Luck Ra was working at a shoe store in a mall when he gave himself an ultimatum: “I released a song that was going to be the last song I’d ever release,” he tells Billboard. “It was going to be the last straw. After that, the chances of being an artist were slim.”
The Argentine artist placed all bets and invested about $5,000 Argentine pesos in a great production and music video that resulted in his 2018 trap song “No Quiero Más.” “I was always realistic, and what was going to be the last song ended up being the beginning of everything,” he says. “That’s where I started giving my first performances.”
For almost five years, the artist born Juan Facundo Almenara Ordóñez dabbled between urban and rock music before discovering a traditional genre that he adopted and made his own: Cuarteto, a rapid-style cumbia and almost merengue-type sound that’s folkloric to his native Córdoba.
“Cuarteto has been around for a long time,” he explains. “It carries a lot of emotional weight, and I love doing it because I feel like it’s part of my family, part of my friends; it’s a sound that’s in my blood. Everyone who does this genre has a band, and when I started, I only had my voice, my best friend, and a computer to digitize the instruments. From there, I created a more personal, more urban sound. I realized that the songs I did in cuarteto sounded better… even my voice sounded more beautiful.”
Under his musical experiment, Luck Ra has scored three No. 1s on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100, among 24 entries: “Ya No Vuelvas” (2023), “La Morocha” (2023) and “Hola Perdida” (2024). The latter, with Khea, reached Nos. 172 and 69 on the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, respectively, in February 2024. The song also counts with a remix by Maluma. Additionally, he revived Chayanne’s 2003 song, “Un Siglo Sin Ti,” which peaked at No. 15 on Tropical Airplay, and last year, his album Que Nos Falte Todo was Spotify’s most-streamed album in Argentina.
Currently, Luck Ra is making the rounds with his new single “Tu Misterioso Alguien” (featuring Miranda!) and his 2025 studio album Que Sed, released under Sony Music Latin.
“I come from a very hard-working family, so when I was home alone, I always watched MTV and MuchMusic on TV,” he recalls. “That’s where I first encountered music. I feel like everything has served me well, and I’ve learned from everything to help me do what I do today.”
Below, learn more about this month’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise:
Name: Juan Facundo Almenara Ordóñez
Age: 26
Recommended Song: “Hola Perdida” (Luck Ra & Khea)
Biggest Accomplishment: “The welcome I get from the audience at my shows. The greatest gift is seeing family, seeing children, seeing adults, seeing everyone enjoying themselves. Memories are some of the most beautiful things we have left. One of my shows can be a family affair, not just for me, but for my people as well. In terms of work, I’ve met so many people I never thought I’d meet in my life, much less share a song like Maluma. Thanks to Maluma, I also exist! Chayanne, Elvis Crespo too, among so many.”
What’s Next: “Summer is just beginning here in Argentina. We’re preparing our summer songs. The tour never stops. I have my first stadium performance at El Vélez here in Argentina on October 4th, and I also have some shows in Spain.”
Luck Ra is confirmed for “Cumbia and Tropical Music Explosion” panel at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week taking place from Oct. 20 to 24 at the historic Fillmore Miami Beach. Spanning over 30 years and recognized as the most influential week in Latin music, the event will once again celebrate the heartbeat of Latin music and culture with four days of panels, marquee conversations, roundtables, showcases, networking and activations. Ticket sales and the full schedule are now available at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
