New Latin releases to add to your summer playlists

Maybe you were fooled by the cloudy Los Angeles skies or colder than normal weather, but summer is supposedly happening in Southern California. At this point, curating playlists for warm weather road trips or endless beach days is on everyone’s agenda. 

While last year’s radio stations were saturated in Bad Bunny’s award-winning “Un Verano Sin Ti,” it’s time for a new wave of Latin music to ring in our ears. If you’re looking to welcome the approaching summer days, here are four new Latin releases to play next time you’re on aux. 

“Bye” by Peso Pluma

Peso Pluma, a name that recently entered mainstream music, sings with a norteño style that appeals to audiences across all corners of the world. His newest single “Bye,” released May 26, is the latest milestone in his flourishing career. 

Peso Pluma collaborated with Eslabon Armado on the track “Ella Baile Sola” in March, which catapulted to the top of charts — reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Global 200 list. As the first song of the regional Mexican genre to accomplish this feat, “Ella Baile Sola” and Peso Pluma are forging a new path for Latin artists in mainstream music. 

Peso Pluma recently joined fellow Mexican artist Becky G on the world renowned Coachella stage in April. Singing their song “Chanel” in addition to his own song “PRC” made for another significant milestone in Peso Pluma’s career. 

His newest release strays from the playful and lighthearted feel of “Ella Baile Sola” and instead uses the signature brass instruments found in norteño music to create a song about heartbreak and moving on. Lyrics such as “El dolor poco a poco se fue borrando / Tú y yo, nuestras almas se abandonaron / Yo sé, fue por bien de los dos,” bring a heavy hearted tone. Translated into English, he sings, “The pain slowly faded / You and me, our souls abandoned each other / I know, it was for the good of both of us.” The candid words stain the song with a notably somber sentiment that he has not included in his past work.

“Le Va Doler” by Grupo Frontera

Grupo Frontera is another group of artists that successfully crossed into mainstream music in the last year. The six-man band from Texas rose to fame with their 2022 chart-topping cover of Morat’s “No Se Va.” Reworking popular songs through the styles of norteño and cumbia genres proved to be a successful formula for the relatively new band. 

Following its April collaboration with Bad Bunny on “un x100to,” Grupo Frontera built on its growing fanbase with another single, “Le Va Doler,” released May 25. 

The song begins with fast tempo guitar picking and adds in other instruments one by one so the listener can hear the construction of the song in real time. 

The catchy chorus and cheerful melody distract the audience from the heartbreaking lyrics describing a breakup: “Sé que lo que suelto son palabras de despecho / Que estoy dolido por el daño que me han hecho / Quizás mañana me logre sentir mejor / Pero sé que tarde o temprano la logro sacar del pecho.” In English, “I know that what I release are words of spite / That I am hurt by the damage that has been done to me / Maybe tomorrow I can feel better / But I know that sooner or later I manage to get it off my chest.” While this is a breakup song, even more so it is a song of moving forward. It speaks of the pain of progressing alone but the satisfaction that it is felt on both sides of the fence. “Le Va Doler,” which translates to “she will hurt,” repeats in the chorus to bookend every mention of the singer’s pain with that of their ex. 

“Tqum” by Sofía Reyes and Danna Paola 

The future pop song of the summer “Tqum,” was released May 25 by Latin singers Danna Paola and Sofia Reyes. Both well-known pop singers, the collaboration produced a fast-tempo song, witty lyrics and complementary tones of their voices that blended seamlessly.

27-year-old Mexican singer Paola is not new to the industry. Rather, she cemented herself as a Mexican pop princess with the release of her debut album at only six years old in 2001. With numerous other releases and acting credits since then, Paola continues to evolve as an artist.

As for the also 27-year-old singer hailing from Monterrey, Mexico, Reyes is no stranger to collaborations, as she previously worked with fellow Latin artists such as Maria Becerra and Abraham Mateo. While she has also made a name for herself in the Latin music industry, Reyes hopes this song with Paola will support both of their careers. 

“It’s so important to support each other as Mexican artists,” said Reyes in an interview with Rolling Stone about the new song. “I love Danna so much. I feel like I’ve known her for years.”

“Sangre y Fe” by Cruz Cafuné and Quevedo

“Sangre y Fe” is the ultimate collaboration of Urbano Latino artists, Cafuné and Quevedo. This song was released on May 26 as a part of Cafuné’s third album “Me Muevo Con Dios.” The song has the same energetic and crisp rhythm that characterizes the other songs on the album and is met with the signature beat drop and style of a Quevedo song. 

The Spanish rappers team up to create a song speaking on their self-made journeys, noting a religious influence in the lyrics. With the title of the song translating to “Blood and Faith,” and the name of the album meaning “I Move With God,” a biblical tone rings throughout. 

With over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the rise of 29-year-old trap artist Cafuné should amplify with the release of this new album. “Sangre y Fe” is already his second-most streamed song with around 2 million streams. The song is not the first collaboration between these two artists with “INTRO – SPEECH CRUZZI” coming out on Quevedo’s debut album,“DONDE QUIERO ESTAR,” earlier this year. 

Whether you are traveling the world or relaxing at home, every moment this season belongs in a pair with a summer song. These new Latin releases will undoubtedly boost the mood and energy of any gathering.