Latin

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new albums from artists such as Camilo, Joss Favela, Peso Pluma and Grupo Frontera, to name a few. Mexican hitmaker Peso Pluma teamed up with Junior H and Eslabon Armado for “La Durango.” The three artists’ collaboration cements regional Mexican music’s commitment […]

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.

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Grupo Frontera, Jugando Que No Pasa Nada (Grupo Frontera)

Grupo Frontera has unleashed its sophomore studio album, Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada, which loosely translates to “pretending that nothing’s wrong.” The 12-track set remains faithful to Frontera’s signature stamp — both lyrically and sonically — heartbreak songs backed by captivating cumbia, tejano, and Norteño melodies, and even dabbling in country music in “Echándote de Menos.” Most notable, however, are its star-studded collaborations: In “Por Qué Será” with Maluma, the artists open up about rejection and unrequited love; in the Nicki Nicole-assisted “Desquite,” they bring back the tribal guarachero sound; then there’s the highly anticipated “Los Dos,” in collaboration with Morat, which first garnered buzz on social media. On the set, we also find the previously released singles “Quédate Bebé” and the Christian Nodal-assisted “Ya Pedo Quien Sabe.” The latter reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart this week, marking the Texas-based group’s eighth No. 1 on the chart. — JESSICA ROIZ

Camilo, Tres (Sony Music Latin/Hecho A Mano)

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Singer-songwriter Camilo continues to display his musicality with a new release from his studio, El Taller Creativo: the most recent in the Un, Dos, Tres series of EPs. In the most recent installment, Camilo delves into different genres, from the cumbia “Misión Imposible” (where he plays the accordion while wishing his partner good luck in his search for someone better than him: “But you’re not going to find yourself/ Lo what do you have with me”) to the fusion of merengue with African rhythms “Amor de Extranjeros.” He also presents a new version of his 2018 song, “Corazón de Hojalata”, transforming it into a tropical ballad. (Regarding this last song, he shared on his social media: “It is a song that I wrote at a time when I was unable to find God. I felt like my heart was made of tin, until I let myself be found and it creaked.”)

Each song is accompanied by a music video recorded at Camilo’s studio in Miami. The Colombian artist is preparing for his Nuestro Lugar Feliz tour through several cities in the United States, such as Los Angeles and Miami, as well as in Europe, including Madrid and Paris. — LUISA CALLE

Peso Pluma, Junior H, & Eslabon Armado, “La Durango” (Double P Records)

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In “La Durango,” the powerhouse alliance of Peso Pluma, Junior H and Eslabon Armado meld their talents with ease, crafting a rich song with a laid-back-yet-assertive tumbado vibe. The track features blaring horns that intertwine with nonchalantly delivered verses, portraying the artists’ journey to success and the celebratory lifestyle that follows. “Loyalty is what I seek/ And easy money I accumulate”, Eslabon frontman Pedro Tovar boasts. The title itself hints at the rugged Dodge Durango, perhaps symbolizing the artists’ robust ascent in the regional Mexican music scene. This música mexicana trinity demonstrates that their combined force is not just a fleeting alignment, but a formidable fusion of talent that sets the bar high for genre contemporaries. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Joss Favela, Mis Compas Vol. 1 (Sony Music Latin)

The Regional Mexican singer-songwriter delivers an eclectic six-song EP where he masterfully fuses his signature norteño and mariachi with hip-hop (“Cuando Llegue El Día” ft. Gera MX), sierreño (“Somos” with Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho) and banda (“Con Todo Respetillo” with Luis R. Conriquez). In essence, Mis Compas Vol. 1 is a celebration of música mexicana’s rich culture, one that thrives on the different sounds, subgenres and generations that makeup regional Mexican today.

The A-list roster of collaborators, which also includes Yuridia, Banda MS and Codiciado, allows Favela to exist in multiple worlds at once, while still staying true to the basics of regional Mexican and the good lyricism that has defined his career. “This is a project with pure friends with whom I’ve had the opportunity to work previously, whether composing songs for them, producing for them, or doing something together,” Favela says in a statement. “And now coming together to do duets is something that I personally treasure a lot.” — GRISELDA FLORES

Ryan Castro, EL Cantante del Ghetto (Ryan Castro/Sony Music Colombia)

Castro’s highly anticipated debut album, El Cantante del Ghetto, is not only a reflection of the qualities that have catapulted the Colombian artist to the top of the charts, but also serves to showcase the culture of his Pedregal neighborhood in Medellín. The 18-track collection includes the previously released “Quema” with Peso Pluma, “Ghetto Star,” “Rich Rappers” with Rich the Kid, and most recently, “El Cantante Del Ghetto” with Coque and La Eterna. The latter is a salsa track that pays tribute to Puerto Rican legend Héctor Lavoe with a heartfelt tribute to his roots, modest upbringing and the vibrant community of his hometown.

The set also includes collaborations with Arcangel, Ñengo Flow, Yandel, Jowell y Randy, Zion, Myke Towers, Totoy el Frio and Blessid. El Cantante del Ghetto portrays a testament to the transformative journey of the artist, from his humble beginnings of street busking to global stardom. The music is influenced by classic reggaetón, dancehall and trap, making it timeless. — INGRID FAJARDO

Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:

“You got a presence, bud.”
That line from episode four in Palm Royale couldn’t be more fitting when describing Ricky Martin‘s character in the Apple TV+ series. While those words are actually told to the Puerto Rican star’s character, Robert Diaz, they also perfectly describe just how much Martin stands out in a cast that includes Hollywood stars Carol Burnett, Laura Dern and Kristen Wiig.

“I feel very lucky to be part of such a wonderful project,” the Grammy-winning artist tells Billboard via Zoom. Adding that what was key to nailing such a multi-layered character like Robert was silence. “What I mean by silence is the time I spent with my script and the secrets that have make him very powerful. Also, obviously, the challenges that he has as a man who needs to hide his reality back in the 60s. It’s something that gave me a lot of strength and I used every emotion, from fear, uncertainty, the fear of being rejected, I used all those dark emotions and I think that helped me create a strong, powerful character.”

Set in the 1960s in Palm Beach, Fla., Martin gives life to Robert, a bartender at the high society club Palm Royale, and Norma’s (Burnett) loyal companion/caretaker. He’s best described as stoic and a fierce protector of his friends (although they may not be the best of people) — and while he may come off as cold and indifferent towards others at the beginning, he’ll win your heart over episode after episode, as he allows vulnerability and transparency to take centerstage. Robert is also a gay man who struggles with his sexual identity and, in a powerful scene with Wiig and Dern, he says, “I just want to be a person.”

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“An acting coach told me once, ‘Actors can’t lie, you just gotta wear the shoes of the character that you’re portraying and act exactly like you would behave in any situation.’ To just be honest, transparent and hope for the best, and that’s what I’ve done with this character,” adds Martin, who will be the first openly gay Latin artist to headline LA Pride in the Park, which will return to the Los Angeles State Historic Park on June 8.

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If you’ve followed the Latin superstar’s career since the beginning — which launched in the early 1980s as a member of the wildly popular boyband Menudo — you’ll know that Palm Royale is not Martin’s actoral debut. In fact, he’s been acting since he was 15 with roles in Spanish-language soap operas, on General Hospital and, in 2017, he landed a key role in Ryan Murphy’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace – American Crime Story. But doing Palm Royale hit different and ignited a fire to keep acting.

“First time I was in front of a camera, I was 15 years old — it was a very beautiful l time,” he recalls. “Obviously later on music did its thing, and I cannot deny the power of music in my life, and it’s something I’ll always be forever grateful for. But at the end of the day I’m a storyteller… I will tell you a story through music or a script — I’ll make it mine. I’ll share with you what I’m feeling. This fluidity of storytelling is fascinating and I’m addicted to it so hopefully I’ll be doing more of this because I just love what I feel.”

Spoiler alert below

Apple has yet renew the series for a second season, but the series’ ending definitely leaves plenty of room for imagination. In the season finale, Robert is shot in a crossfire. In the last minutes of episode 10, he’s lying on the ground fighting for his life.

“My cell phone is on fire,” Martin says with a smirk. “Everybody is crying, they’re asking what’s going to happen next, will there be a second season, but that’s the beauty of this show. At the end of every episode there’s a massive cliffhanger, and I think the tentacles that are left in this story, it can go in so many directions.”

All episodes of Palm Royale are streaming now on Apple TV+.