Universal Music Latin Entertainment Artists You Need to Know

Looking for some new music to add to your playlist? Check out these up-and-coming Latin artists that are making waves in the industry!

Jenni Rivera

Jenni Rivera was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter, television producer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was born on July 2, 1969, in Long Beach, CA, and died on December 9, 2012, in a plane crash in Mexico. Jenni Rivera was a popular Regional Mexican singer. She was also known as “La Diva de la Banda”.

Her career

Jenni Rivera was a force to be reckoned with in the Latin music industry. She was a successful recording artist, television star, businesswoman, and philanthropist.

Jenni released her first album in 1999, and over the next fourteen years, she would go on to release thirteen more studio albums. Her musical style was a mix of regional Mexican music and other popular Latin genres like banda, mariachi, bolero, ranchera, and cumbia. She was often referred to as the “Diva de la Banda” due to her powerful vocal range and stage presence.

Jenni’s personal life was just as colorful as her career. She was married three times and had five children. In 2012, she tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 43. At the time of her death, she was one of the most successful Latin artists in the United States.

Her personal life

Jenni Rivera was born in Long Beach, California on July 2, 1969, the eldest daughter of Rosa Saavedra and Pedro Rivera. She was the firstborn of five children; her siblings were Pedro Jr., Lupillo, Suzette, and Jacqui. As a youngster growing up in a strict household, Jenni exhibited a willful nature and often challenged her parents’ authority. Still, Jenni remained extremely close to her siblings and credits them as being key influences during her formative years.

Jenni married José Trinidad Marin on April 24, 1997; the couple had two children together before divorcing in 2003. Jenni later married Esteban Loaiza on October 27, 2007; they had one child together before divorcing in October 2009. On November 28, 2010, Jenni’s sister Suzette helped organize a press conference at which Jenni officially confirmed her engagement to baseball player Miguel Coryright-Beltran; they were married on May 21, 2011. In addition to her five siblings, Jenni is survived by her five children: Chiquis (born February 21, 1985), Jacqie (born March 10, 1986), Michael (born June 5, 1987), Jenicka (born December 11 1997), and Johnny (born March 16, 2003).

Gloria Trevi

Gloria Trevi is a Mexican singer, songwriter, television personality, actress, and businesswoman. She is known as the “Supreme Diva of the Mexican Pop” and has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Trevi has been credited for her strong female empowerment anthems, and has been a role model for women in Latin America.

Her career

Gloria Trevi was born Gloria de los Angeles Treviño Ruiz in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico on February 15, 1968. Her mother, Braulia, worked as a salesclerk and her father, Alfonso Treviño Esparza, was a former Mexican Army solider. She is the youngest of four children. When she was three years old, her family moved to Reynosa in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas where she would later begin her musical career. Growing up, she admired Selena Quintanilla and British rock band Queen.

In 1985, at the age of 17, she joined a band called Boquitas Pintadas ( Little Painted Mouths) as the lead singer. The band’s biggest hit was “Brindis Por La Noche” (“Toast for the Night”), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in 1988. The band’s career came to an end after its record label went bankrupt.

Trevi then embarked on a solo career and released her debut album “Gloria” in 1989. The album was a commercial success, selling over two million copies worldwide and spawning the hit singles “Dr. Psiquiatra” and “Mírame”. She followed up with the release of her second album “Tu Ángel de la Guarda” in 1992. The album contained such hits as “Pelo Suelto” and “Con Los Ojos Cerrados”.

Her personal life

Gloria Trevi was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico on February 15, 1968, to parents who were both schoolteachers. Her father, Armando Treviño Esquivel, is of Spanish descent, while her mother, Gladys Gabriela Silva Treviño, was born in Reynosa, Tamaulipas and is of Mexican descent with Syrian and Lebanese roots. Trevi has two younger sisters: Alejandra Silva Treviño and Maryfer Silva Treviño.

Trevi took her first singing lessons when she was eight years old. At age 13 she ran away from home to pursue a singing career. When she was 15 years old she married Armando Gomez Uranga, with whom she had two children: Ana Gabrielle (born 1985) and Armando Josué (born 1988). The marriage ended in divorce in 1993.

Selena

Her career

Born and raised in Lake Jackson, Texas, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was a crossover superstar who rose to fame in the early 1990s with a string of hit singles that crossed over from the Latin market to the mainstream pop charts. Nicknamed “The Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena was praised for her soulful, powerful voice and earned several Grammy nominations for her work. Her career came to a tragic end when she was murdered by the president of her fan club at the age of 23, but her popularity has only continued to grow in the years since her death, thanks in part to Selena’s posthumous 1997 English-language album, Dreaming of You, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Her personal life

Though her life was cut tragically short, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez lives on in the hearts of fans all over the world. She was an incredible singer, songwriter, spokesperson, actress, and fashion designer — and her work continues to inspire new generations. Here’s everything you need to know about the late Tejano superstar.

Born in 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas, Selena was raised in a Mexican-American household with two older siblings. Her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., was a former musician who later became Selena’s manager. Her mother, Marcella Samora, stayed at home to care for the children. Growing up, Selena was incredibly close to her siblings — especially her sister Suzette, who also became a member of the family band.

As a youngster, Selena showed signs of being a natural performer. In 1980, she made her stage debut singing “To Know Him Is to Love Him” at a family friend’s wedding. A few years later, she joined her father’s band as a drummer (though she had no prior experience), and eventually began singing lead vocals and playing guitar. The band went through several name changes — including Los Dinos and Selena y Los Dinos — before settling on simply Selena.

In 1987,Selena recorded her first album with the band — which was mostly made up of covers of Tejano songs — called Muñequito de Trapo. It wasn’t until three years later that she released her first album of original material , entitled Ven Conmigo. From there , Selena’s career skyrocketed. She went on to release eight more albums before her untimely death in 1995 , including four that topped Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart: Amor Prohibido ,Selena Live! , Entre A Mi Mundo , and Dreaming of You .

Throughout her career , Selena won numerous awards and broke several records . She became the first Latina singer to have four No . 1 albums on Billboard ‘s Top Latin Albums chart and she holds the record for most number – one hits on that chart by a female artist . In 1994 , she became the first Tejano artist ever to win a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/American Album .

Sadly , Selena’s life came to an abrupt end just as she was poised for crossover success . On March 31 st , 1995 , she was fatally shot by Yolanda Saldívar — the former president of Selena’s fan club who had been fired from her job as the singer’s personal assistant . Saldívar was sentenced to life in prison and is eligible for parole in 2025 .

In 1997 , two years after Selena’s death , a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez as the late singer hit theaters . The movie helped introduce Selena’s music to a whole new generation of fans and cemented Lopez as a leading lady .

More than 20 years after her death ,Selena still holds an important place in Latinx culture . Her music has been covered by everyone from Liza Minnelli to Shakira to Beck ; last year alone saw multiple tributes to the late singer at award shows like Premio Lo Nuestro and the Latin Grammys . In 2017 , Google celebrated what would have been Selena’s 46th birthday with a Google Doodle featuring one of her most iconic outfits . And just last month , MAC Cosmetics released a limited – edition collection inspired bySelenain honor of what would have been its namesake ‘s 50th birthday