In the ‘90s, Panamanian plena helped birth what would eventually become known as reggaetón. Decades later, pop star Sech carries on the legacy of both sounds in a hybrid genre all his own. Born Carlos Isaías Morales Williams in Panama City in 1993, the son of two pastors grew up singing in church choirs, where he developed his silky, impassioned tone, which turns love songs into expressions of almost sacred devotion. Sech began his solo career in the mid-2010s and enjoyed regional hits on the back of 2017’s The Sensation Mixtape and 2018’s The Sensation mini-album, which produced the beatless, whisper-soft ballad “La Vida”, a song as cuddly as the stuffed bear that graces the artist’s record covers. But it was 2019’s “Otro Trago” that introduced the rest of the world to Sech’s honeyed style. Despite the pillowy vibes, a remix featuring Darrell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna and Anuel AA earned “song of the summer” status everywhere that subwoofers rattle city blocks. Following his 2019 debut album, Sueños, Sech was suddenly everywhere, lending his gentle tenor to songs by Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel. He deepened his sound with 2020’s 1 of 1, fleshing out his romantic ballads with even more spacious production and doubling down on the sensitivity that makes him unique. Speaking to Apple Music, Sech reflected on his rapid ascent: Having met all his goals so quickly, he said, he felt a great responsibility, “because no one knows what’s going to happen next”.