Villano Antillano

Villana Santiago Pacheco, known professionally as Villano Antillano, was born on March 27, 1995, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. From an early age, Antillano showed an interest in music, drawing inspiration from artists such as Rubén Blades. She began her career in 2018. Antillano gained initial recognition in the underground rap scene in Puerto Rico, focusing on themes that addressed prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals.

Antillano’s career saw significant progression with the release of her extended play “Tiranía” in 2019. This was followed by collaborations with other emerging queer and women artists, including Young Miko, paopao, and RaiNao. A pivotal moment in her career occurred in June 2022, when she released “Villano Antillano: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 51” with Argentine producer Bizarrap. This collaboration garnered over 184 million views on YouTube and expanded her international recognition beyond the queer music sphere. The track achieved chart success, reaching number 11 on the Argentina Hot 100 and number 5 in Spain. In 2022, Bad Bunny invited her to perform on stage during his Un Verano Sin Ti tour show in San Juan.

In December 2022, Antillano released her first full-length record, “La Sustancia X.” This album allowed her to articulate her journey and connection to her femininity as a trans woman, with tracks like “Mujer” featuring iLe. Her work frequently incorporates messages against machismo and homophobia prevalent in urban music. Antillano is recognized as one of the most prominent Latin trans artists, navigating a genre and region where homophobia can be present. She embraces her role as a trailblazer, asserting that the absence of a rulebook allows her to define her path without external expectations. Her second album, “Miss Misogyny,” was released in 2024. Antillano’s contributions have been acknowledged with awards such as Song of the Year for “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 51” and the Pride Symbol award at the 2023 Rolling Stone en Español Awards.