5 Famous Latin Music Artists You Need to Know
If you’re a fan of Latin music, then you need to know about these five famous artists. From samba to salsa, they’ll get your feet moving and your heart pounding.
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan (born September 1, 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. She started off her career as the lead singer in the group Miami Sound Machine and released a string of successful albums with the band in the 1980s. In 1989, she suffered a serious spinal injury in a tour bus accident but made a full recovery and continued her solo career throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Her most successful album to date is 1991’s Into The Light, which sold over four million copies in the United States. Estefan has won seven Grammy Awards and is one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide.
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin American, Arabic, and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities. Shakira released her first studio albums Magia and Peligro in the early 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut Pies Descalzos (1996), and her fourth album Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998).
Shakira entered the English-language market with Laundry Service in 2001. Its lead single, “Whenever, Wherever”, became one of the most successful singles of 2002. It topped charts in more than 55 countries and became the best-selling single of the year. Since then, Shakira has released eight studio albums as well as several greatest hits albums. She has won numerous awards including two Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award for her remarkable contribution to pop music journalism, five World Music Awards and three American Music Awards.
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin is a Puerto Rican singer, actor, and author who began his career as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo. He rose to prominence as a solo artist with his debut album Ricky Martin in 1999. His albums A Medio Vivir and Vuelve both topped the Latin charts in the mid-1990s. In 1998, Martin released his eponymous Spanish-language album which included the hit single “La Copa de la Vida”. The album received critical acclaim and went on to sell more than fifteen million copies worldwide. Since then, Ricky Martin has released numerous albums including Almas del Silencio, Life, Música + Alma + Sexo, and A Quien Quiera Escuchar. In addition to his musical career, Ricky Martin has also appeared on such popular television shows as Glee and American Crime Story.
Selena Gomez
This American singer, actress and producer of Mexican descent first came to prominence as a child star on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. She has since gone on to have a successful solo music career, with hits like “Good for You”, “Same Old Love” and “Hands to Myself”. Gomez has also appeared in several films, including Spring Breakers and Hotel Transylvania.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is one of the most popular Latin music artists in the world. She has sold over 80 million records and has won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards. Lopez has starred in many films, including “Selena”, “Out of Sight”, and “The Wedding Planner”.
Born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television show “In Living Color”. Her breakout role came in the film “Selena”, in which she portrayed the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla. The film was a critical and commercial success, and Lopez became one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. She has since starred in many successful films, including “Out of Sight”, “The Wedding Planner”, and “Maid in Manhattan”. In addition to her acting career, Lopez has also established herself as a successful singer and dancer. She has released eight studio albums, which have sold over 80 million copies worldwide. Her most successful album to date is 2001’s “J.Lo”, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Lopez is also a successful businesswoman. She has launched several clothing lines, fragrances, and fashion accessories. In 2015, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth to be $300 million.
