Welcome to LATINA’s weekly roundup of the best new music. This week’s list features Gaby Moreno’s beautiful duet with Oscar Isaac, Becky G’s corridos tumbados with Peso Pluma, and Natti Natasha’s club-ready anthem.
Also on the list: Feid’s freaky collaboration with Young Miko, PAMÉ’s empowering “Bullet Put Down” and Sinego’s dreamy “Boa Noite” with Tonina. Plus, Emilia’s throwback banger and Letón Pe’s “Bailo Pa’ Mi” with Ana Mancebo.
Gaby Moreno and Oscar Isaac, “Luna De Xelajú”
Gaby Moreno and Oscar Isaac are paying homage to their Guatemalan roots with a gorgeous duet. Moreno teamed up with the actor for her new single “Luna De Xelajú.” It’s a Guatemalan classic that was written by Paco Pérez in 1944. After having previously performed “Luna De Xelajú” together, they recorded their heartfelt live take of it at the Palace Theatre in L.A. “I was so excited as I knew this would be a very special collaboration,” Moreno told LATINA. “The song means a lot to both of us, having roots and family from Guatemala. We wanted to honor that.” The dreamy track will be included on Moreno’s acoustic EP X Mí (Vol. 1), which is due out May 5. Moreno will be a special guest on Nickel Creek’s tour in April and June.
Becky G and Peso Pluma, “Chanel”
Becky G takes on corridos tumbados with one of the genre’s rising stars, Peso Pluma, for her new single “Chanel.” In the fiery track, Becky G trades verses with the Mexican rapper about learning when to throw in the towel on a failing relationship. Currently, Becky G’s fiancé Sebastian Lletget is facing cheating allegations for admitting to a “10 minute lapse in judgment,” as described in his lengthy Instagram apology. Her heartbreaking song appears to hit very close to home. “Chanel” will be included on Becky G’s upcoming regional Mexican music album. “It feels like home,” she told LATINA last month about embracing her Mexican roots for the LP. “It feels like the right time. It’s been such a labor of love.”
Natti Natasha, “Algarete”
Natti Natasha gets the party started with her new single “Algarete.” She joined forces with Bad Bunny’s frequent collaborator, the producerMora. In the intoxicating dance track, Natasha sings about letting loose on the dance floor like there’s no tomorrow. “It’s a song that I dedicate to those who, although they no longer have the same opportunity to go out as before, when they do, they have the chance to relive their years of intense partying,” the Dominican superstar told LATINA. “With this track, the nights in Paris really inspired me and you can feel the same vibe I felt when I first got the idea for the song.” After seeing her past music videos face censorship on YouTube, she released the video for “Algarete” exclusively on her official website.
Letón Pé and Ana Mancebo, “Bailo Pa’ Mi”
Letón Pé blends her Caribbean roots with elements of dance music in her new single “Bailo Pa’ Mi.” She has become one of the Dominican Republic’s most promising pop stars. Pé teamed up with Spanish singer Ana Mancebo for the alluring track. They trade verses about celebrating themselves in the club. “Making this song captured my feelings about the past and my roots,” she told LATINA. “It transported me to those times where Proyecto 1 and Sandy & Papo made anthems that were played at every party, when the only dilemma was choosing between watching MTV or HTV, and when Dominican music began to cross borders with this new fusion.”
PAMÉ, “Bullet Put Down”
PAMÉ masterfully blends her bicultural upbringing in her new single “Bullet Put Down.” She was born in the Dominican Republic and later raised between the Bronx and Connecticut. In the fierce anthem, PAMÉ sings in English and Spanish about women not being afraid to go after what they want. “This is all about women taking the opportunity to make the first move and wait for no one,” she told LATINA. “Whether that’s with a partner, a job, etc. I wanted to erase the narrative of a man always approaching a woman and giving the opportunity for a woman to make the first move and channel her inner queen.”
Feid and Young Miko, “Classy 101”
Feid is one of reggaeton’s rising stars to watch out for. The Colombian singer teamed up with Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko for his new single “Classy 101.” In the freaky club banger, Feid and Young Miko sing about being enamored by fierce women. Young Miko, who is openly queer, sings in Spanish, “You have that face that likes freaky, nasty, nothing romantic.” Feid continues to push reggaeton to exciting places with his Medellín swagger. “I want to make people proud of me,” he told LATINA last year. “I’m always putting some peace, some light, and some good vibes in my music.” On April 20, he kicks off the U.S. leg of his Nitro Jam Underground Tour in Seattle.
Emilia, “Jagger.mp3”
Emilia dials it back to the 2000s in her new single “Jagger.mp3.” The Argentine pop star puts a Spanish twist on throwback R&B beats with a sound reminiscent of Ciara and Missy Elliott’s early hits. The rhythm changes up a few times in this booming track while she sings about being a “bad b*tch.” In the music video, she channels the days of MTV’s TRL with retro outfits that are coming back in style. “‘Jagger.mp3’ will have you feeling like you’re traveling back through time yet someone also on the cutting edge of the future,” Emilia told LATINA.
Sinego and Tonina, “Boa Noite”
Sinego is continuing to channel the sounds of Latin America into his electronic music. The Colombian producer teamed up with Tonina for his single “Boa Noite,” where he mixes samba music with surrealism. “The song blends Brazilian rhythms with our own personal styles, resulting in a unique and exhilarating sound that is inspired by dreams and the act of dreaming,” Tonina told LATINA. The captivating dance track is a part of Sinego’s upcoming album where he worked with musicians throughout Latin America on genre-bending songs. “I feel like I’m a vessel for left-of-center artists in Latin America and I’m just going to work as hard as I can to push my peers globally into the world of electronic music,” he adds. In May, Sinego will tour the U.S. with Kat Dahlia.
LATINA New Music Picks are published every Monday.
Lucas Villa is a freelance music contributor for LATINA and his work is featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Teen Vogue, MTV News and W Magazine.
