It's no easy feat to be as fearless and uncompromising as Villano Antillano. But for one of Latin rap's first transgender artists, it's a necessity.
Villano has been carving out a path for herself and other queer artists in Latin rap, making music that brings her challenging, raw, unfiltered experiences to the forefront in a time when queer people still face so much adversity. And now, she's also one of Spotify's first GLOW artists.
Spotify GLOW is a new global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. It's our latest initiative through our Creator Equity Fund to support people of this historically marginalized community of voices and reassert our commitment to equity in audio. It ensures that queer creators, and their contributions to music and culture, are heard and honored year-round.
Born in Bayam n, Puerto Rico, Villano generated early buzz with hard-hitting tracks such as Pajara, Culo, and Mu eca -the last of which was recorded with non-binary rapper Ana Macho.
In 2021, Villano enjoyed viral success with her feature in the single Vendetta, and went on to be on Bizarrap's Bzrp Music Session, Vol. 51. This past December, she was a featured artist for Spotify RADAR US, and at the 2022 Latin American Music Conference, Villano was named one of its 2022 Wonder Women of Latin Music. She closed last year with the release of her debut album, La Sustancia X, a project that embodies the beauty and horror of growing up queer in the Caribbean.
For the Record sat down with Villano to talk about her music, her life as a trans woman, and what makes her GLOW.
Can you tell us a little about your journey into music? It's been a long development. As a trans woman and a queer person, I didn't really have access to this world until I paved my way into it. I was just in the trenches for the longest time, so I feel like my chances for opportunities were maybe lower than they would have been for people that aren't queer because we're just shunned out of all these places. So, now I feel like I can actually get things like people on demand, or a team and resources, and I'm just getting freaky with it now because I'm much more comfortable. But it took me a while.
Growing up, did you have any queer artists who influenced you? No, because they didn't exist in the public lens. We now know the story of Cristina La Veneno, who definitely changed the trajectory of my life when I found her on YouTube. But otherwise, I have very, very foggy memories of some slightly famous trans women who were public figures because they were so sexed up. I remember reading about them in the newspaper sometimes, but it was never treated with respect and dignity. There was no way they could have just been anything but a mockery on television and radio over here.
I would say, however, there were cis-het females who went above and beyond because they really f*cked with the queer community and the queer public. Those two would be artists like Iris Chacon, who was the pillar of everything aesthetic and one of my biggest references. I feel like she's one of Puerto Rico's biggest artists. And Ivy Queen, of course, because I feel like she really took it upon herself to give the community space within her crowd and her music.
How is music used to empower queer communities? I feel that art is a mirror of society. Since the advent of civilization, music has always been present, and it's tied to the art of storytelling and how culture is kept alive through tradition. So, I feel like those things are of very fundamental importance to humanity.
Music is also a mirror of our own experiences. I make music that makes me and other queer people feel empowered, and I created that feeling for myself because I needed it. I feel like we [the queer community] are a very empowered collective globally right now and we're growing. Regardless of whatever is happening, we're forcing people to take us into account. We're here and you're going to have to deal with it. I'm glad we're moving so far away from the patriarchy because it was about time!
What makes you GLOW? Wow. A lot of things. You know, I feel like I take joy and find beauty in the little, ordinary things and in being at a point in my life where I can take a step back. Before I had access to this life and before I was a cemented and fully realized figure, I was just a poor girl from Bayam n trying to stay alive. I didn't even have access to the minimal and limited resources we have here. So the power for me to obtain these things makes me GLOW. My community makes me GLOW, my friends make me GLOW, and the fact that I can give them a life that we never thought we could achieve before makes me GLOW.
If you had one thing you'd want listeners to take away from your music, what would it be? Fearlessness. I'm very into sci-fi and am reading the Dune novels, and I really just come back to that fear is the mind killer line. Because fear is the mind killer, and nobody should have the power to make me feel fear because nobody holds absolute power over me, you know? And I feel like I communicate that fearlessness into my music.
I feel like the life expectancy for trans people, specifically trans women according to the study, is around 35 years old. I'm 27. How, or why, would I let that limit me? It's a fact none of us can escape, so I feel like, in a way, it's what you do with that information. And what I'm going to do is not buy into this idea or narrative that there's something wrong with me or that I'm f*cked up or erroneous.
I feel like as a trans person who has medically and socially transitioned, nothing has gotten me closer to my consciousness than the fact that I have actually had to feel my existence from all spe
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
33 leading exhibitors are taking part in the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilions and linked locations across IBC2026 (Amsterdam RAI, 11 14 September)...
16/07/2026
Hitomi Broadcast will introduce Spectra, a new HDR colour verification solution measured in picture, not using VPID, at IBC2026 (Hall 10, Stand A40). Expanding ...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
16/07/2026
Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
It's no easy feat to be as fearless and uncompromising as Villano Antillano. But for one of Latin rap's first transgender artists, it's a necessity.
