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.
Ovy on the Drums & Myke Towers, Cassette 1 (King OVY/Warner Music Latina)
Ovy on the Drums’ latest musical project, Cassette 1 — which he first told me about confidentially back in Oct. 2023 — has finally seen the light. A joint EP with Myke Towers, the six-track set showcases the magic that the Colombian hitmaker and Puerto Rican artist, alongside select collaborators, can make in the studio. It kicks off with “Desataaa,” in collab with Spanish newcomer SAIKO, an edgy distorted reggaetón jam that’s laced with Ovy’s signature instrumentation — drums, piano, and violins (think Karol G’s “Provenza,” “Tusa”).
In “Bellaqueria,” the duo reeled in Argentine artist La Joaqui for a rather sensual dancehall number powered by smooth, electric guitars and crashing ocean waves. “Come give more of those kisses that you give me/ Let me surprise you/ You’re hot, I can see it/ And you didn’t want anything/ The night is perfect to get steamy,” they chant. Another notable track on Cassette is the rhythmic, Calypso-infused “Pobre Diable.” Meanwhile, “Godiva” (with Blessd and Ryan Castro), “Amor Narcotico” and “Tu Cuerpo Me Llama,” are hard-hitting futuristic reggaetón bangers with sensual lyrics.
Billboard can confirm that Cassette 1 is the first part of multiple collaborative EPs that Ovy on the Drums has in the works. — JESSICA ROIZ
Ivan Cornejo, “Baby Please” (Interscope Records)
Known for his signature moody lyrics and sad sierreño tunes, Ivan Cornejo strikes a chord here with “Baby Please.” The Mexican American artist, who penned the song in his hometown of Riverside, Calif., also plays guitar and the violin on the new heartbreak song — which will likely soon turn into an anthem, much like all of his other ultra-melancholic songs. The emotional piece finds the 19-year-old pleading for a second chance: “This song was inspired by the desperate desire we feel during our lowest moments in a break up,” Cornejo said in a statement. “We hate the attachment but love the thought of a rekindled love. I wanted this song to feel like I’m vulnerable but at the same time willing to fight for her.” — GRISELDA FLORES
Reik, “Abril” (Sony Music México)
Just in time for spring, Mexican pop trio Reik presents “Abril.” The captivating song begins as a soft ballad, harmoniously led by strings and vocals, and then evolves with electronic elements into a contemporary pop-style piece. The lyrics of the song narrate the longing for a lost love that resurfaces with the arrival of the month of April, as expressed by the band’s vocalist, Jesús Navarro, in the chorus: “And, the truth is, I can’t stop thinking about you/ Nothing comes close to the first kiss I gave you/ And if I had just one wish to make/ May April come back, April come back.” The music video takes place in an urban environment that gradually transforms into a spring setting, with a trail of flowers left by the protagonist. — LUISA CALLE
Yeison Jimenez & Luis Ángel “El Flaco,” “Hasta El Último Momento” (Yj Company – Black Lion Digital)
When Mexican banda fuses with Colombia’s música popular, like it does in “Hasta El Último Momento,” the result is a powerful and uplifting anthem that celebrates the power of gratitude and invites listeners to live life to the fullest. The special collaboration begins with vibrant trumpets and rhythmic percussion, and brings together both genres’ energetic rhythms and soulful melodies. This song will be included in Yeison Jiménez’s next studio album, 17-32. The lyrics convey a powerful message about cherishing life’s experiences over material wealth. And it reminds us that moments of joy, love and connection are more valuable than any monetary possession. — INGRID FAJARDO
Joss Favela & Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho, “Somos” (Sony Music Latin)
Marked by its compelling requinto riffs and resonant tuba, “Somos” delves into the profound bond that renders two souls inseparable, a sentiment vividly captured in the lyrics: “Tú y yo somos mucho más que separados.” Written by Joss Favela, the sierreño love ballad — a style popularized by the late, great Ariel Camacho — captures the essence of being more together than apart, making the single a testament to love’s unifying power. It’s a heartfelt narrative of indivisible love, rooted in Favela’s desire to pivot from his usual themes of heartache to a celebration of love. “My idea was to do a love song,” Favela says in a statement. “Because generally if you have noticed, I sing a lot about heartbreak — because sometimes that’s how I get ideas of pain, and when I had a love song I wanted to invite them.” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Andrés Cepeda, “Prométeme” (Warner Music México)
With his first release under Warner Music, which he joined in October, Andrés Cepeda presents a romantic pop-rock ballad. Led by pleasant electric guitar riffs, “Prométeme” begins softly, speaking about the thrill of beginning of a relationship, before soaring with a vigorous chorus: “Promise me that you’ll still stay when I fail/ When as time passes, I give myself away and the truth comes out/ When our lips touch and lose their electricity/ Promise me that you’ll still stay until the end.”
The single — “a song that proposes the future of a long-term relationship, with all the difficulties and obstacles that this represents,” Cepeda explains in a press release — was recorded between Bogotá and Los Angeles. It also comes with a music video filmed in the Bogotá neighborhood of Chapinero, where the singer and his band appear blindfolded playing in a room full of flowers —the freshness of new, blind love at its best. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
