10 New Songs to Listen to by Álvaro de Luna, Michelle Maciel, Mariangela, & More

Spanish pop-rock hitmaker Álvaro De Luna returns with “lo siento” as he nears the release of his upcoming album, Azulejos. The single wrestles with the familiar ache of falling short of someone else’s expectations, delivering its apology through De Luna’s signature guitar-forward sound. Since launching his solo career in 2020, he has built a devoted following with earnest songs rooted in universal emotions. “lo siento” carries that approach forward with equal parts vulnerability and rock n’ roll, offering a promising glimpse of what’s to come. – Juan J. Arroyo

Lolabúm’s long-awaited new album, Se Busca Phantasma De Buena Presencia Para Puesto A Tiempo Completo En Latinoamérica, pairs singer-songwriter Pedro Bonfim’s pop irony with the pointed social critique that defines the beloved Ecuadorian band. Shaped by the group’s post-pandemic relocation to Bogotá, the record examines immigration, political neglect, and the emotional weight of displacement. The opening track, “Ruido,” captures the conflict of young people preparing to leave home, with the line “Todos te quieren convencer / pero nadie te quiere escuchar” distilling their frustration and fear. A turn toward propulsive rock heightens the album’s catharsis, while its recurring ghosts mirror the immigrant experience: souls wandering the world, leaving memories behind yet never feeling fully welcome elsewhere. — Richard Villegas

Colombian-American singer-songwriter Mateo Arias ushers in a new era for ¿Téo? with “hp El Amor,” the first single from an upcoming album due next year. Hip-hop drums anchor a warm arrangement of flutes and soaring trumpets, with Cuban and Brazilian influences shaping an animated pop sound that contrasts with the song’s heartbreak. Beneath that brightness, ¿Téo? looks back with regret on a love taken for granted, still hoping for a sequel to the relationship—even while involved with someone new – Cheky

Mariangela returns with her new EP, 956 FM, and its standout track, “Me Gustas Tanto!” The bilingual song folds cumbia norteña into groovy alternative pop, reflecting the Tex-Mex singer’s upbringing in McAllen. Lively percussion, a dancing accordion, and an irresistible melody carry a dreamy story of surrendering to attraction and falling fast. Topped with a nostalgic grupero synth and a playful spoken outro, “Me Gustas Tanto!” is for the lover girls unafraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves—even if only for one night. 956 FM is out now. – Jeanette Hernandez

Los Ejemplares del Rancho deliver a playful dose of norteño romance with “Ay Niña,” a flirtatious track built around the thrill of instant attraction. A passing glance quickly blooms into fantasies of dates, road trips, gifts, kisses, and even a wedding. Direct, contemporary lyrics linger on fashion, fragrance, and the small details that make a new crush impossible to ignore, while the catchy chorus invites an easy singalong. Following their Lenin Ramírez collaboration “La Más Chula,” the group puts its own lighthearted spin on norteño, capturing the uncomplicated chemistry of infatuation. – Natasha Melina Argudo

Musical borders have always been blurrier than we give them credit for, and Boogarins revel in the overlap. The Brazilian psych favorites take on Mexican rock icons Zoé with a cover of “Mrs. Nitro,” the first preview of Memo Rex Commander y el Corazón Atómico de la Vía Láctea (Revisitado). Boogarins stretch the original’s psychedelia even further, loosening its edges until the song seems to float. Guitars shimmer and dissolve into one another as the arrangement grows woozier and more spacious, while the vocals turn faint and spectral enough to blur even the Spanish. The result remains unmistakably “Mrs. Nitro,” refracted through the wonderfully warped sound Boogarins have spent years mastering. As an introduction to a cross-border reimagining of Zoé’s landmark album, it makes one thing clear: Mexico and Brazil understand each other perfectly in psychedelic rock.– Jeanette Diaz

Guatemalan singer Gabriel Dinero makes unresolved feelings sound almost danceable on “Complicado, Complicado,” the latest preview of his upcoming mixtape, Mala Hierba Nunca Muere. The London-based artist and producer brings guitars, a thick bassline, and ’80s-tinged drums to the foreground, giving a bittersweet story of missed timing a kinetic pulse. Inspired by an unexpected reunion with someone from his past, the track inhabits the uneasy space between nostalgia and resentment. When a relationship is over, but its emotional loose ends refuse to stay buried. Written, produced, and performed by Dinero, “Complicado, Complicado” turns personal messiness into something warm, catchy, and slyly ironic. – Júlia Henn

Latine music needs a figure like Michelle Maciel—someone willing to flip the script, defy expectations, and keep pop fresh and buoyant. “Dolencias” does exactly that, unfolding as a shape-shifting odyssey built around a universal, timeless ache. Lush strings and keyboards evoke the tenderness of Juan Gabriel’s greatest ballads. At the same time, Maciel answers with a modern reggaeton-and-trap flow full of emotive inflections and memorable turns of phrase. That tension between classic melodrama and contemporary rhythm makes “Dolencias” feel daring, moving, and unforgettable. — Marcos Hassan

Thee Sinseers have always understood the spectacle of romantic storytelling, but their latest record finds the Los Angeles outfit sounding more assured than ever. “Oh Love,” the opening track from their sophomore album, Love Stories, sets the tone with grandiose horns, a rockabilly swing, and brooding vocals steeped in classic soul. Since forming at the turn of the decade, the group has helped fuel the genre’s renaissance through golden melodies, traditional production, and deeply sentimental lyricism. “Oh Love” reaffirms that devotion while opening the door to an album that pushes their sound in more playful directions.– Alan Baez

Proving that the right chemistry can still spark magic, Maluma and Shakira reunite for another collaboration that’s steamy, energetic, and just a bit melancholic. “Agua” opens with a slow burn, both singers delivering aching verses of desire and longing, before the beat drops and the song hits the dancefloor. Once the merengue kicks in, they find their element, trading flirty vocals that keep the momentum surging. It’s hard not to be swept up by their combined charisma, and “Agua” is further proof that these Colombians make a formidable pop pairing. — Marcos Hassan