New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Luis Fonsi, Maluma, Elsa y Elmar & More
Written by djfrosty on August 25, 2023
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.
Luis Fonsi, “Pasa La Página (Panamá)” (Universal Music Latino)
Luis Fonsi’s new single “Pasa La Página (Panamá)” fuses funk with electric guitars and electronic keyboards. The catchy track is inspired by the common phrase “turn the page” and was produced by by Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo (the team behind “Despacito”). Fonsi explains to Billboard Español that the phrase serves as a reminder to those stuck in a moment or a phase, and keep talking about the same thing, that “life is too short to keep dwelling on the same old things. Let’s move on!”
“Pasa La Página (Panamá)” is the second single from Fonsi’s upcoming album Viaje, which will trace his journey in music. The new song’s music video, created and directed by Carlos Pérez, follows a person who is constantly in the public eye, with a focus on microphones and cameras. – INGRID FAJARDO
Manuel Turizo & Grupo Frontera, “De Lunes a Lunes” (La Industria Inc./Sony Music Latin)
If “La Bachata” and “El Merengue” are any indication, it’s no surprise that Manuel Turizo is diversifying his sound one single at a time. This time, he teams up with Grupo Frontera — no, not for a song called “La Cumbia,” but rather “De Lunes a Lunes.” Produced and written by Edgar Barrera, the slow-tempo norteño track finds Turizo and the sextet group chanting about a heartbreak so severe and unfair that it has them drinking from Monday to Monday.
“This song speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and the lengths we go to numb the pain,” Turizo says in a press statement. “Collaborating with Grupo Frontera has allowed us to channel these emotions into a powerful and relatable track.” “De Lunes a Lunes” is also the surprise sixth track on Frontera’s debut studio album El Comienzo, which peaked at No. 4 on the Top Latin Albums chart and No. 2 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart. — JESSICA ROIZ
Maluma, Don Juan (Sony Music Latin)
Maluma has been a “Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy,” a “Papi Juancho,” and now, he’s a “Don Juan,” per the title of his new album. It’s a set that the Colombian star describes as “magical,” and far lighter than its more emotional predecessor. “I want to go out and listen to the whole album in a club,” he told Billboard. Certainly, there’s much of that in down and dirty club tracks like “Ave María” and “Luna Llena,” the latter with Ryan Castro. But Maluma shines brightest when he veers into unexpected territory: “Bikini” is a refreshing, lovelorn, mid-tempo track with 60s vibes, “Según Quién,” is a guitar-anchored waltz with Carin Leon that turns the tables on the concept of spurned women — and if you want to get your reggaetón in, our top choice is the old-school “Nómina” with Jowell & Randy. — LEILA COBO
Myke Towers, “Bajo El Sol” (Warner Music Latina)
Still riding high from his global hit song “Lala,” Myke Towers delivers an equally catchy and magnetic new track titled “Bajo El Sol.” Powered by a trap-like beat, the Puerto Rican singer and rapper uses his lyrical prowess to win a girl over. Singing over sensual melodies and head-bobbing drums, Myke Towers confidently chants, “Yo te quiero ver bajo el sol (I want to see you under the sun).” The track follows a handful of Myke Towers single releases, including “Kiki” and “Hora Cero.” Earlier this year, Myke released the eclectic set La Vida Es Una, which peaked at No. 9 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart. — GRISELDA FLORES
LOUTA & Elsa y Elmar, “Diamante” (LOUTA)
The Argentine singer-songwriter LOUTA fuses his alternative pop with the “spiritual pop” of the Colombian singer-songwriter Elsa y Elmar to create “DIAMANTE,” a song about happiness. The theme echoes that the often-elusive happiness is not pursued or found on the outside, but is within each one. “Away from the eyes of others/ There was a diamond, it was hidden, it was back there,” they affirm in the contagious chorus.
The video, set in a house with design, shades and lights that recreate a vintage style, shows the two artists performing in different rooms, and accompanied by a live band. The repeat-worthy collaboration between the two artists feels organic, and with the mix of all the elements of both the song and the video, they manage to evoke that feeling of contentment and peace. — LUISA CALLE
Gian Marco & Rubén Blades, “Aún Me Sigo Encontrando” (Enjoymusic Records)
For the first single of what will be his 17th album, Gian Marco recruited Panamanian salsa master Rubén Blades, achieving a rich fusion of their musical styles. Honest and nostalgic, the song talks about the sometimes-painful path of self-discovery in order to live a genuine life. “Look deeply inward/ With all that that implies/ Life does not replicate/ Brave those who go to meet it,” the Peruvian singer-songwriter narrates in the first verses, before breaking into song. “So many times I got lost, and I still find myself,” both artists repeat in the chorus.
“‘Aún Me Sigo Encontrando’ encapsulates reflections from a distinct period in my life,” Gian Marco explains in a press release. “It extends an invitation to delve inward, an endeavor that few are willing to embark upon, as the song’s opening aptly suggests, due to the profundity it entails.” The music video, directed by Rodrigo Dulanto and Kenneth O’Brien, shows Gian Marco in different everyday scenes; Blades does not appear in it, but his voice is dubbed by people, including a child and a female senior citizen. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Edén Muñoz & Fuerza Regida, “La Tierra del Corrido” (Rancho Humilde / Street Mob Records)
“Esto no es moda, esto es cultura,” declare the heavyweight trio against an energetic corridos backdrop. Bolstered by a menacing accordion riff, “Mi Tierra del Corrido” also isn’t just a modern-day corridos single, it’s a mission statement where three generations of música mexicana giants unite to uplift the Mexican movement that’s taking over the culture. The legendary Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Sinaloense norteño-banda sensation Edén Muñoz, and Mexican-American hitmakers Fuerza Regida represent distinct corners of this ever booming norteño sound, and together they pay homage to Chalino Sánchez, tradition, heritage, and the new belikada lifestyle. Above all, it’s a tribute to the evolution of corridos, the century-old borderland style that came to notoriety during the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
“This song is very important to me because I am singing alongside legends like Los Tucanes and Edén Muñoz,” says Jesús Ortiz in a press release. Written by Muñoz, the song, in his words, “honors the stories that make history.” “Music is for living together, not for competing,” adds Mario Quintero. “So creating together is very beneficial for culture, history and for the genre.” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
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Listen to this week’s New Music Latin playlist below: