VALENTINA is indulging us in the Dominican Republic’s rich Caribbean vibes. On July 11, the Dominican artist released “playa rincón,” a nostalgic yet feel-good electropop track, premiering exclusively on Remezcla.
VALENTINA is known to blend various genres such as pop, tropical rhythms, and reggaeton. In “playa rincón,” she meshes tinges of melancholic pop and electronic elements, giving the new track a fresh and tropical taste. Accompanied by her sultry vocals, the artist delivers a feel-good Caribbean-sounding offering – an intentional contradiction – narrating bittersweet romantic memories she can’t seem to shake off.
“playa rincón” is also a tribute to those living in the country and those who are Dominican but aren’t living in the island. “I wanted it to be something that Dominicans would feel identified with, something that also could sound sort of nostalgic,” she tells Remezcla. “[And] a song that would remind them of home.”
The music video, directed by the artist, captures VALENTINA partying with her girls. It shows scenes of her and her friends on the beach, enjoying a bonfire, taking shots, and dancing all night long. Other frames include her opening up about a past lover in front of the beach, reminding the listener that the song is actually about a breakup she’s working through. However, towards the end of the video, the BPM increases and shows her partying with her friends – a reminder that, in the end, your girls are the ones who will always have your back.
With this new music video, VALENTINA also released her newest EP veranito sad, which explores melancholic and rhythmic songs about a breakup with sounds that are “out of her comfort zone.” She describes the EP as a “half-and-half” of what people would expect from her, like a “reggaetoncito” or “perreito triste,” but also new sounds like Brazilian funk and electronic. “playa rincón” marks her first electronic-tinged track in her repertoire.
“Really it’s literally just an EP for this person – these songs – they’re inspired [by] the same person and just tells this story about ‘los casi algo’; [or] ‘ese amor que no se dio’ and who maybe you wanted it to work out,” she explains. “…You don’t even think that I am singing something sad or that the song is telling a sad story because of the music – because of the vibe – so it’s kind of a sweet-and-sour feeling.”
Moreover, for the singer, this project is meant to also showcase what music Dominican artists have to offer. She hopes to show another side of Dominican music, pointing out that people “instantly think” of dembow, but there are other genres like reggaeton and pop coming out of the island.
“We can also be a representation of the urban music, [but] not necessarily just doing dembow. Also, lately, I’ve been working in género Dominicano,” she shares. “There’s a few surprises coming. I can’t tell much… but I will be doing soon, una cosita por allí, un mambito, and I’m really excited about that.”
Check out the premiere for “playa rincón” below.