As one in every of Latin rap’s first transgender artists, Villano Antillanois a real trailblazer who has carved out a revolutionary path. She’s not solely made her means onto greater than 40 Spotify playlists-including Viva Latino-but has additionally been featured on a number of Exitos & Prime 50 lists. Now we’re excited to welcome Villano to share her private, unfiltered story with followers internationally as our newest RADARartist.
Spotify’s RADAR programspotlights rising skills from across the globe,and in partnering with Villano, we’re additionally amplifyingan unimaginable expertise from a largely underrepresented neighborhood inside the city music scene specifically.
Born in Bayamón, a suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Villano generated early buzz with tracks reminiscent of “Pajara,” “Culo,” and “Muñeca,” the latter of which was recorded with nonbinary rapperAna Macho.
In 2021, Villano loved viral success with the discharge of her single “Vendetta,” and went on to characteristic on Bizarrap‘s “Bzrp Music Session, Vol. 51.” She then launched the one “KLK,” which has generated greater than 900,000 international streams up to now, was featured as a panelist on the 2022 Latin American Music Convention, and was named one in every of its 2022 Surprise Girls of Latin Music.
And simply final week, Villano celebrated the discharge her debut album La Sustancia X, a undertaking that embodies the sweetness and horror of rising up queer within the Caribbean.
As a part of the RADAR program, we can be releasing the primary stay recorded performances of Villano’s new tracks, “Kaleidoscópica” and “Cáscara de Coco.”
For the Reporthad an opportunity to speak with Villano to be taught extra about how her experiences and inspirations are mirrored in her music.
What are you wanting ahead to most as Spotify’s newest RADAR artist?
I feel being highlighted as Spotify’s newest RADAR artist is an affirmation of progress and a shift in direction of uncooked authenticity. At a private stage I really feel very blessed and empowered as a result of I’ve needed to overcome a lot to be right here. It is good to look again and see that, after every thing, I’ve remained victorious. I need the up-and-coming generations to have as many numerous position fashions as possible-and I imagine that myself and quite a lot of different queer artists are heralding a brand new period.
I wish to attain as many individuals as potential with a message of energy and defiance; I wish to wake them up and to have them ask themselves the massive questions within the pursuit of happiness.
For brand new followers, how would you describe your music?
I would say my music is tantric. It is a buildup. It flares you up and makes you are feeling attractive and in management, nevertheless it’s additionally very political and concise. I feel that if you happen to concentrate, I play into the conventionalities of pop music and exaggerate components of consumerism and vainness as a type of critique whereas additionally admitting that I partake in a few of these issues as nicely.
I would say my music is simply human, admitting to your shortcomings and rising above them with prowess and with out guilt. From the lure/reggaetón perspective my music can also be very darkish and antagonistic; it is also subversive and upsets the fragile egos of loads of highly effective males. I take that into consideration in my creation course of.
Who evokes you, musically?
Sade, Gustavo Cerati, Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Silvio Rodríguez, Buika, Myrta Silva, La Lupe, Bebe, Tego Calderón, Héctor “El Father”, Ivy Queen, Frankie Ruiz. . . the checklist goes on. Nicki Minajhas additionally been one in every of, if not THElargest inspiration in my musical growth. Perhaps it is a Caribbean connection, however the best way we bend colonially imposed languages and adapt them to us, we each converse in very magical methods. To me she’s a author, and lots of people do not catch half of the metaphors or puns Nicki crafts into her verses. She elevates something she touches and I like and respect that rather a lot.
A lot of your initiatives contact on the realities of rising up as a queer particular person within the Caribbean. Are you able to inform us a bit about that?
The Caribbean is a magical place-anyone that’s truly from right here can attest to that. However all the islands have a horrible historical past of atrocious abuse, colonialism, and enslavement. Puerto Rico continues to be to today a colony of america with completely no sovereignty, and rising up in a spot with out freedom is complicated.
There’s loads of poverty within the Caribbean, and most queer youth find yourself residing in troublesome and inhumane circumstances. We survive as a neighborhood, assist one another within the methods we will, and maintain one another’s palms when there may be nothing we will do. I feel this pushes us to train and excellent our magic and crafts, as a result of as Puerto Ricans, we’re very proud and resilient, and LGBTTQIA+ youth on the island are probably the most revolutionary of all demographics.
I’ve a wonderful story to inform as a result of as an artist, I make use of realismo mágicoto showcase very horrible issues that should be mentioned with urgency in a extra palatable means. It is all about consciousness. I needed to depart residence at 17 due to my id and sexual orientation. I did every thing I may to outlive and I held on to my mates once I thought I could not preserve going or did not see the purpose in doing so. All I can say is that rising up queer within the Caribbean is harmful, painful, emotionally insufferable, virtually at all times tied to poverty and residing underneath the fixed hunt of the church (which is principally the federal government) and plenty of different horrible issues.
However I’d not be the rest. I’m the place I’ve to be with the folks I’ve to be with, and in a lot chaos we’ve got crafted for ourselves a community of happiness and power that’s the solely peace I’ve recognized, and the one one I want.
How essential is it to signify queer voices in Latin rap?
We’re at a pivotal second in historical past. Girls are on the forefront of the push for change. Males are beginning to ask themselves what it’s they really convey to the desk, as a result of an increasing number of girls at the moment are in a position to assist themselves with out the assistance of a person who will almost definitely simply find yourself tossing her loads of emotional labor and projected insecurities. The newer generations are much more conscious of the place we’re headed, and the long run is most undoubtedly snowballing into queerness. It is vital proper now to uplift queer voices in Latin rap-but additionally throughout all genres-so that every one identities are rightfully represented and we will transfer previous the murderous patriarchal system that has divided us a lot.
I do know if I had had a trans position mannequin early in my life I’d have felt rather a lot much less lonely and just a little extra understood, as a result of typically that’s the line between life and dying for youngsters who really feel misplaced and uncared for by these round them. Additionally, as a result of most, if not ALL, present cishet artists, each female and male, are presently benefiting and profiting off of queer tradition, it makes good sense for the individuals who invented mentioned tradition and developments to be on the forefront of their very own revolution.
Do you may have any recommendation for different rising artists?
Take time to search out and excellent your sound and be taught as a lot as you possibly can about every thing you possibly can: cinematography, audio engineering, sound design, vogue, historical past of artwork, literature. Soak within the arts that you just like and that resonate with you, and let your self paint a more moderen image that displays your model of issues and the way you see life. Let it come to you.
Try tracks from Villano and the remainder of our rising artists on Radar US.
