Ivy Queen
Born in New York and raised in Añasco, Puerto Rico; Martha Ivelisse Pesante, better known as Ivy Queen, entered the music world in the 80s, making her name known to the world and society with the group “The Noise,” with whom she wrote and
performed her first song titled “Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes.” After successful performances throughout Latin America, the Queen of Reggaeton left the group “The Noise” to debut as a solo artist. In 1997, she recorded her first album titled “En mi Imperio.” In 1998, with the mentorship of Wyclef Jean, she released her second album titled “The Original Rude Girl.” Later, she presented her third musical proposal, an album titled “Diva” (2003). This third album sold over 1,000,000 copies, making it a platinum record. “Diva” (Platinum Edition) was released in 2004, and that same year, her fourth album titled “Real” was released, which was a massive success, having 8 reprints.
On October 29, 2005, the diva released her fifth album titled “Flashback,” which in the United States was named “E5” and in Japan was known as “Reggaeton Queen,” consolidating herself in the Asian continent as well. In 2006, Ivy Queen collaborated with Gran Omar to present the reggaeton compilation album titled “Cosa Nostra” Hip-Hop. In 2007, La Caballota released her sixth album, “Sentimiento.” This album had great success, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Latin charts. The first single from the album, “Que Lloren,” became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Latin charts, and the single “En Que Fallamos” was also highly popular. The album “Sentimiento” reached platinum status due to its countless sales, and on November 20 of the same year, “Sentimiento” (Platinum Edition) was so well-received by the public that it became a Gold record.
During 2008, the queen of the genre toured worldwide, and to close with a bang, she ended her tour at the Coliseo De Puerto Rico, where the performance was filmed and released as a DVD and CD titled “World Tour Live!”
In 2010, Ivy Queen released her seventh album titled “Drama Queen,” an album that remained on the charts for 5 consecutive weeks, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Latin charts. At the end of 2010, a luxurious edition of “Drama Queen” was released in a CD/DVD combo.
On August 21, 2012, Ivy Queen released her eighth album titled “Musa” with the single “Peligro de Extinción.” Ivy also participated in the play “The Vagina Monologues,” demonstrating that she is a multifaceted artist and an icon of female empowerment.
In December 2014, she released her EP, “Vendetta First Round,” a production that contained 4 songs along with their videos. In February 2015, the diva released her ninth production, a unique project titled #VendettaTheProject, which consists of four different albums: #VendettaUrban, #VendettaSalsa, #VendettaBachata, and vendettaHipHop. Each album contains 8 songs, with this project, she broke the norms and paradigms, revolutionizing the music industry while proving that as the queen of urban music, she not only composes and works within her genre but also ventures into many others.
In 2017, she released the song “Amame o Matame” with Don Omar. She also released the track “El Lobo del Cuento,” another anthem for her soldiers and fans around the world.
In 2018, Ivy released another single titled “Por Mi,” which echoed through the streets of Los Angeles with a music video capturing Mexican culture in the city. In August 2018, she released her second single titled “Mi Vecina,” which made her fans groove.
In February 2019, she released her EP titled “Llegó La Queen,” which consists of 7 songs and features a variety of rhythms such as Dance Hall, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, and more. In March of the same year, Ivy received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Mike Towers at the inaugural “Tu Música Urbano” awards in Puerto Rico. A month later, she was chosen as one of People En Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women of 2019. In May, she was part of one of Barcelona’s most prestigious festivals, “Primavera Sound Festival.”
In June 2019, the queen released another track titled “787,” which placed her on the top 40 Billboard Latin charts. Later, in October, Ivy surprised her fans by releasing her latest single, “La Roca.” On the same day of the song’s release, Ivy was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame at the Musa Awards, where she was the only female singer-songwriter from her genre included due to her talent and extensive artistic career.
At the end of January 2020, Ivy released her song “Un Baile Más,” featuring Colombian actor Gregorio Pernia. In February, she began her U.S. tour, “Raíz No Rama,” which visited 14 out of 23 cities in the country, with all the shows selling out before being postponed due to COVID-19. In April 2020, during the worldwide quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ivy found inspiration to write “Antídoto.” The song came from the deepest part of her heart and was released as a musical remedy to ease the countless mixed emotions the world was experiencing. In July, she released a collectible piece titled “The Way Of The Queen,” a documentary rich in never-before-seen images, along with 4 unreleased tracks. “The Way of The Queen” was created to share more of Ivy Queen with her fans. Laughter, tears, inspiration, love – all of this can be seen in this beautiful project. During its development, the inspiration for the tracks that score the various moments within the 1 hour and 30-minute special came from Ivy Queen, along with Nio Gracia and D Ozi in “Por Mi Remix.” In her single “Next,” she invites her listeners to feel empowered and in control. Recorded in Miami, “Next” features lyrics written by Ivy Queen and Cuban composer and artist Peter Nieto.
In 2023, Ivy released the video “Quien Dijo,” a bachata that tells the story of a woman emotionally hurt by knowing she’s been deceived by the man she loves but who is unfaithful. The sequel to this story is dramatized in the music video for the song “Villana,” where La Caballota portrays a strong, empowered woman who confronts the person who takes advantage of a woman’s trust, continuing her defense of women, making it clear that being second is not an option. Recently, she released “Bye Bye,” a song with a fine reggaeton rhythm inviting listeners to dance to lyrics that encourage saying goodbye to toxic people who keep
texting. The queen of the genre is part of her colleague Raw Alejandro’s album with the track “Celebrando,” which has become one of Spotify and YouTube’s favorites. She also teamed up with new-generation artists for the remix of “Toma” in collaboration with Brray, Lennox, Marconi Impara & Eix. Recently, La Queen has joined international artists such as young Argentine artist María Becerra with the song “Primer Aviso” and Spanish artist Bad Gyal with the song “Perdió,” both of which have become fan
favorites.
In 2024, one of the most notable achievements of her career for the year was becoming the first urban artist to perform at the majestic and iconic Carnegie Hall, a milestone that not only marked a before and after in her career but also represented a significant advance for urban music on a global level. This historic concert solidified her place as one of the most influential figures in urban music, breaking barriers and showing the capacity of urban music to cross borders and connect with audiences from diverse genres and cultures. The performance at Carnegie Hall, a globally recognized stage known for hosting the greatest artists, emphasized the impact her music has had on the industry, demonstrating that her art has the power to transcend beyond the confines of urban music. In 2025, Ivy Queen released the song “Coincidimos” alongside Nanpa Básico. This tropical track stands out for blending elements of the genre with a fresh, modern touch, creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere. In “Coincidimos,” both artists capture the essence of love and unexpected connections with sincere and evocative lyrics that convey a sense of destiny and magic in encounters.
Ivy Queen has over 30 years of artistic career, and she is known for her consistency in
favor of women.
● Nominated for 3 Latin Grammy Awards
● Special recognition from the Latin Grammy Awards
● Billboard Music Award winner
● ASCAP Songwriter of the Year
● Chosen by Latino Magazine as one of the most important women
● Winner of Premios Juventud
● Winner of Premios Furia Musical
● Songs featured in FIFA 06 and 08 games
● Nominated at Premios People
● Winner of Premios lo Nuestro
● One of the 50 Most Beautiful by People En Español
● Awarded as ICON Woman of 2023 at the “Women in Music Awards” by
Billboard magazine, receiving the award from Bad Bunny.
● Awarded the Musical Legacy Award in Urban Music at Premio Lo Nuestro
● Awarded the Icon Award at the 2023 Billboard Awards.