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After the death of her mother in 2017, Olga Tañón went through troubling times that were exacerbated by the arrival of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“I can’t say that I went into depression … I got anxious,” the Puerto Rican tropical music star tells Billboard Español. “I didn’t sing for two and a half years.” She also mentions she gained a considerable amount of weight, and that she still wears a mask to protect her daughter Gabriela, who has been dealing with a rare genetic disorder and autoimmune conditions for years.
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But during her lockdown period at her Ocala, Florida home, the “Mujer de Fuego” (Fire Woman) decided to take back the reins of her life. She not only sang again, but she underwent bariatric surgery to lose the extra pounds, after acknowledging that she wasn’t able to do it on her own. The characteristically bold artist has openly spoken about this experience via social media.
After that, she went off to record over 25 songs — she’s already released more than a dozen, the most recent being the tongue-in-cheek vallenato cut “Perro Arrepentido.” Furthermore, the star is back on stage, showcasing her signature energetic performances though her live shows. Now she is preparing to travel the world with her Simetría Tour, which will take her to Latin America, Europe and the U.S. starting this June in Peru.
“I am very happy,” says the hitmaker of songs like “Cómo Olvidar,” “Así es la Vida” and “Basta Ya” — who in her over-three-decade career has landed 38 singles on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart and holds the record as the woman with the most top 10s on the Tropical Airplay listing, with a staggering 28. “I think we all had a big resurgence after the pandemic, which hit many people so hard.”
In honor of Women’s History Month, Billboard introduced its “Las Poderosas” series, featuring a select number of powerful Latinas getting real about the word “empowerment,” as well as about their space in Latin music and more. The series debuted on March 20 with LALI and continued on the 22nd with Nathy Peluso and Carla Morrison on the 23rd. Read our exclusive Q&A with Olga Tañón below:
What does empowerment mean to you as an artist and as a woman?
To take control of things and not depend on others. I always tell women — and I am very clear — when they ask me, “Olga, why did you decide to have a bariatric procedure if you could [lose weight on your own]?” I’m like, “You know what? Because I wanted to!” That is very easy to answer. The decision was completely mine, because you are the only person who is going to take the risks and the consequences. And empowerment for me is really doing what you want, but coming out triumphant, even if it hurts.
What does empowerment NOT mean to you?
Sitting at home doing nothing and thinking that things are never really going to change. Lazy people, people who fall and say, “Oh, I can’t handle this anymore” … I haven’t been through — and I pray to God that I never go through it — the loss of a child. Whenever I have met people who have lost a child, you know, it’s been a terrible thing that never, ever — even though I have a daughter with a serious condition — crosses my mind.
But it happened to one of my best friends, and it is the example that she gives me. She tells me: “If I sit down to mourn my daughter my whole life, I’m going to destroy it.” And she has become a beautiful influencer who talks about wonderful things. Turning yourself into a potato is not empowerment. [Empowerment] is taking advantage of those difficult times to get back up and emerge stronger.
What is the best advice you have received as a woman in music?
To not deny myself of new opportunities. Because there are many people who are convinced that theirs is the absolute truth of the whole world and universe, and they are wrong. I believe that you can also do some kind of fusion within the things that you do. I love staying current, but I don’t close myself off to other things either. It is one thing to be faithful to your roots, and another thing to have an open mind to continue learning new sounds, new proposals.
Which woman has served you as a mentor or role model?
My mom, a woman who studied up to sixth grade; they took her out of school because she had to raise all her siblings, because there was hunger in her house. My mom always told me that the greatest pain a human being can have is the pain of hunger. And she taught me many things. Mami was a loving but rustic woman. I used to tell her, “You are like a rose, beautiful from above but with some thorns that annoy.” But they told you the truth. My mom taught me to keep going and forget about the things that people say. If you pay attention to every thing that others tell you, you will never live your own life.
Have things changed for Latina women in music in the last five years?
I have seen a tremendous change, especially in urbano women. In the tropical genre, there are still not many [female artists] — or unfortunately if there are many, they have not been given the value that they should be given. But I’ve seen a lot of women, which is something that I love … [It started with the rapper] Lisa M in Puerto Rico, and obviously the one who has maintained all this is Ivy Queen — because sometimes I say, “It’s not the first, it’s the one who maintains it,” and she has kept going. Well look, we are seeing girls like Karol G, who is really taking half the world by storm right now, and I am more than proud of all those girls.
What is your favorite girl-power song?
The songs that I live to sing in my shows — and it’s like I sing it for the first time, and [it] gets me emotional in the same way — are actually two: “La Gran Fiesta” and “Basta Ya,” a song that came out 28 or 29 years ago, when the word “empowerment” wasn’t so in style. These type of songs give you enough strength to learn to say “go to hell” to all the things that are not good for you and don’t nourish your soul. Also it’s like in “La Gran Fiesta,” to recognize that life has its bad moments, that when it hits you it doesn’t warn you, but you cherish the most beautiful little moments that you experience. And that reminds me a lot of my mom, because she had the opportunity to listen to it before she died, and every time I sing it I feel like I’m flying.
Saturday Night Live will roar back in April with three back-to-back shows, including an April 8 episode with SNL three-timers the Jonas Brothers performing alongside former cast member Molly Shannon (A Good Person) in her second hosting gig.
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On April 15, Karol G will take the 8H stage for the first time with Oscar nominee Ana de Armas (Ghosted), who will also make her SNL debut that night. They join the previously announced April 1 episode topped by Emmy winner and Abbott Elementary star/writer Quinta Brunson in her SNL hosting debut alongside fellow first timer Lil Yachty.
It’s been a season 48 to remember so far this year for the long-running sketch show, which welcomed Aubrey Plaza and Sam Smith on Jan. 21 to kick off the year, followed by Michael B. Jordan (Creed III) and Lil Baby on Jan. 28 and a memorable turn by The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal with five-timers Coldplay on Feb. 4. The hot streak continued with Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers) and Jack White on Feb. 25 and Super Bowl LVII winner Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kelsea Ballerini on March 4, followed by the most recent episode, which paired Wednesday‘s Jenna Ortega and The 1975 on March 11.
Saturday Night Live airs live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET and streams live on Peacock at the same time.
Check out the Instagram promo for the April SNL episodes below.
Natti Natasha is set to make her hosting debut at the 2023 Latin American Music Awards. The “Sin Pijama” singer will co-host the awards ceremony — which will broadcast live on April 20 — alongside Julian Gil and Galilea Montijo.
“I’ve never shied away from living new experiences, and tackling new challenges,” Natasha tells Billboard. “Hosting an award show is something new and exciting for me. It gives me a way to connect with a live audience and those watching at home, and celebrate with them our culture and passion through what we love … música!”
The Dominican artist adds that she’s already preparing for the big day. “The work begins now! In the next weeks, I look forward to working with producers, creatives, wardrobe and production as a whole to ensure we give audiences an evening to remember.”
Natti Natasha is also up for three awards this year. She’s nominated in the categories best artist – urban, best collaboration – pop/urban and collaboration of the year for “Mayor Que Usted,” with Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel.
This year, Bad Bunny leads the list of nominations with 11 nods, including artist of the year, song of the year and album of the year. The Puerto Rican star is followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations; and with eight nods each are Grupo Frontera, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Romeo Santos and Rosalía. Carlos Vives and Pepe Aguilar will be recognized as 2023 Latin AMAs Legacy honorees.
This year’s nominations are based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours and even social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023).
Under the theme “Somos un Movimiento (We Are a Movement),” the 2023 Latin AMAs will celebrate Latin music’s “finest,” as well as play tribute to “today’s most influential and iconic” Latin artists, as voted by the fans. The eight edition of the Latin AMAs is set to broadcast live on Univision, UniMás, and Galavisión from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 20 at 7pm ET.
With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with ‘1980s and ‘1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro delivered an electrifying performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday (March 24).
The concert, part of his Saturno World Tour, began with hype from the get-go. Earlier in the day, the Puerto Rican hitmaker dropped his joint EP, RR, with new fiance Rosalía. Friday’s show marked the first time fans would see another shade of the performer rock out jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop 2022 album, Saturno.
At 9:00 p.m. ET, a woman’s voice on the speakers queued the audience to prepare for take-off, and the arena began bumping ’90s golden era of dance music like “Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic and “Rhythm Is a Passion” by SNAP! They also embraced old school reggaeton from legends like Wisin y Yandel’s “Rakatá” and Daddy Yankee’s “Machete,” including “P FNK R” by Bad Bunny — giving concert-goers a taste of the vibe of what was to come.
Alejandro’s space odyssey opened up with none other than “Saturno,” the freestyle-driven party jam that instantly invigorated the scene with acrobatic dancers flipping across the stage. Then, from the center view, all lights focused on our dance-reggaeton voyager Alejandro, as he elevated slowly to meet his thousands of screaming fans surrounding the stage.
Rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants combo, with alien-like sunglasses that held over his head, the song transitioned to the hard-hitting “Punto 40,” where the superstar showcased moves for days, joining his dance crew with fancy footwork, bumpin’ and grinding and plenty of throwback styles. A bevy of attendees also set the intergalactic vibe, donning Matrix-like costumes, alien-antenna headbands, and some in full-blown extraterrestrial costumes. This was his eleventh gig which kicked off earlier this month in Tampa, Fla.
Amid neon pink lights decorating the stage à la Black Mirror’s San Junipero, he proceeded to belt out the sweltering, R&B-laden “Nostálgico,” which usually features Rvssian and Chris Brown. He also performed his latest cut which originally features Dominican upstart Ángel Dior. The space cadent then introduced urbano singer/rapper Chris Palace to the stage to sing the upbeat “Gatas.” The rising star sported a colorful set of hair designed like flames, and the crowd welcomed him with a roar of excitement.
“It’s my time in New York City,” he exclaimed. Meanwhile, a gigantic screen hovered over the stage showing an array of retro-styled images like planets, palm trees, and binary numbers.
Hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez, who never missed a beat, provided plenty of thrills and chills with their b-boy style moves that went perfectly with the throwback theme of the night.
Although the performer just announced his engagement with the Spanish superstar, the former reggaeton lothario still flirted with the audience, as hordes of screaming females threw their thongs and bras towards him. He picked them up and swung them around to further arouse them. Never forget “Panties y Brasieres.”
Alejandro spanned through numerous smash hits, including bangers “Te Felicito,” “Desesperados,” “Desenfocao’.” His global breakout “Todo de Ti” was remixed to a slower, more electronic-focused beat. But on “Dime Quien????” El Fókin Zorro continued to bring his insatiable vigor and howling vocals to the spotlight. The high-energy banger got every single person in attendance on their feet instantly, with a rhythm accentuated by analog synth-pop and thumping bass that harkened back to 1984’s Footloose. “Party” by Bad Bunny featuring Rauw also built for a triumphant moment, and the romantic and simmering “Museo” revealed one of the most beautiful choreography with statuesque poses — there was even a scene where the Puerto Rican and his backup dancers pulled off a seemingly impossible lean à la Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.”
The night came to an end by Alejandro teasing the arrival of another guest star, and while screaming fans shouted “Rosalía!” none other than Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa arrived. The screams got louder to deafening as the two proceeded to sing the high-energy cut “Bésalo,” which was followed by El Alfa’s own mega hit “Los Aparatos.”
“I don’t know if everyone knows but today I released an EP along with the love of my life,” he said and began to croon the words to “Beso,” taking turns with Rosalía’s which resonated from the speakers. Elated cheers filled the arena throughout the evening at Barclays.
With a wide-ranging mosaic of sounds that span across generations and sonic configurations, Rauw Alejandro is truly a musical omnivore who is unafraid to try something different, and that makes him one of the most exhilarating artists of modern Latin pop.
From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
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Los Tigres del Norte give back
Mexican supergroup Los Tigres del Norte announced that they’ve teamed up with venue SAP Center, in San Jose, Calif., to donate partial proceeds from the band’s upcoming hometown show April 1. The donations will benefit Local organizations Ayudando Latinos a Soñar and Hijas del Campo, who aid area farmworkers in the aftermath of recent floods and the Half Moon Bay shooting.
“It has also been important to us to show our gratitude by giving back to the community,” the norteño ensemble said in a statement. “Farmworkers already face many hardships in daily life and we could not stand by when so many people close to home have had to face these additional horrible events. We also encourage more people to join us once again in supporting this hardworking, but underserved community.”
Maná’s Alex González to be honored
Drum Workshop presented Alex González, Maná’s legendary drummer, with a DW Collectors Series Icon Snare, as a tribute to the musician. The snare drums, created by DW drum designer John Good, “pay tribute to some of the most iconic drummers in the history of rock,” according to a press release. Each snare is sized and configured to reflect the snare the artist plays and features an inlaid design made from “exotic wood veneers.”
“I am very happy and excited that my icon snare drum will be able to help others that are in need, that’s why my charity of choice is Nariz Roja A.C. that helps and supports low income children with Cancer in Mexico,” González said. “Thank you DW and thank you to those who have purchased my Icon Snare for your support and help! Big Hug!”
J&N Records receive special award
Executives Juan Hidalgo and Nelson Estévez received the Premio Soberano Especial from the Dominican Republic’s Asociación de Cronistas de Arte (ACROARTE). The special award honors their “productive” career as label executives and owners of J&N Records, which the brothers launched in 1981 in Queens, New York. Some of the artists they’ve worked with include Monchy & Alexandra, Tito Rojas and Johnny Ventura, among others.
“Thank you ACROARTE and to the many artists who’ve been with us for 43 years working for music,” Estévez expressed as they received the award at the Teatro Nacional in Santo Domingo.
Laura Pausini said “I do”
After 18 years with her partner Paolo Carta, Laura Pausini is a married woman. The longtime couple said “I do” on Wednesday (March 22) during a surprise wedding ceremony. The singer-songwriter and the Italian producer married in the city of Solarolo at Pausini’s parents’ house. Pausini and Carta exchanged vows with an original song “Davanti a Noi / Frente a Nosotros” penned by both. They then shared the special moment on social media.
Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro are engaged
Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía revealed that they are engaged in their “Beso” music video, from their three-track joint EP RR. The clip features a collage of moments the couple has spent together during their three-year relationship. At the 3:15 minute mark, a teary-eyed Rosalía appears flaunting her diamond ring while holding the box on the same hand. “Oh my god, and my mascara is all runny now. I love you,” she says before kissing her now fiancé.
Anitta sat down with Billboard News to to play a game, during which she let slip some fun details regarding her next album, which she describes as “very cultural” and “very Brazilian.”
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The Brazilian pop star was tasked with playing a game with Billboard‘s Dance Director, Katie Bain, in which she would be asked a question or told a statement, and is required to share the first thing that comes to her mind. The first statement thrown at Anitta was “You’d be shocked to know that I’m a big fan of…” to which the she replied rock band “[The] Strokes.”
As for “the last song [she] listened to was,” Anitta treated viewers to a little vocal performance before answering the question. “That’s not my deal/ That’s not your deal…” she sang, before scrolling through her phone for the answer. “If you saw this playlist, you would be like ‘You Listen to this?’ You’d be shocked to know I listen to Chris Stapleton. The last song I heard was this [“Our Deal” by Best Coast].”
Bain then asked what Anitta has planned for the future for her music and touring plans, and while a tour is out of the question for now, fans will be delighted to know that a follow up to her 2022 smash, Versions of Me, is on the horizon.
“I’m working on new music for sure. Not touring [retches]. Jesus Christ, I never wanna tour ever again, but I do have new music coming,” she explained. “I working on this album, very cultural, very Brazilian but in English and Spanish, finally the album that I think really represents me as an artist, I finally got it ready. And now I’m just working on music videos, the nice part.”
Watch Anitta’s chat with Billboard News in the video above.
Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía have dropped a three-track joint EP called RR (styled R♾Я) that not only navigates from old-school reggatón beats to bolero fusions but also staples their over three-year relationship.
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In “Beso,” the couple sings about not wanting anyone else’s kisses only each other, and comes accompanied by their sweetest moments together in a homemade video that reveals they are officially engaged. In “Vampiros,” they mutually throw each other flowers saying they are talented, authentic and badass. Whereas in “Promesa,” they get honest about loving each other no matter what.
“After more than 3 years together, here are these 3 songs made with all the love in the world. I hope you enjoy this little piece of us,” Rauw and Rosalía expressed in a collaborative Instagram post.
But the Puerto Rican act and Spanish artist are not the only ones who have joined musical forces. Recently, newlyweds Guaynaa and Lele Pons revealed to Billboard Español their plans for an album together.
To celebrate their love, their 10-track collaborative album, tentatively titled Capitulations, will span a variety of genres from urban pop (“Abajito”) to reggaetón (“Natural”) to reggae (“A Que No”) and bachata (“Todo Sabe Más Rico”). They assure the set will be very relatable to couples.
Two days before their wedding day on March 4, Lele and Guaynaa dropped their first single off of the set called “Abajito,” a playful dembow that finds the pair promising to always love and take care of each other, but also has witty lyrics about “down there.” The single follows 2020’s “Se Te Nota,” which spent 18 weeks on the all-genre Billboard Global 200 (where it peaked at No. 44), and 25 weeks on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (No. 19 peak) and 11 weeks on Hot Latin Songs (No. 25).
In addition to these two pairs of lovebirds, which Latin music couple should drop an EP or album next? Vote below!
This week, our New Music Latin roundup—a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors each week—is powered by new music from Humbe, Myke Towers and Maluma, to name a few.
The list includes full-length albums by Myke Towers and Humbe. The former released his 23-track La Vida Es Una (Life is One), where he moves away from his trap and hip-hop core and experiments with alternative, EDM, and funk, as well as collaborations with Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, J Balvin, Arcángel, and more. The latter’s ESENCIA is home to 11 tracks that fuse beautiful atmospherics with Humbe’s signature pop sound, resulting in an album full of introspection — or in his own words via a press release, he had to “search through his own story to deliver his essence.”
Meanwhile, power couple Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía dropped their three-track EP RR, a swoon-worthy, open-hearted slice of Latin pop that’s swirled together with adventure, lust, and romance — giving any love skeptics hope. The official music video to the set’s “Beso” even came equipped with their engagement announcement.
Also on the list are exciting collaborations such as Andrés Cepeda and Gusi’s “Duele,” Grupo Firme and Junior H’s “Trotando Ligas,” Bizarrap and Arcángel’s “Arcángel: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 54,” and Maluma and Anuel AA’s “Diablo, Qué Chimba,” to name a few.
Vote for your new favorite release below, followed by our weekly New Music Latin playlist:
Luis R. Conriquez managed to do what few would have imagined: lead Nicky Jam to venture into regional Mexican music. The Mexican singer and the Puerto Rican urban star dropped their collaboration “Como el Viento” Friday (March 24), after recording it in Miami last month during the week of Premio Lo Nuestro.
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Written by Ángel Sandoval, Abbel and O’RLY, and released under Kartel Music, “Como el Viento” talks about being disappointed in a relationship and the attempt to overcome it. “But there I go like the wind/ I’m like a tornado picking up alcohol to overcome this fear/ Because you’re so pretty and I haven’t found the perfect substitute,” the stars sing in Spanish.
“I’ve always respected regional Mexican music. It’s not from my culture — in Puerto Rico you hear more salsa, merengue and Caribbean music, but I lived 10 years in Colombia, and over there you listen to it a lot. So they showed me this song and I thought it was the perfect one for me,” Jam exclusively tells Billboard Español.
“I used to listen a lot to Nicky Jam’s music,” Conriquez adds. “I remember a song that I particularly liked, ‘Dónde Están las Gatas’. Also, I saw the series about his life and I really liked knowing how everything was happening in his career, so meeting him in person when we made the video in Miami was awesome.”
During the shooting of the clip, both say they found similarities in their lives that created a chemistry between them. “He’s very authentic,” Jam says. “He comes from the barrio like me. … It felt like I was with a friend. We drank some tequilas and had a very good time”.
“It was very gratifying that he congratulated me on what I have achieved,” adds Conriquez. “We had a great time and you will see that in the video.”
This is Jam’s first team-up with a Mexican artist since 2016, when he recorded a cover of “De Pies a Cabeza” with the group Maná, but that was a pop song.
A believer in collabs, Conriquez has already teamed up with Grupo Frontera, Marca Registrada, Peso Pluma and Alfredo Olivas so far in 2023. And soon, he will be releasing others with Darey Castro and Fidel Rueda, two of his idols from regional Mexican.
He also hints that “Como el Viento” may not be his only effort with Jam — “very soon we could be doing another, more of the urban kind” — and reveals he is already working with other urban acts. “Collaborations are in the [making] with very important people like Farruko and El Alfa, to keep blending our regional Mexican with urban music,” he says.
Watch the music video for “Como el Viento” below:
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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Myke Towers, La Vida Es Una (Warner Music Latina/Warner Records/One World International)
Since his debut studio album in 2016, Myke Towers was destined to become one of the most notable acts of the nueva escuela in Latin urban. His life story, authenticity, captivating vocal range and hard-hitting bars ultimately took him from an aspiring freestyle rapper on Soundcloud to earning 45 titles on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (nine of which entered the Top 10), and beyond. Now, on his fourth studio set La Vida es Una (Life is only one), Towers demonstrates he’s still a force to be reckoned with—and that indeed, you only live once. Released two years after predecessor Lyke Mike, a set that stemmed 100 percent from his trap and hip-hop core, LVEU is jam-packed with a more experimental sound (“No Salgo” and “Lo Logré” are the few tracks that maintain his rap essence).
The set kicks off with “Voodoo,” a sultry Afrobeats jam where the Puerto Rican artist chants about conquering the girl he likes. Along those lines follows “Mi Droga,” a reggaetón bop fused with flamenco flair. In tracks such as “Más Allá” and “Mundo Cruel” he flirts with EDM beats, whereas in “Sábado,” he drops a feel-good retro ’80s funk groove that will empower the ladies, and in “Flow Jamaican,” he goes full-on reggae. He’s more chameleonic than ever — but it works, and of course, he couldn’t make his comeback without the infectious reggaetón and perreo melodies that made him a household name: “Tu Rehén,” “Bella Kyal,” and “El Alta” are the perfect examples. On La Vida es Una, Towers recruits big dogs Daddy Yankee, Arcángel, Ozuna and J Balvin, as well as newcomer Chita, who shines on “Cama King,” a smooth, early 2000s-inspired R&B track. — JESSICA ROIZ
Humbe, ESENCIA (Humbe/Sony Music Mexico)
Humbe’s fourth studio album deeply connects the regiomontano’s (a word that describes someone from Monterrey) emotions and celebrates love, willpower and self-confidence. Best showcasing the unique sounds of the Mexican singer-songwriter, the 11 tracks on the set fuse beautiful atmospherics with his signature pop sound. It’s an album full of introspection — or in Humbe’s own words via a press release, he had to “search through his own story to deliver his essence.”
He perfectly proves this from the opening track “Mamá,” which portrays one of the purest loves that exist, through “Manada,” which reflects the love he receives from his fans. Moreover, “Para Siempre” — vocally and musically — makes you feel every single word, and reminds that when it comes to love, “sometimes it heals/ sometimes, it kills/Many call it, the perfect weapon.” ESENCIA is charged with musical messages for the soul and closes with two powerful anthems: “Lo Logré,” a song about how we can fight for all the things we desire, and “Serotonina,” about the meaning of serotonin, which contributes to the feeling of happiness and mood regulation. — INGRID FAJARDO
Rosalía & Rauw Alejandro, RR (Columbia Records/Sony Music/Duars Entertainment)
Rosalía, an unflinching artist who’s rooted in tradition and bears an unmatched knack for experimentation, and Rauw Alejandro, a sly reggaetón crooner armed with a genre-spanning dance-driven moxie, combine for RR — or R♾Я, for the sake of style. The expectations were sky-high for their first public collaboration, and these two musical omnivores not only meet them here, but exceeded them. Their beautiful music video for “Beso” even came equipped with their engagement announcement. Leading with an upbeat keyboard melody, Rosalía sings about yearning for a kiss with her signature high-pitched rasp in “Beso.” Rauw meets his match with his R&B-laden coo, asserting he echoes her feelings.
Then comes the more sinister “Vampiros,” dripping in post-coital swagger, as this incendiary pair take off into the night á la Bonnie and Clyde, backed by an old-school-styled reggaetón thump. “My gun has no safety/ It shoots by itself/ She’s from Barcelona but she’s a cabrona/ She’s not a follower,” the Puerto Rican hitmaker hisses. On their confessional bolero ode “Promesa,” another facet of their love is revealed: a tender, classically styled love letter that brims with sweetness and sensuality. “A promise is never to look back / If you were to ask, I would swear it to you again / Like a pearl that returned to the bottom of the sea, if I lost you, I know I would find you again,” cries the Spanish singer.
All in all, RR is a swoon-worthy, open-hearted slice of Latin pop that’s swirled together with adventure, lust and romance — giving any love skeptics hope. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Andrés Cepeda & Gusi, “Duele” (Sony Music Colombia)
Andrés Cepeda and Gusi take us to the 1950s as they join forces in “Duele,” a bolero-cha song about heartache whose title translates as “It Hurts.” Written by Gusi and Benji Cordero, “Duele” talks about the end of a relationship and the painful memories that the absence of the loved one can evoke. The track allows both singers to shine separately before blending their voices in subtle-but-beautiful harmonies. “And it hurts/ To think that you are leaving me, love/ You did not give it importance/ How much this distance weighs/ To say goodbye to us,” they cry in the chorus. “Duele” is part of Cepeda’s upcoming album, which will be released in May. The song’s music video — directed by Salomón Simhon and filmed in Colombia, in Cienaga, Magdalena — is as colorful as its lyrics. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Conexión Divina, “Anestesia” (Sony Music Latin)
Gearing up to release their debut album, 3 Mundos, on April 14, Conexión Divina is now blessing fans with another single just before the big release. With “Anestesia,” the all-women team of Ashlee, Liz and Sandra continue building on their core sierreño sound, powered by a mashup of melancholy acoustic and electric guitar tunes. “This was one of the songs we had the most fun recording because we had the freedom to add effects to the music,” the trio says in a joint statement. (They’re referring to the addition of thunder mid-song, which only intensifies the dark and somber vibes of the lyrics of a heartbreak that’s palpable.)
“I know nothing will change, I took some anesthesia and I couldn’t wake up anymore,” Liz sings on the track. “Sometimes I sleep when I’m awake and I don’t how to feel about it because it bothers me, and sometimes I feel like I have amnesia.” If you’re itching to see the group live, Conexión will be making their Coachella debut in April. — GRISELDA FLORES
Miranda! & Cristian Castro, “Prisionero” (Sony Music Argentina)
Miranda! welcomes Cristian Castro as a guest in the new version of the song “Prisionero,” which is part of their upcoming album Hotel Miranda!, which presents new versions of the hits acculumated over the more-than-20-year musical career of the Argentine duo, formed by Ale Sergei and Juliana Gattas. The electro-pop track was first released in 2007, and although the feathery-voiced duo has always had a retro sound, the new mix that highlights the beat, bass and a stronger presence of synthesizers, which gives it a more ’80s touch.
In the video, Castro can be seen as a captive of the couple, and several allusions to his hit “Azul.” For those who recognize this song, it will undoubtedly be a nostalgic journey to the 2000s that will provoke singing, with an Argentine accent, “Nadie va a amarte como yo lo haré” (No one will love you like I will). — LUISA CALLE