Spanish musicians are among the biggest stars in the music world. From groundbreaking artists such as Julio Iglesias to contemporary pop singer J Balvin, their ranks include luminaries in all types of genres.
Rosalia is an esteemed contemporary singer with an easygoing sound combining flamenco and Latin elements. Her lyrics speak directly to daily experiences that people can identify with.
Rocio Jurado
Rocio Jurado was raised in Chipiona, the epicenter of flamenco in Andalucia. To bolster her family finances she worked as a shoemaker and fruit picker; additionally she sang regularly at local radio contests.
She became an iconic symbol of Spanish culture to millions around the world.
Popularly regarded by her fans as la mas grande de Espaa (the greatest of Spain), she died peacefully at home after two years of fighting pancreatic cancer at 61.
David Bisbal
Almeria artist Alvaro Toro has made waves in Latin pop music with his emotive lyrics and captivating melodies, creating his own brand of Latin pop that uniquely blends modern pop and flamenco sounds into an unparalleled sound that stands out in this genre.
Corazon Latino was an immediate success, selling over one million copies within months and earning him two awards: Premio Ondas prize for best new artist and Cadena Dial Award.
Buleria became just as successful with fans worldwide as his debut, selling over 4 million records worldwide and producing hits like Esclavo de sus besos and Mi princesa.
Monica Naranjo
Listening to Spanish music is an excellent way to become immersed in Spanish culture and language. Many popular artists’ songs can help students acquire vocabulary and pronunciation skills more efficiently.
Shakira’s lyrics are easily understandable, and her songs often catch on in your head. Additionally, her songs often touch upon experiences most people face – making her songs relatable. Montserrat Caballe is another well-known Spanish singer with multiple albums under her name.
Pablo Alboran
Alboran songs always possess something deeply soulful; whether reminiscing about an old flame or venting personal disappointments through lyrics, there’s always something movingly emotive in his music. And even 10 years after his debut single was released, this Spanish singer continues to give fans something new with Vertigo, his comeback album of heartwarming tunes.
Alboran quickly rose to fame with the release of his 2011 self-titled debut. Terral, his 2014 follow up, continued this success by charting #1 hits across Spain.
Enrique Iglesias
In 1999, Iglesias made history as one of the first Latin crossover artists to make significant strides in English-language pop music, selling over 10 million copies worldwide of his second English-language album Escape.
Enrique Iglesias’ father wanted him to pursue a business career; however, Enrique was determined to make music his profession instead. So he began shopping his demos under the pseudonym Enrique Martinez to record labels. Fonovisa eventually signed him and the single from their album called Loco hit number one on both US and Latin charts.
Rosalia
Rosalia has successfully brought flamenco back into fashion by adapting traditional elements with urban sounds to create her own style of flamenco dancing.
Her music is energetic and passionate, and she has made headlines by performing at major festivals.
As much as she has received criticism for adopting aspects of gypsy culture, she remains undeterred by criticisms that her music appropriates them. With that in mind, her latest album offers a powerful response to all those critics, as it features influences like Kate Bush and James Blake among many others.
Pantoja
Pantoja is an artist known for fusing flamenco music with Latin pop. She has released multiple albums, known for evoking various emotions with her music.
She began her professional acting career at 7 years old when she appeared on stage for the first time with her cousin “Chiquetete”. Baldomero Negron signed her at his “tablao” in Palma de Mallorca.
Pantoja’s institution-building work was guided by her in-depth knowledge of the history and development of New York City’s Nuyorican community, with particular attention paid to empowering community members with their own voices and creating space for their voices to be heard.
Miguel Bose
Miguel Bose is an incredible singer-songwriter renowned for blending Latin and pop music styles together into one distinctive sound, famed for his deep voice and infectious melodies that have touched millions around the world.
Bose first entered the entertainment industry as an actor before transitioning into music as both an artist and singer. He gained great acclaim across Spain, Italy, and Southern Europe; Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway counted themselves among their friends. But in 2018, ten armed assailants stormed his house and held him, his two children, as well as their household help hostage until police could arrive to secure them all.