How Aria Vega Created a ‘Costeñita Core’ Movement & Went Viral: ‘My Legacy Is to Be a Bearer of My Culture’
Categoria: Musica
Meet Billboard's Latin Up-And-Comer Artist of the Month for July.
Por Billboard | 23/07/2026
Aria Vega’s musical trait comes from her mother, who was pregnant with the singer when she once performed in the traditional Garabato Dance during the Carnaval de Barranquilla. That precise DNA is now reflected in Vega’s own dance moves that have made her a viral sensation. Related The 30 Best Latin Songs of 2026 (So Far), Ranked: Staff Picks Greeicy, Jay Wheeler, Kany García, Rawayana, Ryan Castro, Trueno & More Set for Billboard Latin Music Week 2026 The 26 Best Latin Albums of 2026 (So Far), Ranked: Staff Picks But beyond her smooth hip-swaying skills and effortless footwork, the Colombian newcomer has connected with people thanks to her free-spirited energy and refreshing authenticity, powered by her rich and airy, almost raspy, mezzo-soprano voice. “I’m a dreamer from Barranquilla,” she tells Billboard . “I’m a woman who takes great pride in who she is, and makes great music.” Influenced by artists such as Shakira, Carlos Vives, Joe Arroyo and Totó la Momposina, Vega (whose real name is Mariana Padilla Perez Campo Vega) began uploading her own original music in 2023, where she experimented a lot with Colombian rhythms, such as a pop vallenato, an afrobeats cumbia, and even a trap ballad. But it was one precise collaboration in 2025 that changed her entire fate. “I needed to prove myself and stop feeling obligated to create music for others,” she notes. “I wanted to create music for myself, music that makes me happy.” Camilo Lewis Why Aria Vega Is an Up-and-Coming Latin Artist Last April, Vega joined forces with Dekko — a former Billboard On the Radar Latin Artist who’s also from her hometown — on “Costeñita,” a breezy and chill song that represented the sounds of the Caribbean Coast. To promote the tune, she created a trend on social media that showed fans the difference between being Colombian and “Costeñita” (a name that describes a girl from the coast). “People began to express great pride in being costeño or costeña. It was cool to see them show off our foods and dances,” she elaborates. “We started to feel very happy and good about who we are.” Immediately, she understood the power of embracing her roots: “I had other plans, but something very special happened with ‘Costeñita,’ and I wanted to bring [my next single] ‘Agua e Panela’ into that identity.” Since then, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter has released singles that reside in that same Caribbean universe, such as “Abanico Sanyo,” “Ay Mama (mi tiburón),” and “Chévere (joseón_type_beat).” The latter of the three received a “premium remix” by Ryan Castro, which ultimately became Vega’s first No. 1 on the Billboard Colombia Hot 100 in February, and was ranked the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Best Latin Songs of 2026 (So Far) list in July. “I’m fascinated by what he does with dancehall; I think his backstory is awesome — how he used to sing at dancehall parties in Curaçao — and he really brings a lot of that island vibe into his project,”