Welcome to LATINA’s weekly round-up of the best new music. This week’s list features some throwback vibes in Mariah Carey’s “Big Energy,” where she revisits one of her classics in collaboration with Latto. There are also major comebacks from Colombian superstar J Balvin, Argentine artist Paulo Londra, and Selena y Los Dinos’ Joe Ojeda.
The singer-songwriters behind other artists’ hits are getting their moment to shine with the new releases from Colombia’s Feid and Puerto Rico’s Mora. Also on the list: Ally Brooke breaks out with her single “Tequila” and Mexican-American band Yahritza y Su Esencia makes their mark with their debut “Soy El Unico.” Check out the list below.
Ally Brooke, “Tequila”
Ally Brooke is cutting loose. This week, the Mexican-American pop star premiered the music video for “Tequila.” Last August, Brooke signed a joint record deal with AMSI and Duars Entertainment, the home of Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro. As with her previous singles like “Mi Musica” and “Por Ti,” she sings in Spanish and embraces her Latina roots. “Tequila” is definitely the sexiest song she’s released so far. Backed by reggaeton beats with an R&B touch, Brooke sings about turning to tequila to party away the memories of a guy who isn’t doing enough for her. In the music video, she has a shot of tequila to help her live out her pop diva fantasy. She stuns in a bright red gown while performing the song on stage. “I feel like I finally found my own womanhood, my artistry, and who I am,” she has said about her upcoming debut album.
Latto and Mariah Carey, “Big Energy” Remix
Mariah Carey is back! Our favorite pop icon of Venezuelan descent has teamed up with rap star Latto for the “Big Energy” remix. Latto reinvigorated interest in Mariah Carey’s 1995 feel-good anthem “Fantasy” by sampling the ‘90s hit in her 2021 release “Big Energy.” Recently, Latto’s hit broke into the Billboard Hot 100 chart’s top 20. To celebrate this milestone, the artist teamed up with Carey for a fun and flirty remix. Carey once again belts the iconic first verse from “Fantasy” in this 2022 update of “Big Energy.” Latto fiercely adds, “You ain’t going to believe this / Hold up, got Mimi on the remix.” This seamless mash-up is a pop dream come true and has all the makings for a song of the summer.
J Balvin and Ed Sheeran, “Forever My Love”
J Balvin has moved beyond the Residente tiraera drama with a new 2-track EP with British singer Ed Sheeran, “Forever My Love.” The collaboration was born when the Colombian superstar met Sheeran at a gym in New York City. “We had a coffee and spoke about life and there was a dope vibe,” Balvin said in a statement. “We bonded over simple things [while] creating a genuine friendship. We even spoke about what it’s like to be a dad.” In the sensual “Sigue,” Sheeran tackles the reggaeton genre with Balvin. “He wanted to bring me into his world and I wanted to bring him into mine,” Sheeran added. “It was a proper challenge learning Spanish for this and I had so much fun doing it.” Their best track together is “Forever My Love.” The acoustic ballad is a beautiful ode to the loved ones in their lives.
Yahritza y Su Esencia, “Soy El Unico”
Yahritza y Su Esencia have the biggest regional Mexican song in the world right now. The Mexican-American trio includes singer Yahritza Martínez and her brothers Jairo and Armando Martínez. Yahritza, who is 15-years-old, went viral on TikTok this past year with her covers of songs by regional Mexican acts like Calibre 50 and Ivan Cornejo. Her cover of Cornejo’s hit “Está Dañada” caught the attention of Lumbre Music owners Ramón Ruiz and Alex Guerra, who signed the band to their label. Yahritza y Su Esencia live up to the online hype with their debut single “Soy El Unico.” Yahritza possesses a powerful voice beyond her years as she lets an old flame know what they’re missing out on. “No one can treat you like I do / I’m the only one,” she belts in Spanish. There’s no one else who sounds like Yahritza in the regional Mexican music genre right now. This heartbreaking corrido is a beautiful beginning to this band’s journey.
Feid, Alejo & Robi, “Pantysito”
Feid is keeping the hits coming this year. The Colombian singer-songwriter previously dropped the deep house-infused “Nieve” and “Mojando Asientos” with Maluma. Now he has teamed up with rising Puerto Rican singers Alejo and Robi for “Pantysito.” The collaboration was born on TikTok where the song went viral before it was even released. Alejo first posted the chorus to the platform, where it caught the attention of Robi. The duo then uploaded another video where they sang the song together, prompting Feid to get onboard. The trio posted a third preview video soon after that generated more interest in the song. Their sexy ode to fashion label panties lives up to the hype. Alejo and Robi come through with alluring performances that Feid rounds out with his Medellín charm. “The song is about telling a pretty girl to get ready so that we can go out and have a good time partying,” Feid tells LATINA.
Mora, “Microdosis” Album
Mora recently released his second album “Microdosis.” A frequent Bad Bunny collaborator, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter co-wrote “La Dificíl” and “Solia” on Bad Bunny’s 2020 album “YHLQMDLG,” and he is performing the duet “Una Vez” on Bad Bunny’s El Último Tour Del Mundo. With “Microdosis,” Mora continues to craft his own style There’s an electronic edge to the album in alluring songs like “2010” and “Bad Trip.” He also teams up with a few heavy-hitters in the reggaeton scene like Puerto Rican icon Zion in “Tu Amigo” and Panamanian singer Sech in “Tus Lágrimas.” Feid pops up as well in the heart-wrenching “La Inocente,” the dream duo we didn’t know needed. The best duet on the album is “Playa Privada” with Elena Rose. Like Mora, the Venezuelan-American Rose also pens hits for other artists. It’s great to hear these two singer-songwriters get their moment together in this sexy collaboration. This dose of Mora’s music is intoxicating.
Joe Ojeda, Victoria La Mala & Yorch, “Bombear La Sangre”
A former member of Selena y Los Dinos, Joe Ojeda is back with his new single “Bombear La Sangre.” The Tejano legend is most known for playing the keyboard on Selena’s hits like “Como La Flor” and “Baila Esta Cumbia.” He launched his solo career last year with the sexy “Dueña De Tu Cama” featuring Mexican acts Victoria La Mala and Yorch. In “Bombear La Sangre,” Ojeda comes through with a sensual banger in the form of a cumbia that sees him reunite with Victoria La Mala and Yorch. There’s a vintage quality to the song that recalls his Los Dinos work while Victoria and Yorch bring in a fresh energy. Those two artists play off each other and turn up the heat with their steamy verses. Ojeda brings their dance floor romance to life with his colorful and entrancing beats.
Paulo Londra, “Plan A”
After a few years on the sidelines following a contractual dispute, Paulo Londra is back in the game. In March, the Argentine artist signed a new partnership with Warner Music Latina. “I’m happy for this new phase,” Londra said in a statement. “I waited and went through a lot to be able to do what I love, so ‘I’ve gone through the bad times / Now it’s time for the good times / That’s why I’ve started to enjoy it.'” He referenced the lyrics to his 2017 hit “Luna Llena.” Under Warner Music Latina, Londra released his comeback single “Plan A.” He embraces a pop-punk sound while singing about the determination that’s driven him to keep going. “I really wanted to do something new for myself and I really like rock and punk,” Londra added. “I visualized a frustrated love, like going back to the courts and not getting put in.” His underdog anthem has proven to be a success with the song reaching No. 2 on Spotify’s Global Chart.
