Getty Image/Derrick Rossignol
As music approaches language and genre-fluid territory, those working behind the scenes are as essential to the process as the artists themselves. Latin music has long served as an outlet for both emotion and celebration, and visuals for artists like Bad Bunny, Omar Apollo, and Karol G have proven to be equally powerful.
Many of these artists have remained with their visual collaborators for years, displaying excellent creative chemistry. As these musicians’ creativity evolves, the directors of their music videos have grown alongside the singers’ and rappers’ craft. Consistency is a key component of Latinidad and work ethic, and below, we’ve compiled seven essential Latin music video directors, creating cinematic universes centered around the artists we know and love.
María Zardoya
María Zardoya of The Marías wears several hats — lead vocalist of The Marías, solo artist, and creative director. The Puerto Rican multi-hyphenate has driven the visuals for The Marias’ songs, like “Back To Me” and “If Only,” creating an emotional universe with the surrealist imagery, and capturing the feeling of being suspended in time. Last year proved to be a big year for The Marías, with “Back To Me” achieving viral success, as well as the band’s collaboration with Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, “Ojos Tristes.” Zardoya also released her solo album Not For Radio, expanding upon her artistic vision by way of her own creative methods.
Bad Bunny
We know Bad Bunny’s songs by heart, but equally captivating are his visuals. Last year, he released a self-directed short film to accompany his album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, highlighting Puerto Rico, the land he calls home. Through poignant anecdotes and images of the territory, Benito comes full circle with international stardom, while revisiting the place that shaped him. But this isn’t the first video he’s directed. He’s also credited as a director in the festive video for “Pitorro de Coco,” which sees him celebrating at a traditional Puerto Rican New Year’s party. Given his creative lens, we can’t wait to see what he has in store for his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance.
Martin Seipel
For years, Martin Seipel has been Rauw Alejandro’s go-to video director. Having visualized romance and sensuality in the video for “Carita Linda,” as well as feelings of stillness and emotional processing in “Buenos Términos,” Seipel’s ouvres for the nature of soft masculinity are unmatched. While Seipel has also directed clips for Grupo Frontero, Duki, and Ruggero, he and Alejandro make a dynamic creative duo.
Pedro Artola
Speaking of creative duos, Pedro Artola and Karol G are a match made in heaven. With songs as big as Karol G’s — specifically “Ivonny Bonita” and the Tiesto collaboration “Contigo” — Artola takes Karol’s vision to 10. In “Ivonny Bonita,” Artola brings to the screen the art of self-mythologizing, taking Karol’s confidence and putting it out to a bigger scale. While “Contigo” demonstrates the softness of allowing love in, but the strength in intimacy and holding someone closely. Like Karol, Artola has a knack for both simultaneously displaying grandeur and intimacy.
Alejandra Hinojosa
While it’s been a while since Alejandra Hinojosa has directed a video, she’s bringing her vision to various components of the Latin music landscape. Hinojosa has captured visuals for artists like Pau Mor, Ben Carillo, and Leroy Sanchez, but she’s also taken her creative lens to immortalize significant moments in the culture. Some memorable milestones include Busta Rhymes receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, cover art for Faouzia and Ricky Martin, and Rolling Stone shoots or Ruzzi Cambia. La cultura would not be the same without Hinojosa at the director’s seat.
Cliqua
Mexican-American duo Pasqual Gutiérrez and Raúl “RJ” Sanchez — better known as Cliqua — crafts videos that feel as monumental as Latin culture. Additionally, they bridge gaps by bringing various genres together, like their work on the video for 2023’s “K-Pop” by Travis Scott, Bad Bunny, and The Weeknd. They also were key components in the rise of Bad Bunny with videos for “Vete” and “Ignorantes,” as well as Rosalia and Ozuna’s “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi.” The two have also directed short films like Shut Up And Fish and Serious People.
Stillz
While some Latin artists achieve viral fame through TikTok, Stillz makes sure their visuals maintain a long-term cultural impact. Balancing raw intimacy with high-concept spectacle, Stillz was an early co-signer of Rosalía, Bad Bunny, and Omar Apollo, laying the foundation to each of these artists’ cinematic universes. Most recently, Stillz brought the orchestral elements to Rosalía’s “La Perla” from her game-changing album Lux, crafting a visual as transcendental and theatrical as the record itself.