Mike Bahia’s Ode to Cali in ‘Calidosa’ Album & More Best New Music Latin
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.
Mika Bahía, Calidosa (Warner Music México)
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Mike Bahía — known for his feel-good reggae and urban-pop fusions — has delivered tropical mastery on his fourth studio album, Calidosa (an expression to describe a friendly, generous person). In the 12-track production (his last to be released under Warner), the Colombian artist explores the musical roots deriving from his native, Cali. Nicknamed “the salsa capital of the world,” Bahía experiments primarily with salsa music (brava, romantica and modern) in “Amor A Mitad,” “Cali Buenaventura,” “Desaparecida,” “La Pena,” and “La Indocumentada,” performed by his partner and artist Greeicy. Not limiting himself, he also flirts with bachata (“Hola Mi Amor” & “Algún Día”), bolero (“Bolerito”), merengue (“La Depre”) and cha cha cha (“Cha Cha”). The sweet “Verdad Verdad,” backed by his signature chilled reggae vibes, closes off Calidosa.
“I felt that returning to my city with a desire to explore, get to know, and reconcile with it — to contribute to it, draw inspiration from it, and reconnect with both the place and my friends — was essential,” Bahía expressed in a statement. “Working with Cali producers and team members I hadn’t collaborated with before, along with those I’ve known for years, reignited that connection. This desire to reunite with the city and its people is what inspired me to create this album in Cali. I sensed that the public there didn’t fully recognize me as an artist from the city, and that realization drove me to reconnect with Cali. I felt that my roots needed to be solid to be able to build from there.”— JESSICA ROIZ
Jasiel Nu?ez, La Odisea (Double P Records)
If you’re just discovering Jasiel Nu?ez’s music, you’re in luck. Today, the Mexican singer-songwriter releases La Odisea — which isn’t technically his debut album, since he released Vueltas de La Vida in 2020, but it is his first full-length since becoming a breakout star. It’s safe to say that Nu?ez is one of Peso Pluma’s favorite artists; in fact, Peso signed him early on to his Double P Records, taking him under his wing even when he was just starting his own career. And it’s no surprise Peso is such a fan: This new set positions Nu?ez as one of the most genre-defying música mexicana artists today.
The LP is comprised of two parts: corridos and sad corridos. The first part kicks off with a head-turning intro that starts with a gorgeous bar-blues piano tune, which after a few seconds turns into a guitar-led corrido. The set is a corridos album through-and-through, although Nu?ez is clearly not afraid to rock the boat, fusing corridos tumbados with other styles. He also brings in some of the biggest names in the genre, including Peso Pluma and other acts like Luis R Conriquez, Eslabon Armado and Adriel Favela. The first part is packed with introspective lyrics about fame, the changing landscape for regional Mexican and achieving legendary status. The second part, sad corridos, is powered by lyrics of love and loss. I’d argue that sad corridos is Nu?ez’s biggest strength. His velvety and light vocals were made to sing romantic songs. — GRISELDA FLORES
Danny Ocean x Kapo, “Imagínate” (Atlantic Recording Corp.)
With a vibrant collaboration that connects Colombia and Venezuela, Kapo and Danny Ocean present “Imagínate,” a single that fuses reggaetón pop and Afrobeats, loaded with romanticism and tropical rhythms. From dancing salsa in Cali with Kapo, to walking through Los Roques with Danny, the artists weave a romantic fantasy in idyllic settings, having good times far away from worries. “You are a mix of sand with sun, sand with sun and breeze/ You are what is needed/ For a happy life,” goes part of the lyrics. The delivery, the lyrics and the production truly transport one to a tropical paradise. — LUISA CALLE
Marc Seguí, “Un Domingo Triste Vol. 1” (The Floor Records/Warner Music Spain)
As if taking us on a journey into vocalizations and melodies, Marc Seguí presents his new single “UN DOMINGO TRISTE VOL. I,” an intimate and melancholic ballad that marks this first preview of his long-awaited album NO TENGO TRISA, scheduled for 2025. His narrative voice and deep interpretation, accompanied by the strings of electric guitars, captures the essence of pain after a love breakup. The lyrics transport us to those ultra-lonely Sundays where memories of a past relationship overwhelm us. The song, wrapped in a nostalgic atmosphere, talks about the sadness felt when reliving every moment shared with that special person — and the emptiness that remains when, sadly, they are no longer there. — INGRID FAJARDO
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
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