“First 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.
Sofia Reyes & Piso 21, “Cuando Estas Tu” (Warner Music Latina)
In their first-ever collaborative effort, Sofia Reyes and Piso 21 drop “Cuando Estas Tu” (When You Are Here). Fusing their distinguishable voices over a dulcet pop-reggaeton melody, the collab is about that special someone. “When you’re here by eyes lit / when you’re here life tastes better by your side / the world stops when you’re not here,” the catchy Spanish-language chorus says. A vintage video camera kicks off the music video, which with a matte black and white effect, shows the two acts performing the song. Intertwined scenes of city lights, a rainforest, a live concert and the ocean hint that it’s always best to enjoy the finer things in life but… “cuando estas tu.” — JESSICA ROIZ
Play-N-Skillz, Daddy Yankee and Zion & Lennox, “Bésame” (Sony Music Latin)
Daddy Yankee, Play-N-Skillz and Zion & Lennox are giving us ultra summer vibes with their new song and music video “Bésame.” Frequent collaborators DY and production duo Play-N-Skillz (“Con Calma”), along with duo Zion & Lennox, offer an irresistible new reggaetón single that will get anyone on the dance floor and instantly becomes a summer anthem. The video finds Play-N-Skillz dj’ing an ultimate beach party while Daddy Yankee and Zion & Lennox trade slick and catchy verses like “un besito, dos besitos, tres besitos … bésame, como la primera vez/kiss me like the first time.” — GRISELDA FLORES
Abraham Mateo, Becky G, “Tiempo Pa Olvidar” (Sony Music Latin)
In April, hunkered down in his house in Spain because of the coronavirus quarantine, Abraham Mateo revealed to Billboard that a Becky G collaboration was on the way. Now, “Tiempo Pa Olvidar” is here, where both artists fuse their pop-urban vibes in a heartfelt song about needing time to think about their relationship. “You made me unhappy / I’m a man that forgives everything except an affair,” Mateo chants. “What I need is time to forget, some wine glass to drink, and something for this heartbreak because I’m going crazy,” both artists sing in the catchy chorus. In the music video, Abraham and Becky don’t shy away from their killer dance choreography as they dance and flirt in an ocean setting. — J.R.
Gerardo Ortiz & Virlan García, “Por Siempre Manuel” (Badsin Entertainment)
It’s not the first time Gerardo Ortiz and Virlan García collaborate. In the past, García has penned tracks for Ortiz but it is the first time the two sing together on a track. Their corrido, penned by García, titled “Por Siempre Manuel” pays homage to both Ortiz and García’s norteño and sierreña roots. The video, directed by Victor Zambrano, shot in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico finds Ortiz and García hustling in an open field working for a local rancher while narrating the story of a Sinaloan man named Manuel. García’s take on the corrido tells the story of the fabled character from their perspective as workers in the ranch. — G.F.
Brytiago x Rauw Alejandro, “Cositas” (Business Music/Duars Music Distributed by Caroline)
Brytiago and Rauw Alejandro, two of the smoothest voices in Latin music, have joined forces in “Cositas.” The fresh track is a sensual fusion between R&B, trap, and reggaeton rhythms, where the two artists interchange a flirtatious world play to sing about the girl they’re crushing on. “I imagine myself doing things to you,” the lyrics note. The music video, filmed in a hidden gem in Puerto Rico, shows a beautiful model embarking on a virtual reality journey, where she joins Brytiago and Rauw in a mystical garden. — J.R.
José Hoek- “Antenas y Palmeras” (Ditto Music)Venezuelan musician and producer José Hoek previews his upcoming Tremolo Park album due out in September with first single “Antenas y Palmeras.” The bouncy tune reflects Hoek’s usual heavy use of analog synthesizers and modular instrumentation whose changing textures and constant swings keep the song fresh. The song’s animated music video was directed and produced by Venezuelans Pablo Castillo, José Ostos and Erwin Lorinser (Capitolio), using flashing strobes and collaged images which documents the unsteady ups and downs of life exploring the connection of two people interpolating signals and interpretation. — P.B.
Los Dos Carnales feat. El Fantasma “El Fue Arturo” (AfinArte Music)
Betting on a traditional corrido norteño, underground group Los Dos Carnales and El Fantasma join forces for the nostalgic track titled “El Fue Arturo,” which in true corrido fashion, tells the story of Arturo, a Robin Hood-type character who becomes involved in the cartels of Mexico. Known for their nostalgic sound and lyrics that reflect everyday life lessons, the up-and-coming regional Mexican group is among AfinArte’s fresh artists who joined a roster that includes El Fantasma and Voz de Mando. — G.F.
COASTCITY, “Lullaby”
Featuring Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi, Noel Schajris and Frankie J share special moments with their children, COASTCITY pays tribute to fathers who of the music industry. The heartwarming track titled “Lullaby” explores fatherhood in its most natural state with scenes of artists and music executives in their role as dads. “I’d trade the fame and the lights just to sing you a sweet lullaby,” sings the production duo’s Jean Rodríguez.”I just want you to be better than me, wiser than me, tell me your dreams, in you I believe … I’m fighting for you.” You’ll want to watch the complete video to catch sweet moments between Martin and his baby girl Lucía and ChocQuibTown’s Tostao share the dance floor with his daughter. — G.F.
