The Rebirth Issue

Whether it was classical music night playing Rummikub with my grandparents, listening to rock and hip hop in the car with my brother, or listening to reggaeton with my friends on a night out, I can remember very few truly quiet moments. 

My relationship with music sparked the moment I decided to move from Perú to New York City. The first couple of weeks were lonely and my only friends seemed to be my string headphones and the city streets. 

I couldn’t help myself from leaning toward my Latin music playlists —a broad mix of Santana, Soda Stereo, Bejo, and, the most remarkable one, Arca. When I blasted them in my headphones and closed my eyes, it felt like I never left home. 

“Piel” and “Rakata” by Arca were some of the songs that helped me transition from being in Latin America to being in the States—which is ironic to say given that she’s a Venezuelan artist. Yet, she took an iconic song, “Rakata” by Wisin & Yandel, and turned it into an electronic experience with the undertone of reggaeton sounds. 

It made me feel, in a way, I could blend a new culture into my life. 

Thanks to the power of music, it was easy to find a community here in the city, as it managed to gather a group of Latin people together, seamlessly. I started by going out to places that would play different types of Latin music. I realized they were not just playing the older, traditional songs people are tired of hearing, like “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee, but also music from new Latinx artists that are transforming the idea of what Latin music can be. 

From challenging the gender inequality present in reggaeton to influencing the world of high fashion, a new wave of Latinx artists is coming into play. 

“Reggaeton used to thrive by selling sex and ideas “machistas” to the public and up to this day is recognized for being a male-dominated industry,” says Naomi Uchida Chavez, 20, first-generation Chilean, and an advertising and marketing communications student at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). 

But, what happens when artists that challenge these ideas start to take over the genre? A cry for help is recognized. 

Many have been screaming for social change that includes more female, people of color, and queer representation inside of the genre. We are finally starting to see this throughout the music of Latinx artists like Arca, Kali Uchis, Karol G, Young Miko, and Villano Antillano.

Inspiring people like me to live life and rebel, explore alternative styles of clothing and aesthetics, and feel more confident embracing my personal style that in most moments went against the traditional ideas I grew up around. Being in the States not only made me appreciate the Latin music I grew up listening to but to rediscover the beauty in my culture. 

“What I like about Kali Uchis is how she can connect both of her Colombian and American identities, but especially what she represents in the media for me, which is a more realistic version of what a Latina woman looks like,” says Uchida. 

It’s surreal to see Latinx artists model for high-end fashion brands like Kali Uchis for GCDS, Arca walking for Mugler during FW23, and now Karol G starring for Loewe’s most recent “Paula’s Ibiza” collection brings a surreal feeling into the Latino community, as the fashion industry is predominantly white-dominated. 

Seeing Latinx people in mainstream media not only brings recognition to a marginalized community but also a sense of validation. Latin traits and aesthetics have been looked down upon through the eyes of fashion, but hidden behind the inspiration of some of the most well-known designers that catalog this culture as ‘exotic’ and profit from them by culturally appropriating their pieces. For example, in 2020, Isabel Marant, a French fashion designer, was accused by the Mexican Government itself of appropriating traditional indigenous patterns for her collection. 

However, it doesn’t stop there. Having platforms like TikTok, where microtrends can spread as rapidly as a virus, we see the predominantly, white female demographic steal from Latin and other cultures to create trends that fit their narrative, such as the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ that took the slick bun look, gold hoops, and glossy lips from Latinx and black communities and claimed it as their own. 

Having Hailey Bieber line her lips with brown lip liner and top it off with gloss seemed to be revolutionary and something never seen before. Meanwhile, it's been a forever staple of the Chicana makeup style that has forever been frowned upon by white people. We see other things like chunky gold hoops, the slick bun look, and raffia palm bags trending on the internet ignoring any single trace of its Latin roots.  

What is the stigma behind Latins breaking from the traditional and stereotypical norms?

“Moving to the States made me realize how often people tend to live and act based on certain labels related to their cultures. Which is totally fine I mean we all do to a certain extent, but this becomes a problem when for example us Latinx people sell ourselves to fulfill the Latino stereotype recognized by most Americans,” says Antonia Rojas, 20, first-generation Chilean, owner of the clothing brand Tonya, and a fashion business management student at FIT. 

There seems to be a sense of guilt when we break from these stereotypes, like how if you don’t know how to properly dance Bachata, can you even call yourself Latin? This is why it’s so inspiring to see artists like Arca break with what’s known to challenge our minds into seeing new perspectives. 

Arca has always had a hot and subversive style and aesthetic, wearing brands ranging from Rick Owens, Mugler, to even small independent brands like Tercer Mundo. Rather than seeing Latinx artists influence the fashion industry, they are the ones bringing alternative and high-fashion into the Latin market.

“Fashion is all about seeing the beauty in things and turning them into art,” says Rojas. Rojas explained how while window shopping around the uptown Harlem area, she was mesmerized by a colorful display of wigs. “I said no way those are all the Laica girls lined up! I then took a picture that would serve as inspiration for my design. I don’t necessarily relate all my art back to my culture although there are many pieces in my collection inspired by Santiago, but what can I do about it? I’ve lived there for the majority of my life.” says Rojas. 

“Quitamé la piel” by Arca, for me, refers to how I want to be taken out of my skin, my Latin ethnicity, to be also appreciated for who I am as a person. We need to open ourselves to the idea of experimenting and submerging into what the alternative side of Latin culture can be, which in the long run will help reach a broader audience that wouldn’t have expected to feel a sense of belonging in the first place.