Bizarrap
Guido AdlerFirst 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.
L-Gante & Bizarrap ft. Pablo Lescano, “Pinta” (Dale Play)
“Pinta,” Bizarrap’s foray into tropical urban alongside rapper L-Gante and Argentine cumbia star Pablo Lescano, is delicious. We’ve heard these blends for years; back in the day, Mexico’s Celso Piña fused his accordion with practically every genre around. But “Pinta,” which will be theme song for the new season of Argentine Netflix series El Marginado, takes Lescano’s keyboard, L-Gante’s raps and Argentine slang and of course, BZRP’s beats, to create something completely different. The track is moody enough to work for the gritty video, which takes from the series, but the beat is to infectious to keep you from dancing. Perhaps more important, it’s a testament to BZRP’s versatility as a producer. — LEILA COBO
Paula Arenas, “Volando Bajito” (Westwood Entertainment)
The multi-time Latin Grammy nominee Arenas released “Volando Bajito” today, a downtempo, beat-thumping track produced by Nicolás de la Espriella. Arenas’ vocals shine in this simple-yet-reflective pop ballad about overcoming toxic relationships and discovering your self-worth. “And I’m flying low/ Little by little I go/ Loving me more / And I’m erasing what I wrote/ Little by little/ Yes, you’re not going, you’re not going,” she sings in the song, which she co-penned with Valentina Rico and Nicolás de la Espriella. With the singer portrayed by her childhood friend, Adriana Martinez, in the music video (directed by Andrés Gómez Combita in Bogota), the song captures that much-needed road to self-love. — JESSICA ROIZ
Luis Fonsi & Manuel Turizo, “Vacaciones” (Universal Music Latino)
We may be in peak winter months, but Luis Fonsi and Manuel Turizo are transporting us to summer with new collab “Vacaciones” — marking the first time they work together on a track. “Baby, I have a plan, in case the routine tires you/ I invite you to the beach and you can take a break from life,” Fonsi sings at the top of the pop-reggaetón song. Penned by hitmakers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo — the duo behind Fonsi’s smash hit “Despacito” — “Vacaciones” will be part of Fonsi’s upcoming album, which is set to drop later this year. — GRISELDA FLORES
Jesse & Joy “Respirar” (Warner Music Latina)
Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy return with a powerful ballad that is part of what will be the pair’s forthcoming album. A story of love, forgiveness, and resilience is delivered by Joy’s sweet vocals and Jesse’s stellar production (guided by Federico Vindver). The piano melodies alongside the lyrics take listeners through a relationship’s ups and downs, and the ultimate decision to let go. “I want to stop fighting, get out of this darkness, and remedy what we did, what we told each other, to breathe again,” Joy sings emotionally. — INGRID FAJARDO
Kany García, “Agüita e Coco” (Sony Music Latin)
Singer-songwriter Kany García will make you swoon with “Agüita e Coco,” her latest single, which is powered by the hip-swiveling Puerto Rican bomba rhythm. As an ever-hopeless romantic, García sings to falling in love narrating the story of a person who was convinced she would never fall in love until a special someone convinces her to give it another try. “I drink you up like coconut water, little by little we go crazy,” she sings. “Agüita e Coco” is the second single from her upcoming album, set to be released this year. — G.F.
Maluma “Cositas de la USA” (Sony Music Latin)
Maluma has kicked off 2022 with new music — and in true fashion, it’s a hard-hitting, catchy reggaetón jam dubbed “Cositas de la USA.” Produced by The Rude Boyz and co-written by Maluma, Edgar Barrera, Andres Uribe, René Cano, Kevin Mauricio Jiménez, Bryan Snaider Lezcano y Justin Quiles, the track tells the story of a guy who’s willing to do anything for the girl of his dreams. “I’m not bad but for you, I’ll be / You’re the error, that with great pleasure, I’ll commit,” he chants. The lyrics also refer to him buying her gifts when he’s traveling. The music video, filmed and produced in Medellin by Harold Jiménez and Veronica Vélez of 36 Grados, shows Maluma as the flirtatious bad boy he is, falling in love with three different women. — J.R.
Juliana Velasquez, Delirante (MUN Records)
The best new artist winner at the 2021 Grammys, Juliana Velasquez delivers three pop anthems with Delirante (Delirious) EP. The Colombian singer-songwriter starts with “Memoria Fotográfica,” a pop-rock song about trying to leave a toxic relationship. “It’s harder to let you go than to love you” she confesses. Then comes the Nico Legreti-assisted “Delirante,” a bright pop tune where she lays her emotions on falling in love. Lastly, “Mujer Desastre,” which she released as a preview of the EP back in November. “[‘Mujer Desastre’] is a very intimate, pretty song about feeling like you don’t fit in but at the end of the day understanding that we’ve all felt that way at one point of our lives,” she previously told Billboard. One thing is for sure, these three songs left us hooked, and wanting more from the 23-year-old artist. — G.F.
Juhn, De La Ghetto “Antojo” (This is M Records / Interscope Records)
Juhn has reeled in De La Ghetto for a saucy collaboration produced by Santana “The Golden Boy.” It begins with a 30-second piano beat with futuristic melodies, before transitioning into a catchy reggaetón track. Juhn’s high-pitched dulcet vocals make for the perfect combo with De La’s signature voice. “Antojo,” which in English translates to “craving,” tells the story of a girl who’s independent, plays hard to get, and needs no man; however, she’ll let her guard down for the one guy she likes. “Rumor has it that she doesn’t fall in love and has no heart,” says the song, but also, “With me it’s not like that / She doesn’t ignore me.” — J.R.
Almighty, Genelipsis (Primo Boyz Records)
Cuban-born, Puerto Rican-raised rapper Almighty had several chart hits (including “Panda” with Farruko) and many collabs with established reggaetoneros before announcing in 2019 that he would stop making “the devil’s music” and devote himself to God. Genelipsis, his first full-fledged Christian album (the title blends the words Genesis and Apocalypse) makes good on that promise, with 32 tracks that are musically compelling and hard-hitting lyrically, but with all messaging devoted to God. “Why do people follow me? Because God is first,” he states bluntly in the opening track, “Dios Es Primero,” alongside Redimi2. This is very literal, evangelical rap where Almighty reflects on his past problems and God as his path to salvation. The most successful tracks, like ender “Pongase Serio,” are those where musicality and lyrics reach a happy medium. — L.C.
NEWS
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe has given a live debut to a new solo song ‘The Rest Of Ever’ on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert – watch below.
The legendary singer has been working on his first full solo album for several years and while he has said in recent weeks that it has taken “longer than I wanted”, he has said he is now adding the finishing touches to the record, and has said it should be out in 2026.
On Thursday (April 23), Stipe appeared on Colbert to play the never-before-heard song ‘The Rest Of Ever’, alongside the house band Louis Cato and The Great Big Joy Machine.
The mature, contemplative track sounds like a slower-tempo version of an outtake from R.E.M.’s ‘Monster’, with Stipe earnestly addressing a loved one, embracing the deep huskiness of his current vocal register.
Watch the performance here:
Also on the show, Stipe attempted to describe the sound of his new album. “One of the songs is the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time,” he said. “It’s this confusing situation. My friend recorded a tree in my backyard in Georgia and played it back to itself, and so it sounds like Daft Punk, but I’m putting a sea shanty [in the song].”
Colbert then asked which sea shanty it was, to which Stipe said, “It’s the most familiar that everyone knows,” before breaking into ‘Drunken Sailor’.
“The tree has not responded yet,” Stipe added. “We’re gonna let his people get back to my people and see what happens.”
Speaking about the album’s delay in March, Stipe said: “Covid didn’t help, but I’m finishing it. When the band split, I just needed a break. I took five years but I got pulled back into music. It’s been a struggle. That’s the main thing. I want it to be great, but I’ve got the pressure of having been in R.E.M. and it’s a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that’s near impossible.”
Previous Stipe solo releases include the 2019 single ‘Your Capricious Soul’ and ‘Drive To The Ocean’ the following year. He also released ‘No Time For Love Like Now’ with Aaron Dessner’s Big Red Machine in 2020.
Last month, he also joined forces with Andrew Watt, Josh Klinghoffer and Travis Barker to share the new theme song for the show Rooster.
By all accounts, Stipe remains on good terms with his former R.E.M. bandmates – guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry – and they appeared together in summer 2024 when they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The band split amicably in 2011, while Berry had left the group during the height of their commercial success in 1997. However, at the ceremony, the quartet gave a surprise acoustic performance of their 1991 classic ‘Losing My Religion’. That marked the first time the four played live together since their 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
Last month, Stipe joined Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy at one of their ‘Lifes Rich Pageant’ 40th anniversary tour shows in Brooklyn. They played versions of R.E.M.’s ‘These Days’ and ‘The Great Beyond’. A year ago, he also sang ‘Pretty Persuasion’ with them.
Stipe has also been clarifying lyrics from ‘It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’ on Bluesky, revealing that many fans have been getting some of the lines wrong for decades.
