By Carlos Passage
Colombia Editor in-Chief
Colombia continues its rise as one of the most powerful emerging forces in the global music industry. In Latin America, it ranks among the top five markets, behind only Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina, but among fans, it’s arguably the trendiest country, having produced the most stars of the 21st century for the rest of the world.
These are the ten best moments that made history this year in the “Pais de la Belleza,” Colombia.
Top 10
Shakira made history this year by performing 12 shows at the GNP Seguros stadium in Mexico City, the most of any tour at the iconic venue formerly known as Foro Sol, where she sold 65,000 tickets per night, according to OCESA, for a total of 780,000.
Karol G headlined Coachella, premiered her Netflix series “Mañana Fue Muy Bonito,” and reached a total of 35 hits on the Hot 100 this year thanks to “Latina Foreva,” “Papasito,” and “Verano Rosa” (Karol G & Feid).
Carlos Vives’ album “La Tierra del Olvido” turned 30. “La Tierra del Olvido” forever changed the course of Colombian music. He introduced vallenato to the world and opened doors for Colombian artists who became global superstars.
The legacy of Colombian salsa shines once again on the global stage with Grupo Niche. The orchestra was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Tropical Latin Album category for their album “Clásicos 1.0.” The 68th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 1, 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Silvestre Dangond performed at El Campín Stadium in Bogotá in August 2025 as part of his “El Último Baile” tour with Juancho de la Espriella, filling the stadium for two memorable nights (August 29 and 30) with an impressive production and welcoming more than 40,000 attendees each night.
J Balvin returned to Medellín on November 29th after six years to show Colombia why he remains the number one reggaeton artist. His spectacular show featured guests such as 50 Cent, Maluma, and Daddy Yankee.
Beéle’s song “La Plena,” featuring Ovy On The Drums and Westcol, was a massive hit in Spain in 2025, reaching number one on Spotify and dominating the summer. Beéle is now one of the most important Colombian voices in global urban music.
Willy García became Colombia’s number one salsa solo artist with the release of his album “Viviendo,” a blend of salsa, bolero, and Pacific Coast sounds. The album was musically directed by Óscar Iván Lozano.
Andrés Cepeda earned his first Grammy nomination this year with his album “Bogotá Deluxe.” The new edition includes three new songs: “Bien” with Morat, “Imagínate” with Luis Fonsi, and “Próxima estación” with Ha*Ash.
Accompanied by his band and 27 chamber musicians playing string, wind, and percussion instruments, Fernando Gil, “The Gentleman of Popular Music,” celebrates 15 years in the music industry with the first symphonic concert ever recorded by a popular music artist. Filmed at the Santa Marta Castle in Antioquia, “Un Encuentro de Dos Mundos” (A Meeting of Two Worlds) took the genre to new heights.
