This week’s playlist includes new music from Nicky Jam, Los Del Limit, and many more
First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Ricky Martin, “Otra Noche en L.A.” (Sony Music Latin)
Martin’s evocative ballad with just a drop of shuffle beat that invites one to dance is a love note to both a lover gone and the city of Los Angeles that binds him to them. For those of us who’ve lived in LA, the allure is irresistible. For those who haven’t, the beat and the lyrics (“I’ll admit, I haven’t written to you in a long time, perhaps because I’m a coward; but today I woke up, with you in my mind”) will do the trick. With the help of writers like Keytin, Martin veered from the stereotypical reggaetón beat and gave his ballad movement with a soft rock beat and almost doo-woop background vocals for an overall cool/retro vibe that stands out from other releases and is impregnated with emotion. — LEILA COBO
Nicky Jam, “Ojos Rojos” (Sony Music Latin)
This heartfelt-yet-infectious track balances reggaetón and pop and merges with Nicki’s soft vocals. Touching on the topic of toxic relationships, the lyrics in “Ojos Rojos” tells the story of a person who’s tired of seeing their friend crying over a person that treats them badly and tries to convince them to get out. “There she comes again with her eyes red, it’s not because she was smoking, it’s because of him,” he sings in the chorus. — INGRID FAJARDO
Cosculluela x Tego Calderon, “Chambean” (Rottweilas, Inc.)
After dropping the commercial reggaetón single “Tarde o Temprano,” Cosculluela returns to his roots in “Chambean.” A track that completely took fans by surprise, the new song comes in collaboration with reggaetón veteran Tego Calderon, who hasn’t released new music in two years. Produced by The Beatllionaire and released under his label, “Chambean” is a raw Hip-Hop song about two people who are successful but it’s also dedicated to those who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. In the music video, directed by Israel Gonzalez in Coscu’s hometown Humacao, Puerto Rico, we see Coscu joined by industry leader Elías De León, founder of White Lion Records. — JESSICA ROIZ
Los Del Limit, “Mi Despedida” (DEL Records)
The Texas-based duo composed by brothers Rúben and Marco Leyva is young but full of emotions, as best heard in their romantic tumbados. In addition to their hits “Amor Fugaz” and “Siendo Sincero,” which earned them their first entry and top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (No. 7) on the Dec. 4-dated survey, this week Los Del Limit releases yet another heartwrenching tune. “Mi Despedida,” with its melancholic guitar riffs and soft vocals, tells the story of a person whose heart stopped beating after a breakup. “I wasn’t the owner of your love, but I liked our relationship/ This is my goodbye,” chants singer-songwriter Rúben. Los Del Limit is one of Billboard‘s Latin Artists To Watch in 2022 and “Mi Despedida” is a clear example as to why. — J.R.
Joel DeLeōn, “Coco” (Sony Music Latin)
For his second single as a solo artist, Joel DeLeōn took a different route offering his fans an urban-tinged uptempo track titled “Coco.” Fueled by a hypnotic beat and cheeky lyrics with which the Mexican-American singer seduces his crush. “You are my coconut kiss, I enjoy you little by little, I don’t know what you do to me mami, you drive me crazy,” the 22-year-old sings. Penned by DeLeón alongside GALE, Kat Dahlia and DJ DallasK, who also serves as producer, “Coco” follows “La Culpa,” a nostalgic acoustic-framed sierreño track that was released in October. — G.F.
Alex Rose, “Melodrama” (WK Records)
Alex Rose sings about young, dramatic love in his new single of the year, “Melodrama.” The mid-tempo R&B-infused track, produced by D Note and JUSTLIVET, brings to the forefront a relationship that is constantly on and off. “I don’t want drama much less when we’re in bed/ I know you love me but our relationship looks like a melodrama / My friends don’t believe me when I tell them we ended/ This is the final and I hope we don’t get back,” Rose chants in the chorus. In the music video, produced by Unenano, Rose transports viewers back to high school, where this type of relationship is normal. “Melodrama” marks the first single off of Rose’s debut album El Nuevo Rockstar, slated for a 2022 release. — J.R.
