Welcome to LATINA’s weekly round-up of the best new music. This week many of the releases are empowering, especially in time for Women’s History Month. First, the self-proclaimed “La Reina Del Combo” Goyo celebrates her Afro-Colombian roots with her debut album “En Letra De Otro.” Paopao, La Gabi, Aria Vega, Cami Da Baby, and Villano Antillano team up for an all-women EP in reggaeton music. Then there’s Dominican DJ LASH, uplifting local talent in his single “Sensaciones.”\
Other releases also exude alluring confidence. Bachata heartthrob Prince Royce is back with the rock-infused “Te Espero” featuring María Becerra. Next, Ex-CNCO member Joel Deleōn turns up the heat on his solo career with “Coco,” Colombian singer Feid finds a new groove in “Nieve.” Finally, Latina pop princess Camila Cabello gets Ed Sheeran on a cumbia in “Bam Bam.” Check out our complete list below.
Goyo, “En Letra De Otro” album
After dropping her single “Na Na Na” last week, Goyo released her debut solo album “En Letra De Otro.” The Colombian singer and rapper covers many beloved classics. “I had the chance to create with works of art that marked and influenced my life so much,” Goyo tells LATINA. She puts a fresh reggaeton twist on Shakira’s “Antología.” “In that song, you can feel the soul of Shakira,” she adds. “Her story and the song demonstrated that one can cross limits. She’s a dreamer, and I admire her creativity.”
Another standout is Goyo’s cover of Tego Calderón’s “Pa Que Se Lo Gozen,” where she lays down new verses. “Hip-hop for me is a big inspiration, and when you do hip-hop, you have to approach it with your own background and story,” she says. “With Tego’s permission, I went in and did my own parts.” In addition, the album was released with an HBO special called “En Letra De Otro,” where Goyo performs the songs while centering and celebrating her Afro-Colombian roots. “I believe this is opening a door where more people will be able to tell their stories,” she says. Goyo will be back with ChocQuibTown and a new single next month.
Prince Royce and María Becerra, “Te Espero”
Following Romeo Santos’ return, this week the prince of bachata is back. Prince Royce released his first new single of the year, “Te Espero.” He teamed up with “La Nena de Argentina” María Becerra. The sexy song opens with the Dominican-American star singing Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight.” “For this new song, I wanted to mix rock and pop with bachata,” Prince Royce tells LATINA. “That synth intro to me is very nostalgic and timeless.” The way he blends the eighties classic with bachata is seamless. Prince Royce and Becerra yearn for another night of passion together. “I like how [María’s] voice is mysterious and dark,” he adds. “I knew her voice to it was going to give bachata a whole other flavor.” This collaboration is absolutely captivating. Prince Royce is working hard on his next album while planning his upcoming U.S. tour. “I really want to represent bachata with this album but try as many new things as I can and give it a fresh new sound,” he says.
Paopao, La Gabi, Aria Vega, Cami Da Baby, and Villano Antillano, “Hembrismo” EP
For Women’s History Month, independent Latin record label RichMusic released its first all-women EP, “Hembrismo.” The EP is a led and executive produced by RichMusic’s first female signee Paopao. The Puerto Rican singer teamed up with other women on the rise in reggaeton, including La Gabi, Aria Vega, Cami Da Baby, and Villano Antillano. The Latina avengers join forces for the lead single “Hebilla,” which they sing about living their best lives. Then, Antillano, who identifies as transgender and non-binary, turns up the heat with her fiery rap verse. “It’s rare to see five different women come together to create something that uplifts and empowers and is also fun,” Paopao said about the EP. “We were able to bring this EP to life, combining our strengths and individualities, to create something relatable, telling our stories the way we want to tell them.” “Hembrismo” includes six more fierce collaborations where each woman gets her shine.
Feid, “Nieve”
Feid is one of the rising stars in reggaeton from Colombia. The Medellín native is known for co-writing hits for acts like J Balvin, Maluma, CNCO, and Anitta. However, he has been coming into his own as an artist in the past few years. In his previous smashes like “Porfa” and “Chimbita,” Feid uniquely uses Colombian slang in his lyrics. In “Nieve,” Ferxxo (as his fans lovingly call him) continues to take reggaeton to new places. He embraces a deep house sound throughout the track. “[Producer] Sky started working on the beat, and as soon as I put on the headphones, I knew I wanted to hop on this track because I had been looking for something in this sort of vibe for my live show,” Feid tells LATINA. In a haunting performance, he sings about a relationship that has left him cold. “It talks about a love that isn’t there anymore, and the lyrics are pretty much first-person, asking someone why all of a sudden they’re popping up conveniently when things are finally alright,” Feid adds. The alluring dance track previews Feid’s next album, his follow-up to last year’s “Inter Shibuya – La Mafia.”
Joel Deleōn, “Coco”
The artist, formerly known as Joel Pimentel, celebrated his 23rd birthday this week. After departing from the Latin boy band CNCO last year, the Mexican-American singer changed his stage name to reflect his grandfather’s last name Deleōn. Since breaking out in CNCO, the world has seen Joel Deleōn go from boy to hombre. His solo music reflects his more mature sound. In his second single, “Coco,” Deleōn likens his lover to a refreshing drink of coconut juice. “Put on that bikini that I’ll take off you,” he sings in Spanish. Deleōn becomes a smooth operator over tropical house beats. The breakdown is reminiscent of Drake’s “One Dance.” He’s finding his groove outside of CNCO with this sensual slice of Latin trop-pop. Last October, he launched his solo career with “La Culpa,” which blended Mexican sierreño music with Latin pop. Deleōn recently previewed a few songs from his forthcoming album on Instagram, hinting that the upcoming release will be a diverse debut.
Camila Cabello & Ed Sheeran, “Bam Bam”
To celebrate her 25th birthday, Camila Cabello released her new single, “Bam Bam.” The Cuban-Mexican pop star teamed up with British singer Ed Sheeran for the refreshing collaboration. She continues to seamlessly blend elements of Latin music with pop music. Cabello gets Sheeran into a cumbia groove that’s rounded out by the pop-rock punch. Her lyrics potentially point to her recent breakup with Canadian singer Shawn Mendes. “I said I love you for life, but I just sold our house,” she sings like she actually did last December. Cabello is down but not out, and as soon as the cumbia rhythm hits, she adds, “But I’m back on my feet.” Sheeran proves to be a great duet partner as he harmonizes with her on the Spanglish chorus. You can’t help but smile while listening to this feel-good bop. The song will be included on Cabello’s next album, “Familia,” due out on April 8.
LASH, Martox, and De La Vega, “Sensaciones”
In time for last Sunday’s Dominican Independence Day, the country’s leading DJ LASH released his new single “Sensaciones.” He teamed up with fellow Dominican duo Martox and rising Puerto Rican rapper De La Vega. LASH is known for mixing the Dominican Republic’s Caribbean beats with elements of EDM. Similarly, Martox pushed the boundaries of Dominican dance music with their debut EP, last year’s “Se Siente Diferente.” The Dominican acts are a dynamic duo as they create a dreamy love song that beats with the heart of la isla. In addition, Martox’s Juan Martínez comes through with an otherworldly performance that De La Vega adds an extra edge. “My current vision is to continue to bring new sound flavors into the productions of the Latin world, but more specifically collaborate with people from my home country, the Dominican Republic, to help elevate the sound and talent that comes out of the island,” LASH tells LATINA.
