Dantelaverdad — January Artist of the Month
Our Artist of the Month for January 2026 is Dantelaverdad. This Madrid-based reggaetonero proves you can grow as an indie artist without turning into a full-time content creator.
In this case study, we dive into Dante’s identity as an artist, the goals driving a new year of releases and the way he navigates the challenges of staying independent and standing out in an overcrowded scene.
No gimmicks, no chasing trends, just real music, real listeners, and a plan to make it work. Dante’s approach is proof that consistency beats content.
The artist
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Genre: Urban Spanish, Reggaeton, Latin Trap
- Top songs: “Paranoizzz” and “Lejos”
- Biggest Inspirations: Jhayco, Anuel AA, Future
- Working style: Freestyle-first writing, then light edits
- Setup: Home studio for first takes, then an engineer for mixing and mastering
- Team: Fully independent, only delegates beats and mix/master
Dantelaverdad is the kind of artist who treats music like a direct extension of his life. Based in Madrid, Spain and rooted in urban Latin sounds, such as Reggaeton and Latin Trap, Dante aims to make music that resonates with himself first. His process starts with instinct: he skims beats, skipping them if he doesn’t like the first 5 seconds. But when one clicks, he’ll build the whole first draft in freestyle, letting the melody and lyrics come out naturally in the moment. This approach is what makes his tracks feel like they come from a specific place emotionally. Dantelaverdad is chasing something simple but hard: music that feels true, and a career built on listeners choosing it because it hits, not because an algorithm was fed content.
Challenges
- Disappointment after releases when results do not match expectations
- Realisation that artists need to spend as much time on marketing as they do on making music
- Low interest in creating content on social media
- Preference for organic discovery, finding listeners who genuinely enjoy the music
Dantelaverdad wants real listeners who connect with his music, not hype. But every release comes with emotional and practical pressure: he pours his heart out, investing time, money and energy, then watches as the numbers often fall short of expectations. Like many independent artists, he has learned that promotion can demand as much effort as making the music itself. Today, that often means building a social media presence, which he has very little interest in. The real challenge is staying consistent and building momentum in a landscape that rewards constant content, without chasing trends or compromising his identity.
Goals for 2026
- Release cadence: one single per month
- Creative direction: love, sensuality, desire, and “reggaeton de verdad”
- Outcome goal: reach consistent numbers and be able to live from music
In 2026, Dantelaverdad is committing to consistency: releasing one single every month. He aims to focus on themes of love, sensuality, and desire, staying true to “reggaeton de verdad” with real feelings rather than music designed for social media. He believes that authenticity, paired with a strong and steady release strategy, is the key to long-term growth. The goal is simple and concrete: start reaching consistent numbers and build enough momentum to live from music.
How NotNoise fits his approach
His workflow using NotNoise:
- Create and share Smart Links he can use consistently for every release
- Track engagement to understand what is driving growth
- Run playlist pitching regularly. His last campaign worked exceptionally well with a 59% playlist approval rate, and valuable feedback to improve his next releases
- Analyse performance insights to understand what is happening and adjust strategy accordingly
- Repeat and compound
Dante explicitly wants growth that feels real and listener-driven: an audience that finds and saves his music because they genuinely connect with it. But as an independent artist, he does not want to spend excessive time, money, or energy creating content or juggling marketing platforms.
NotNoise has helped him build a simple, repeatable workflow for organic growth that keeps him focused on the music. As Dante puts it, the results feel “real and not artificial,” and he’s noticed that his music performs significantly better since applying this workflow.
Results
- Dantelaverdad reported a jump from ~80 daily Spotify listeners to ~260 at peak.
- He describes the growth as organic and not artificial, with compounding impact as he used Smart Links and playlist pitching more.
- He started directly on a paid plan and felt it was worth the investment.
After using NotNoise consistently, Dantelaverdad started to see tangible results, notably a significant increase in Spotify listeners and more importantly, a sense that growth was finally real. Smart Links and playlist pitching helped create what he described as a “snowball effect”: the more consistently he used NotNoise, the more momentum he saw, and the growth started to feel self-sustaining. Instead of quick spikes from one-off promos, the result was steady, organic discovery, with more people finding and saving the music because they genuinely connected with it. For Dante, that distinction matters: he wants an audience that chooses the music because it connects, not because it was pushed by trends. That is why he feels confident doubling down on his simple 2026 plan, releasing one single every month and letting consistency compound.
When asked whether his plan was worth it, his answer was straightforward: you have to invest in your career, and for him, NotNoise is the best place to put that money.
To keep up with Dantelaverdad in the future, make sure to follow him on Instagram, on TikTok and check out his Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Youtube. Don’t forget to listen to his latest tracks: “MISTRESS”, “PARANOIZZZ” and “Se pierde en mi cama”.