 'La Llorona,' 'Piensa en mí,' 'Paloma negra,' 'Luz de luna'...
Celia Cruz
This Cuban known as "The Queen of Salsa" and "The Guarachera of Cuba" holds a special place in the hearts of all Latin music and salsa lovers. Her style, personality, and rhythm make her one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
Ilustración de Mercedes Sossa (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
She won two Grammy Awards, one in 1989 for the album she recorded with Ray Barretto, and another in 2001 for her album Siempre Viviré. She holds a Guinness World Record for staging the largest outdoor concert with more than 250,000 people in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1987.
Mercedes Sosa
The greatest representative of Argentine folklore, Mercedes founded the Nuevo Cancionero movement. Her songs were often censored on the radio because they contained strong criticisms of the social repression that existed in the Argentine Republic at the time.
Rocío Jurado (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
She won seven Latin Grammy Awards, 11 Carlos Gardel Awards, and six Konex Awards. She won the UN's UNIFEM Award for her advocacy for women's rights.
Rocío Jurado
This Spaniard captivated the world thanks to her powerful voice and brilliance in blending Andalusian culture, orchestra, and pop. She is one of the most important singers of Andalusian copla, flamenco, romantic ballads, and melodic songs of all time.
Selena (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
Her greatest successes came in the 1970s and 1980s: 'Como una ola,' 'Señora,' 'Como yo te amo,' 'Se nos rompió el amor'… In 1995, His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain awarded her the Gold Medal of Fine Arts.
Selena Quintanilla
With Mexican roots, the singer-songwriter is the queen of Tex-Mex music, cumbia, and technocumbia. Her enormous talent, style, beauty, and iconic character made her one of the most influential artists of the 1990s.
Ilustración Shakira (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
Selena won over 170 awards: 36 Tejano Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 10 Lo Nuestro Awards, five BMI Awards, and one ASCAP Award.
Shakira
The "Queen of Latin Pop": the Colombian singer, dancer, and composer is a global icon. She has sold over 95 million records, making her the best-selling female Latin artist of all time. She was the first Latin American woman to be named "Woman of the Year" by Billboard.
Ilustración de Karol G (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
She is the winner of 13 Latin Grammys and three Grammys. Her recent hit with Bizarrap holds the record for most streams in 24 hours in Spotify's history, and is the most-watched Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours, breaking 14 Guinness World Records.
Karol G
Carolina Giraldo, a Colombian singer, songwriter, and producer, known artistically as Karol G, is breaking historical records in the world of modern urban music. She is one of only two women to have reached number one on the Top Latin Albums chart between 2020 and 2023.
Rosalía (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
At just 32 years of age, she has won two Latin Grammys and 18 Latin American Music Awards, among many other awards. Her album Mañana será bonito made history by debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, the first Spanish-language album written by a female artist to achieve this.
Rosalía
In May 2018, her first experimental flamenco album Los Angeles was a resounding success in Spain, but her worldwide fame came with her iconic album El mal querer: a sample of her great vocal skill where she mixes classic flamenco with R&B and hip hop.
Ilustración conjunto de mujeres artistas de habla hispana (2023) by Alicia AragónFundación Antonio de Nebrija
She is the winner of two Grammys and eight Latin Grammys (including Album of the Year). She has also collaborated with big artists such as Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, and Billie Eilish. She is the first artist who sings exclusively in Spanish to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine in the US.
An increasing number of female artists are breaking through within the different genres of Latin music. Despite this, there is still a lot to be done to achieve parity in contracts and conditions with their male counterparts.
Information obtained from the official websites and publications of the artists featured in this report.
We would like to thank Alicia Aragón, who illustrated this article.
Content curation: Aina Arbona
Graphic Editor: Carmen García
Consulting and review: Lola Pons (Universidad de Sevilla)
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