Throughout the years, Latin music has delivered songs that touch upon same-sex love, showcasing inspirational and beautiful stories about the LGBTQ community.
Willie Colon’s 1989 timeless salsa hit “El Gran Varon” tells the story of Simon, a trans woman. In the 1988 “Mujer Contra Mujer,” the Spanish pop band Mecano expressed the heartfelt love story between two women. As part of his 2014 album Formula, Vol. 2, Romeo Santos presented his track “No Tiene La Culpa,” an emotional bachata about Manuel, who was bullied by family and friends for wanting to be the opposite sex.
Most recently, Sebastian Yatra and Aitana released an exclusive video of “Las Dudas” on Facebook in honor of Pride Month. “We made a very special video of ‘Las Dudas’ to celebrate love as each person feels it,” Yatra wrote. Watch the clip here.
In addition to these empowering songs, many artists — such as Anitta, Bad Bunny, and Calibre 50 — to name a few, have championed LGBTQ couples in their music videos. Check out 20 clips below.
Jhayco – “Sensual Bebe”
Jhayco’s “Sensual Bebe” is about a girl who’s single (or not) and living her best life. “She’s not single but she does whatever she wants,” he sings. In the music video, where he portrays the DJ at a pool party, two girls are flirting with each other and hooking up.
Karol G, Mariah Angeliq – “El Makinon”
In Karol G’s “El Makinon,” in which she and Mariah Angeliq unapologetically chant about running the streets, the two artists also portray each other’s love interest. In the music video, both artists are hanging out with friends and ultimately lean in for a kiss at the end of the clip.
Grupo Firme – “Enloquéceme”
Grupo Firme released their version “Enloqueceme,” which is a clever banda-pop rendition of OV7’s 2000 pop anthem performed by Caz’s brother and second vocalist of the group, Johnny Caz. Johnny is also the protagonist of the video, which features two love interests: a man and a woman. Toward the end of the video, Johnny, who in real life is gay, decides to confess his love to his fellow male classmate.
Danna Paola – “TQ Y YA”
Mexican pop star Danna Paola has her empowering single “TQ Y YA,” which translates to “I love you. period.” Fusing reggaeton and trap beats with hints of Brazilian funk, Paola opens up about a love so real that sees no race, color, or gender. “Don’t let anyone tell me that you’re not for me,” she chants. “I don’t care what you think, love is love,” she concludes. The music video shows two women doing a sensual lyrical dance. Paola joins them in the choreography toward the end.
Jesse & Joy – “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma)”
Jesse & Joy kicked off Pride Month in 2021 by dropping a song called “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma).” “Our music will always be there to remind you that you are beautiful just as you are,” the Mexican duo expressed of the song. “It’s called ‘Love’ and talks about love being the universal language, the language that all of us should speak.” In its star-studded music video — whose profits were donated to the YAAJ MEXICO Foundation — artists such as Juanes, Kany Garcia, and Eugenio Derbez make cameos.
Chino & Nacho – “Raro”
After a four-year hiatus embarking on their solo careers, Chyno Miranda and Nacho returned in 2020 as a duo with the release of “Raro,” a pop tropical fusion that best characterizes the Chino & Nacho essence. Directed by Daniel Duran, the music video (and single) tells the story of a rare kind of love, one that’s not found nowadays. In the clip, Chino & Nacho are seen together like the good ol’ days as different couples — young, old, interracial, and same sex — are living their best life despite it all.
Residente – “Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe”
In a nearly eight-minute video, Residente spotlighted an array of couples from all over the world sharing their best kiss. The three-week project includes lip-lock sessions by Bad Bunny and his girlfriend Gabriela, Lionel Messi and his wife Antonela, and Ricky Martin and his husband Jwan Yosef. “The difficult thing is to find all of these people wanting to kiss during a pandemic and a kiss may look easy but it was very complicated and not everyone kisses,” Residente previously told Billboard.
Bad Bunny x Sech – “Ignorantes”
In “Ignorantes,” Bad Bunny is spiteful as he remembers a time when he was happy and didn’t take his relationship seriously — then, he lost everything. That story is reflected in the music video. As demonstrated by different couples, Bunny and Sech show that regardless of race or sexual orientation, we are all capable of being ignorant — and sometimes are therefore forced to let go of the person we love.
R.K.M. & Ken-Y – “Cuando Lo Olvides”
R.K.M. & Ken-Y’s “Cuando Lo Olvides” is about someone who’s trying to convince a person in a relationship that they are a better match. Released during Pride Month in 2019, the powerful music video narrates the story of a woman who’s in an abusive relationship and escapes her reality by cheating on her boyfriend with another woman. In the end, the same-sex couple ends up happily together.
Calibre 50 – “Solo Tu”
Calibre 50’s down-tempo Regional Mexican song spotlights a love that’s pure with lyrics such as “only you make me feel what love really is” and “you are my everything, without exaggerating, since the day I first saw you.” The music video, which sends out the message that love is love, features married couples, parents with their children, young couples, and same-sex couples dancing to their romantic ballad as they perform “Solo Tu.”
Alejandro Sanz, Camila Cabello – “Mi Persona Favorita”
Alejandro Sanz and Camila Cabello’s “Mi Persona Favorita,” is a feel-good Latin pop song that highlights all of the beautiful qualities a person has. The music video shows both Sanz and Cabello having a good time at the recording studio and sweet scenes of different people with their favorite person. On Instagram, Camila dedicates the song to her favorite person and little sister, Sofi.
Anitta – “Não Perco Meu Tempo”
During the filming of the music video for “Não Perco Meu Tempo” (Don’t Waste My Time), in which she locked lips with nearly 30 different people, Anitta discovered her worst and best kisses. “There’s this video of mine that I kissed like 28 people and one of those was terrible! I was, ugh! It was so bad. There were 28 people that I’ve never seen in my life!” she told Billboard. “I mean, my best kiss ever was also in that group of people.”
Esteman – “Fuimos Amor”
In his disco-pop-funk jam “Fuimos Amor,” Colombian singer-songwriter Esteman opened up about a long lost love. In the music video, Esteman is reminiscing about the good times he had with an ex-partner. “This was the first song in which I showed my most intimate self with another man without filters,” he told Billboard. “It’s a song to remember and to celebrate a love that is no longer. It’s my reality and it becomes the reality of someone else regardless of sexual identity.”
Bomba Estéreo – “Amar Así”
Three minutes, fifty-one seconds. That’s the amount of time it takes for two soldiers on a small and desolate island to wrestle in a moment of truth before they lock lips in the Bomba Estéreo music video for “Amar Así.” “The video is ultimately a metaphor as a way to challenge people and encourage them to be more tolerant,” Bomba’s Simon Mejia previously said to Billboard.
Carla Morrison – “Eres Tú”
Imagine a world where a marriage between two men is rooted in celebration, respect, and tradition. Carla Morrison’s charming song and video are the right combination in a story that’s all about love. In fact, one YouTube viewer of the video — which has received more than 42 million views — fell in love with the Mexican singer’s song, but thought the video should have ended with a kiss.
Georgle, Esteman – “El Noa Noa”
Georgel and Esteman not only revamp Juan Gabriel’s ‘80s hit with “El Noa Noa” but it also marks the first time they have collaborated together as two openly gay Latin artists. The retro-futuristic music video, produced by Autumn Leave Films in Ciudad de Juarez, celebrates love and diversity. “It looks like we’re on another planet but basically, it’s to show that when you go to ‘el noa noa,’ everyone is different,” Esteman told Billboard. “The best part is the message it sends of accepting each other in this diverse world, where everyone is welcomed and where we have freedom of speech.”
Alex Anwandter – “Tormenta”
The Chilean singer-songwriter-film director known for deep and fresh pop music writes poetically but doesn’t veer away from introducing serious themes and subjects in his music and videos. From his Rebeldes album, the “Tormenta” music video is beautifully shot in Puerto Rico. The video shows a variety of couples who don’t shy away from showing passion for each other in long embraces, major makeout sessions and even includes a steamy shower scene.
Francisco Victoria – “Marinos”
Victoria is making very cool music that has depth and speaks to the youth of today. Mentored by Anwandter, the singer-songwriter stars in a compelling coming-of-age story about love, lust and rebellion. Filmed in Cartagena — a region of Valparaíso, Chile — the video’s storyline shows the bonding of young men and the trials and tribulations of falling for someone early in life. The breathtaking end is open for interpretation.
Kany Garcia – “Bailemos un Blues”
Since coming out in early 2016, Kany Garcia has continued to ascend musically, personally, and professionally. The 2018 release of Soy Yo features masterfully written music with rich and romantic themes from the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, who enjoys a global pool of fans. Thanks to the abundant support of her Sony label and team, the results are stellar, with songs such as “Bailemos un Blues,” which includes a sweet video featuring marionettes that cleverly represent many types of people.
Gloria Trevi – “Todos Me Miran”
Talk about an anthem. Gloria Trevi’s classic “Todos Me Miran” only gets better with each listen. The song’s video opens with a handsome man who suddenly begins to cry, then he starts applying makeup. “I was only what you wanted to see,” the lyrics go. When the Mexican star performs, it’s all eyes on Trevi.
Billboard’s Justino Aguila contributed to this story.
