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New Music Friday: Listen To New Releases By ROSÉ & Bruno Mars ...

New Music Friday Listen To New Releases By ROSÉ amp Bruno Mars
For the third week in a row, one of BLACKPINK’s members has launched a new solo era. ROSÉ's latest is joined this week by releases from Alana Springsteen, Sevdaliza & Karol G, and Tiwa Savage.

Song Of The Year represents one of the most coveted honors at the Latin GRAMMYs, alongside Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Best New Artist. Like the award ceremony itself — which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year — the 10 songs in competition for the title of Song Of The Year form a vibrant portrait of the state of Latin music in this moment.

Among the songs being recognized are several star-studded collaborations: Daymé Arocena & Vicente Garcia's "A Fuego Lento"; Gian Marco & Rubén Blades' "Aún Me Sigo Encontrando"; Elena Rose, Danny Ocean & Jerry Di's "Caracas En El 2000"; Shakira and Grupo Frontera's "(Entre Paréntesis)"; and Residente, Silvia Pérez Cruz & Penélope Cruz's "313." Two songs featuring Carin León made the list, too: his Maluma team-up "Según Quién" and his Kany García duet "Te Lo Agradezco."

The other three contenders are songs by both new and veteran stars. Rising Mexican singer Maura Nava's "A La Mitad (Banda Sonora Original De La Serie "Zorro")" earns a nomination, as well as Karol G's "Mi Ex Tenía Razón" and Jorge Drexler's "Derrumbe."

Of course, Song Of The Year is awarded to the songwriters, which means the nominees in this Category may not actually include the artists themselves. Below, learn more about the songs — and songwriters — that received a Song Of The Year nomination at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs. Then be sure to tune into the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs, officially known as the 25th Latin GRAMMY Awards, on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT) on on Univision, Galavisión and ViX to see who wins.

Read More:2024 Latin GRAMMYs: See The Full Nominations List

Daymé Arocena & Vicente García — "A Fuego Lento"

Daymé Arocena & Vicente García, songwriters

At 32 years old, with five solo albums and a long list of accolades attached to her name, Daymé Arocena is one of the leading lights of contemporary Afro-Cuban jazz. As a member of Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, the Havana-born-and-bred singer received a GRAMMY nomination in the Best Latin Jazz Album Category, for her 2016 album Oddara. Her 2024 album, Alkemi, brought her greater attention outside of jazz circles and her native Cuba. The album leans in a more accessible, tropical-pop direction than her previous releases, while still showcasing her astounding vocal range and dynamic singing abilities.

Her fifth solo album takes its name from the Yoruba word for alchemy — and, just as alchemy is concerned with spiritual and material transformation, the music on Alkemi marks a transformative moment for Arocena. She chose to record in Puerto Rico and produce the album with Eduardo Cabra of Calle 13 out of a desire to freely explore a range of Afro-Caribbean sounds. The finished work is a unique and beautiful mix of avant-R&B, funk, Latin sounds with African roots.

The Latin GRAMMY-nominated album single, "A Fuego Lento," is, as the title suggests, a soulful and passionate slow burner that features the vocals of Dominican musician (and four-time Latin GRAMMY winner) Vicente García. This is Arocena’s first Latin GRAMMY nomination.

Maura Nava — "A La Mitad"

Julio Reyes Copello & Mariana Vega, songwriters

Emerging Mexican artist Maura Nava is a classically trained vocalist who first gained the world's attention through a popular TikTok video in which her cat, Maximino, joins in as she hits the operatic high notes in the Enrique Granados tonadilla "El Majo Discreto" ("The Discreet Lover"). The singer is endearingly unable to keep a straight face after being interrupted by her feline friend, who warbles along with the 1910 composition. (Search "opera cat" and you'll find it.)

After the young singer posted the clip online, she was scouted by producer Julio Reyes Copello and invited to attend his pop finishing school, ArtHouse Academy. Shortly after completing the program, the talented newcomer, who is now based in Miami, landed a contract with Universal Music Latin on the basis of her viral break and crystalline soprano.

Nava's debut single is "A La Mitad," an eerily pretty vehicle for her stunning range and subtle vibrato, composed for the soundtrack to the Prime Video series "Zorro." If this is the first you are hearing of Nava, stay tuned — it won't be the last time you hear her voice.

Gian Marco & Rubén Blades — "Aún Me Sigo Encontrando"

Rubén Blades, Gian Marco & Julio Reyes Copello, songwriters

To earn his fourth nomination in the Song Of The Year Category, Peruvian singer/songwriter Gian Marco linked with none other than the legendary Panamanian salsero and songwriter Rubén Blades (who is now a three-time Song Of The Year nominee himself). Their moody ballad, "Aún Me Sigo Encontrando," is the title track from his 2023 album. In it, the two seasoned artists wax philosophical about the complexities of life and finding one's place in the world, backed by a rain of percussion. The unadorned nature of the song adds to its haunting quality.

Aún Me Sigo Encontrando is one of the more rootsy additions to Marco's vast discography. The majority of its tracks are built around Afro-Caribbean percussion and finger-picked, acoustic guitar. The relatively minimalist instrumentation lends itself to the album's pensive mood, and also for thoughtful appreciation of the many collaborations with heavyweight such as Blades and revered Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez.

Marco is one of Peru's foremost musical ambassadors. He has won the Latin GRAMMY for the Best Singer-Songwriter Album three times, and now counts 18 nominations total as of press time.

Watch: Gian Marco Introduces The Instrument That Links Him To His Home Country Of Peru | It Goes To 11

Elena Rose, Danny Ocean & Jerry Di — "Caracas En El 2000"

Marvin Hawkins Rodriguez, Jerry Di, La Pichu, Danny Ocean & Elena Rose, songwriters

Having written hit songs for numerous stars in Latin music, Elena Rose is a driving force behind the scenes in the current wave of Latin pop and reggaeton. The beneficiaries of her lyrical prowess have included Bad Bunny ("Party"), Jennifer Lopez and Maluma jointly ("Pa' Ti"), Selena Gomez ("De Una Vez"), and, prolifically, both Becky G and TINI. (Rose was nominated in the Songwriter Of The Year Category at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.)

After debuting as an artist in her own right in 2020 with the single "Sandunga," the Venezuelan-American has increasingly focused on her career in front of the mic. Since then, she has released more than a dozen high-performing singles as a solo artist. One of those songs, 2023's "Caracas En El 2000" earned the singer/songwriter another hit and a nomination in the Song Of The Year Category for the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs. The song is a breezy earworm featuring fellow Venezuelan artists Danny Ocean and Jerry Di that joyfully celebrates the Caracas that each of the young artists knew as a child.

Including her three nominations this year (Song Of The Year, Best Pop/Rock Song for "Blanco y Negro" and Best Regional Song for "Por El Contrario"), Rose has nine Latin GRAMMY nominations to date. This marks her first in the Song Of The Year Category.

Jorge Drexler — "Derrumbe"

Jorge Drexler, songwriter

Singer/songwriter Jorge Drexler has risen to a position of international renown with tuneful folk pop that draws on the musical traditions of his native Uruguay. His work has garnered repeated recognition from the Latin Recording Academy, with 13 wins, including two awards for Song Of The Year. He is nominated in the Category again this year for his simple, but wrenching ballad "Derrumbe." The standalone single tells the story of a relationship's disintegration in poetic, metaphorical terms, characterizing it as a house of cards that crumbles when one partner removes a single card.

Accompanied only by guitar, the troubadour mourns the loss, lamenting "Nuestro amor cedió por las costuras" ("Our love gave way at the seams"). "Quedamos a la intemperie/ Sin un "tal vez" que nos resguardara," he sings. ("We are left out in the open/ Without a "maybe to protect us.") Though somber, the song reflects Drexler's prodigious skill in songcraft and economy of storytelling in song.

Watch: Jorge Drexler's Favorite Guitar Has A Special Story | It Goes To 11

Shakira & Grupo Frontera — "(Entre Paréntesis)"

Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Manuel Lorente Freire, Lenin Yorney Palacios & Shakira, songwriters

A few of the artists nominated in the Song Of The Year Category also had one of the year's biggest albums. Shakira, for one, is also up for Album Of The Year for her triumphant comeback album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women Don't Cry Anymore). In the category at hand, she received a nod for the 2024 album single with Mexican-American band Grupo Frontera.

The Colombian singer/songwriter and the regional Mexican group's joint effort, "(Entre Paréntesis)," is a reminder of Shakira's chameleon-like gift for expressing herself in seemingly any language or genre. An emotional cumbia with a distinctly Mexican flavor, the song is one of the most delightful collaborations on an album that saw her duet with Rauw Alejandro, Cardi B, Ozuna, Manuel Turizo, Fuerza Regida, and Karol G.

If Shakira takes home Song Of The Year at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs, she will be a back-to-back winner in the Category. Her internet-breaking collab with Bizarrap, "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," won Song Of The Year at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.

Listen Now: Every Year Is The Year Of Shakira: 10 Songs That Prove She's Always Been A Superstar

Karol G — "Mi Ex Tenía Razón"

Edgar Barrera, Andres Jael Correa Rios, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz Moreno, Karol G & MAG, songwriters

Mexican and Mexican-American influences have been omnipresent in Latin music for the past two years. In that light, it comes as little surprise that Karol G's hat tip in this year's Song Of The Year Category is the Tex-Mex flavored pop-cumbia of "Mi Ex Tenía Razón" from Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), the companion mixtape to her 2023 album, also titled Mañana Será Bonito.

Karol has shared that the song's sweet melody and regional accent were inspired by the music of Selena Quintanilla, one of the reggaeton superstar's all-time idols. Recording the mixtape allowed Karol G to try out new musical modes as she did with "Mi Ex Tenía Razón" and the dub reggae of "Me Tengo Que Ir," a collaboration with Kali Uchis.

After a huge night at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs — where Karol G took home three awards, including Album Of The Year — the Colombian star could have an even bigger night at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs. She tallies eight nominations this year, including Album Of The Year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) and Record Of The Year for "Mi Ex Tenía Razón."

Watch: 2024 GRAMMYs: Karol G Wins The First GRAMMY Award Of Her Career For Best Música Urbana Album

Maluma & Carin León — "Según Quién"

Edgar Barrera, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Luís Miguel Gómez Castaño, Maluma, Lenin Yorney Palacios & Juan Camilo Vargas, songwriters

In recent years, música Mexicana has become the genre to watch, and dabble with, in the world of Latin music. Maluma could not resist its allure and tried his hand with "Según Quién," an irreverent norteño duet with Mexican regional music standard bearer — and sought after musical collaborator — Carin León. Both Maluma and León took the opportunity to let their respective devil-may-care, bad boy sides out to play on the invective-filled track, which winkingly suggests the Colombian urbano star has found his way to Mexico in order to drown his sorrows and forget a toxic relationship.

The single, which appears on Maluma's successful 2023 album, Don Juan, has been a significant hit for him, reaching No. 5 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. This is his sixth nomination in the Song Of The Year Category, and his 18th Latin GRAMMY nomination overall.

Learn More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: The Magnificent, Magnetic Maluma

Kany García & Carin León — "Te Lo Agradezco"

Rafa Arcaute, Kany García, Carin León & Richi López, songwriters

Kany García's ninth studio album, titled García, is a deeply felt meditation on a personal life and career well spent. Nominated in the Album Of The Year Category, García features more than one hit single for the Puerto Rican singer/songwriter. One of those, a collaboration with regional Mexican music star Carin León, is a candidate for Song Of The Year.

Eloquent and pugnacious, "Te Lo Agradezco" tells off a no-good ex with flourishes of flamenco and country. Opening with a jaunty tuba intro, the smash hit makes no bones about its Mexican influence. When the duo performed the song together live in Mexico, the more than enthusiastic crowd response made it clear that the ballad had connected with fans of both artists.

García has been a mainstay of the Latin GRAMMYs for more than a decade. She has won five Latin GRAMMYs since her first victories for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Album (Cualquier Día) in 2008. This is her fifth Song Of The Year nomination, but could be her first win in the Category.

León is a two-time Latin GRAMMY winner himself. He earned a total of four nominations at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs, including Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year ("Una Vida Pasada" with Camilo), Album Of The Year (Boca Chueca, Vol. 1), and Best Contemporary Mexican Music Album (Boca Chueca, Vol. 1).

Residente, Silvia Pérez Cruz & Penélope Cruz — "313"

Leo Genovese, Residente & Silvia Pérez Cruz, songwriters

The rollout for Residente's second solo album, Las Letras Ya No Importan, has been a lengthy one — so lengthy, in fact, that one single from the album, "René," has already received an award in the Song Of The Year Category, at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs.

Four years later, Las Letras Ya No Importan earned the politically outspoken Puerto Rican rapper another Song Of The Year nomination, this time for "313." The album single features the voices of actress Penélope Cruz and Spanish singer Silvia Pérez Cruz. In it, the veteran rapper reflects deeply on the past and the experience of time. The riveting and surreal video for the song stars Penélope Cruz and vividly underscores the themes of the song. 

Residente has a significant past with the Latin GRAMMYs. As a member of the seminal hip-hop duo Calle 13, he won 22 awards, starting Best New Artist at the 2006 Latin GRAMMY Awards; since becoming a solo artist, he's added another six wins. With three more nominations at the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs (Song Of The Year, Album Of The Year and Best Short Form Music Video), Residente may have even more to celebrate this year.

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