SINGERS from Chile

Top 6

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Chilean Singers of all time. This list of famous Chilean Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Víctor Jara (1932 - 1973)

With an HPI of 68.75, Víctor Jara is the most famous Chilean Singer.  His biography has been translated into 48 different languages on wikipedia.

Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbiɣtoɾ ˈliðjo ˈxaɾa maɾˈtines]; 28 September 1932 – 16 September 1973) was a Chilean teacher, theater director, poet, singer-songwriter and Communist political activist. He developed Chilean theater by directing a broad array of works, ranging from locally produced plays to world classics, as well as the experimental work of playwrights such as Ann Jellicoe. He also played a pivotal role among neo-folkloric musicians who established the Nueva canción chilena (New Chilean Song) movement. This led to an uprising of new sounds in popular music during the administration of President Salvador Allende. Jara was arrested by the Chilean military shortly after the 11 September 1973 coup led by Augusto Pinochet, which overthrew Allende. He was tortured during interrogations and ultimately shot dead, and his body was thrown out on the street of a shantytown in Santiago. The contrast between the themes of his songs—which focused on love, peace, and social justice—and his murder transformed Jara into a "potent symbol of struggle for human rights and justice" for those killed during the Pinochet regime. His prominent role as an admirer and propagandist for Che Guevara and Allende's government, in which he served as a cultural ambassador through the late 1960s and until 1973, made him a target. In June 2016, a Florida jury found former Chilean Army officer Pedro Barrientos liable for Jara's murder. In July 2018, eight retired Chilean military officers were sentenced to 15 years and a day in prison for Jara's murder. Barrientos, who had his U.S. citizenship revoked in July 2023, was arrested in Deltona, Florida, in October 2023. Barrientos would be successfully deported back to Chile on 1 December 2023, and was immediately taken into PDI custody.

2. Lucho Gatica (1928 - 2018)

With an HPI of 48.50, Lucho Gatica is the 2nd most famous Chilean Singer.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Luis Enrique Gatica Silva (11 August 1928 – 13 November 2018), better known as Lucho Gatica was a Chilean bolero singer, film actor, and television host known as "the King of Bolero". He is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential exponents of the bolero and one of the most popular of all time worldwide. It is estimated that Gatica released more than 90 recordings. He toured across the world, performing in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He was the uncle of the record producer Humberto Gatica.

3. Mon Laferte (b. 1983)

With an HPI of 37.54, Mon Laferte is the 3rd most famous Chilean Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Norma Monserrat Bustamante Laferte (born 2 May 1983) better known as Mon Laferte, is a Chilean and Mexican musician, singer, composer and painter. Her musical style is diverse, spanning across different genres such as pop, rock, bolero, cumbia, and salsa, showcasing her versatility and creativity. Throughout the 2010s, she gained widespread recognition for her melodramatic style and "captivating stage persona". With over 1.5 million digital records sold in Latin America between albums and singles, she has established herself as the best-selling Chilean artist of the 21st century. Some of her hits include "Tormento", "Amor completo", "Si tú me quisieras", "Tu falta de querer", "Amárrame," and "Mi buen amor." Laferte has won four Latin Grammy Awards (the most for a Chilean artist), two MTV Europe Music Awards and has been nominated twice for the Grammy Awards. Her 2021-22 Latin America tour and first pregnancy were the subjects of a Netflix documentary, MON LAFERTE, te amo (translated to "Mon Laferte, I love you" in English) scheduled to premiere worldwide on August 1, 2024.

4. Nicole (b. 1977)

With an HPI of 36.45, Nicole is the 4th most famous Chilean Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Denisse Lillian Laval Soza (born January 19, 1977, in Chile), better known by her stage name Nicole, is a Chilean singer-songwriter, based in Santiago.

5. Américo (b. 1977)

With an HPI of 33.16, Américo is the 5th most famous Chilean Singer.  His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Domingo Johnny Vega Urzúa (born December 24, 1977, in Arica, Chile), commonly known as Américo, is a Chilean singer. He became known as the lead artist of Américo y la Nueva Alegría. He is the son of a locally known boleros singer, Melvin "Corazón" Américo. Americo was a coach on the second season of La Voz Ecuador in 2016.

6. Jena Lee (b. 1987)

With an HPI of 26.44, Jena Lee is the 6th most famous Chilean Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Sylvia Elva Garcia (born 29 June 1987 in Chile), more commonly known under the stage name as Jena Lee, is a French pop singer and songwriter. She describes her music style as "émo R&B".