Welcome to LATINA’s weekly roundup of the best new music. This week’s list includes Cardi B’s epic collaboration with Rosalía, married duo Yailin La Más Viral and Anuel AA, and the return of ex-CNCO member Joel Deleōn.
Also on the list: Nicole Zignago reproduces a Vicente Fernández classic and Diamante Merybrown joins Choriza May for a fun team-up. Plus, we dive into the new EP from Mabiland, Brray’s dance track with RaiNao, and Bellakath’s viral hit.
Rosalía and Cardi B, “Despechá” (Remix)
Rosalía has made one of the biggest songs of her career even more epic. The Spanish pop star teamed up with Cardi B for the remix of “Despechá” for the deluxe edition of her “Motomami” album. Cardi B finds her groove in the track’s merengue sound native to her family’s home country of the Dominican Republic, dropping in with a fiery verse and adding more edge to Rosalía’s breakup anthem. “This a king bed, bad b**ch, but the shoes McQueen,” the Dominican-American superstar raps. Towards the end, she also sings in Spanglish with Rosalía. “Big boss, baby, you know I’m the jefa,” Cardi B adds. The global girl power in this remix is fierce.
Mabiland, “Torque Vol. 1”
Mabiland celebrated her birthday on Dec. 6 with the release of her new EP “Torque Vol. 1.” The Colombian singer and rapper has become a strong Black and queer voice in Colombia with her breakthrough album “Niñxs Rotos.” On her growth from that LP, Mabiland told LATINA, “The engine is one mind, body, soul and heart. I have matured, and secondly, I am no longer broken. Without a doubt, this is my moment to tighten [the torque].” In the alternative rap anthem “Quema,” Mabiland warns anyone that wants to mess with her that they’re playing with fire. That message of empowerment runs through the entirety of her revved-up EP. Juanes and Julieta Venegas also sing their praises of Mabiland’s artistry in features on “Torque Vol. 1.”
Bellakath, “Gatita”
One of the most-heard songs in the world right now is “Gatita” by Mexican singer Bellakath. Bellakath is the musical project of Katherine Huerta. After appearing on the TV show “Enamorándonos,” she launched her music career in 2020 with songs like “La Gata De La Agricola Oriental” and “Lluvia De Micheladas.” In October, Bellakath uploaded her breakthrough hit “Gatita” to YouTube. The music video has received over 24 million views while on TikTok, the song has exploded with over 379,500 video creations. In the frisky reggaeton track, she sings about a woman who likes to go out and have fun on the dance floor. Bellakath rounded out the year with a purr-fect perreo anthem.
Nicole Zignago, “Un Millón De Primaveras”
This past year, Nicole Zignago went from hit songwriter to artist in her own right. The Peruvian singer debuted with her EP “Así Me Siento Hoy” that garnered her a Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. She teamed up with her frequent collaborator Sofía Reyes for the frosty “Corazón Frío.” Zignago has also released some pretty transformative covers like La Oreja de Van Gogh’s “Rosas” alongside Coro Gay Ciudad de México. As part of Juan Pablo Vega’s Recoversión project, she turns Vicente Fernández’s ranchera classic “Un Millón De Primaveras” into a psychedelic pop stunner. Zignago continues to make her mark with other artists’ songs and now with her own music too.
Joel Deleōn, “IDK Y”
After nearly a year away, Joel Deleōn has returned with his new single “IDK Y.” Last year, the Mexican-American singer exited Latin boy band CNCO to launch his solo career. His songs have shown he has an expansive musical palette with regional Mexican music in “La Culpa” and tropical beats in “Coco.” “IDK Y” is Deleōn’s most adventurous and sexiest song yet. Backed by lush house beats, he sings about being ready to satisfy the needs of the woman that he’s infatuated with. About the growth in his music, Deleōn told LATINA, “I feel like it’s all 100 percent just me. I’m 23-years-old. I’m talking about what people my age are going through. There’s definitely a change in the lyrics from what I have done in [CNCO], but I’m always having respect towards anything that I’m talking about.”
Anuel AA, Yailin La Más Viral, Jowell y Randy, and De La Ghetto, “La Máquina”
Anuel AA‘s new album “LLNM2” features many guest collaborators and one of the best is his wife, Yailin La Más Viral. The rising Dominican star features on two songs on his 33-track LP. In the frenetic “Del Kilo,” Anuel AA embraces dembow beats that are native to Yailin La Más Viral’s home country. She sounds at home as she raps about living the high life alongside another Dominican artist, Treintisiete. Yailin La Más Viral also features on the album’s centerpiece banger “La Máquina” with Anuel AA and reggaeton icons Jowell y Randy and De La Ghetto. Among the men, Yailin La Más Viral holds her own with her fierce flow and knockout guest verse. She is a highlight on her husband’s album.
Diamante Merybrown and Choriza May, “Pollo Frito”
Diamante Merybrown emerged as a drag superstar this past year as a contestant on the second season of “Drag Race España.” Though she didn’t win the competition, the Dominican artist left her mark with a show-stopping performance of her debut single “Chocolate.” Merybrown has finally given us a taste of new music with her second single “Pollo Frito.” She teamed up with Spanish drag queen Choriza May for the wild club banger where she embraces dembow music that’s native to her home country. Merybrown and May push back on the restrictive stereotypes that don’t allow women to live life fully. If she wants to have her fried chicken and eat it too, that’s Merybrown’s prerogative.
Brray and RaiNao, “Tú Y Yo”
Puerto Rican rapper Brray found a new groove with his latest single “Tú Y Yo.” While he’s become a force in reggaeton through songs like Rauw Alejandro’s hit “Lokera,” Brray embraces influences of house music this time around. He teamed up with one of Puerto Rico’s rising stars RaiNao, who received a co-sign from Bad Bunny when she was a special guest at one of his concerts. Backed by piano and pulsating beats, Brray taps into this inner smooth operator and trades flirty verses with RaiNao. She gives their chic and irresistible dance track a sultry touch with her alluring voice.
LATINA New Music Picks are published every Monday.
