Puerto Rico’s Next Big Music Movement Is Pop

A new generation of Puerto Rican artists is bringing pop back into focus, building momentum after decades in which reggaeton and its offshoots dominated the island’s international music profile. The shift matters because Puerto Rico has a history of producing major pop acts, but its artists have often received less global recognition than pop musicians elsewhere in Latin America.

Among the emerging names are ROBI, 25, Matt Louis, 29, Melodie and Karina Vélez. ROBI moved from reggaeton towards the pop music he says suits him best, scoring a 2024 hit with Young Miko and releasing his debut album, *sorry si soy GRRRIS*, after further collaborations with Latin and Spanish artists. Matt Louis, who began with atmospheric alt-R&B, explored themes of sexuality and race on his 2025 EP *GAMMA* and gained attention for club-oriented tracks including “ABA”.