Colombia is known for its very rich and diverse culture, including its array of musical styles from vallenato to salsa to champeta to música popular, and beyond.
Among its numerous international artists that include Shakira, Feid, Carlos Vives, Karol G, Juanes, and more, are key Afro-Colombian artists that have also shaped the country’s music industry: salsa giants Grupo Niche and the Latin Grammy-winning ChocQuibTown, for example.
The former, co-founded by the late Jairo Varela and Alexis Lozano, is named “Niche” after a name that is used to refer to dark-skinned people. Last year, Grupo Niche celebrated 40 years of its timeless hit “Cali Pachanguero,” dedicated to the city of Cali, Colombia — with its bustling carnivals, lively atmosphere and beautiful people — narrated by someone who’s far away and yearns to go back home.
“This song was already born big,” the group previously told Billboard of the song’s impact. “Just by the success it had at the fair in 1984, it began to move masses. In fact, at the beginning of those years, the song was only played in Cali because it was from that city. But today, the song has to be played everywhere. It’s a must-play song [at our concert]. Everywhere [in the world], people assume it as their own.”
Other Afro-Colombians that have led the charge include Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Totó La Momposina; Mr. Black, credited with helping steer the champeta movement; and Mauro Castillo, known for his lead role on “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” in Disney’s blockbuster Encanto.
Now, in honor of Black History Month, Billboard Latin highlights a wave of emerging Afro-Colombian artists that we have discovered, and should be on your radar. Check them out in alphabetical order below:
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50thy
Born in Santa Marta, 50thy or Fifty (real name: Freddy Steven Sierra) has been making music since he was 13. His singles such as “Sello o Cara” and “Llora” have clean, feel-good, and reflective lyrics, and serve as a testament to his “samarian flavor,” which laces Afropop, reggae, and dancehall melodies with the urban genre. For his latest bop, he teamed up with Yera on “Palomino,” a sensual bachata. In 2022, 50thy became one of the first signees at ArteFino Music, the urban division of Mexican indie label AfinArte.
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DFZM
Image Credit: Camilo Cruz The teen artist born Dylan Zambrano, from the coastal city Buenaventura, can easily navigate from a potent freestyle to an enchanting chanteo — all backed by his smooth, deep vocals. In 2023, he signed with Seven Music, Inc. and also forms part of Keityn’s management hub, La Creme. As a singer-songwriter, he has two verses on “+57,” helmed by Karol G, Feid, J Balvin, Maluma, Ryan Castro, and Blessd, and produced by Ovy on the Drums. The song’s virality earned DFZM his first Billboard chart entries across Hot Latin Songs, Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Global 200, and Global Excl. U.S.
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Hamilton
Hamilton — born in Cartagena and residing in Medellin — has been pushing the Afro-Caribbean and Amapiano (subgenre of South African house music) rhythms forward since 2019. As of last year, he began to solidify his project by dropping collaborations with Ryan Castro (“A Poca Luz”); Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez (“Atardecer”); and De La Ghetto. His debut EP Los Reyes del Mar encompasses the breezy and sunny vibes of his afrobeats. “Music that they can listen to and feel at any time. That is Afro,” he expressed in a press statement. “If you go out partying, if you are with your family, and of course if you are on the beach.”
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Jossman
In 2015, Jossman dropped his debut studio album Sublime. The 14-track set showcased his ability to navigate different musical styles from R&B to hip-hop to reggae, and beyond. Known as the “Afro King,” the singer-songwriter and producer is from Timbiquí, located on the Pacific Coast of Colombia, and has propelled the Latin Afrobeat movement thanks to bangers such as his 2020 “Todita” with former ChocQuibTown member and hitmaker Slow Mike, and “La Noche” with Puerto Rican artist Jory Boy.
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Junior Zamora
Image Credit: Nicolo Meneses His smooth vocals and sensual R&B tunes have garnered the attention of fans and movers & shakers of the industry alike. In 2023, Junior teamed up with Ovy on the Drums for “Mala Costumbre,” part of Spotify Singles. In 2024, he officially signed a record deal with Sony Music Colombia, and dropped his promising studio album (and first under the label) Joyas del Barrio — the 15-song set is a reflection of his life in his barrio, Vallado 3. That same year, Zamora won best indie alternative rock artist at Premios Nuestra Tierra. “This may be the most significant year so far for the project because of what it represents for a city, for the neighborhood, for the people,” he said of his 2024. “It’s the year in which we have faced the most shocks and the most challenges and it can only make me proud.”
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Kalido
In the midst of the pandemic, Kalido dropped his debut single “Una Llamada.” The slow reggaetón song — and other singles such as “Prende Otro” and “Pool Pool” — put his sugary and sensual vocal tones on the map. Hailing from Barranquilla, the independent artist has already teamed up with Kevin Roldan, Mariah Angeliq, Totoy el Frio and Lalo Ebratt, to name a few. His most recent collaboration is with Matt Paris, Dylan Fuentes and Cornetto on “Si Si Maria,” released under Pitbull’s Mr. 305 Records.
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Maisak
Image Credit: Camilo Cruz Maisak (real name: Maikel Rafael Rico Torres) went viral on TikTok last year with the heartfelt chorus from his song “Se Me Olvida.” “I keep forgetting that I’m your ex, that I lost you/ And now the love of my life is with the love of her life,” he passionately sings, ultimately catching the attention of Feid, who jumped on the remix. Signed to Maluma’s Royalty Records, the artist from Santa Marta began singing at a very young age thanks to his father, who’s also an artist. With popular songs such as “FDSR” with Ryan Castro, “Se Enamoró de Ella” with Noreh, and “Descaro 2.0” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, Maisak’s musical style fuses urban music with the essence of vallenato’s lyrics.
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Venesti
Image Credit: Andrés Vallejo After forming part of a salsa orchestra and even singing bachata for a few, Venesti discovered his sound in 2018. “I started to explore the music of my roots, African and Pacific, and found a nice middle point that’s a fresh Caribbean sound with Colombian fusions and African flow,” the former Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise previously said. His feel-good Afro-Colombian tunes ultimately earned him his first record label deal with AP Global Music in 2023, and his first Billboard No. 1 hit on the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart with “Umaye,” and “No Es Normal” (in collaboration with Nacho and Maffio), which topped the Latin Pop Airplay for seven weeks in 2024. The latter won the Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin pop song.
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Ysa C
Ysa C is a force to be reckoned with: beautiful, talented, and fierce. Or, how she best describes it across her social media accounts: “Authenticity, passion and sensuality are the three representative characteristics of Ysa C.” The 22-year-old emerging artist from Cali uploaded her first tune, “Ex/cusas,” to Spotify in 2023, and has been unstoppable since, releasing her EP Bella in 2024. Songs such as “No Se Dio” in collaboration with Hamilton and The Prodigiez, “Pa Toa La Vida,” and “Sola” put her dulcet vocals and saucy reggaetón melodies on the map.
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Zaider
Image Credit: Morgan Zaider’s trajectory spans 10 years, first gaining traction as a champeta (Colombian folk of Afro-Caribbean origins) artist. The artist born Zaide Junior Peralta Martínez in Cartagena released his first single in 2015 called “Te Va a Doler,” but his sound has evolved throughout the years. Today, he fuses champeta with afrobeat melodies, and is a signed artist by Sony Music Colombia. Last year, he released his debut single under the label called “Alma,” in collaboration with breakthrough Colombian act Kapo.
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