New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Camilo & Carin León, “Una Vida Pasada” (Sony Music Latin/Hecho A Mano)
Leave it to Camilo to get Carin Leon to sing salsa music for the first time. In “Una Vida Pasada,” the Colombian pop star and the música mexicana sensation (who previously collaborated on “Ni Me Debes, Ni Te Debo”) sing about a love so strong that comes from a past life, but unfortunately, can’t be together. “Tell me why if we were meant for each other/ How do you pretend to forget the love of you life?” they ask in part of the lyrics. Musically, the song is a captivating salsa, where Camilo even flaunts his trombone-playing skills. “Una Vida Pasada” is part of Camilo’s experimental three-track EP dos, where he also dips his toes in the pambiche merengue genre (“Autodiagnóstico”) and traditional vallenato (“En Tus Sueños o En Los Míos”). The set comes on the heels of uno, which includes “PLIS,” his feel-good, romantic salsa tune with his wife and artist Evaluna Montaner. — JESSICA ROIZ
Santa Fe Klan & Nicky Jam, “Una Raya Más” (Cuatro Siete Tres/Sony Music Latin)
A departure from Santa Fe Klan’s hip-hop roots, the Mexican rapper dives into a reggaetón-pop sound — a nod to his collaborator Nicky Jam, who is known for his melodic and poetic approach to reggaetón. While the song’s beat may be softer, Santa doesn’t hold back his rapid-fire verses about a love story that turns into a nightmare, with betrayal and deception. Meanwhile, Nicky Jam — whose melodic vocals offer a contrast to Santa’s raw rap skills — sings emotionally about the complexities of heartbreak. — GRISELDA FLORES
Morat, “Faltas Tú” (Universal Music Spain)
In their new single “Faltas Tú” (“Only You Are Missing”), Colombian boyband Morat immerses us in a nostalgic atmosphere in sound and visuals, as they explore the theme of missing a loved one. The pop-rock track at times evokes the distinctive vintage sound of ’70s rock classics, driven by electric guitar, with vocals wrapped in reverb effects and captivating melodies. “To start the season of our fifth album, we leave you a song that represents the new sound, the new aesthetic, and the new attitude. See you at the concert, ‘Sólo Faltas Tú (only you’re missing)’”, the says said in a statement about the release. The music video, filmed in Mexico, complements the song’s themes by showing incomplete elements, such as a hot dog without the meat and Paris without the Eiffel Tower, while the band members travel and perform in a retro silver Airstream trailer. — LUISA CALLE
Aventura, “Brindo Con Agua”
With haunting sincerity, Aventura’s “Brindo Con Agua” delves into the stark realities of alcoholism, domestic strife, and familial anguish. Instead of Romeo Santos taking the lead, Henry Santos fronts the bachata song, navigating its emotional depths against nylon guitar plucks and bongo rhythms. “Always when I drink I think I’m Superman/ And I want everything in my house to be done my way/ I came home drunk one night/ And in front of my children I grabbed my wife,” he sings with raw intensity. As Henry grapples with his inner demons, Romeo intervenes as a beacon of reason midway through the song, urging him to reclaim his life.
Channeling the essence of amargue music (bachata’s original name), this single marks Aventura’s grand return since 2021’s “Volví” with Bad Bunny. In February, Romeo Santos revealed that he was reuniting with Aventura for their final tour, called Cerrando Ciclos, which will kick off on May 1 in Sacramento, Calif. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Sheila E., Bailar (Stiletto Flats)
For her first salsa album, Sheila E. recruited great legends of Latin and tropical music, such as Gloria Estefan, Rubén Blades and Gilberto Santa Rosa. The “Queen of Timbal” presents 10 songs mostly of classical salsa that will make the listener, as its title promises, dance — from the first chords of “Anacaona,” the song that opens the set with Rubén Blades, to “Bemba Colorá” with Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar, “El Rey del Timbal” with Gilberto Santa Rosa and the album’s title song with Luis Enrique.
Six of the set’s tracks are in Spanish, including “Gente Buena” with Víctor Manuelle and the electrifying “Descarga” with José Alberto “El Canario” and Pete Escovedo, Sheila’s famous dad. Three are in English: “The Way That You Do” with Jean Rodriguez, “Mi Amor” with Mychel Gabrial, and “Playa Tequila”, the only one without a guest singer. One, “Possibilities” with Debi Nova, is in Spanglish.
With stunning big band orchestration and arrangements, Bailar is a testament to the Latin flavor and star power of Tito Puente’s goddaughter, who rose to fame in the early ’80s as Prince’s percussionist. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
