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.
Nicole Zignago & Camilo, “mimos” (Warner Music México)
Peruvian singer-songwriter Nicole Zignago and Colombian hitmaker Camilo unite their ethereal vocals for a pop-ballad that will tug at your heartstrings. The pair team up for “mimos,” powered by lyrics that are all too relatable. “You say there’s nothing here, just friends, so what do we do when you want mimos (pampering)?” Zignago and Camilo sing delicately over an equally subdued guitar beat that doesn’t overpower the duo’s vocals. Mid song, the beat becomes more pronounced as the artists sing with more urgency, trying to decipher a relationship they both know will not work out. You’ll want to stick around till the end of the song for an explosive solo by Zignago showcasing her wide-ranging vocals. — GRISELDA FLORES
Xavi, “Corazón de Piedra” (Interscope Records)
“Corazón de Piedra” by Xavi wastes no time grabbing your attention with its gripping and visceral energy. Bolstered by a guitarrón that slaps, and frenetic requinto riffs — the kind that ensnared global audiences with his groundbreaking solo singles “La Diabla” and “La Víctima” — his first track of 2024 is a sierreño kiss-off about a woman with a stone-cold heart. Meanwhile, Xavi delves deep into the tumultuous emotions of a love turned bitter. With a snarling voice that occasionally spine-chills but consistently intrigues, the Phoenix-born artist reaffirms his knack for crafting hard-hitting breakup songs. It not only surpasses expectations but sets a new standard for emotional intensity and musical conviction within the booming música mexicana scene. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Fonseca, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Chucho Valdés, “Colección de Recuerdos” (Sony Music Latin)
Colombian singer-songwriter Fonseca joins salsa music maestros Gilberto Santa Rosa and Chucho Valdés in the beautiful bolero “Colección de Recuerdos” (“Collection of Memories”). The jewel is the third preview of the Colombian’s next album. Accompanied by the delicate interpretation of the Cuban jazz player on the piano, the tropipop icon and “the gentleman of salsa” sing with melancholy about a relationship that came to an end without fulfilling the promises they made to each other. “Where is the life that I had with you/ Where are the dreams, where is what we were/ Where are the promises that we always told each other/ Where is that life, that you and I built,” they sing in duet in the emotional chorus. Adding to the nostalgia of the track, the black and white music video captures the magic of the recording process in the studio. — LUISA CALLE
Danny Ocean, “Cero condiciones” (Atlantic Recording)
Danny Ocean calls for personal action in this uplifting song that invites us to be ourselves, without thinking about what others may think or say. “Whoever wants to come out, let him come out of the closet/ I no longer want to live a fucking mediocre life/ The truth is the truth and I’m not afraid of the night/ I want to be free from the fire/ I want to be who I want,” goes part of the lyrics. Written by the Venezuelan artist along with Juan Diego Linares, Elena Rose and Luigi Santaella, “Cero Conditions” starts softly with Middle Eastern-style vocals over strings before giving way to an energetic electro-pop groove driven by hard-hitting drums and lyrics.
“This song is more for me than anything else… To remember that we don’t have to settle for what is unfair, that only the UNIVERSE can judge us and that NO ONE can take away from us what we deserve,” Ocean says in a press release. The music video, directed by Willy Rodríguez and produced by The Panda Bear Show & Both Films, is just as powerful as the song. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Elena Rose, “Me Lo Merezco” (Kira Records/Warner Music Latina)
Elena Rose’s pure, honest, and transparent soul continues to shine in each and every one of her releases, most recently in “Me Lo Merezco.” A nearly three-minute-long manifestation and self love letter, the Venezuelan singer chants about living in the present, enjoying the little things but over all, deserving all her blessings. “Real love, I deserve it/ That everything comes out great, I deserve it/ Good things come to me, I will achieve it, the ocean view, I deserve it/ A blue sky, I deserve it/ A cool life, I deserve it,” she soulfully chants. Co-produced by Hector Mazzari & The Honeyboos, the R&B, funk, and urban-tinged bop even lifts from Paula Cole’s late ’90s smash “I Don’t Want to Wait,” as a friendly reminder to start living your life now before it’s too late. — JESSICA ROIZ
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
