Viva Friday is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors.
Manuel Medrano – “Mi Otra Mitad” (Warner Music México)
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Manuel Medrano dropped “Mi Otra Mitad,” a love anthem to dedicate to your significant other. The song was penned by the Colombian singer-songwriter himself and produced by Mauricio Rengifo and Ándres Torres. Along with the track, a colorful music video, filmed in Venice Beach, was released Friday in which Medrano has an impromptu performance and dance party in the middle of Venice with the sunset and palm trees as their background. — GRISELDA FLORES
Dalex feat. Sech – "Mejor" (Rich Music Label)
Dalex dropped his new single “Mejor," featuring Sech, which they composed alongside Dimelo Flow, Feid and Lenny Tavarez. The Dimelo Flow-produced song, which fuses sensual dancehall beats with Latin R&B, is perfectly made for all those people who return to an old flame after having had a disappointment with love. The music video, directed by Squid and the production of Maricel Zambrano of Wildhouse Pictures, shows an innovative and artistic storyline, featuring scenes in an abandoned airplane, a military-style cabin and a couple’s room, to name a few. “Mejor” marks the first single from Dalex’s upcoming EP Modo Avion. — JESSICA ROIZ
Nathy Peluso – “Business Woman” (Sony Music)
After building considerable word of mouth with shapeshifting hits “La Sandunguera” and “Corashe,” Argentinean-Spanish rapper Nathy Peluso returns with “Business Woman.” The first single from her forthcoming full-length debut album, an overtly fierce lyrical-themed song that focuses on female empowerment, jolts from visceral commentary to bold sexual claims. The Rafa Arcaute-, Pedro Campos- and Fede Vindver-produced tune is convoyed by a blue-colored clip directed by Bradly & Pablo (Frank Ocean, ROSALIA, Migos) which highlights businesswomen characters like a CEO, a devil, a pop star and a mechanic.– PAMELA BUSTIOS
Ana Barbara & Bronco – "Mi Corazon" (Solos Music Records)
Ana Barbara has recruited Grupo Bronco for a truly nostalgic collaboration. The two Regional Mexican acts, who kicked off their trajectory in the '80s and '90s, have teamed up for “Mi Corazon.” The single, which is a pure Norteño gem fused with flairs of cumbia, is about two people torn between following their heart or listening to their head. For Barbara, singing this song with Bronco’s lead vocalist José Guadalupe Esparza has been a true pleasure. The music video shows both artists singing and performing the song on a stage as well as all of Babara’s glittery outfits. — JR
Victor Drija & Astrid Celeste Marrufo – “Cuando Te Pienso”
February is here, when Latin artists begin to release their most romantic songs, and Venezuelan singer Victor Drija is no exception. “Cuando Te Pienso” (When I Think of You) is a collaboration between Drija and Astrid Celeste Marrufo (daughter of the Venezuelan songwriter Yasmil Marrufo), which unleashes that feeling of knowing you just met the love of your life. Mastered by Dave Koch (Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars), the midtempo song fuses dance soul and Afro rhythms with a low-key Latin melody. Marrufo's voice stands out for being very soft and melodic, while Drija contrasts with a deep voice. — SUZETTE FERNANDEZ
Enrique Campos – “Indiferente” (Acqua Records)
Argentine singer Enrique Campos released a new version of his melancholic tango song “Indiferente” included in his 2019 Latin Grammy-nominated album Roto. The new cumbia-tinged track is a collaboration with Camilo Lara from the Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS). The song, about misunderstandings and contradictions, was recorded in Mexico City and gives the traditional tango song a fresh twist — one that will get you on your feet. A new music video was also released Friday. Up next for Campos, he will be performing at SXSW in March. — GF
Lido Pimienta – "Eso Que Tu Haces" (ANTI Records)
Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta previews the release of upcoming album Miss Colombia, due April 17, a follow-up to the Polaris Music Prize winner La Papesa (2017), with the Afro-tropi-folk “Eso Que Tú Haces” single, a transformative space of creative flow and ethereal mysticism that puts Pimienta’s vocals to the fore. Laden with porro and cumbia beats, Pimienta defies the norm of relations and individualism in a stunning textured music video directed by Pimienta and Paz Ramirez, which showcases the quaint village of Palenque, Colombia. “Mírame a la cara cuando me hables/ y no me digas nada si no quieres/ pero no me falles, me duele/ no exagero cuando te digo/ eso que tú haces no es amor” (Look at my face when you speak to me/ And don’t say anything if you don’t want to/ But don’t fail me, it hurts/ I don’t exaggerate when I tell you/ that thing you do is not love). — PB
Jose Luis “Cheo” Pardo – “Trasnocho Entre Semana” (Nacional Records)
Jose Luis “Cheo” Pardo (Los Amigos Invisibles) delivers and introspective yet lighthearted narrative on the grueling struggles of being single and dating in “Trasnocho Entre Semana” (An All-Nighter Midweek), his ode to a “sleepy midweek date,” which sets a swinging '60s mood. Pushing himself to write a song after every date, Pardo ingeniously pumps the beat in a song anchored by strummy guitar chords and punchy bass harmony. “Esta es la mejor razón para un trasnocho entre semana/ toda la ciudad diciendo hagan los que les da la gana” (“This is the best reason to pull an all-nighter/ the whole city telling us to do as we please”). — PB
