How ‘Musically Rich’ Latin-Afrobeats Crossover Efforts Have Led to Countless Chart Hits

The fusion of Latin music and Afrobeats has hit a new frequency recently, building on a yearslong overlap between the two genres that has now exploded into the mainstream. For Ozuna’s 2023 album, Afro, the artist teamed up with Nigerian musicians Davido and Omah Lay. In early 2024, Feid and Afrobeats sensation Rema joined forces on “Bubalu,” which topped Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart. And later that year, Rauw Alejandro’s “Santa” featured Rvssian and Nigerian singer Ayra Starr.

Since then, more Latin acts experimenting with the genre have entered the Billboard charts: Shakira’s “Soltera” became her 24th No. 1 on Latin Airplay; Boza and Elena Rose’s flirty “orióN” hit No. 2 on Latin Pop Airplay; and Ozuna scored his 33rd Latin Airplay No. 1 this year with “Sirenita.” As Afro Colombian singer-songwriter Gloria “Goyo” Martínez — one of the Latin artists embracing Afrobeats who will speak on the subject at Billboard’s Latin Music Week later in October — puts it, “It’s musically rich… and it refreshes what was previously happening in the industry with reggaetón.”

Goyo

On her 2025 debut solo album, Pantera, Goyo — who gained fame as part of the Latin Grammy Award-winning group ChocQuibTown — explored the sounds of Afrobeats by traveling to London to work with some of the genre’s expat producers, such as Afro B on the track “Diana.” “The sound of our collaboration is more Ugandan,” says Goyo, 43. “Afrobeats has many currents, and I had the opportunity to bring several of those sounds that are within the genre to my project.”

Kapo

Kapo spent 15 years trying to make it in music, but after visiting The Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica, his vision clicked. “After that visit, I worked on ‘Ohnana,’ ” the Colombian artist recalls of his 2024 hit. “I was in a vibe and in another tune with my vocal tones.” The feel-good Afrobeats song scored him his first Billboard chart entry, peaking at No. 30 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart in 2024. Since, the 27-year-old has remained a force on the charts, earning entries on Top Latin Albums, Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay, among others.

Venesti

Venesti, 30, scored his first Billboard chart entry when “Necesidad” debuted on Latin Rhythm Airplay in 2022. However, it was his Afrobeats-influenced “Umaye” that earned the Colombian artist his first No. 1 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay and Latin Airplay charts in 2023. And last year, his “No Es Normal” (in collaboration with Nacho and Maffio) won Latin pop song of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

This story appears in the Oct. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.