Latin Artist on the Rise: Meet Venezuelan Soulful Singer Manu Manzo

After studying for two years at Berklee College of Music, Manu Manzo started a band, booked gigs and pursued her singer-songwriter career.

In 2014, the Venezuelan-born artist released her first EP, Como Soy, and she was nominated for best new artist at the 2015 Latin Grammys, an honor she described as “far-fetched for an independent project.”

But her success didn’t stop there: In 2016 she was signed as a songwriter with Peer Music and recently, she was signed to Universal Music Latin Entertainment through the label In-Tu Linea.  

Now, she’s making the rounds with her second EP, Intermedio. “It’s a very soulful, very chill, and very personal album with lots of jazz melodies,” she tells Billboard. “My songs talk about the different stages of love -- from falling in love to toxic relationships to falling in love with yourself.”

Her first single, “Vicio y Adicción” featuring Puerto Rican artist Alvaro Diaz, lives up to that. “I had literally broken up with my ex-boyfriend and I wrote everything I was feeling,” she says of her single. “I feel that everyone goes through that toxic kind of love.”

Manu’s music can be described as soulful, chill, tropical and street. Meet this week’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise.

Name: Manuela Manzo

Age: 24

Major Accomplishment: “Just being able to share my music and have a team who believes in me and helps me accomplish my goals is more than any award or anything else. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by people who care and acknowledge my art.”

Recommended Song: “Vicio y Adicción” feat. Alvaro Diaz

What’s Next: Manu is getting ready to release a new song under In-Tu Linea label. The upcoming song is not on her EP, and according to her, it shows a different side. “It has a lot of hip-hop influences and very upbeat,” she says. “It’s such a fun song and different to everything I’ve put out before.”