The 20-year-old Venezuelan-born Miami native, known for her tracks "Los Mejores Años" and "Rabia," seemingly found success overnight, winning the Latin Grammy for "Best New Artist" in 2023. (She is currently the youngest artist ever to win the award.) Afterward, Joaquina got to work on her debut album, blending her Latin influences and folk-pop instrumentals with honest, introspective lyricism.
Despite her age, Joaquina has been working hard to reach her goal of becoming a working musician. She took up piano at 7 and picked up guitar at 13.
"Piano has always been my main instrument, and I fell in love with music theory around the age of 13. I became obsessed with it," she says. "I had an incredible teacher named Alex, from Miami, who exposed me to a wide range of music. With him, I studied pieces by Mozart and Beethoven and ragtime, jazz, and pop. Having a good teacher is so important, and Alex really opened my mind to the possibilities of music. I also had a guitar teacher who believed in me more than anyone. He told me he'd never forgive me if I didn't take music seriously. I feel lucky to have had such amazing teachers and the opportunity to immerse myself in music education."
A Powerful Pen
Al Romper La Burbuja features beautiful, natural production that pairs well with Joaquina's soft voice. However, the record shines because of the superb writing, which illustrates heartbreak and the difficulties of transitioning into adulthood."I started writing songs in my room at 13. At first, I had no idea what I was doing — just pages and pages of unfinished songs and fragments," she explains. "It took me a few years to figure out my writing style, but it was all part of the process. I was inspired by ballads and singer-songwriters like Jessie J, Fiona Apple, and Billie Eilish, blending contemporary and classic influences to shape my voice."
Circling back to No Doubt, whom she considers a huge inspiration, Gen Z's nostalgia for the Nineties — a decade most weren't even born in — greatly inspired her current sound. That's in large part due to her parents.
"I grew up listening to Nineties rock and pop because my parents were huge Nineties kids. Artists like Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani, and bands like No Doubt and 4 Non Blondes were always playing in my house. Growing up, I listened to a lot of Alanis Morissette and other pop-rock female artists. I sang their songs and admired their angst and their need to express themselves unapologetically. That boldness and vulnerability have been incredibly influential in my music."
Her mix of genres and influences comes up in conversation, and she acknowledges that reggaeton and música urbana have dominated the Latin music industry for the past decade.
"I think a lot of people forget that pop in Spanish has always been a thing. It was overlooked for a long time, but it's always been there," Joaquian says. "Pop in Spanish has existed with Anglo influences as well as distinctly Latin sounds. I think it's amazing that we're finally seeing space open up for it again."
"This project taught me to balance striving for excellence with embracing imperfections, which I think connects with listeners more than anything else," Joaquina says of her debut album.
Universal Music Latino photo
School of Pop
Joaquina refined pop sensibilities at Art House Academy, the Miami-based music program run by Colombian composer and songwriter Julio Reyes Copello, attending alongside Ela Taubert, the 2024 Latin Grammy winner for "Best New Artist.""Art House was such a transformative experience for me. I joined when I was 17, and before that, I had been making music independently with friends," she explains. "I was the youngest and had no idea how to make music professionally. Being a perfectionist, I wanted to take my time and learn, but I was thrown into this environment with much older, more experienced artists."
Soon, she signed a major-label record deal with Universal Music Latino while still a student at the program, eventually releasing her debut EP, 2023's Los Mejores Años.
For Al Romper La Burbuja, she took everything she learned at Art House, as well as the release of her EP, and made sure that the album was as perfect a representation of herself as the themes she wanted to explore.
"This project taught me to balance striving for excellence with embracing imperfections, which I think connects with listeners more than anything else," Joaquina says. "I was essentially capturing a snapshot of my life. I had just turned 20, and I wrote most of the album when I was 19. Inevitably, there's a lot of teenage angst in it. It wasn't something I was intentionally aiming for, but it's what I was feeling at the time, so I had to capture it."
"Being 19 is such a unique phase; you're not quite old but not entirely young either," says Joaquina.
Photo by Zárate
Entering Adulthood
The album's title came from Joaquina's feeling of being at a transitional point in life. It represents the experience of stepping out into the world for the first time, navigating the weight of expectations as you grow older, and finding ways to break through them."Being 19 is such a unique phase; you're not quite old but not entirely young either. You're old enough for some things but still too young for others, and it's hard to know where you stand," she says. "This was the first time in my life that I seriously thought about who I wanted to be as an adult. Questions like What kind of person do I want to be? and What do I want to do with my life? were constantly on my mind. Learning how to navigate adulthood brought a lot of changes, both internally and externally — working for the first time, taking on real responsibilities, and learning to be independent."
Adding to her pile of responsibilities is her 2025 tour, which has already made stops in Madrid, Barcelona, Mexico City, and Orlando, and will stop at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Saturday, May 3.
"I'm doing something unique with my shows in different countries. I've decided to either play a cover of a song by an artist from that country or feature a special guest during the performance," Joaquina explains. "I also introduced a section in my show inspired by Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. In this section, I alternate between different options: a song that didn't make the main setlist, a new song I'm writing that I want to share for the first time, or a cover. Sometimes, I'll even invite a guest artist to perform with me. It's a great way to keep each show dynamic and special for the audience."
As far as her hometown show at the Fillmore, Joaquina is certainly not letting the pressure get to her.
"I was very scared of playing the Fillmore at first because it felt so big, but I think it's the best option in every way, and the ticket sales are going great, so I'm very happy," she says. "I think it's going to be crazy; I can't wait. It's a big deal for me."
Joaquina. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-938-2509; fillmore-miami.com. Tickets cost $53.49 to $118.99 via livenation.com.
