NEWS
Sebastian Yatra
Erick Fernando QuezadaFirst Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week's picks below.
Sebastian Yatra, “Tacones Rojos” (UMG Recordings)
Sebastian Yatra's new single “Tacones Rojos" is an upbeat pop-dance love song that starts off with electric guitar riffs followed by his plush and charming voice. "The song was inspired by morning rays of light that enter through your window and can totally take you to a new and happy inspiring place,” Yatra said in a statement on writing the lyrics alongside Manuel Lorente (the song was co-produced by Manuel Larra, Juanjo Monserrat, and Pablo Ross). Above all else, this feel-good song is an ode the happiness that comes from finding that special someone who will light up your world: “My piece of sunshine/the girl of my eyes,” he chants in the chorus. --- INGRID FAJARDO
Paloma Mami, “Cosas de la Vida” (Sony Music Latin)
Latin Grammy best new artist nominee Paloma Mami bares it all in her new single “Cosas De La Vida.” Muting the more rhythmic side of her sonority, the new track is a slowed-down pop tune powered by a sparse drum beat that finds the Chilean-American singer-songwriter wondering if she’ll find her way back to her soulmate. Written by Mami and Gilberto Figueroa “Roa,” “Cosas De La Vida” is the first single off her upcoming album, which will follow her 2021 debut LP Sueños de Dali. --- GRISELDA FLORES
Adriel Favela, “Lágrimas de Miel” (UMG Recordings)
Ever since returning to music, Adriel Favela has presented a refreshingly mature sound, evidenced on "Lágrimas de Miel," which features a melancholic sierreña melody and is the third single off of his upcoming album Cosas del Diablo. The Mexican singer-songwriter is vulnerable and heartbroken on the song -- which Favela co-produced with Trooko and Danny Felix and co-wrote with Brandon Reyes -- while the simple yet conceptual music video brings the whirlwind emotions to life. --- JESSICA ROIZ
Gloria Trevi, “Ensayando Cómo Pedirte Perdón” (UMG Recordings)
Gloria Trevi has a knack for creating anthems and her latest song is no exception. Written by Trevi and Mexican singer-songwriter Leonel García, “Ensayando Cómo Pedirte Perdón” is a striking ballad on forgiveness, which, as ever, Trevi delivers with her resounding and powerful vocals. “I hope that this song can help people reconcile and put together the broken pieces that were a result of this pandemic,” Trevi said about the song. “From now on, I hope that it becomes a song that helps someone ask for forgiveness even when it’s hard to put into words.” --- G.F.
Llane & Boza, “Puñales” (Warner Music Mexico)
Llane and Boza, two former Billboard Latin Artists on the Rise, have joined forces for their new collaboration "Puñales." The Colombian artist and Panamanian newcomer blend their signature sounds, bringing to life a mid-tempo urban-pop track fused with lots of Caribbean flavors. "Puñales," which loosely translates to fist, tells the story of a person who refuses to believe that their relationship has ended and prefers to live in a lie. --- J.R.
La Santa Cecilia, Quiero Verte Feliz (Rebeleon Ent./Virgin Music U.S. Latin)
From cumbia to norteña to son jarocho, folk and beyond, La Santa Cecilia’s eight-song set is music for the soul. As lead singer La Marisoul puts it in “Estrellita,” “I sing for the soul of the people and to cure my own heart.” A must-listen from beginning to end, featuring cant-miss collabs with Lila Downs and Luis Enrique, the L.A.-based group takes their audience on a roller coaster of emotions singing about falling in and out of love, acceptance and celebrating life. The tracks are set to rich, wide-ranging arrangements that will instantly make any listener want to get up, dance and shake off any bad energy. --- G.F.
Kris Floyd, La Última Vez Que Me Viste (NEON16/Interscope Records)
After penning songs for artists such as J Balvin and Selena Gomez, Kris Floyd released his own debut EP, La Última Vez Que Me Viste. On the nine-track set, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter puts all his cards on the table, flaunting the ease at which he can tap into R&B ballads ("¿Cuando Vienes?"), sultry perreos ("Ser Ella"), hard-hitting reggaeton ("Ser Libre") and his specialty of trap, best heard on "Xkittlez," the only collab on the album featuring Arcangel. "I want people to know a little more about how I my mind works," Floyd said in a statement. "The opportunity to continue contributing art and to continue expressing myself through music is very valuable to me." --- J.R.
Ally Brooke “Mi Musica” (AMSI Entertainment)
For her first solo, all-Spanish single, Ally Brooke taps into the reggaeton realm with “Mi Musica,” marking a new direction for the former Fifth Harmony member. “This song is purely from my heart, and it is as ‘me’ as it gets,” the Mexican-American artist said in a statement. “I am proud to say I helped to write this song that means so much to me. The message of ‘Mi Musica’ is that I am nothing without my family, dear friends and fans. I have everything because I have them, and to them, I dedicate this song.” Co-written by Brooke, Yofred, Azzi and King Mora, Brooke’s first Spanish single is a preview of her upcoming first-ever Spanish-language album, which will also be her debut album as a solo artist.
NEWS
Massive Attack have been using their latest live show to challenge American data analytics and software company Palantir, with the band describing the firm's ambitions as "terrifying".
The pioneering trip hop group have woven criticism of the controversial surveillance technology company into their new stage production. During their upcoming performance at Primavera Sound, they plan to deploy "custom-made facial recognition software" capable of "scanning a 75,000-person crowd" and projecting audience members onto giant screens with tongue in cheek labels such as "11 weeks no time off, burnout" and "unfinished books", according to Novara Media.
Speaking with the publication, the visual concept takes direct aim at Palantir, the company established two decades ago by billionaire Peter Thiel. Backed financially by the CIA, the firm counts the US and Israeli militaries, ICE, the FBI and the NHS among its clients.
After unveiling the production in Helsinki, Robert Del Naja told Novara Media that he wanted audiences to better understand how Palantir's reach has expanded from supplying "kill chain tech" reportedly used in Gaza to now having access to the medical records of people across Britain.
"We really need a much wider debate on the suitability of a company like this having such capture of our societal infrastructure," he said. He explained that the criticism is embedded throughout Massive Attack's two hour performance and was developed alongside long time collaborator Adam Curtis and London art collective United Visual Artists.
"One visual element represents how a Palantir Gotham monitoring and ‘decision chain’ interface might look," Del Naja explained. "Using facial recognition technology, it lands on groups and individuals – implying a consequential outcome for a given target."
Novara Media also detailed how Palantir's software can connect information from multiple databases. The outlet reported that ICE allegedly combines the platform with body camera footage, social media data and information gathered through Israeli developed hacking software Paragon to identify protesters involved in resistance to immigration raids.
The publication further claimed that Palantir contributes to Maven, a software platform used by the US military, which has recently faced criticism after being linked to the bombing of a girls' school in Iran.
"I find their declarations, objectives and moral framing pretty terrifying," Del Naja said. "To enable AI systems to map police records, satellite tracked locations, health records and personal financial transactions and place all of that information – for the first time – into the hands of a company with an overt political agenda and social objectives of its own is a huge, potentially irreversible and dangerous overreach."
Another moment in Massive Attack's current live production appears during the closing section of "Girl I Love You", when a quote from Peter Thiel is projected on screen reading: "I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible".
Last year, Massive Attack introduced the satirical "facial recognition" sequence during their concerts and quickly rejected suggestions that genuine data recognition systems were being used on audiences.
"No Massive Attack live show has ever recorded or stored personal data," the group stated. "Only government departments, relevant authorities & approved contractors can access public databases in the UK, & doing so in multiple cities/countries would be impossible."
The band also pointed to the growing use of facial recognition technology across Britain, arguing that authorities are "overreaching almost all other western democracies with their use of public facial recognition … while there is no specific legislation regulating police use of these systems."
The statement arrived shortly after Massive Attack welcomed Kneecap onto the stage during their major show at the OVO Wembley Arena, introducing them as a group "who refused to be silenced for their solidarity with the Palestinian people."
Massive Attack have consistently spoken out in support of Palestine and a range of other progressive causes. More recently, they pledged to boycott Spotify following reports that CEO Daniel Ek had invested heavily "in a company producing military munition drones and AI technology integrated into fighter aircraft."
During their headline appearance at London's LIDO Festival last summer, the band were joined by actor and activist Khalid Abdalla along with Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def. Earlier this year, Del Naja also criticised what he described as a "draconian government" after being arrested while protesting the ban on Palestine Action.
The musician was one of hundreds of demonstrators who gathered in Trafalgar Square on April 11 to oppose the Palestine Action ban. He carried a placard stating "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action".
Police removed him from the protest and arrested him on suspicion of expressing support for a proscribed organisation. He later responded with an extensive statement posted to Instagram.
Back in February, the band revealed a small run of European dates for the summer. The tour began on May 27 at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki before continuing to Dalhalla in Rättvik on May 30.
The Bristol trip hop pioneers have not released new material since the 2020 EP "Eutopia". Their most recent studio album remains 2010's "Heligoland".
Speaking with NME in 2024, Robert Del Naja revealed that the band had "some new music which we've been sitting on for four years". He later shared in November that he hoped to finally release some of that material in 2026.
