Karol G – Latina Foreva
Skiing on top of a vintage car, snowmobiling in a bikini, making a snow pineapple, La Bichota is living her best life. Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ and neither do Karol G’s bars, “Esa curva no la tiene ni la NASCAR”. She couldn’t make a song without including her iconic phrase “Que chimba” and ends the single with not one but two Latin voices, Alexa Demie and Don Omar. Giraldo’s adlib, “Pa' que tenga este sabor toca que vuelva y Nazca” couldn’t be more fitting as she kickstarts her fifth album rollout. ‘Latina Foreva’ is more than a song it’s a celebration.
Maria Becerra, Paulo Londra & XROSS - Ramen Para Dos
Becerra and Londra opt for a pop-r&b fusion as they tell a story of two parts; an obsessed ex and a casual fling. La Nena de Argentina knows her wrongs singing, “Sigo aferrada a algo que no existe” after revealing, “Sigo pidiendo ramen para dos”. Londra sums up the relationship, “Es obsesión, no es amor, ahora el psicólogo es para los do'”. The Argentinian rapper flexes a few flow switches before the pair face some realisations and one hard truth, “Que sigamo' hablando no nos sirve”. Still confused? Maria’s music video spells it out and is the singer’s own concept.
Becky G & Manuel Turizo – Que Haces
‘Que Haces’ is a rom com in song form, a cat and mouse chase, ‘love me, love me not’ storytelling collaboration. The music video is multi-generational showing off kids playing, teens giggling about crushes, all the way through to an elderly couple still rich in love, it could warm even the coldest of hearts. The pair ask “Dime qué haces este viernes y el resto de tu vida?”. Choosing a merengue instrumental couldn’t be the more perfect choice, a style all about community and bringing people together. Turizo still squeezes in the cheeky line, “Esos ojos bonito', yeah ese cu' bendito”.
Beéle – No Tiene Sentido
Straight after the “Gu-gu-gu-gu” introduction three seconds in, you can almost feel a sea breeze on your face and the sun beaming down. Beéle’s latest single is hypnotising with lines like “Baby, que tú y yo paramo' el tiempo” and “Yo no sé por qué tan lejos vos”, given a whole new meaning thanks to his emotive and soulful tones. Titled ‘no tiene sentido”, it makes complete sense to listeners as this song has you hooked from first listen. The instrumental is like a happy accident, fusing together a moody modern-day synth with the timeless sounds of the ever-lively merengue.
Mora & C. Tangana – Droga
They may both be city boys deep down, but they’ve opted for a contrasting instrumental. C. Tangana is no stranger to tradition with his music experimenting with his country’s native sound, flamenco, now he opts for the Dominican Republic’s musical invention, merengue. Mora puts his heart on the line confessing, “Esta te la hice pa' que la cantes con la mano en el pecho / 'Toy adicto a ti, nunca estoy satisfecho”. The duo are direct throughout singing, “Ma, yo no te di mi corazón, eso fue un robo / Y si te veo con otro, voy a formar un bobo”.
Bonus Track:
Ryan Castro, Peso Pluma & SOG – Un Trio
This song bounces right into your ears and so it should as it’s fronted by certified hitmakers Ryan Castro, Peso Pluma and SOG. The chorus is an earworm and so it should be as Castro chants, “Reggaetón de la mata”. It’s party-ready and the lyrics are too as La Doble P sings, “Yo tengo la champaña y la espuma”. There’s synths, drum pattern, syncopated and unsyncapated vocals, this is Reggaeton through and through. Titling the single ‘Un Trío’ may be a bold claim, but these three have certainly done their homework, making a textbook Reggaeton hit.
