Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

RADAR Artist Villano Antillano Delivers Her Magical' Brand of Latin Rap to Fans Around the World

07/12/2022

As one of Latin rap's first transgender artists, Villano Antillano is a true trailblazer who has carved out a revolutionary path. She's not only made her way onto more than 40 Spotify playlists-including Viva Latino-but has also been featured on multiple Exitos & Top 50 lists. Now we're excited to welcome Villano to share her personal, unfiltered story with fans across the world as our latest RADAR artist.

Spotify's RADAR program spotlights emerging talents from around the globe, and in partnering with Villano, we're also amplifying an incredible talent from a largely underrepresented community within the urban music scene in particular.

Born in Bayam n, a suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Villano generated early buzz with tracks such as Pajara, Culo, and Mu eca, the latter of which was recorded with nonbinary rapper Ana Macho.

In 2021, Villano enjoyed viral success with the release of her single Vendetta, and went on to feature on Bizarrap's Bzrp Music Session, Vol. 51. She then released the single KLK, which has generated more than 900,000 global streams to date, was featured as a panelist at the 2022 Latin American Music Conference, and was named one of its 2022 Wonder Women of Latin Music.

And just last week, Villano celebrated the release her debut album La Sustancia X, a project that embodies the beauty and horror of growing up queer in the Caribbean.

As part of the RADAR program, we will be releasing the first live recorded performances of Villano's new tracks, Kaleidosc pica and C scara de Coco.

For the Record had a chance to talk with Villano to learn more about how her experiences and inspirations are reflected in her music.

What are you looking forward to most as Spotify's latest RADAR artist? I think being highlighted as Spotify's latest RADAR artist is an affirmation of progress and a shift towards raw authenticity. At a personal level I feel very blessed and empowered because I have had to overcome so much to be here. It's nice to look back and see that, after everything, I have remained victorious. I want the up-and-coming generations to have as many diverse role models as possible-and I believe that myself and a number of other queer artists are heralding a new era.

I want to reach as many people as possible with a message of power and defiance; I want to wake them up and to have them ask themselves the big questions in the pursuit of happiness.

For new fans, how would you describe your music? I'd say my music is tantric. It's a buildup. It flares you up and makes you feel sexy and in control, but it's also very political and concise. I think that if you pay attention, I play into the conventionalities of pop music and exaggerate elements of consumerism and vanity as a form of critique while also admitting that I partake in some of these things as well.

I'd say my music is just human, admitting to your shortcomings and rising above them with prowess and without guilt. From the trap/reggaet n perspective my music is also very dark and antagonistic; it's also subversive and upsets the delicate egos of a lot of powerful men. I take that into account in my creation process.

Who inspires you, musically? Sade, Gustavo Cerati, Willie Col n, Rub n Blades, Silvio Rodr guez, Buika, Myrta Silva, La Lupe, Bebe, Tego Calder n, H ctor El Father , Ivy Queen, Frankie Ruiz . . . the list goes on. Nicki Minaj has also been one of, if not THE biggest inspiration in my musical development. Maybe it's a Caribbean connection, but the way we bend colonially imposed languages and adapt them to us, we both speak in very magical ways. To me she's a writer, and a lot of people don't catch half of the metaphors or puns Nicki crafts into her verses. She elevates anything she touches and I admire and respect that a lot.

Many of your projects touch on the realities of growing up as a queer person in the Caribbean. Can you tell us a bit about that? The Caribbean is a magical place-anyone that is actually from here can attest to that. But all of the islands have a horrible history of atrocious abuse, colonialism, and enslavement. Puerto Rico is still to this day a colony of the United States with absolutely no sovereignty, and growing up in a place without freedom is confusing.

There is a lot of poverty in the Caribbean, and most queer youth end up living in difficult and inhumane conditions. We survive as a community, help each other in the ways we can, and hold each other's hands when there is nothing we can do. I think this pushes us to exercise and perfect our magic and crafts, because as Puerto Ricans, we are very proud and resilient, and LGBTTQIA+ youth on the island are the most revolutionary of all demographics.

I have a beautiful story to tell because as an artist, I employ realismo m gico to showcase very terrible things that need to be discussed with urgency in a more palatable way. It's all about awareness. I had to leave home at 17 because of my identity and sexual orientation. I did everything I could to survive and I held on to my friends when I thought I couldn't keep going or didn't see the point in doing so. All I can say is that growing up queer in the Caribbean is dangerous, painful, emotionally unbearable, almost always tied to poverty and living under the constant hunt of the church (which is basically the government) and many other terrible things.

But I would not be anything else. I am where I have to be with the people I have to be with, and in so much chaos we have crafted for ourselves a network of happiness and strength that is the only peace I've known, and the only one I need.

How important is it to represent queer voices in Latin rap? We are at a pivotal moment in history. Women are at the forefront of the push for change. Men are starting
LINK: https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-12-07/radar-artist-villano-antillano...
See more stories from spotify

More from Spotify

09/05/2025

Spotify Data Reveals Eurovision 2025 Fan Favorites, With Sweden's KAJ Leading the Pack

As excitement builds for the annual Eurovision Song Contest, Spotify data offers...

07/05/2025

Experience a New Dimension of Music Discovery With More Controls and Enhanced Tools

Discovering music should feel effortless and fun. That's why Spotify continu...

06/05/2025

Spotify Amplifies Colombia's Booming Local Music Scene With Sbele a Eso' Initiative

In Colombia, music isn't just background noise-it's center stage. It'...

06/05/2025

La nueva apuesta de Spotify para destacar la msica local en Colombia: Sbele a Eso'

En Colombia, la m sica no suena de fondo: es el centro del escenario. Es el cora...

06/05/2025

Spotify Introduces Plays, a New Way To See What Content Is Resonating With Podcast Fans

At Spotify, we always seek ways to connect users with their next favorite podcas...

06/05/2025

In Mumbai, Our Public Affairs Chief, Dustee Jenkins, Spotlights the Role of Spotify in the Growth of India's Music Industry

Since Spotify's 2019 launch in India, the growth of the country's local ...

05/05/2025

Loreen, Nemo, and More Reimagine Eurovision Anthems for Spotify Singles

As Europe gears up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Spotify is celebrating the spirit of unity and musical legacy with a new series of Spotify Singles. Fiv...

02/05/2025

Following Landmark Court Ruling, Spotify Submits New App Update to Apple to Benefit U.S. Consumers

Updated May 9, 2025: Earlier this morning Spotify submitted a new update. If app...

02/05/2025

Spotify and FC Barcelona Collab With Travis Scott on a Special Cactus Jack Shirt and Exclusive Concert

Since 2022, Spotify and FC Barcelona have brought the worlds of music and footba...

02/05/2025

Spotify Sparks UK Returns To Bring Together Advertisers and Creators

With more than 678 million users worldwide tuned in to Spotify, we're at the heart of music and culture. Our unrivaled global community of artists, songwrit...

01/05/2025

Best in Class' Touts the Anthems That Defined Student Listening in Celebration of This Year's 2025 College Graduates

After four years of lectures, study sessions, exams, and parties, college senior...

30/04/2025

Spotify and EA SPORTS Team Up To Pilot a New Kind of Audio Experience

EA SPORTS FC 25 fans in Australia and Saudi Arabia, get ready to immerse yourselves in the beautiful game like never before. Spotify is excited to announce a n...

30/04/2025

Tucker Wetmore Celebrates His Debut Album Release With an Intimate Performance for Fans

The past year has been nothing short of a whirlwind for Tucker Wetmore. After th...

30/04/2025

Spotify Celebrates Mexico's Booming Podcast Scene With First-Ever Podcast Awards

Mexico's love for podcasts is no longer a trend-it's a lifestyle. With m...

29/04/2025

Spotify rapporterar intkter fr frsta kvartalet 2025

Idag rapporterar vi f r det f rsta kvartalet 2025, och vi inleder ret starkt med ett resultat som vertr ffar f rv ntningarna inom v ra nyckeltal. Vi levererad...

29/04/2025

Spotify Reports First Quarter 2025 Earnings

Today, we announced our first quarter 2025 earnings, starting the year off strong by outperforming across key metrics, including the highest Q1 Subscriber net a...

29/04/2025

Celebrate Arab Heritage Month With the Local Genres and Artists Making Waves Globally

April is Arab Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the vibrant creators from acro...

28/04/2025

From Audio to Video, Spotify's $100 Million Payout Fuels Creator Success Stories

Podcasts have become a cornerstone of the Spotify experience, evolving from a ni...

28/04/2025

Spotify Lends a Helping Hand to NYC Neighbors, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Each April, runners and walkers of all stripes gather together in Lower Manhattan for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum 5K. This race remembers those killed on Septemb...

24/04/2025

Spotify Expands AI Playlist in Beta to Premium Listeners in 40+ New Markets

Playlists have always been at the heart of the Spotify experience. Since AI Playlist in beta launched last year, Premium users have used it to create millions o...

24/04/2025

How Latin Artists Are Thriving Both at Music Festivals and on Spotify

From the California desert and Chicago's Grant Park to New York City's Flushing Meadows Corona Park and beyond, music festivals this spring and summer w...

24/04/2025

82 Artists, 10 Countries, Limitless Sounds: Meet the RADAR Asia Class of 2025

The sounds of Asia are as diverse and vibrant as the continent itself. From the lively beats of Indonesian pop to the gritty rhymes of Pinoy hip-hop, the region...

22/04/2025

Celebrate Earth Day With New Music Featuring the Sounds of Nature

Music has the power to connect us to one another and to the world around us. Spotify is once again teaming up with the Museum for the United Nations - UN Live&#...

22/04/2025

Spotify and ELLE Once Again Collaborate in Celebration of Emerging Women in Music

Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all g...

22/04/2025

Celebrate Earth Day With Audiobooks That Educate and Entertain

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22. On Spotify, listeners can explore a world of stories about our planet in our...

15/04/2025

Indian Artists Are Reaching More Global Fans Than Ever Before (and the Data Proves It)

In March this year, Spotify unveiled its annual Loud & Clear report, a transpare...

15/04/2025

Spotify Expands Its Audiobooks Offering To Listeners In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein

As the world's most popular audio-streaming subscription service, Spotify is...

14/04/2025

Rocket Scientist Aisha Bowe Shares Her Space-Bound Soundtrack in Honor of Historic Blue Origin Flight

On Monday, April 14, Blue Origin's NS-31 mission lifted off from Launch Site...

14/04/2025

Celebrating the Vibrant Traditions That Make Global Fandoms Unique With New Campaign

Whether it's having first access to tickets, being a part of once-in-a-lifet...

11/04/2025

Spotify Invests 1 Million To Help Authors and Publishers Produce More Audiobooks

Since entering the audiobooks space in 2022, Spotify has positively impacted the industry, paying out hundreds of millions of dollars to rights holders on an an...

11/04/2025

Uncover a Cult Conspiracy in New Scripted Thriller DIAL' From Spotify Argentina and Kuarzo

Latin America's love for scripted audio is about to get a thrilling new chap...

08/04/2025

FC Barcelona Star Lamine Yamal Shares His Favorite Locker Room Jams On the Latest Edition of Bara Matchday

As part of the first-of-its kind partnership between Spotify and FC Barcelona, w...

03/04/2025

Spotify Tunes Up Platform To Make It Easy for Advertisers To Buy, Create, and Measure

Spotify Advertising hit a new high note today as we unveiled how we're makin...

03/04/2025

The Three Key Takeaways for Advertisers From Our Spotify Advance Event

The next stage of Spotify Advertising has arrived. Today, during our Spotify Advance event in New York City, we unveiled a host of updates that make it easier f...

03/04/2025

Spotify Celebrates Its Next Stage of Advertising in New York City

Some of the biggest names in marketing, advertising, publishing, traditional and social media, and the creative worlds gathered yesterday at Chelsea Factory in ...

01/04/2025

Inside USHER's Star-Studded Black Box' Event in London

USHER's London takeover is in full swing. After kicking off his sold-out run of shows at the O2 Arena to rave reviews, the R&B icon joined forces with Spoti...

27/03/2025

The Spotify Partner Program Expands To Nine New Markets, Giving More Creators New Ways To Monetize Their Content

Since announcing the Spotify Partner Program last fall, we've heard from cre...

26/03/2025

Svenska artister genererar rekordutbetalningar frn Spotify: 1,9 miljarder under 2024

nda sedan Spotify grundades har vi arbetat h rt f r att ka betalningsviljan f r...

26/03/2025

Meet the New Class of Artists Shaping the Future of Spanish Music

Spotify's RADAR program spotlights rising talent from around the world, and in Spain, it's been making waves since 2020. Five years in, RADAR Spain has ...

20/03/2025

Our New Concerts Near You Playlist Makes It Fun and Easy To Discover Touring Artists

Spotify listeners love discovering new artists and songs, but they also love fin...

18/03/2025

Celebrate Women's History Month With These Empowering Audiobooks

Looking for inspiration this Women's History Month? Discover the stories of trailblazing women with audiobooks on Spotify. Our Women's History Month aud...

18/03/2025

Podcasts Take Center Stage at SXSW as Top Creators Discuss Video's Impact

From morning commutes to late-night listening sessions, Spotify is the essential daily companion for millions of listeners globally. Podcasts, in particular, ha...

14/03/2025

Bill Simmons Reflects on Five Years of The Ringer

Time flies when you're having fun and we can confidently say that Bill Simmons, founder of The Ringer and Spotify's Head of Talk Strategy, is having not...

13/03/2025

How Spotify Is Driving Growth, Discovery, and Innovation in the Audiobook Market

Spotify took center stage at the London Book Fair this week, reaffirming our commitment to the audiobook market and showcasing our impact on the publishing indu...

13/03/2025

Spotify Audiobooks Launches a New Publishing Program for Independent Authors

At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing ...

12/03/2025

Como o Impacto Cultural e Financeiro da Indstria Musical Define Seu Sucesso em 2025

O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...

12/03/2025

Cmo el impacto cultural y financiero de la industria musical define su xito en 2025

Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...

12/03/2025

Nourish Mind, Body, and Soul This Ramadan With Spotify

Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...

12/03/2025

How the Music Industry's Cultural and Financial Impact Define Its Success in 2025

Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...

11/03/2025

Salsa's Rhythmic Revival: A New Generation Discovers the Genre's Timeless Appeal

Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...