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This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — is powered by new music from Chayanne, Jay Wheeler, Laura Pausini and more. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Notably […]
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.
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Chayanne, Bailemos Otra Vez (Sony Music Latin)
Chayanne, a.k.a. “Latin America’s eternal boyfriend,” presents his highly anticipated 20th studio album, Bailemos Otra Vez, marking his first set in nine years. In the diverse nine-track journey — home to previously released tracks “Bailando Bachata” and “Te Amo y Punto” — the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter reinvents his sound while keeping his essence intact.
If the former, his first-ever bachata, was an indication, he isn’t afraid to navigate from ranchera music in “Necesito Un Segundo” to the rhythmic cumbia in “Como Tú y Yo,” a song that celebrates true love amidst an ocean of disposable relationships (and even samples his own 1998 hit “Dejaría Todo”). “De Tanto,” on the other hand, is a classic Chayanne ballad. Recorded in Miami and penned by the artist, Bailemos Otra Vez boasts a wave of Latin hitmakers adding their magical beats and penmanship, including Andrés Torres, Édgar Barrera, Elena Rose, Florentino Rivera, Julio Reyes, Maffio, Mauricio Rengifo and Rafa Pabón. — INGRID FAJARDO
Laura Pausini, Almas Paralelas (Warner Music Italy/Gente Edizioni Musicali)
Five years after her last studio album — the 2018 Latin Grammy winner for best traditional pop vocal album, Hazte Sentir — Laura Pausini returns like a typhoon with Almas Paralelas, a 16-track set inspired by real stories, of her own and others, which displays an artistic and personal evolution, both vocally and lyrically. Featuring a more guttural interpretation, but without losing her essence, Pausini opens the album with “Cero,” a dance-pop number full of energy and empowering lyrics like “From now on I will not settle for less/ Give me only emotions different from zero.” She closes it with “Frente a Nosotros,” a sensitive piano ballad — which the Italian pop superstar walked down the aisle to when she married producer Paolo Carta last March, after 18 years together. In between, she takes us on a passionate and compelling journey addressing topics as basic as love, forgiveness, motherhood, and family.
“It is a truly conceptual album that… celebrates diversity and the right to individuality, which in my opinion should be respected more being citizens of the same streets but with different souls, different dreams, different desires,” Pausini tells Billboard Español weeks before being honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2023 Person of the Year. “In this world represented [on the album cover] by the street and its zebra crossing, I’d like there to always be respect and love between the individuals who inhabit it, and I would like for the listener to fall in love with the human beings who live like souls on a parallel path.”
Available in Italian as Anime Parallele, Almas Paralelas also includes the previously-released singles “Un Buen Comienzo,” dedicated to those who’ve had people in their lives trying to bring them down; “Durar,” about the love and daily commitment of a couple who decides to build a life together; and “Hogar Natural,” an emotional piece that marks her first duet with her daughter Paola. It is, overall, a pop gem that will make you dance and laugh, heal and reflect. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Jay Wheeler, TRAPPii (Linked Music/Dynamic Records/EMPIRE)
In a striking divergence from his more romantic repertoire, as evinced by albums like Platónicos (2020) or last year’s R&B-infused El Amor y Yo, Jay Wheeler embraces a grittier, more provocative allure on this week’s TRAPPii. In typical trap fashion, which revels in the pleasures of excess, the Puerto Rican trap star manages to maneuver the juxtaposition of raunch, vulnerability and desire across a dozen tracks. “TRAPPii,” featuring Arcángel, serves as the album’s high-impact introductory track. Exuding a raw, hard-hitting beat with a pulsating bassline that demands attention, Jay Wheeler and Arcángel make a powerful statement about wealth, materialism and the true value of knowledge and integrity over material possessions.
Infused with subtle drill undertones, courtesy of Botlok, Yeziell, Dimelo Suru and DJ Nelson, “Repeat” sees the singer yearning to reconnect with a special someone who’s moved on to a new partner. On “Jumping Out the Window,” equipped with melodic guitar arpeggios, the Puerto Rican artist swaps to English, a risqué track that hints at the emo rap style popularized by SoundCloud rappers. Then there’s the earlier single “Gangsta Luv,” featuring newcomer Anubiis, where the protagonists allude to the perilous lifestyle of their chosen subculture. While Wheeler maintains his distinctive fusion of irresistible sensuality throughout the LP, he injects unabashed intensity. In other words, TRAPPii glitters in the dark. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Lenny Tavárez feat. Sergio George, “El Yate” (Warner Music Latina/Kristoman)
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Lenny Tavárez has brought a fan-favorite track to life with “El Yate.” The Puerto Rican artist first teased the unreleased song a couple of years ago, when he shared a home video on social media performing the song with his acoustic guitar. After much praise from his followers, the urban star teamed up with renowned award-winning producer Sergio George for a flavorful salsa version. Though the beat will keep you on your feet with its live piano, percussion, cello and trumpet melodies, “El Yate” is backed by some sad, heartfelt lyrics. “Everyone knows that it’s the law of life/ That a story without heartbreak/ Is a boring adventure/ That you can moor a yacht/ But never two hearts/ Unless God decides,” Tavárez’s sweet vocals chant — also marking a new musical era that’s not too shabby for Lenny. — JESSICA ROIZ
María José Llergo, ULTRABELLEZA (Sony Music España)
Spanish singer-songwriter María José Llergo hits the ground running with her debut album ULTRABELLEZA (Ultra Beautiful) while honoring her family heritage. Through the 13-track set, the Andalusian artist experiments beyond of the conventional boundaries of flamenco, delivering a contemporary gypsy masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of her artistry. Her deep, soul-stirring vocals and poignant lyrics about love, empowerment and life’s trials are skillfully complemented by electronic elements such as synthesizers and potent bass lines.
Standout tracks like “Superpoder,” where she pens the poignant line, “I learned to cry by singing, I learned to sing by crying,” and others like “Rueda, Rueda,” narrate her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to burgeoning stardom. About the latter, Llergo expressed in a press release, “This song is a sincere thanks and celebration of being able to dedicate myself to what truly fills me.” ULTRABELLEZA is a mesmerizing, autochthonous project infused with a contemporary flair that not only defines her as an artist but also signifies the evolution of flamenco into the modern era. It is a commendable effort to break the genre free from cultural confines, paving the way for a wider audience to embrace its beauty. — LUISA CALLE
Listen to more new Latin music recommendations in the playlists below:
Luck Ra’s “La Morocha” featuring BM rebounds 2-1 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated Oct. 28) for a fifth week of domination. The song unseats Bizarrap and Milo J’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 57” from the lead after one week in charge. With the move, “La Morocha” ties with Ke Personajes, Big One […]
Elena Rose can’t hold back her tears. At her home in Miami, where she spends most of her time since leaving her native Venezuela almost nine years ago to become one of the most sought-after Latin songwriters of her generation, she is eagerly awaiting the premiere of a project she started to work on three years ago — “Caracas en el 2000” with Danny Ocean and Jerry Di — which finally comes out Thursday (October 26).
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As cheerful as it is nostalgic, the tropical song with urban touches is a love letter to the city where the three artists grew up, each in a different socioeconomic area, before the political situation led them, as so many others, to emigrate in search of better opportunities. “What I would give for a thing like that/ You and me in Caracas like in 2000/ Skating around La Cota Mil/ With the macaws/ With such a flow, baby,” says part of the lyrics.
“We were children at that time,” Elena Rose explains to Billboard Español about the reason of the year 2000 in an interview via Zoom. “Beyond the fact that chronologically the country was in a better place, we wanted to show that innocence from three people who had very different lives even though they grew up in the same city.
“I feel that this is how the mind of a child who is enjoying too much on a day at the beach, on a day you went out skateboarding, would sound,” adds the singer-songwriter and only woman nominated for the 2023 Latin Grammy for songwriter of the year. “The feeling of what that soundtrack would sound like just when you go out to recess and are set free from all the classes. It’s pure joy.”
“Caracas en el 2000,” a Warner Music Latina release, was written by Elena Rose, Danny Ocean and Jerry Di and produced by Maff and DJ Tra. Elena Rose’s younger sister, Cristina “Pichu” Hernández, also contributed to the lyrics in its initial stages and now has a starring role in the music video, in which she plays Elena as a teenager. (The three singers, who are portrayed by young actors, also appear in different scenes but filmed their parts in the U.S.)
Directed by Beto Monte and Rodrigo Michelangeli and produced by Capitol, the clip shows emblematic places of Caracas such as the El Ávila hill, the Humboldt Hotel, La Previsora tower (with its iconic digital clock) and different squares, avenues and neighborhoods. In a little over four minutes, it condenses the energy of the city and the joy and strength of its people. It took over a year of work, carried out mostly by Monte (better known as Alberto “Beto” Montenegro of the Venezuelan rock/reggae band Rawayana), who was constantly traveling to Caracas to record visuals, Elena Rose points out how meaningful and personal it’s been for her.
“They recorded the video at my school with the teachers who taught me. My grandmother is in the video. La Pichu, the sister I wrote the song with, is the one who played me when I was little. It’s really remarkable for that reason,” she says with emotion. “They took photos from when I was a child, they even recreated the tattoos I made with markers, what my school bag was like, my little necklaces and things I wore. I mean, can you imagine, it is one of the most important productions and the one I feel most proud to be a part of.”
Now that it is out, she hopes to enjoy the result of the great teamwork involved in the making of the song and the video, and bring part of her culture to the world.
“I hope it serves as a message of hope and faith both for the Caracas native who stayed and for the one that left, and for the one who returns, and for the one who wants to leave,” she says. “It is a message of love everywhere you see it, where there is no mention of religion or politics or social class or sexual inclination or color or money; simply of what unites all of us Caracas, and that is the love for that city. We are proud to come from where we come from.”
Watch the “Caracas en el 2000” video above.
Warner Music Latina
On Tuesday (Oct. 24), Iñigo Quintero’s “Si No Estás” garnered more than 5.7 million plays in just one day, an impressive amount that pushed it to the top of Spotify‘s global chart. It’s the first time a solo Spanish artist has achieved this milestone (previously Canary Islander Quevedo accomplished the feat alongside Argentina’s Bizarrap with “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52”), and it’s all the more shocking because, at least outside of Spain, Quintero was until recently a total unknown.
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The song also reached the coveted top 10 on Billboard‘s global charts, peaking at No. 4 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and No. 10 on Billboard Global 200. And with daily plays surpassing such popular tracks as Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” or Young Miko’s “Wiggy,” the meteoric rise is also enigmatic in that it has occurred without any traditional promotion, publicity, press releases or information about the artist behind the sensation. (Billboard Español requested an interview with Quintero’s representative and the response was that he is not currently talking to the company).
With verses like “Esto es una alucinación/ Quiero ver tu otra mitad/ Alejarme de esta ciudad/ Y contagiarme de tu forma de pensar” (“This is a delusion/ I want to see your other half/ Get away from this city/ And immerse in your way of thinking.”) “Si No Estás” is a piano-pop ballad that alludes to an intense obsession and longing for someone who is far away, and the anguish and pain that result from that separation — a song of unusual depth for a 2023 pop hit.
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“Clearly, Iñigo’s songs are connecting with the people,” says Esteve Lombarte, founder of the Acqustic label, who represents the artist. “I think for a long time we’ve had more superficial songs focused on lives of great luxury — of cars, wealth and houses — and nowadays, there are a lot more connecting with day-to-day problems that talk about love, friendship and other issues related to people’s concerns.”
What is certain is the power of the song and its meaning, which has generated a great deal of debate on social networks. “Si No Estás” has been interpreted in different ways, from a song dedicated to God, to a reflection on a romantic breakup.
Lombarte explains that the song began to go viral organically through TikTok, and immediately connected with listeners. “From that initial boost we decided to amplify [the song],” he says. Quintero connected with the label through his other artist Besmaya, and in March 2023 they signed him.
“The truth is that the success of ‘Si No Estás’ is an unprecedented triumph in the industry, but we believe that what is behind this song is a very talented artist,” Lombarte points out. “And the rest of the songs are really doing very well too. The proof of that is that ‘Sobredosis’ is already in the top 100 in Spain, and there will be more and more songs, and we will get to know more of the artist little by little.”
He continues: “The clearest proof is that countries like France, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland — non-Spanish-speaking countries — have also connected with the artist beyond the lyrics. It is part of the magic of this art.”
Other projects that Aqcustic manages are Malmö 040, Besmaya, Ciao Marina, Maren, Yarea, Inazio and Hey Kid. “After this great success, what we will do is to continue working and preparing songs. The important thing is to sit down, compose and work to release music that connect as well as ‘Si No Estás’ has connected,” adds Lombarte.
Additional reporting by Franchesca Guim.
Halloween is just five days away, and for those last-minute costume shoppers, Billboard has you covered. This year, we’ve compiled seven easy and quick costumes to channel your favorite Latin music stars — which you can do yourself at home, with things you either already own or can thrift at an affordable price over the […]
J Balvin has nothing but good things to say about Britney Spears, whose long-awaited memoir — The Woman in Me — arrived on Tuesday (Oct. 24).
The Latin pop star gushed to TMZ on Wednesday (Oct. 25) that he’s “really proud of” Spears for being so vulnerable in her book. “I think she’s amazing,” Balvin said. “I think she deserves the best.”
“She’s a woman that we have to have a lot of love and respect [for],” continued the “Mi Gente” musician. “She’s fired [up] the whole world at her peak, and I can’t wait for her to bring new music. I think we need her so much.”
Spears’ memoir dropped not long after she joined J Balvin and Maluma for drinks in New York City. In photos posted afterward on Maluma’s Instagram, the “Toxic” singer cuddled close with a smiling Balvin, who commented, “I can’t get over it.”
“I think she’s super strong,” he added to TMZ of the pop star. “I think she already has a [mental] shield. She knows what she’s doing, and the last time I saw her, she looks in a real, real good place in her mind to deal with everything.”
The “Que Pretendes” artist volunteered a lot less about Bad Bunny, who seemingly dissed his past collaborator on a song from his new album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana. “You’ve seen me, I always walk with the same people/ While you are friends of the whole world like Balvin,” Bunny sings in Spanish on “Thunder Y Lightning.”
Asked for comment about the alleged diss, Balvin simply told TMZ, “I’m all about love. I love the guy,” before getting in a car.
Balvin previously addressed the situation on Instagram Live after Nadie dropped, saying at the time, “The person I know is a great person. We supported each other mutually, we made history, we also created a new story within music. I don’t understand what was going through his head but well, the guy I know is a good person.”
Chino Pacas was only 12 years old when he unearthed his passion for music. Four years later, he went viral on Tiktok, landed on the Billboard charts, and signed a major record deal.
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Born in Guanajuato, a city located in central Mexico, Pacas (real name: Cristian Humberto Avila Vega) was aware of his artistic skills but it was his older brother, Diego Arturo Avila Vega (known by the artist name “Turo Pacas”) who not only encouraged him to kick off his singing career, but also taught him how to play the guitar.
“I feel that in Guanajuato, the clothing and culture has been represented by the tumbado movement and I based my character a lot on that,” Pacas tells Billboard. “Seeing all the movement that was emerging around me was what motivated me.”
Inspired by artists such as Natanael Cano and Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz (JOP), who he says “for real, he’s a big example to follow,” Pacas began to upload his original music on social media flaunting his mature and raspy vocals. One viral TikTok video, however, quickly changed his fate.
“‘El Gordo Trae el Mando’ is the big blessing that pushed us forward,” he recalls, explaining that JOP came across his videos on the app and decided to FaceTime him at 4:00 a.m. Pacas inked a record deal with JOP’s label, Street Mob Records, this year.
“When he wanted to sign me, I was super excited, because I never had relationships with artists in music. I was really moved,” he notes. “Thanks to that song, JOP noticed us and decided to sign us.”
This year, the then 16-year-old Mexican artist scored three Billboard chart entries across Hot Latin Songs, Latin Streaming Songs, and both Global charts with “El Gordo Trae El Mando,” “Dijeron Que No La Iba a Lograr” (with Fuerza Regida) and “Que Onda” (with Calle 24 and Fuerza Regida). Both the first and the last of the three earned him two tops 10 hits on Latin Streaming Songs. He was also a finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards for best new artist.
“I am very happy with everything that is happening and the reception from the fans that are always supporting us,” the now-17-year-old says. “I really feel like I’m not very famous yet. I’m just making music and people really like it.”
Below, learn more about this month’s Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise:
Name: Cristian Humberto Avila Vega. (His artistic name is a mix of his childhood nickname “Chino” with “Pacas,” which translates to bales of money.)
Age: 17
Recommended Song: “Dijeron Que No La Iba a Lograr” with Fuerza Regida
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Biggest Achievement: At only 16 years old, Pacas earned three entries across the Billboard charts with “El Gordo Trae El Mando,” “Dijeron Que No La Iba a Lograr,” and “Que Onda,” all which have entered Hot Latin Songs, Latin Streaming Songs, and both Global charts. He was also an artist of the year, new finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
What’s Next?: “Right now I’m working on my first album and many surprises are coming,” he says. “I have several collaborations that are very good, including another with Fuerza Regida. And my older brother, Turo Pacas, just made his debut as a singer on Fuerza’s album. I’m also going to release a song with him on my album. Turo is my blood brother, my requintista, producer, my writer, and everything, he’s very good!”
The fact that Bad Bunny topped the Billboard 200 for the third consecutive time with his Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana (No One Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow) came as a surprise to no one. By now, the Puerto Rican artist is firmly entrenched in the pop culture zeitgeist, having entered that rarified club of artists who can do no wrong (in this moment in time, at least) and whose music demands immediate consumption.
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But unlike every other artist who has ever hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — well, “every” until earlier this year, anyway — Bad Bunny’s feat carries a massive, previously unheard of caveat: He sings only in Spanish, and he achieved his trifecta of No. 1s with Spanish-only albums, something no one has ever done before.
That alone is noteworthy. But seeing Bad Bunny (or Benito, his real name, and the name he increasingly goes by publicly, including on the cover of his new album) host Saturday Night Live (SNL) largely in Spanish took things to a whole other level. Thanks to a rapper from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Latin presence in U.S. pop culture has been mainstreamed for perhaps the first time since I Love Lucy in the 1950s. The big difference is, I Love Lucy used comedy as a vehicle to “translate” Desi Arnaz’s accented English, accompanied by boogaloo.
In contrast, Bad Bunny makes no attempt at translation or compromise when he very matter of factly speaks in Spanish. Last Saturday (Oct. 21), during his SNL opening monologue he not only went back and forth between Spanish and English, but also repeatedly alluded to language as a bridge (“I’m very excited to be here in Sábado Gigante,” he joked, referring to the iconic late night show that defined Spanish language television for decades) and as a divider (“People are wondering if I can host this show, because English is my second language”).
It’s an important point to make. While Benito has clearly spruced up his English chops and was indeed perfectly capable of hosting the evening, Latin artists were long kept off the air and off major events because they either spoke and sang only in Spanish, were not fluent enough in English, or because their Latin accents were not as broadly accepted as the more elite British or French.
Their other-ness was problematic: So much so, that back in 2013, when New York-born and raised Marc Anthony sang “God Bless America” at the MLB All-Star game in America, he received an avalanche of criticism on Twitter claiming he wasn’t American, despite his Bronx accent.
Fast forward to August, 2017 — still just six years ago — when the runaway smash “Despacito” was at the height of its popularity, having culminated its 16-week, then-record-rying run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite it already boasting the most-viewed video of all time on YouTube, it didn’t get a single Video Music Award nomination, a fact the VMAs attributed to miscommunication and technicalities.
Whatever it may have been, it was par for the course at the time. That same year, USC’s Annenberg School of Communications released a report revealing that although Latinos comprised nearly 18 percent of the U.S. population (the biggest minority in the country), only 5.8 percent of speaking roles in film and television went to them. Two years later, the number actually went down, to 5%.
As for the Grammys, in 2017 there had been only three Spanish-language performances since Ricky Martin brought the house down in 1999 with “The Cup of Life” (singing in English).
Even the Hot 100 bears witness to the exclusion of Latin music. Between 2010 and 2016, only 14 songs performed primarily in Spanish made it to the chart. In 2017, the year of “Despacito,” the number jumped to 19 — no doubt spurred by the sudden visibility into the opportunity of Spanish or bilingual songs.
Since then, the ascent has been steady, with Spanish-language (and by extension, Latin music) artists gaining increasingly prominent looks in marquee properties, from late night shows to this year’s Grammys (with Bad Bunny famously opening the ceremonies with an all-Spanish performance) to September’s VMAs, where Shakira received the Video Vanguard award and sang a 10-minute bilingual medley of hits. On the Hot 100, so far this year nearly 100 songs in Spanish have made it onto the chart, including every track on Bad Bunny’s latest album.
It would appear that Spanish, at last, has been normalized in the American mainstream, and that Latin faces at last have become visible — and that Latin culture, at last, is not seen as simply quaint or colorful or foreign, but as part of the very fabric of this country. It’s a tipping point I earnestly longed to encounter as an observer of Latin culture for the past two decades.
Years ago, When Bad Bunny debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in December of 2020 with El Ultimo Tour del Mundo, it marked the first time in history that an all-Spanish album had topped the all-genre chart. The notion that this could be a fad or a bleep on the screen was very real. Back in 2017, when I interviewed Nicky Jam and J Balvin for a Billboard cover story, I specifically asked about the importance of language choice in their songs. Their answers reflected the reality of the moment.
“If you’re aiming for the American market, it has to be in English,” said Nicky Jam. “I can’t picture an African-American rap fan sitting in his car saying, ‘I love Nicky Jam’s rap!’ [in Spanish]. Just being realistic.”
I concurred with Nicky Jam. Over the years, nothing I had seen in the marketplace suggested that it was ready for Spanish as a dominant music language. Balvin, however, didn’t agree.
“I think it’s possible [to have a No. 1 in Spanish], but we’re not there yet,” he said. “It may take many years, but as new generations emerge and realize the United States isn’t the only place in the planet and English isn’t the only language of value [it may happen].”
The words were prescient. A few months after that interview, “Despacito,” in its bilingual version with Justin Bieber, rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100, opening the floodgates for possibility, investment and A&R. Coupled with the global surge of consumption of music in Spanish, Latin music began to creep onto the all-genre charts, the numbers rising steadily and peaking at 70 tracks so far in 2023 — before Bad Bunny’s new album release last week, which added 22 more Spanish tracks to the list.
Not surprisingly, Bad Bunny was both a performer at last Saturday’s SNL and also the host, asking to change the “Speaking in a non-English language” caption that caused an uproar seven months ago at the Grammys to the more humorous “Speaking a sexier language.”
Is it really sexier? I don’t know — but finally, I can say it’s no longer frowned upon. It’s Spanish. And it’s cool, and it’s part of us, even if you don’t understand a word.
An all-star lineup of Latin music luminaries including Feid, Yandel, Farruko, Prince Royce, Young Miko, Maria Becerra and Darell are set to take the stage at the Calibash festival. The event will take place on Friday, Jan. 12, at the Crypto.com Arena in the heart of Los Angeles, and is presented by SBS Entertainment, LaMusica […]