Viva Colombia! These Are the Country's Hottest Stars

Colombia is famous for its coffee, emeralds, paradisal landscapes and rich, favorful food. The country has also generated some of the hottest stars in entertainment and sports. Here’s a look at some colombianos who are making headlines today. 

Maluma, “The Dirty Boy, Pretty Boy” as his legion of fans call him, is making his mark in the music industry. The 24-year-old singer’s music video “Corazón” garnered over 260 million views in its first month of release, reaching the top spot on YouTube’s global chart of Most Viewed Videos.

His other hit, “Felices Los 4,” went platinum 20 times in the United States and Puerto Rico, with over 1.2 million units sold. He’s also the most viewed recording artist on Instagram Stories, the seventh most viewed person overall, and the number 1 Latin male artist with more than 30.5 million followers.

Sofía Vergara needs no introduction. The Modern Family star has audiences hooked with feisty funny Gloria Pritchett on the popular sitcom. Forbes named her TV’s highest paid actress six years in a row for her work on the hit series. She is also a fashion icon, a spokesperson for brands like Head & Shoulders, Pepsi and Covergirl, and a savvy businesswoman with her own line of clothing and furniture.

Following in Sofia Vergara’s trailblazing footsteps is her niece Claudia Vergara. The 25-year-old has a striking resemblance to her famous aunt. Besides her lucky genes, the two share a close bond and a passion for acting and fashion. The socialite, model and aspiring actress, who interned with Oscar de la Renta, helped her aunt on her Kmart fashion line, and also hopes to leave her mark on the small screen.

Carlos Vives has made generations fall in love with his ballads and kept traditional Colombian music topping the music charts with his pop-infused Vallenato music songs. The Latin Grammy winner, who is a world ambassador of his country’s vast culture, told Billboard: “I am an old school artist. I like albums that are complete, that play different topics and the Colombian rhythm is very rich.”

What isn’t Sofía Carson up to these days? The Colombian-American actress and budding singer, 24, stars in Disney’s popular saga Descendants and the upcoming spinoff of Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. The Internet sensation, with over 8 million followers on Instagram, is in the studio working on her music debut. “The most important thing is being honest in my music because writing a song is giving away a piece of your heart to the world,” she told People en Español. “I want each of the songs I release to be a faithful reflection of who I am.”

J.Balvin’s upbeat single ‘Mi Gente’ has conquered the radio waves and compelled Queen Beyoncé to record its explosive remix. The singer has also collaborated with Justin Bieber, Nicky Jam, Becky G, and Jennifer Lopez, who once posted a sexy video of herself dancing to his song “Safari.” Recently, he teamed up with Pitbull and Camila Cabello for “Hey Ma.” He is also a fearless fashionista and beloved Instagram star with over 21 million followers.

Carmen Villalobos has hooked audiences with her roles in hit Telemundo narco series like Sin Senos No Hay Paraíso and El Señor de los Cielos. She also made her big screen debut with William Levy in the comedy El Fantasma de mi novia, filmed last year in the Dominican Republic. 

Fabián Ríos, 37, has shined in Telemundo series like Sin Senos No Hay paraíso and Corazón Valiente. The fitness aficionado has also made the Internet go wild with sexy nude photos he’s shared on social media.

Isabella Gomez is breaking the mold with her daring role as Elena in the Netflix dramedy One Day At A Time. In the series, about a Hispanic family living in the U.S., she plays a gay teen who surprises her conservative abuela (played by Rita Moreno) by coming out of the closet.

Shakira is the queen of reinvention and can make a song an instant hit in English or Spanish. The singer recently won a Grammy for her latest album El Dorado and returned to her massive El Dorado World Tour after recovering from strained vocal chords. The 41-year-old pop icon has also wowed her fans with hot collaboration with Maluma in “Trap” and Nicky Jam in “Perro Fiel.”

Soccer star James Rodriguez, 26, shows that dreaming big and working hard pays off. After making headlines with his winning moves for the Real Madrid team, he is now a star player on German club Bayern Munich.

Diane Guerrero has conquered the small screeb with her breakout role on Netflix’s original hit series Orange Is the New Black. The star, who also stars on Jane the Virgin, has vocalized her concerns about Trump’s policies around immigration and deportation and has sought to use her fame to raise awareness and affect positive change. She’s also working with members of Congress to establish a museum devoted to Latino history and culture.

Juanes is also Colombian pop royalty. The multi-awarded singer collected his fifth No. 1 on Billboard‘s “Top Latin Albums” with his latest album Mis Planes Son Amarte. He is currently touring the U.S. with chanteuse Mon Laferte, spreading positive vibes and anti-violence messages in his songs.

After conquering the telenovela world with memorable characters in Telemundo series, actress Ximena Duque made a cross-over to the mainstream market with roles in Days of Our Lives and Queen of the South. The 33-year-old, who just welcomed a baby girl, has her eye on Hollywood.

Ariadna Gutierréz made headlines in 2015 when Miss Universe host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced her as the pageant winner, only to correct himself seconds later on the air and name her the runner up. Since then, the model and aspiring actress, 24, made her acting debut opposite Vin Diesel in the film xXx: The Return of Xander Cage and continues to conquer runways around the world with enviable good looks and charisma.