Spanish musicians have played an essential part in shaping Western music and Latin American musical genres alike.
Trap in Espanol, urbano with its catchy melodies or reggaeton’s thunderous dembow are just some of the forms of Spanish music that have taken over charts worldwide.
These artists, from Julio Iglesias to Rocio Durcal, have made an indelible mark both on Spain and internationally.
1. Bad Gyal
Alba Farelo (more popularly known by her stage name Bad Gyal) isn’t afraid to live life on her own terms, making a mark as one of Latin music’s rising stars with an original reggaetonera identity that blends streetwise femininity with American hip-hop attitude.
“Alocao,” her debut single released with Omar Montes in collaboration, was a massive success both within Spain and internationally in 2019; and now, the Catalan singer-songwriter is gearing up for sold-out shows across Europe and Latin America. Her musical influences span dancehall, reggaeton and trap music genres.
She blends these genres with her own signature flair, providing lyrics about youth and sexuality with a refreshing feminist edge. While it wouldn’t be fair to describe her music as revolutionary, she fits rather comfortably within a loosely defined genre called “future reggaeton”, expanding its boundaries alongside artists such as Tomasa del Real and Ms Nina Los Santos.
2. Luis Miguel Gonzalez Bose
Luis Miguel Gonzalez Bose, commonly referred to as Miguel Bose, was born April 3rd 1956 in Panama City to Italian actress Lucia Bose (real name Lucia Borloni) and bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin – two influential individuals for whom his family held close connections such as Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.
Miguel Bose began exploring his talents as a singer after an established acting career, trying out different styles and genres before finding success during the late 70s and early 1980s.
Between 1977 and 1982 he became a beloved teen idol across Italy, Spain and Latin America with 7 top ten hits. In 1985 his song Bandido went straight to number one across all countries charts as an erotica-generational symbol.
3. Marta Sanchez Lopez
Marta Sanchez Lopez first entered pop music as part of Ole Ole in 1987, moving to New York shortly thereafter with her boyfriend Sterling Campbell (drummer for Duran Duran). By 1993, her debut album Mujer had been released.
Sanchez’s previous Fresh Sound release, 2015’s Partenika, garnered praise from Ethan Iverson for its unconventional take on group dynamics and structure. On Nebulosa she explores deeper still, with musicians showing an impressive aptitude for both melodic development and reflective dynamic shading.
Dovetailing lines, capering rhythms and colorful harmonies emerge unexpectedly throughout Sanchez’s music; she paves byways instead of heading directly toward any given idea or goal. Roman Filiu, Jerome Sabbagh, Rick Rosato and Daniel Dor are able to fully grasp her complex yet ever-evolving structures with uncanny precision.
4. David Bustamante
David Bustamante is a Spanish singer-songwriter known for captivating audiences around the globe with his mesmerizing voice. He first rose to fame after placing third on Operacion Triunfo TV show in 2001.
Since then, he has gone on to release numerous chart-topping albums and become a household name. Additionally, he is well known for his charitable and philanthropic activities and involvement with various social projects.
Though some have likened Bustamante to salsa romantica stars Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, his own unique style stands out. Additionally, his experiments in different musical genres has allowed him to reach more listeners.
David Bustamante’s live performance is captured here in stunning photographic form, as the stage lights cast an ethereal glow over him and his audience, creating a magical ambience which reminds us all of music’s lasting impact on human consciousness.