Being forced to stay indoors and “socially distanced” very naturally leads us to reassess our personal playlists. Couple that with Easter and Passover, and we’re definitely in the midst of a reflective, thankful and collaborative state of mind. In a nod to the state of the times, Billboard’s Latin editors will be sharing their personal quarantine playlists with readers through April 17. Jessica Roiz, Billboard assistant editor, shares hers below.
2020 seemed like a promising year for me on a personal level, including a weekend trip to Texas to get my Selena sightseeing fix in honor of her 25th anniversary and my first trip to Nicaragua since 2017. I was looking forward to these and other plans — before the global pandemic hit in early March.
As I sit at home and try to make the best of self-quarantine, I must say that music has definitely helped me stay sane and motivated during these challenging, uncertain and, often, boring times!
My playlist includes artists I was obsessed with as a child, such as Backstreet Boys, Magneto and, yes, Marco Antonio Solis, songs that I first discovered in Nicaragua, such as Danny Ocean’s “Me Rehuso,” and empowering anthems like Natti Natasha’s “La Mejor Version de Mi.”
Whether it’s rock en Ñ, reggae romantico or regional Mexican, among other bops, this set of songs has remained timeless and will forever take me back to a happy moment in my life, transporting me to anywhere else but quarantine.
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