First Stream Latin: New Music From Maria Becerra & Becky G, Piso 21, Dalex, 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.

Maria Becerra, Becky G, “WOW WOW” (300 Entertainment)

After releasing a series of singles and collaborations with artists such as Cazzu and J Balvin, rising Argentine artist Maria Becerra has officially released her debut album titled Animal. The 11-song set drops with “Wow Wow” featuring Becky G as its focus track, a hard-knock reggaeton that has female empowerment anthem potential, and it marks the first time Becky and Becerra have teamed up for a collab. With a “who needs men” attitude, the track (and music video) find the pair living the best life and sharing a wealthy lifestyle with their BFFs. “Once I woke up and realized you were no longer by my side, I thought, ‘What good luck, this story has finally ended,’” Becerra opens the song. Near the minute-mark, Becky G joins Becerra on the track, singing, “Life is just one and it won’t wait for you … everything is cured with a perreo so don’t be embarrassed to get down.” — GRISELDA FLORES

Piso 21, “Nadie La Controla” (Warner Music Mexico)

After making the rounds with El Amor en los Tiempos del Perreo, one of Billboard’s best Latin albums of 2021 (so far), Piso 21 drops a fresh new single dubbed “Nadie la Controla.” Produced by duo producers Súbelo Neo (Freddy Montalvo Jr. and José Cruz), “Nadie La Controla” is a pure reggaeton song that later transitions to a fast-paced merengue ripiao,’ converting this song into the ultimate party jam. The lyrics bring to the forefront a girl who’s the center of attention and that can’t be controlled. The vibrant music video, helmed by director Charlie Nelson, features cameo’s my famed TikTok stars Kunno and Domelipa, to name a few. “Nadie La Controla” marks the first taste of the Colombian group’s upcoming production. –– JESSICA ROIZ

Maria Leon, Gloria Trevi, “Mudanza de Hormiga” (Promotodo Mexico/OCESA Seitrack)

For the first time, Maria Leon and Gloria Trevi join forces for a happy and colorful collaboration that sweetly fuses cumbia with urban sounds and mariachi trumpets. Penned by Leon, Marcela de la Garza, Trevi, and YoFred, “Mudanza de Hormida” is an invitation to do what your heart desires, from a feminine perspective. Moreover, it’s about being in love and that moment when you are ready to solidify a relationship. “I want to live with you/ I will even change my last name, and if someone asks me for my location, they could find me next to your heart,” Maria chants in the chorus. — INGRID FAJARDO

Dalex, “Pa’ nama” (Rich Music, Inc.)

Dalex is back with “Pa’nama,” a saucy track with a clever play on words. If his debut album Climaxxx was any indication, Dalex continues along the lines of the sultry lyrics and edgy reggaeton fusions that characterize him. Produced by Cromo La X, Rike Music, Ecby, and La Cone, the track tells the back-and-forth story of someone who’s playing hard to get and the other person who’s after them. “Pa’nama,” according to Dalex, “is all about the vibes, and it’s such a fun, sexy, and cheeky song that I hope makes people let loose and enjoy the moment,” he said in a statement. — J.R.

Los Tigres del Norte, “La Reunion” (RMS Music Group/UMG Recordings)

The family reunion we’ve all been waiting for. Los Tigres del Norte have blessed fans with a new single titled “La Reunión,” a norteña song that captures the essence of family in the Latin community. “Welcome to your house, my brothers. Hugging each other was necessary especially now that we are all alive and in good health. Cheers to that,” brothers Jorge and Hernan Hernández sing.

Penned by Eduardo García Márquez, “La Reunión” is a preview of Los Tigres del Norte’s forthcoming album due in the fall and, as ever, the band’s new song comes with a poignant message: a call for family unity and forgiving mistakes in order to build a strong foundation of love for their children. After the band’s longest touring hiatus, “Los Jefes de Jefes” will soon celebrate another reunion, this time with their fans in the upcoming U.S. tour set to kick off Sept. 10 in Kentucky. — G.F.

Maluma feat. Kapla y Miky, Philip Ariaz, Blessd, “L.N.E.M. (GATA)” (Sony Music Latin)

On the heels of “Sobrio” and its star-studded video featuring Scott Disick and other celebs, Maluma now joins forces with the new wave of artists from his native Colombia. Reeling in newcomers Kapla & Miky, Philip Ariaz, and Blessd, Maluma hopes to put “la nueva en el mapa” on their collaboration “L.N.E.M. (GATA).”

Co-produced by Golden Mindz and Rude Boyz, the track infectiously laces a slow-tempo perreo melody with hip-hop and reggaeton beats. “This is what making history is all about,” Maluma wrote on his Instagram.

“He wants to raise the flag,” former Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise Blessd says of Maluma. “There is no other artist like him helping those of us who are emerging so much. He’s doing a job that no one else has done. I respect him as an artist and triple as a person because of that.” — J.R.

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First Out: New Music From Kim Petras, Halsey, Rina Sawayama & More

As we reach the end of the summer, it’s time to start prepping for the fall with some new tracks from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is here to help with First Out, our weekly roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

From Kim Petras’ return to dance-pop, to Halsey’s stunningly serious new album, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Kim Petras, “Future Starts Now”

The princess of pop has finally returned! After a brief hiatus, Petras officially burst back onto the scene with “Future Starts Now,” the first single off of her hotly anticipated debut album, and her first single since officially signing to Republic Records. The ’80s Euro-dance track sees Petras cruising in a familiar lane, as pounding beats and catchy synths accompany her slick vocals as she croons about not looking back, and plowing forward into her new, pop-fueled era. “Ain’t nobody gonna stop me/ Don’t you let the music stop now,” she sings on the track. “You’re more than just anybody/ Don’t give up, the future starts now.”

Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power

To anyone who ever doubted the depth of talent and artistry that Halsey wields at any given moment, may we introduce you to If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. The singer’s fourth album, appropriately produced by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, goes far beyond what some expected — namely, her long-awaited rock album. Instead, the constantly changing, genre-bent project sees them taking on punk (“You Asked For This”), hip-hop (“Lillith”), and straight-up pop (“Girl With a Gun”), all while narrating a complex tale of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. If I Can’t Have Love is the kind of album that will keep you thinking for hours after listening to it, and it’s for that reason that you should absolutely press play now.

Rina Sawayama, “Enter Sandman”

Rina Sawayama has made a name for herself as a genre-bender. So it’s no surprise that when she was tapped to tackle Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for their 30th anniversary covers album, she put her own spin on the classic. Throughout her cover, Sawayama leans into the guitar-heavy shredding of the original, while doubling down on her own pop sensibilities — adding in smashing drum machines, chill-inducing vocal distortions, and the kinds of glitchy, hard-to-pin down production flourishes that made her debut album such a smashing success. Head off to Never Never Land with this fabulous cover, courtesy of Rina Sawayama.

Wrabel, “London”

For the last few of his releases, singer-songwriter Wrabel has leaned into depicting happier loving relationships. But with “London,” he’s back in his feelings with an emotionally devastating and viscerally gorgeous new song. Accompanied by a guitar and some light drums, the teary-eyed new song sees Wrabel reflecting on missed opportunities in a relationship that has long-since ended. “Sometimes when it’s cold in California/ I think back to that winter with you,” he sings. “‘Cause living in Los Angeles the skies are always blue/ Sometimes I miss London.”

A Great Big World, Particles

It’s been six years since A Great Big World shared their last album with the world, and if the contents of their third studio album are anything to go by, then it’s clear that the duo has grown in that time. Throughout Particles, Ian Axel and Chad King wax poetic on everything from becoming parents (“Glowing”), to OCD (“Save Me From Myself”), to reflections of sexuality (“Boys In the Street”) and finding the one that you want to be with (“The One”). It’s a beautiful album filled with excellently-written songs and the kind of sentimentality that will have you reaching for the tissues.

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‘Waste of time’: Florida’s federal GOP officials aren’t backing DeSantis in mask fight

South Florida’s Republicans in Washington aren’t getting behind Gov. Ron DeSantis’ fight against local mask mandates in schools. Sen. Marco Rubio has said that mask mandate debates — on all … Click to Continue »
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Slammed by staff shortages and ‘desperation,’ some North Florida prisons to shutter

The Florida Department of Corrections will soon close multiple prisons in North Florida, a last-ditch effort to grapple with severe staff shortages, according to a union representative who talked to … Click to Continue »
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Pioneering broadcaster Gustavo Godoy, a force behind Univision and Telemundo, dies at 79

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Palm Island house sells for $29.5M. Take a look at what the buyer got.

An undisclosed buyer from California has paid $29.5 million for a 2-story single-family residence on Palm Island, one of the highest prices ever paid there. The 11,056-square-foot waterfront property at … Click to Continue »
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Tense exchanges, pleas for decorum: Texas House takes up GOP voting bill

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Watch Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Run from a Huge Ribbon in New ‘Gentenkaihi’ Video

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu shared the new music video accompanying her latest single called “Gentenkaihi,” which dropped Aug. 17.

The video produced by the creative team N2B+peledona depicts Kyary’s efforts to shake off the lingering public image of her being an icon of Harajuku “kawaii” culture donning a big ribbon in her hair. The 28-year-old artist actually runs away from a huge — about 6.5 ft high, 8.2 ft wide — custom-made red ribbon throughout the video while also expressing her evolving style.

Kyary shares that the day of the shoot was hot and the scene in the forest was tough to do, but that she’s proud of the result. “I’m being chased by a huge ribbon, which is my ‘genten’ (origin, roots), and also dance with a big ribbon on my head,” she says. “The day we shot it was really hot so the scene where I run through the forest was difficult, but it’s a great work so I hope you’ll check it out.”

The title, “Gentenkaihi,” is a play on the Japanese phrase “gentenkaiki,” which means “to go back to basics,” with “kaihi” meaning to avoid or dodge something.

Check out Kyary’s video below:

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Kiss Concert Canceled After Paul Stanley Tests Positive for COVID

Kiss announced late Thursday night (Aug. 26) that their concert scheduled just outside Pittsburgh had been canceled after lead vocalist Paul Stanley tested positive for COVID. While a new date is yet to be announced, the band said the show has been postponed.

“Tonight’s #KISS show at The Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown, PA is unfortunately postponed due to Paul Stanley testing positive for COVID,” the band tweeted alongside a full statement. “More information about show dates will be made available ASAP.”

The statement also clarified that “everyone on the entire tour, both band and crew, are fully vaccinated.”

Ahead of the band’s announcement, Stanley took to Twitter to shoot down rumors about how severe his symptoms were. “PEOPLE!!! I am fine! I am not in ICU!” Stantey tweeted. “My heart allows me to do 26 miles a day on my bike! I don’t know where this came from but it’s absolute nonsense.” In a subsequent tweet, he wrote, “I had been sick with flu-like symptoms and was tested repeatedly and was negative. As of late this afternoon I tested positive. The crew, staff and band have all tested negative once again. More to follow.”

The glam rockers are currently on their End of the Road Tour, billed as  their final trek ever, which kicked off in January 2019 and then had to reschedule dozens of 2020 dates due to the coronavirus pandemic. They resumed touring just last week in Massachusetts and have U.S. dates scheduled through October in Florida, followed by a December stint in Las Vegas and international dates booked through July 2022.

See Kiss’ and Stanley’s messages below:

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Selena Gomez & Camilo Team Up for Pop Track ‘999’: Stream It Now

After releasing her first Spanish-language EP Revelación in March — with which she became the first woman to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart since 2017 — Selena Gomez is placing all her bets once again on a new Spanish song, “999.” This time, it’s in collaboration with Colombian singer-songwriter Camilo.

Produced by Edgar Barrera and penned by Camilo, “999” — a rhythmic pop song that is a ballad at its core — marks the first collaboration between the Mexican-American artist and the Colombian singer/songwriter. The track, which drops alongside a music video directed by Sophie Muller, finds the two artists trading verses about true love over a sparse drumbeat. “I don’t want to go slow. I know you think of me … If you want to go at 1,000, I’m at 999,” they sing.

“Camilo is a fantastic songwriter and singer who proudly wears his heart on his sleeve which is something we connected on immediately,” Gomez said about Camilo. “I couldn’t have been more excited to collaborate with him.”

“Working with Selena Gomez is a huge honor. From the beginning, ‘999’ was written with the sound of her voice in mind and would not exist if it were not created dreaming of this collaboration,” Camilo added. “I’m so excited about the opportunity it represents for me and my career, a song as precious as this, with an artist whom I respect and have followed for so long. I couldn’t believe it because just two or three years ago they asked me in an interview with whom I dreamed of making a song and my answer was, ‘with Selena Gomez’ and now it’s a reality.”

“999” follows Gomez’s seven-track Revelación released March 12 via Interscope/IGA that marked the biggest week for a Latin album by a woman since 2017. The EP featured collabs with rising Latin acts Myke Towers and Rauw Alejandro.

“I was the most nervous I have been in a long time because my heritage means so much to me and I have been talking about doing this for over 10 years,” Gomez previously told Billboard about Revelación. “I wanted it to be perfect. I am thrilled to see the response from my fans and also from people who might not have listened to my other music.”

Most recently, Camilo collaborated with Shawn Mendes on a remix for his ultra tropical love anthem “Kesi.” He’s currently on tour in Spain.

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