Viva Friday is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors.
Angela Aguilar – Baila Esta Cumbia
Paying homage to the late Queen of Tejano music, Angela Aguilar drops Baila Esta Cumbia, a seven-track EP highlighting some of Selena Quintanilla’s biggest hits. The set kicks off with the title track, giving it a cumbia-banda twist. On the tracks, which include “Como La Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Amor Prohibido” and others, the 16-year-old Mexican-American singer adds her own flair of cumbia, mariachi or banda music while keeping the songs' essence intact. “I present this EP as a tribute and in gratitude to Selena,” Aguilar wrote on Instagram. “With an admiration of a Mexican / American woman who, along with her family, expressed her love for music and the stage through her dances and songs. I wish I could take your music to more girls who didn't have the opportunity to listen to it.” The set wraps up with a sweet mariachi-pop medley of “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You,” where Aguilar proudly flaunts her powerhouse vocals. The release of Baila Esta Cumbia comes a little bit more than two months ahead of the 25th anniversary of Selena's death on March 31. — JESSICA ROIZ
Carlos Rivera, Becky G & Pedro Capó – “Perdiendo La Cabeza”
Carlos Rivera has recruited Becky G and Pedro Capó to bring to life his new single and music video “Perdiendo La Cabeza,” a song about a woman who drives men crazy. Fusing his ballad powerhouse vocals with a catchy urban-pop melody and hints of mariachi, the new single flaunts a side of Rivera never-before-heard. “The new pop is this, it is what we are listening to, it is what infects us to dance," the Mexican crooner said in an official statement, also stating that having Becky and Pedro on this track was important for him because he wanted to be surrounded by friends. Evidently, the music video, filmed by Nuno Gomes, shows just that: both Rivera and Capó playfully battling it out to win Becky’s heart. In the clip, all three artists are seen jamming to “Perdiendo la Cabeza” in a carnival setting. — JR
Son Rompe Pera feat. Macha – "Los Chucos Suaves"
Son Rompe Pera step back to 1940s Pachuco music subculture in "Los Chucos Suaves,” the third single from the cumbia outlaws' forthcoming full-length Batuco (out Feb. 28), which features vocals by Chilean new cumbia singer-songwriter Macha (Chico Trujillo, La Floripondio and Bloque Depresivo’s frontman). The song is a revamped uptempo marimba version of the father of Chicano music Lalo Guerrero’s Imperial Records 1949 release. The result is a boisterous tune, the product of the collision of sounds by Macha’s iconoclastic energy and the Gama brothers-fronted band, convoyed by a raw music video showcasing the folklore and quaint streets of Naucalpan. — PAMELA BUSTIOS
YoYo Ibarra – “Quédate”
The music we get from Cuba tends to fall into urban, trova or traditional tropical categories. Not so YoYo Ibarra’s brand of contemporary pop. The singer/songwriter has acknowledged all those genres in past tracks. But if “Quédate,” released under new label Vieira Music Group, is an indication, Ibarra is taking a contemporary route where his catchy melodies and hooks have fertile ground. With just a trace of rap, and a lilting tropical backbone, “Quédate” is endearing and quickly memorable. — LEILA COBO
Abraham Mateo & Manuel Turizo – “No Encuentro Palabras”
“No Encuentro Palabras,” performed by Abraham Mateo and Manuel Turizo, falls into the pop/urban genre after combining their talents and voices in a romantic song that captures the Latin-urban rhythms with the European sound that Abraham brings to it. The song itself declares love for women. Its music video, produced by Carlos Cossio, was recorded in the historic streets of Madrid. — SUZETTE FERNANDEZ
Mariah & Guaynaa – "El Taxi"
Mariah and Guaynaa’s “Taxi” is the song that will make you dance everywhere. The song contains a lot of the dembow sound in its rhythms, making it feel like an old-school reggaeton track. The lyrics are catchy. Basically, it's a back-and-forth between Guaynaa and Mariah saying what can be done in the taxi’s backseat which is reflected in the music video, directed by Cacho Díaz. The clip goes through a slew of different and eclectic characters while Guaynaa serves as a driver. — SF
