Music News

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.

Karol G, “Que Chimba de Vida” (Bichota Records)

Colombian star Karol G is closing the year with a song that best describes how she feels after such a massive year: “Que Chimba de Vida,” which translates to “What a Cool Life.” Produced by MAG and Edgar Barrera, “Que Chimba” flawlessly fuses música mexicana and urbano beats to deliver a trumpet-powered celebratory song that finds Karol reminiscing on the special moments — including a stadium tour, meeting Rihanna and a No. 1 album — that have ushered in a new era for the superstar. “Uff, what a cool life, I’m living the life I wanted, they talked badly, I made them swallow their own saliva, this is for those who said I couldn’t do it,” Karol sings confidently over a subtle trap beat. — GRISELDA FLORES

Eladio Carrión, “TQMQA” (Rimas Entertainment)

Punctuated by glowing marimba and mellow bass lines, Eladio Carrión showcases a more tender side of himself: on the emotive ballad “TQMQA,” which stands for “te quiero más que ayer” (“I love you more than yesterday”), the Puerto Rican artist serenades listeners against an Afrobeats-inspired rhythm. Timely in its holiday release, the song resonates with the universal longing for familial connection: “But if you only knew’ what gives me pleasure/ To see you smile/ And when you say ‘I love you’ in my ear (I love you)/ I give you my all if you give me the okey,” he croons in Spanish. Produced by DVLP, Xay and Western Weiss, “TQMQA” is the first single off his upcoming album, due out early next year. The accompanying visual shows a montage of vintage and modern home videos, capturing the artist’s parents enjoying a day on a sailboat while reminiscing over cherished moments of their children’s growth. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Juanes, “Nacimos Solos” (Universal Music Latino)

Juanes fuses his signature rock sound on this heavily Western-influenced song, written and produced by Julio Reyes Copello for the upcoming Zorro Prime Video series. Propelled by upbeat drums, colorful trumpet notes and guitars, the song addresses the uncertainty of the difficult journey of life: “We were born alone, we leave alone without any explanation/ When you have everything you take nothing/ When you have nothing, everything is worse,” he sings in the chorus. “It is a portrait of the unbearable loneliness of a human being who faces survival in adverse and hostile circumstances,” Reyes Copello says in a statement, highlighting that “El Zorro is perhaps the only story that unites the United States, Mexico and Spain in a very interesting historical context.” Juanes, whose voice and performance quality could not be a better fit, adds, “I always wanted to work with Julio Reyes Copello and I liked the song from the moment he sent it, since I felt that it was created to fit me perfectly.” — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Mario Bautista & Karol Sevilla, “Anónimo” (Warner Music México)

Mexican singer-songwriter Mario Bautista and songstress Karol Sevilla join forces to deliver a gorgeous, vocally strong new single “Anónimo.” Penned by Bautista alongside producer Abelardo, Yera, Nabález, and Sevilla, this song perfectly combines the sweet and dreamy vocals of both artists, as well as regional Mexican and pop elements. The song tells the story of when friends find themselves at a point where they don’t know how to confess what they feel out of fear of not being reciprocated. Still, they give each other signals subtly as they take the next step. — INGRID FAJARDO

Stream the New Music Latin playlist below: