Grupo Frontera Taps Gabito Ballesteros for ‘Pienso en Ella’ & More Best New Music Latin

Luisa Calle, Griselda Flores, Sigal Ratner-Arias, Isabela Raygoza and Jessica Roiz
·5 min read

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Espa?ol editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

Grupo Frontera & Gabito Ballesteros, “Pienso En Ella” (Grupo Frontera)

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After dabbling in bachata on “ángel” with Romeo Santos, Grupo Frontera returns to their roots to deliver a hip-swiveling cumbia titled “Pienso En Ella,” or “I think of her.” This time, the Texas group reels in Mexican singer-songwriter Gabito Ballesteros who adds his velvety vocals alongside Payo (Frontera’s frontman) to the accordion-powered heartbreak song. Produced by Edgar Barrera, who also co-wrote the song, it’s a testament to the hitmakers’ knack to produce songs that are both sonically and lyrically nuanced. — GRISELDA FLORES

PJ Sin Suela, Toda época Tiene Su Encanto (El Efecto Secundario)

PJ Sin Suela has unleashed his fourth studio album, dubbed Toda época Tiene Su Encanto, which loosely translates to “every era has its beauty.” In the 12-track LP, the Puerto Rican indie artist — who’s also a med school graduate and a published author — delivers a conceptual set about love that navigates from the early puppy love stage to overcoming a breakup, and beyond. A musical masterpiece, the artist born Pedro Juan Vazquez Bragan fuses funk, jazz, lo-fi beats, electronic, bolero and tropical music with reggaetón and hip-hop elements. Lyrically, PJ’s wisdom and maturity ooze through lyrics that, for the most part, are about discovering oneself and the importance of self-love, as notably heard in the closing track “Nunca Es Suficiente.”

“The album chronologically explores different stages of love, beginning with the initial innocence-exquisite yet fleeting-then moving through disappointments, experiments, and lessons,” the artist expresses in a press statement. “Ultimately, I learned that each stage has its own charm, with its highs and lows, but true love requires first loving what is uniquely ours.” Toda época Tiene Su Encanto also includes collaborations with Jorge Drexler (“Todo Se Complica”), Ana Tijoux (“Polos Opuestos”), Elena Rose (“Maldades”), ?ejo (“En Las Guerras Nadie Gana”) and emerging Puerto Rican band Chuwi (“Escúchame”). — JESSICA ROIZ

TIM?, “El Canto del Olvido” (UMG Recordings, Inc.)

Colombian boy band TIM? presents their new single titled “El Canto del Olvido.” With analog instruments, with percussions as protagonists, the band sings about the heartbreak of a love that has left over a Latin pop track that fuses traditional and contemporary elements. “This is the song/ The song of oblivion/ Because when I sing it/ My crying ends/ And I forget that you’ve gone,” they sing in unison in the chorus. The band is preparing to hit the road with their Conquistar el Planeta Tour 2024, which begins on Sept. 26 and will take them through 14 cities in Latin America and Europe. — LUISA CALLE

Salomón Beda & Pedro Capó, “Cada Loco Con Su Tema” (Pa’lante Records LLC)

Colombian singer-songwriter Salomón Beda and Puerto Rican star Pedro Capó unite their good vibes in “Cada Loco Con Su Tema” (slang for “To Each His Own”), a chill pop single about accepting others by embracing their differences. “How boring the world would be if everything were the same,” goes part of the bridge before the chorus: “To each his own/ There’s no accounting for taste/ We give each other good vibes/ We are clear, there is no problem/ I don’t bother you, you don’t bother me.” The song, co-written by both artists along with Diego Contento, is refreshing and perfect to help you relax. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Jhayco, Le Clique: Vida Rockstar (X) (Universal Music Latino)

With a rebellious sneer, Le Clique: Vida Rockstar (X) is a brash declaration of artistic evolution, with Jhayco enhancing his reggaetón beats for a raw revelry that electrifies and disrupts. Split into a thematic triptych — “Le Clique,” the family, “Vida Rockstar,” the movement, and “X,” the hits — the Puerto Rican star sails across genres with ease.

Opening with the title track, “Vida Rockstar,” the Jhayco salutes ’90s-era skater pop-punk, channeling the high-energy of bands like Blink-182. Disc two kicks off with “Le Clique” featuring DJ Khaled and Yovngchimi, who delivers a punchy, trap-inflected flow complete with playful lyrics that invite Prince Royce to swing into a bachata. It’s fresh, vibrant and indicative of the album’s overarching aim: to shake listeners and pull them onto the dance floor. On “58,” Jhayco ventures into Jersey club territory with the aid of Dei V, and on “0 Millas,” produced by MAG, Jhayco dives into hard-hitting reggaetón, complete with trap interludes and a screeching guitar that opens the song. Meanwhile, the third disc starts with “3D,” a Dominican dembow track that energizes the lineup alongside Tivi Gunz and De La Rose.

With the help of producers like Albert Hype, Tainy, and Haze, the album’s 29 tracks were recorded across global music hubs including Paris, Madrid, and Los Angeles, enveloping the in a worldly aura that complements its intrepid spirit. Collaborating with Peso Pluma, Quevedo, Eladio Carrion, and Bryant Myers, Jhayco unites a varied musical community. By weaving together the threads of rock, reggaetón, and everything in between, the singer, songwriter and producer transforms into a genre alchemist, reaffirming that genre lines no longer exist and the music speaks — and rocks (!) — for itself. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:

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