This week on Viva Friday, Daddy Yankee takes us back to the 90s with his song “Con Calma” featuring Snow. Pianist Arthur Hanlon joins forces with Colombian singer Fonseca on “Si Tú Te Vas,” and Luis Fonsi revisits his musical roots in his new single “Sola.”
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Also, Amara La Negra and Messiah drop “Celebra,” a song that will make you dance all day long, Zahara releases “Guerra y Paz”, Silvestre Dangond and Maluma present “Vivir Bailando,” and Rombai joins forces with Abraham Mateo and Reykon for a remix of “Me Voy.”
Viva Friday is a compilation of the best new songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin editors.
Enjoy this week’s Viva Friday playlist!
Daddy Yankee – “Con Calma” featuring Snow
Daddy Yankee goes back to the 90s! The urban superstar has joined forces with the Canadian reggae rapper Snow on his new single “Con Calma.” The song was accompaned by a video where Yankee gets animated and dances with his crew. Musically, the single is a remake of Snow’s calssic 1992 hit “Informer” and was co-produced by Play-N-Skillz and David “Scott Summers” Macias. – SUZETTE FERNANDEZ
Arthur Hanlon, Fonseca – “Si Tú Te Vas”
Hanlon searches for lost love in his new video “Si tú te vas” featuring Fonseca. The Billboard Latin Music finalist, piano player, composer and arranger continues to fuse musical styles and cultures through his piano, giving life to his new catchy single featuring the Colombian singer. “‘Si tú te vas’ communicates a unique juxtaposition of festivity and spite. It represents the combination of three musical worlds,” Fonseca said of the track. The video, filmed in Bogota, lives up to its romantic lyrics, highlighting the beautiful landscapes of the Colombian capital, including the emblematic Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. – JESSICA ROIZ
Luis Fonsi – “Sola”
Fonsi returns to his musical roots on his new single “Sola,” showing that he’s an artist who can explore different musical sounds while paying homage to his original inspirations, impressing us with a beautiful lyric accompanied by a guitar and R&B sounds. The song was written by Fonsi, Mauricio Rengifo and Andrés Torres and it is the fifth single from Vida, his forthcoming album, due on Feb. 1. – SF
Ketama, De Aki a Ketama
Ketama revolutionized flamenco — and the music scene in Spain — when they debuted in 1984 with a fusion of flamenco, rock, pop and tropical rhythms, attracting fans of all of those genres. The band comprised of the rebellious offspring of Andalusia’s most important flamenco dynasties marked a path that’s since been followed into the mainstream by artists ranging from Alejandro Sanz to Rosalía.
A new special edition of Ketama’s classic album, De Aki a Ketama, heralds the group’s comeback after 14 years; they are currently touring in Spain. The remastered and expanded album includes Ketama’s best-known song, “No Estamos Lokos,” an ageless declaration of independence. There are also two bonus tracks: Jorge Drexler breezes in on a new version of “Venta Pa’ Marid,” and Spanish pop star Pablo Alborán lays his vocals over flamenco guitar on “Problema.” — JUDY CANTOR-NAVAS
Silvestre Dangond, Maluma – “Vivir Bailando”
Dangond and Maluma have teamed up for the first time in their careers to bless us with a beautiful production called “Vivir Bailando.” The single, which comes in an urban/vallenato mix and vallenato version, is a melodic love song about past mistakes and eternal promises. “What better way to kick off 2019 than with this beautiful song?” Dangond said in a press statement. “I hope it brings many blessings to both Maluma and myself because we recorded it with a lot of love and it has gorgeous lyrics. I’m overjoyed that Maluma agreed to join me on it.” The video, filmed in the outskirts of Medellin, Colombia, by 36 Grados, tells the moving story of interracial love, following a couple’s relationship from their childhood to golden days.
Zahara – “Guerra y Paz”
It’s difficult not to think back to Ana Torroja’s voice during her Mecano years while listening to Maria Zahara Gordillo — better known as Zahara — on her latest single, “Guerra y Paz” (Austronata, 2018.) Performed acoustically on a rooftop under a sunny blue sky of a neighborhood in Madrid on a Sunday morning Zahara’s vocals seem to bifurcate between a space of fragile and sensible pitches and a stratospheric, almost visceral, technique that hypnotizes. While conveying a narrative of nostalgia (“Tú y yo estábamos hechos de pequeños pedazos del otro/ — “You and I were made of small pieces of each other”), her constant driving force skillfully transports one to space and beyond: “Trago una saliva que sabe a guerra y la bala atraviesa directa unos pulmones que ya no respiran por ti” — “I swallow a saliva that tastes like war and the bullet goes straight through lungs that no longer breathe for you.”) — PAMELA BUSTIOS
Rombai ft. Abraham Mateo, Reykon – “Me Voy (Remix)”
Just four months after dropping their playful break up-song, comes the remix! Rombai continues to make the rounds with their single “Me Voy,” which fuses the best of cumbia and urban rhythms. This time around, Spanish singer Abraham Mateo and Colombian urban artist Reykon join the fun, giving more oomph to the song’s essence and sending a clear message: Hanging out with your dog is better than having a relationship! — JR
Amara La Negra – “Celebra” featuring Messiah
Amara La Negra and Messiah’s “Celebra” will make you dance all day long. The bilingual track fuses dance, tropical sounds and reggaeton beats with a lyric that will stick on your mind while inviting you to celebrate and making it feel like it’s carnival time. This is definitely the type of song to keep on your workout playlist. Listen to “Celebra” below. — SF
Kidd Keo – “Pitbull”
Latin trap keeps growing and this time Kidd Keo gets in the mix with his latest single, “Pitbull.” The Spanish-born rapper offers up a lyric that explains how you must be strong to overcome any obstacle that life puts in your way on the the bilingual track. — SF