You’ve heard them – Miguel, Demi Lovato, Becky G, Jennifer Lopez – all US Latino pop stars who randomly decided to sing in Spanish. Why? What were the reasons behind it? Is it a money-grabbing business move or is it a genuine rediscovery of their cultural roots? Music journalist Isabela Raygoza and I explore whether Latino music listeners buy into their strategy to reach them in their language or if it stinks of commerce. In this podcast episode, we discuss if US Latino pop stars singing in Spanish are being disingenuous about their love of their roots or if they are for real.
“Language – it doesn’t define your identity, but it reinforces it.” – Isabela Raygoza
Episode Summary
-Miguel and Demi Lovato singing in Spanish
-Cultural differences between US Latinos and Latin Americans
-Criteria for being a Spanish-language Latino artist
-American accents in Spanish singing
-Selena and her bilingualness
-Jennifer Lopez’s first Spanish album
-Beyonce’s Spanish album
-Music and identity politics
Update March 2026
This conversation was recorded when singing in Spanish was still a risk for US-born Latino artists. That is no longer the case. Becky G went from testing Spanish-language singles to winning Latin Grammys. Selena Gomez released Revelación, an entire EP in Spanish, and earned a Grammy nomination. The question asked in this episode – “is it real or is it commerce?” – got answered by the market. Bilingual music from US Latinos is now a multi-billion dollar category. The debate moved on.
