20 New Songs to Listen to This Week From Mari La Carajita to Xiomara Fortuna

A dreamy synth transports us to a relaxing and beachy atmosphere as percussion gradually builds up a runway for Venezuelan diva Mari La Carajita to sensually deliver: “You move your hips so good.” We sway our hips as “De Locos” grows into an inescapably sexy track with house and Caribbean influence. It captures the feeling of being hypnotized by someone’s way of walking and dancing, and how that spell can be enhanced even further when all of this takes place by a sunny shore. With an accompanying visualizer that requires nothing but Mari’s presence, a beach, and a tray of plump fruit to turn up the heat, this fresh voice is calm but strong in stating her case as one to watch in the new wave of Latina performers taking over. – La Morra Lisa

Xiomara Fortuna, the Dominican Republic’s queen of fusion, has unveiled a new album titled Confesiones de Mosquitero, her first wholehearted incursion into romantic songwriting bolstered with a lush palette of reggaeton, dembow, and Afrobeats. The record kicks off with “Busy,” a slow-burning perreo charged with desire, as Fortuna demands to be made her beloved’s priority. “No quiero que me digas que ahora tú te encuentras busy,” she moans on the opening line, pining for nights out dancing and hand-holding intimacy, while annoyed at trivial distractions like jobs. As the beat picks up and digital horns flood the mix, her frustration turns into a party by the sea, echoing her dreamy recording process by the shores of her native Montecristi. — Richard Villegas

Ana Tijoux is known for her cutthroat, unfiltered lyrics. And with “Apagón,” she continues the same vein, shining light on what we’re experiencing today. “‘El apagón’ delves into the silences that flood with noise and from within, and the lights that emerge from change,” the French-Chilean musician said about the new track. With ‘90s-inspired hip-hop elements, “Apagón” oozes Tijoux’s fierce spirit that undoubtedly makes her one of this generation’s most enthralling rappers with profound messages that captivate you from the moment you press play. It’s the centerpiece of Tijoux’s newest four-track EP 97, out now. – Jeanette Hernandez

Following the already haunting “Luna de Miel,” the latest from Delilah adds another streak of color to the singer’s expressive, progressive brand of corridos tumbados. While the last single showcased Delilah’s musicality and capability of depth in ambient, atmospheric production, “Color Rosa” deconstructs multiple textures for a more lyrically focused and personal track. Before even entering her young adult years, Delilah has proven to have a confident hold of style and an impressive sense of identity within her music. Accompanied by one idle, lonely-sounding guitar, the singer fills the quiet moments with haunting melodies and anguish-filled vocals, resulting in a tastefully executed meditation on love and its passing. “Color Rosa” amplifies its presence with minimal resources, utilizing soft, deeply melancholic vocals that dance over an emotional acoustic groove, crescendoing to a higher point. –Alan Bae

Rising Guatemalan artist Sebas Bárcenas turns inward on his latest single, “Hoy Me Escojo a Mí,” trading the heartbreak so often featured in his previous releases for a moment of emotional clarity. The track pairs buoyant cumbia-pop rhythms with urban pop sensibility, creating a sound that feels both rooted in tradition and reflective. Rather than wallowing in loss, the singer reframes the breakup narrative around self-worth and growth, capturing the quiet but powerful decision to finally put yourself first. In doing so, he also highlights a modern, and much more becoming type of masculinity: one that embraces vulnerability and sincerity, instead of hiding the tears away. – Júlia Henn

¡Cumbiaaa! Puerto Rican artist Guaynaa joins forces with legendary Peruvian psychedelic cumbia pioneers Los Mirlos on “Prieta de Mi Vida,” a vibrant collaboration that bridges generations within Latine music. The track opens and closes with the unmistakable sound of Puerto Rico’s coquí, alongside the iconic “ah ah ah” chant long associated with classic cumbia, setting the tone for a celebration of rhythm and heritage. Guaynaa injects the song with his signature Caribbean flair and distinctive vocal timbre, while Los Mirlos deliver the hypnotic guitar lines and psychedelic textures that made them icons of Amazonian cumbia. The result is a dynamic fusion where tropical warmth meets the band’s unmistakable sonic identity. “Prieta de Mi Vida” also serves as the first original composition unveiled from the upcoming collaborative album The World Meets Los Mirlos. The global project brings together international artists inspired by the group’s enduring legacy, honoring the pioneers who helped shape psychedelic cumbia while introducing their sound to a new generation of listeners. – Natasha Melina Argudo

Karina Vélez specializes in pop-rock that taps into that specific moment in time from decades ago when ‘70s disco and ‘80s rock still overlapped. That sound is none truer than in her newest single, “Cambié,” which has the Puerto Rican singer wondering in song about just how much she needs to stray from herself to shed an old love. Helmed by prolific director Ana Paula Teixeira, the music video marries Vélez’s musical aesthetic with trippy kaleidoscopic visuals that can signify all the different versions of herself she cycles through, hoping for that one reinvention that will free her from a love she holds so deep. — Juan J. Arroyo

As far as the discourse goes, we’re living in the golden age of future pop, or how many artists are bringing ideas of what the style will sound like in the future. Yet, few artists take the time to really deliver the vision and the hooks in equal measure like Lucía Tacchetti does. On “Esta Vez,” electronic swells open the track, instantly giving it motion and drama, with melodies that feel like floating on synthetic clouds. While the music sounds futuristic enough, it’s Tacchetti’s unique melodic sense that makes her stand out. With “Esta Vez,” Tachetti situates herself as a forward-thinking artist. — Marcos Hassan

It’s been 10 years since Valeria Hernández released her debut solo album under her Violenta Josefina moniker, El Ejército del Aire, a dreamy exploration of the possibilities of the classic rock formation. The Buenos Aires-based Venezuelan artist is finally ready to pick up where she left and give us her sophomore album, which was just announced with its first single “Espacio.” Produced by Ciro Moreno, “Espacio” shows Hernández with amped-up ambition, soaring dramatically above the expansive instrumentation to reflect on distance as a key element in the search for inner clarity. With a chord progression full of unexpected turns and embellished drumming courtesy of Lya Reis Guerrero, the song gives us space to think about how our decisions build our reality. – Cheky

No strangers to channeling mystic nocturnal allure, Mexico City-based duo Los Eclipses return with their latest dose on “Veuve Noire,” an intoxicating dive into synth-laced darkwave brushed with a subtle disco sheen. Nodding to its name, a French rendition of black widow, the song plays like a romantic goth ritual that weaves through imagery of webs and invisible threads into a portrait of intimacy charged with dangerous magnetism. Sonic shadowed textures spiral around a smoldering emotional entrapment while the lyrics underscore a power struggle where desire blurs into an illusion of choice caught between both weapon and refuge. The melody and tension never rushes, lingering like a slow-burning spell that unfolds a sensually fatalistic romance until all that’s left are its final notes long haunting your memory. — Jeanette Diaz

The Brazilian heat that DJ and producer Pedro Sampaio has showcased throughout the world just got even hotter. Mexican reggaeton star El Bogueto joins Pedro in “G-LATINA,” an explosive track where trumpets, a heart-thumping bass, and gleeful crowd chants boom throughout. It’s as if the energetic collaboration’s main goal was to have you move your body “the way they shake it in the Favelas.” Through an ambitious mixture of Afrobeats, funk, and reggaeton over melodic progressions within the Arabic scale, the song feels of massive proportions, ready to be yelled out by a stadium while retaining a sensual and flirty energy to it that allows it to be enjoyed in a dancefloor or a beach party while you perreo your heart out. One of those tracks that have to be positioned carefully in a playlist, because reaching or maintaining the energy-level it can reach is no easy task, so replay it is. – La Morra Lisa

Argentina’s Bautibit understands that at the center of every perfect pop song, fun and melancholy have to coexist in perfect harmony. On his latest single, “Portaretrato,” he captures the internal turmoil of reconnecting with someone long after falling out, unearthing old wounds and longing for more innocent days. “Pasamos tanto tiempo sin hablar / ahora tu voz me suena diferente,” Bautibit muses on the opening verse, reassuring himself that separation was the right decision but gradually admitting their memory still lingers. The song’s fast-thumping production was helmed by andynoplex and Jero Samper, who worked on Juana Roza’s gritty 2025 debut, Tanya, though here the synths shimmer with sunny delight and nostalgic euphoria. — Richard Villegas

Kane Rodriguez is back with a motivating anthem to toast to. The emerging música mexicana artist released “Despegando,” a norteño and sierreño-influenced offering that’s as catchy as it is encouraging. The new track also features his unique and gritty vocals, which set him apart from his colleagues. With lyrics like, “El morro que salió del barrio / Lo está logrando / Y casa a mi madre ya le compramos / Y es lo que siempre yo soñé / Y gracias a Dios lo logré,” the rising star shares his gratitude and continues to manifest a fruitful life for himself and those who sing the uplifting chorus with him. “Despegando” is part of Rodriguez’s upcoming album, which we are looking forward to listening to. – Jeanette Hernandez

Sprinkling in twinges of disco and progressive jazz, the latest from famed instrumentalist and music producer Cheo offers another exciting tease for the next in his Refresco series. After building a legacy in cultivating multiple Latine music movements in the Western zeitgeist, Cheo has dabbled in countless genres while establishing the foundations of countless others. Yet in his multi-decade career, he’s still finding innovative ways to freshen whatever genre he’s feeling, while keeping his joy in performing at the forefront. “Groupie” can only be described, in the most intellectual of usages of language, as “hella funky.” Sensational combination of Latine grooves with traditional funk undertones. “Groupie’s ” production is incredibly bubbly, utilizing a commanding bass groove with an ever-playful melody of keys. Cheo’s vocals don’t shy away from the groove either, maintaining a playful repetition along with some soulful, softer verses. Together, “Groupie” is a soulful ball of energy that’s reminiscent of ‘70s funk while presenting something fresh to the table. – Alan Baez

Brazilian singer-songwriter Tiê’s latest release, “Ainda,” is an intimate track that showcases the pinnacle of honesty and lyricism in song. Deeply personal, the title’s direct translation to English is “Still.” Throughout the song, Tiê describes moments and feelings that still permeate one’s life even after a breakup. The hopeless nostalgia that comes with having to confront the end of a relationship by waking up alone every single day and missing even the smallest things is put into words in this beautifully melancholic track, made even more potent by its minimalist arrangement consisting of simply a piano and the artist’s crystalline voice. – Júlia Henn

Colombian artist Ysa C returns with “Te Va a Doler,” a vibrant yet emotionally charged collaboration with Reggi El Auténtico, produced by Kensel Tell Them. Blending pop with the lively pulse of merengue, the track transforms heartbreak into a rhythmic exchange of perspectives at the end of a relationship. The song unfolds as a dialogue, Ysa C sings from the clarity of someone who has already endured the pain and chosen to move on, while Reggi responds from a place of lingering regret, trying to reclaim a love that has already slipped away. Together, they capture a familiar emotional timeline, one where women often process the hurt and begin healing before the relationship ends, while men are left to confront their feelings only after the silence sets in. Despite its reflective narrative, “Te Va a Doler” maintains an infectious energy. The result is a track that balances emotional honesty with dancefloor appeal, further highlighting Ysa C’s ability to turn emotional stories into compelling music. – Natasha Melina Argudo

Just like turning lemons into lemonade, Unochosiete wants you to turn those tears into fuel for dancing the woes away. “Gasolina pa’l Baile” is the newest single from the Puerto Rican rapper-producer-poet, and it’s a “retrofuturistic funkathon” crafted to lift spirits up and get legs moving. Best known for being a jack-of-all-genres whose albums range from rock to hip-hop to soul and beyond, he’s been dropping singles all year as a lead-up to his next project, and this track is the most euphoric yet. With slices of house, funk, batería, and more, it’s another display of his eclectic, undertapped talents. — Juan J. Arroyo

People have been trying to “psychedelize” Afro-Caribbean genres for decades now, but few have connected the dots quite like Pixvae have, and use it to deliver an empowering message. On “Poderosa Soy,” the Franco-Colombian ensemble use currulao’s signature 6/8 rhythm to go full prog rock, except you can actually dance to this song. Add marimbas, cununos, bombos, fuzzy guitars, and singer-percussionist Jennyfer “Xiomara” Torres impassionate vocals, and you have one of the most daring yet delightful songs you’ll likely hear this year. “Poderosa Soy” will unite the feminists, the musicians, and the dancers under one anthem. — Marcos Hassan

Belén Natalí has been hinting at her debut album for over a year, and now, five singles in, RÏO, her genre-hopping homage to the Santa Rosa river in her natal Argentina, is finally out. Closing the eight-track full-length is “Algas,” a contemplative number that wraps up this journey with a blend that’s equal parts synth pop and R&B. Belén Natalí makes us daydream with her stunning lyrical imagery and soft croon that sway in the soft waves of a synth chord river bank, just like the eponymous seaweed. A squiggly bass line dances along, and the punctuating electric guitar ends up morphing into a fully-fledged solo that intertwines with Belén Natalí’s hummed melodies. We can’t help but let ourselves go in the tides. – Cheky

Emerging artist Rafa Salaz taps into the sentimental core of regional mexicano on “No Me Haces Falta,” drawing from the tender emotional pull of sierreño while introducing an enlivening rock-leaning edge. The song starts in restrained reflection, one guided by romantic guitar melodies and a steady mid-tempo groove that mirrors the internal effort of convincing oneself that detachment from a love gone awry is possible. As the track unfolds, a striking electric guitar breakdown expands the song’s emotional scale, injecting classic rock textures that push the single into more charged terrain. Lyrically, Salaz navigates the contradiction of recognizing deception while remaining unwilling to fully let go, capturing the fragile performance of independence that often masks lingering devotion. Rather than offering clean closure, the single lingers in the uneasy and deeply human space between the desire to appear resolved and the quiet hope that love might still find its way back. — Jeanette Diaz