VeneSuena: The new generation of Venezuelan artists conquering the world without forgetting their roots.

In the same land where anthems like "Caballo Viejo" (by Simón Díaz), with over 400 versions in twelve languages, "Onda Nueva" (New Wave) by Aldemaro Romero, and "El Burrito Sabanero" by Hugo Blanco, were born, rhythms that connect with Caribbean, urban, and Latin roots are now emerging. From that same territory, a new league of Venezuelan musicians has revolutionized the industry with huge numbers, international stages, and innovative offerings that are being presented in many parts of the world, except in their home country.

Danny Ocean, Elena Rose, Akapellah, Rawayana, Mau y Ricky, Lagos, and Motherflowers are the artists who join together in VeneSuena, a movement made up of this new generation that stands up for the Bolivarian country and has gained international recognition, despite the sociopolitical crisis in Venezuela that has drastically affected the Experiencia Roja and Caracas Pop festivals; led to the closure of iconic record labels like Sonográfica and Sonorodven; and the withdrawal of multinational labels from the country. This has made making a living from music, especially independently, something almost unattainable.

Even so, these seven artists have managed to attract attention on digital platforms, international events, and award shows like the Latin Grammys and Premios Lo Nuestro. In October 2023, several of them graced the cover of Billboard en Español, a clear sign of the historic moment Venezuelan music is experiencing.

This has been possible because many of these singers and songwriters have put down roots in Miami or Mexico City, and because Colombia has established itself as a key platform for launching their careers in the region. An example of this was the latest edition of the Estéreo Picnic Festival, which saw the largest participation of Venezuelan artists in its history. Danny Ocean performed before more than 50,000 people after Justin Timberlake's performance; Rawayana, in her second appearance at the festival, shared the main stage with Bomba Estéreo; Elena Rose shone with her powerful pop offering, and Motherflowers brought a Caribbean touch to the festival.

Their talent resonates not only with those forced to leave Venezuela due to the country's social and economic conditions. In fact, Colombia is one of the countries with the highest growth in consumption of these artists on digital platforms, with a 45% increase in genres such as urban pop. Rawayana, Akapellah, and Elena Rose surpass this rate with their organic streams, while Danny Ocean and Lagos maintain sustained increases of 20% and 16%, respectively.

Danny Ocean leads Spotify with nearly 28 million monthly listeners and a 68% growth in Colombia over the past year. He's followed by Mau y Ricky with over 11 million, Elena Rose with 8 million (with Colombia being their second largest market), Lagos and Rawayana with 5 million , Akapellah with 3 million, and Motherflowers has seen organic growth within the indie scene with nearly 200,000. Additionally, both Rawayana and Danny Ocean have been invited to NPR's prestigious Tiny Desk format, joining a select group of Venezuelan artists who have made it to the global platform.

The music of all seven artists is available on a Spotify playlist called VeneSuena.

María Jimena Delgado Díaz