New Music Picks: Mariah Angeliq, Rauw Alejandro & Rosalía, BRATTY and More

MÚSICA By 2023-03-27T20:12:50-04:00March 27th, 2023|

Welcome to LATINA’s weekly roundup of the best new music. This week’s list features the return of Mariah Angeliq, Rauw Alejandro’s joint EP with Rosalía and BRATTY’s latest rock anthem.

Also on the list: J Noa inspires with “No Me Pueden Parar,” Corina Smith gets vulnerable with “X100” and Carlos Rivera teams up with Carin León and Eden Muñoz. Plus, new albums from Myke Towers and Humbe.

Mariah Angeliq, “Ricota”

Mariah Angeliq is embracing the woman she is today in the empowering “Ricota.” The song comes from a positive comment she received after she was body-shamed. “To be ricota doesn’t mean that you look good physically,” the singer of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent told LATINA. “It’s about how you feel… An attitude.” The hypnotic reggaeton track was produced by hit makers Play-N-Skillz. Anqeliq is hard at work on her debut album that reflects her “self-love era.” She added, “I’m being selfish with myself. I’m in my selfish era, and I’m being unapologetic about it, so stayed tuned.” Later this year, Angeliq will tour the U.S., which includes a performance at Miami’s LGBTQ+ Pride on April 15.

BRATTY, “Radio”

BRATTY continues to keep Latin alternative music exciting with her new single “Radio.” BRATTY is the musical project of Mexican artist Jenny Juárez. She embraces a surf rock edge while singing about never compromising her image to sound like everyone else on the radio. When the guitars get amped-up, the song explodes into a feel-good anthem. “‘Radio’ is a song that talks about intrusive thoughts I feel as an artist and the frustrated feeling of wanting to hear new things,” BRATTY told LATINA. Next up, she will be performing at the Coachella music festival in April. BRATTY is currently working on her next album.

J Noa, “No Me Pueden Parar”

J Noa continues to be one of the year’s most exciting artists to watch out for. The rising Dominican rapper channels the obstacles she’s overcome to become an artist into the rock-infused “No Me Pueden Parar.” With her hard-hitting bars, J Noa encourages listeners to push through and not let anyone get in the way of achieving their goals. “[It’s] a message of hope for everyone who thinks they can’t accomplish their dreams and feels they’re limited when the only limit that exists is the sky,” she told LATINA. J Noa is solidifying her place as one of Latin music’s fiercest rappers with her meaningful flow.

Corina Smith, “X100”

Corina Smith is showing a vulnerable side to her artistry with “X100.” The Venezuelan singer blends the reggaeton beats she’s known for with a symphonic sound. In the heartbreaking track, she sings about the moment when a couple part ways after taking a break. “You feel deceived because it turns out that while you were waiting for everything to get better, that person met someone else or you had already met someone, and you discover everything at the same moment that you are seeing it with someone else,” Smith told LATINA. “I think there is nothing more painful than that.”

Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía, “Beso”

Congrats to Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía on their engagement! The Puerto Rican superstar and Spanish singer revealed the sweet news in the music video for their reggaeton romp “Beso.” The song is a part of Alejandro and Rosalía’s joint EP RR. Across three tracks, they explore different phases of their relationship. “After more than three years [together], these three songs are here, and each one of them belongs to a different stage of love,” Rosalía shared in a statement. The EP also includes the perreo-ready banger “Vampiros” and the heartfelt bolero “Promesa,” which appears to touch on the moment they got engaged.

Myke Towers and Chita, “Cama King”

Myke Towers is back with his new album La Vida Es Una. On the multi-genre LP, the Puerto Rican superstar teams up with J Balvin for the flirty “Celos” and Arcángel for “Don & Tego,” an homage to reggaeton’s pioneers. Daddy Yankee also features on the electronica-infused “Ulala (Ooh La-La).” In the R&B-inspired “Cama King,” Towers teamed up with up-and-coming singer Chita who hails from Argentina. In the slick bedroom banger, they sing about missing each other when they’re apart. “It’s a retro R&B vibe,” Towers told LATINA. “Sometimes with my songs, I want people to imagine the sounds from that era when they listen to them.” Towers proves that his swaggering flow can fit into any genre.

Carlos Rivera, Carin León and Eden Muñoz, “Alguien Me Espera En Madrid”

Carlos Rivera released the music video for “Alguien Me Espera En Madrid,” the most adventurous track from his album Sincerándome. The Mexican heartthrob blended Spanish flamenco with elements of regional Mexican music courtesy of the song’s featured artists, Carin León and Eden Muñoz. In the thrilling Latin pop song, Rivera sings about running away to Spain after experiencing a momentary career lull in his native Mexico. All the songs on his latest LP come from a personal place. ““This album is a reencounter of my whole life in songs,” he told LATINA in our recent interview. “I’m sharing the most important songs of my life that I’ve written, that have helped me express how I felt, and helped me be honest with myself.”

Humbe, “Lo Logré”

Humbe pushes his sound forward with his new album Esencia. The rising Mexican singer is feeling himself across the 11-track LP. “I think that to keep moving forward and growing, you have to transform,” Humbe told LATINA. “On this album, we decided not to limit ourselves.” In the beautiful song “Serotonina,” he blends trap beats with elements of electronica. The stunning title track feels like a moment of sweet catharsis with a message to live life to the fullest. The atmospheric album culminates with the knockout track “Lo Logré” where Humbe encourages his listeners to go after their dreams and make them a reality.


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.