Ela Taubert’s biggest childhood dream came true when she nabbed the coveted best new artist award at the 2024 Latin Grammys. Earlier that night, she debuted her new collaboration with Joe Jonas, “¿Cómo Pasó?” — another major accomplishment.
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“I couldn’t believe it,” she tells Billboard of her special night. “For me, it was the craziest thing to see Karol G, Feid, Sebastian Yatra and Carlos Vives all reacting to my win. I respect them a lot. In the end, it’s a very hard road and seeing them at the top makes you want to keep working hard. They have a pretty big impact on emerging artists like me.”
Taubert was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia by a family of “big music lovers,” and even credits her late uncle — who was the only musician in the family — for her musical talents. Inspired by Taylor Swift, Adele, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Reik, and Jesse y Joy — and with the support of her mom, who “worked her whole life to literally bring me to where I am” — Taubert dived into the music industry.
First, she sang covers. “Si Te La Encuentras Por Ahí” by Feid and “Don’t You Remember” by Adele are amongst her memorable ones — both showcasing her melancholy and dreamy vocals.
The former went viral on TikTok, received Feid’s stamp of approval, and landed her on Billboard’s On the Radar Latin feature earlier this year. The latter put her on Colombian hitmaker Julio Reyes Copello’s sight when she was a young, aspiring singer. Taubert is an alumni of the inaugural generation of Universal Music Latin’s Abbey Road Institute & Art House Academy.
“I learned not to compare myself, to listen to myself — [and] I met my team with whom I make music today,” she recalls. “It was a really cool process and evolution because I got to know myself artistically and began to connect my childhood dreams to what I do.”
At the end of the program, Taubert dropped her EP ¿Quién Dijo Que Era Fácil?, marking her official debut release under Universal Music Latin in 2023. “That’s where my new era began,” she says. “It was the best decision of my life because I love them, and I have a wonderful team.”
Since, she’s shared stages with Alejandro Sanz, Diego Torres and Morat, and even opened for Karol G during her Mañana Será Bonito tour. Today, the 24-year-old artist, now residing in Miami, Fla., is making the rounds with her new Joe Jonas collab, an electrifying bilingual version of her original “¿Cómo Pasó?” released this February, which has reached No. 12 on Billboard‘s Latin Pop Airplay chart.
“This year, I decided to write to Joe on Instagram thanking him for inspiring me so much and that I hope to meet him one day,” she relates. “Funnily enough, he wrote back. I’m still in shock because, so many things are happening to me that I dreamed of as a child.”
Below, learn more about this month’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise.
Name: Ela Taubert
Age: 24
Recommended Song: “¿Cómo Pasó?” (feat. Joe Jonas)
Major Accomplishment: “Everything that’s happened to me this year has been incredible, but I think it would be taking my mother’s and grandfather’s last name to places where no one would have imagined. I promised my grandfather when he passed away that I would always keep his legacy alive. In my house we are all women, my grandfather was the only man in the house, and the Taubert was going to stay there. That is the most beautiful and special achievement, taking my name far away and connecting with people around the world.”
What’s Next: “Definitely more music! We are working hard and I feel like each song shows a new stage. I am going to do my first festivals and I hope to announce more concerts soon. I will also be giving [new] surprises soon — like the Joe Jonas one that I kept a secret for a long time!”
