New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard’s Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Kany García, GARCÍA (5020 Records)
“García,” the title track of Puerto Rican singer songwriter Kany García’s new album, is a letter from García to herself, addressing the young, vulnerable Kany, and the present day star, equally vulnerable (“Tengo miedo de meterme en esta ola de ficción/I’m afraid of losing myself in this wave of fiction”). García has always delighted us with her beautifully written songs and the storytelling in her lyrics, and here, with the attention turned to herself, we fully get why her songwriting works: Even when she tells other people’s stories, it’s always in her voice and words. That essence is in every track in this meticulous, but very commercial album, which includes previously released collabs with the likes of Young Miko (a longtime fan of García’s who met her at last year’s Billboard Latin Music Week), Carin León and Christian Nodal, a nod to García’s natural inquisitiveness as an artist willing to explore other genres. García the album is happy reminder that quality and commercial success can coexist. — LEILA COBO
Piso 21 & Wisin, “La Misión” (Warner Music México)
In a first collaborative effort, Piso 21 and Wisin unleash “La Misión” (The Mission). Produced by iCON Music, the track is the perfect blend of both worlds: Piso’s melodic pop sound and Wisin’s ferocious reggaetón beats. In “La Misión,” the Colombian group and Puerto Rican rapper are on the ultimate mission of breaking up a relationship (or rather yet, stealing the girl of their dreams from their partner). “They told me life goes by fast/you’re too much to be with someone so basic/I’m not like that, but I got romantic/I hope she doesn’t say no/if he doesn’t take care of her, I will,” they sing in the infectious chorus. — JESSICA ROIZ
Silvestre Dangond & Carlos Vives, “Tú o Yo” (Sony Music Latin)
“Either you sing to her, or I sing to her,” says the chorus of the catchy vallenato pop “Tú o Yo,” in which Colombian stars Silvestre Dangond and Carlos Vives join forces for the first time. The song, co-written by Vives and Dangond, and produced by Andrés Castro, tells the story of two friends who compete for the love of a woman.
In a statement about the release, Dangond expressed his excitement about the collaboration. “Carlos Vives was my idol and he still is,” he says. “I always saw him, I had him as a reference and I feel very happy, I feel that I achieved something that I had inside, which at any moment I knew was going to happen, but I didn’t know when.” The cheerful music video was recorded in Miami, and starring Mexican actress Bárbara De Regil, shows all the strategies that both use against each other to sabotage any effort to conquer the protagonist. — LUISA CALLE
Fonseca, Tropicalia (Sony Music Latin)
Fonseca presents TROPICALIA, an extraordinary production that pays tribute to his tropical roots and influences, which have inspired his career and are also an intricate part of his sound. The 11-track album features collaborations of remarkable artists, including Juan Luis Guerra, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Chucho Valdés, Alex Cuba and Grupo Niche, marking the first and only collaboration that the iconic band has released.
This set features a diverse mix of tropical sounds that represent Latin American music, from the lively sound of a patio vallenato in the track “Canto a la Vida,” to the upbeat merengue rhythm of “Pedacito de Playa,” which was produced entirely in the Dominican Republic with the help of local musicians such as Janina Rosado (of 4:40) on the piano and her husband “Chocolate” on the drums and the Dominican güira. The album also includes “La Terquedad,” a ranchera that narrates heartaches with melancholic acoustic guitars, violins and trumpets accompanied by mariachi. — INGRID FAJARDO
Lasso & Mau y Ricky, “Bilingües” (Universal Music Group México)
Love may not be as universal a language as it is believed. At least that’s what Lasso implies in his new song with Mau y Ricky, “Bilingües.” The pop rock track — the first single from the upcoming album by the Latin Grammy-winning Venezuelan singer and songwriter — talks about the complicated relationship between a man who only speaks Spanish and a woman who speaks only English. “When you tell me I love you, I know that you don’t feel nothing, nothing, nothing/ You tell me I miss you, and you don’t miss me nothing, nothing, nothing/ I don’t know if you’re playing with my heart, or it’s just a bad translation,” goes part of the earworm chorus. In recent days, Lasso published a series of videos on Instagram titled “The worst time I’ve been rejected in my life,” in which he passionately recounted a failed attempt at a bilingual relationship. Hey, at least it left him with the inspiration to write a really lovely song. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Eladio Carrión, Porque Puedo (Rimas Entertainment)
On his latest EP, Porque Puedo, Eladio Carrión doesn’t just double down on his Latin trap bravado — he fully embodies it, living up to the album’s bold title. After the more mainstream release of Sol María, Carrión returns to the forefront with a display of effortless ingenuity and razor-sharp wordplay across five tracks. From the ominous “Don KBRN Freestyle” to the bilingual prowess of “Códico G,” he flexes his lyrical mastery against menacing beats and riveting hi hat patterns.
However, it’s “Heavyweight” that truly steals the spotlight, as the Humacao rapper unleashes verses about dripping in diamonds and confidence while “smoking heavyweight.” Accompanied by visually grim music video, Carrión exudes laid-back luxury, adorned with his signature rose necklace, against a backdrop of night-vision aesthetics that deepen the EP’s moody atmosphere. The new drop arrived a day prior to his return to the stage at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico on May 2. “As I was home spending time with my family I started to work on music,” Eladio Carrión says in a statement. “It all turned into Porque Puedo, and I thought what perfect timing to give this to my true fans as they get ready to see me at El Choli,” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Danny Ocean, Reflexa (Atlantic Recording Corp.)
The Venezuelan artist’s music doesn’t sound like anything out there right now, and that’s probably why Danny Ocean is labeling his latest album as pop of the future. The 12-track set, the singer-songwriter’s third studio album, is perhaps Danny’s most personal album yet, but it’s also his most sonically experimental — and yet still manages to sound very much like Danny Ocean.
As he navigates through the life’s most relatable topics — heartbreak, lust, love and the desire to live authentically as yourself — he elevates his signature pop sound in a mishmash with edgier and more in-your-face styles like electro and Middle Eastern influences. Reflexa cements Danny Ocean as an artist who can deliver pop hits without having to rely on lyrics that are trite or borderline cheesy. He’s real, raw and overly honest about life, and a fierce protector of the art he puts out in the world. — GRISELDA FLORES
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
