Welcome to LATINA’s weekly roundup of the best new music. This week’s list includes the new album from Mon Laferte, Maria Becerra’s alluring collaboration with Chencho Corleone and Ovy on the Drums, and the sexy single from gay reggaeton singer La Cruz.
Also on the list: Brazil’s stars Anitta and Dennis join forces, ANGEL22 dabbles in drill music, and the genre-bending EP from rising Dominican singer MÓRY. Plus, Piso 21 put their own spin on the sounds of Colombia and the alternative angst of BRATTY’s latest LP.
Mon Laferte, “NO+SAD”
Mon Laferte manifests being a Latin alternative artist in a refreshing way on the album “Autopoiética.” In her most adventurous LP yet, the Chilean rocker explored trip-hop in her previous singles “Tenochtitlan” and “Te Juro Que Volveré.” Now Laferte is putting her own spin on reggaeton in the empowering banger “NO+SAD.” She sings about the resilience and power of women in the face of the discrimination, harassment, and sexism that they’ve faced. “I am autopoietic by nature,” Laferte shared in a statement. “All beings can create and be reborn constantly. That’s the central idea of the album.”
Maria Becerra, Chencho Corleone, and Ovy on the Drums, “Piscina”
Maria Becerra teams up with two reggaeton heavyweights for her new single “Piscina.” The Argentine pop star joins forces with ex-Plan B member Chencho Corleone and Ovy on the Drums, the Colombian producer behind Karol G’s hits. In the alluring reggaeton track, Becerra and Corleone sing about getting involved in wet-and-wild rendezvous. “Working with Maria and Chencho was a beautiful convergence of different musical influences,” Ovy on the Drums shared in a statement. “The blend of Chencho’s reggaeton roots and Maria’s versatile pop flavor created a unique sound.”
La Cruz, “Easy Boy”
La Cruz had a breakthrough year thanks to his hit “Quítate La Ropa,” which saw him become a strong gay voice in the reggaeton genre. Since then the rising Venezuelan star has received co-signs from Karol G and Omar Apollo. Now La Cruz has released his follow-up single called “Easy Boy.” In the sexy reggaeton romp, La Cruz sings about lusting after another man on the dance floor. “Me singing about my experiences is a way to show [gay] visibility that maybe no one else dares to do,” he told LATINA. “I believe that’s been lacking in the Latin genre.”
Dennis and Anitta, “Monstrão”
Two of Brazil’s biggest talents are joining forces. Pop superstar Anitta teams up with hit-making producer Dennis for his new single “Monstrão.” In the retro baile funk track, Anitta sings in Portuguese about wanting to get freaky with a monster-sized person. Dennis and Anitta play with that monster theme in the music video, which sees them become 8-bit characters in a “Super Mario”-like video game. “Anitta couldn’t help but participate too,” Dennis told LATINA. “She’s a singer that I admire so much and who made the song even more brilliant.” They have another collaboration on the way next month.
ANGEL22, “Hello Kitty”
ANGEL22 is an all-Latina group on the rise. The band includes young women from throughout Latin America, including Brazil’s Sofia Oliveira, Colombia’s Laura Buitrago, Cuba’s Wendii Sarmiento, and Alondra Martinez, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. In the fierce “Hello Kitty,” ANGEL22 dabbles in drill music while telling off their haters in Spanish and English. “We decided to have more fun with the lyrics and show a side that always existed between us as friends, but we had never shared with other people,” the four members shared in a statement.
MÓRY, “Qualto”
MÓRY is proudly representing her Dominican roots while pushing Latin music to new places. The genre-bending artist’s debut EP “Sereno De La Noche” includes her breakthrough hit “Moda,” in which she blended bachata with elements of drill music. MÓRY shows there’s no limits to what she calls her “darkchata” sound in the swaggering “Flow Bachatero.” Another highlight is the trap-infused “Qualto” where she sings about her enjoying the fruits of her hustle. “The album is an ode to the different phases of the night,” MÓRY told LATINA. “As human beings we often don’t think about the transitional journey of the sky and our feelings on an energetic level.”
Piso 21 and Elena Rose, “Vallenato”
Piso 21 have returned with the new album “Los Muchachos.” The Colombian group seamlessly mixes the sounds of their country with elements of pop and reggaeton music. A standout on the LP is the sensual “Vallenato” featuring Venezuelan-American singer Elena Rose. The guys revitalize age-old vallenato music with the bounce of dembow. Reggaeton and house music collide in the euphoric “90’s Baby” with fellow Colombian producer Tezzel. “This is who we are,” Piso 21 wrote in an Instagram post. “This is our DNA. We are ‘Los Muchachos’ and our motto is and will always be to do everything with the best energy.”
BRATTY, “La Última Vez”
BRATTY is masterfully blending pop and Latin alternative rock in her angst-driven music. The Mexican singer-songwriter released her third album, which is aptly titled “Tres.” The LP includes BRATTY’s previous hits like dreamy “Radio” and the nostalgic “Agosto.” She channels a grungier sound in the heartbreaking track “La Última Vez.” BRATTY sings about moving on after a relationship that has run its course. “[The album] talks about nostalgia, identity, constant uncertainty, and fear of the future,” she told LATINA. “It’s a very personal album for me.”
Lucas Villa is a freelance music contributor for LATINA. His work is also featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Teen Vogue, MTV News, and W Magazine.
