The 35 Best Spanish-Language and Bilingual Albums of 2021

Part of a crop of Venezuelan rappers who have shed their predecessors’ commitment to boom-bap conscious joints, Big Soto is from a generation of young artists who are making music that is rooted in their local style and still keeps things innovative. The Venezuelan rap scene’s commitment to battle rap as a way to come up means the country’s rappers can spit. Soto’s impeccable flow is no exception — and it’s where he really shines — but he’s not shy about singing either. With his debut album, The Good Trip, featuring assists from artists such as Eladio Carrión, Amenazzy, and Noriel, Big Soto establishes himself firmly at the front of the pack. —V.B.

The first track on Máscaras is called “Momento Presente,” a title that aptly foreshadows one of this stunning album’s major feats: a thorough examination of time. The Nicaraguan-Canadian artist explores time in moments of effervescent beats, time in moments of expansive stillness, time in centuries of violent oppression and resistance. Speech samples interspersed among the album’s tracks connect struggles for liberation from past generations to today, spotlighting the seemingly endless project of fighting for freedom. Grammy-nominated Lido Pimienta adds haunting vocals on the standout “Tiempo Ahora,” a sprawling track that seems engineered to help  listeners imagine possible new shapes for a broken world. —V.B.

One of the highlights on Nicki Nicole’s versatile debut Parte De Mí is the piano-led opener and title track, which offers off a new side of her voice: She’s fragile, exposed, and heart-shatteringly vulnerable, channeling the spirit of Soundcloud-era Billie Eilish. Since bursting out of Argentina’s music scene a few years ago, Nicki Nicole has been  light on her feet and flexible over nearly any kind of beat, but she’s more elastic than ever here. She tests her belting power on songs such as “Perdido” and the Mon Laferte-assisted “Pensamos,” making Parte De Mí a showcase of how multi-faceted she can get. —J.L.

In a few short years, corrido tumbado stars Natanael Cano and La Plebada have sparked heated debates between Mexican regional music traditionalists and a visionary generation of artists eager to experiment and innovate on their roots. This fall, Durango-born rookie ElArturo delivered one of the poppiest productions in the tumbado canon with Y Qué. Blazing norteño accordions meet booming trap kicks on the 420-friendly “Qué Onda Pa,” while country slide guitars flesh out delicious reggaeton on the seductive “Mami Perfecta.” But it’s the intoxicating charm of trap-mariachi torch song “El Wey Fui Yo” that officially rang the bell on ElArturo as one Mexico’s brightest new talents to watch. —R.V.

Drawing inspiration from film scores and the works of Pedro Almodóvar and Wes Anderson, the Marías’ delectable debut album CINEMA is synth pop candy, all saccharine melodies and jazzy drums accompanying vocalist María Zardoya’s breathy vocals. From the film noir intensity of the grungy “Hush” to the romance and effortless bilingual lyricism of “Little by Little,” the album is surprising yet versatile and cohesive. The dreamy “Un Millón,” a synthy, gentle take on pop reggaeton, is a standout, finding the Puerto Rican Zardoya fully at home in her island’s world-dominating rhythm. —V.B.

The name of La Santa Cecilia’s latest album reflects the heartrending empathy coursing through eight soulful songs, created to ignite joy after a crushing pandemic. Quiero Verte Feliz is bright with hope as the band lights up the world for listeners with some of their most animated, live-sounding arrangements and intimate writing. The title track is radiant, palliative cumbia, led by a powerhouse vocal team made up of featured artist Lila Downs and the band’s dynamic frontwoman La Marisoul. Though some moments are exuberant celebrations, productions such as “Luz” and “Cumbia De La Soledad” are tender with emotion.  —J.L.

Jhay Cortez got his start almost two decades ago, as a 14-year-old whiz kid who wrote and produced for some of the biggest acts in Puerto Rico. While he’s had massive breakthroughs, such as his 2020 Bad Bunny collaboration “Dákiti,” he hits a new peak on his sophomore album, Timelezz, and goes harder than he ever has before. He throws his full weight into the brash, unblinking bars of “Los Bo,” shows off his slinky wordplay on the up-tempo bounce of “Kobe en LA 2.0,” and teams up with Skrillex to keep pioneering reggaeton’s elecro-wave on “En Mi Cuarto.” —J.L.

Maria Isabel’s EP Stuck in the Sky instantly propelled her to the spotlight and got listeners acquainted with the Dominican-American singer-songwriter, whose versatile beat selections and thoughtful lyrics inspect love, self-worth, and relationships. Her second release, the moody, cheekily titled i hope you’re very unhappy without me, features ominous soundscapes, alternative R&B instrumentals, reggaeton undertones, and synth-pop flourishes woven through eight tracks. Her songs begin as poems and often find her smoothly transitioning between English and Spanish, such as on “De Na’” and “Baby.” “Lost in Translation”makes use of her delicate, high-pitched tones, while “No Soy Para Ti” is an all-Spanish language track that softly blends reggaeton and contemporary R&B. —J.M.

The Dominican Republic is, without a doubt, the cultural epicenter that the Latin music industry has been tapping for inspiration lately, and Amenazzy’s Santo Niño shows exactly why. He delivers a well-rounded package, full of Dominican all-stars who represent the island’s most prolific tastemakers— encapsulating what’s happening sonically in the country. The Rimas signee is known for trap and romantiqueo — a reggaeton and R&B mix that caters to romantic and sentimental storytelling — and he throws his pleasure-based energy onto tracks such as “Adderall” and “Ahí Ahí,” a cut with fellow cibaeńo Don Miguelo. Authentic, underground Dominican dembow charges “Miedo,” featuring Rochy RD, and later on the LP, Tokischa joins the glossy reggaeton of “No Me Falles.” —J.M.

The bittersweet simplicity of “Fuentes de Ortiz,” Ed Maverick’s breakout hit from 2018, established him as a sensitive singer-songwriter, unafraid to wear his heart on sleeve. But there’s even more depth on Eduardo, his debut full-length album and a disarmingly beautiful examination of self. Maverick’s baritone, somehow rich, round, and breakable at the same time, guides his atmospheric soundscapes, informed by Mexican folk and corrido traditions and acoustic guitars. Songs such as the dazzling “dias azules,” reflect the project’s vulnerable introspection as Maverick explores loneliness, last encounters, and the pains and frustrations of growing up with grace and a wisdom beyond his years. —J.L.

Nino Augustine has never been shy about his ambitions for world domination, and with Global Ninz, the Atlanta-based Panamanian reggaetonero scoured the Earth for sonic raw material to boldly manifest his destiny. Kicking off with perreo hustle anthem “HOT,” Augustine name-checks Latin American nations in the unifying style of N.O.R.E’s classic “Oye Mi Canto” while envisioning forthcoming international tours. He then dips into salsa-hybrids on “Flow Lavoe,” 80s-flavored synth-pop on “Nueva Moda,” and sensual Afrobeat with “Sexy Body;” the latter featuring Goyo of ChocQuibTown in a neon-spackled ode to Black love. Augustine is at his devilish best when he tackles perreo on the lust-over-love banger “Serenata,” foreshadowing his own future as a marquesina classic. —R.V.

The idea behind Spanish Model, dreamed up by Elvis Costello himself, was ambitious: Costello wanted to recreate This Year’s Model entirely in Spanish while using the original backing tracks from his seminal LP. In the wrong hands, such an undertaking may have produced a hokey cover album, but Spanish-speaking artists were carefully paired with each track, producing compelling performances that not only extend the lifespan of several classics but also give them entirely new meaning. Fito Páez brings “Radio Radio” into the modern age, Francisca Valenzuela and Luis Humberto Navejas make “Hand In Hand” a burning duet, and Draco Rosa injects “Yo Te Vi (“On The Beat)” with his signature spontaneity. —J.L.

Randy Ortiz, known best from the reggaeton duo Jowell & Randy, always had a gut feeling that R&B en español would blow up; some of his first solo albums, such as 2015’s Roses & Wine, were smooth, slinky, and ahead of their time. The world has finally caught up to Randy; Romances De Una Nota 2021, Vol 2 arrives when the interest in R&B en español has hit a sharp peak.  While it’s the viral reggaeton hit “23” that’s currently boomeranging around TikTok, songs such as the slippery remake of 2011’s “Loquita,” featuring Jay Wheeler, are reminders of the vision the singer had all along. —J.L.

Mexican regional music has had a tremendous year, and Calibre 50 is just one band that exemplifies the genre’s boundless reach. The quartet is known for its brassy, bulbous norteño-banda hybrids, but their album Vamos Bien weaves together even more sounds, braiding bolero, ballad, and even tropical rhythms into boisterous arrangements buoyed by thick accordion chords and the unexpected chug of a tuba. Vamos Bien is also a clever exercise in showing that regional and commercial pop can go hand-in-hand: A cover of the 1997 OV7 hit “Te Quiero Tanto, Tanto” fits surprisingly well alongside down-home corridos such as “Chito” and “Strawberryfish,” striking with imagery and characters that leave an impression. —J.L.

Vacillating between melancholy and softly upbeat, Roberto Carlos Lange’s seventh album as Helado Negro is a meticulously crafted gem that reveals the quiet confidence of an artist who is deeply himself. Lange’s gauzy vocals and earnest lyricism are intimate and warm, his synth-heavy production vast and expansive. From the dreamy disco of “Outside the Outside” to the frenetic jazz drums of “Hometown Dream” to the meandering melodies of “Agosto” (a collaboration with Puerto Rican dream-pop duo Buscabulla), Far In solidifies Helado Negro’s sound while letting him drift off and explore scintillating new textures. —V.B.

Sech has dominated the charts since breaking through with his albums Sueños and 1+1, and 42 is more proof of how the Panamanian multi-hyphenate continues to evolve as one of the industry’s most talented singers and songwriters. Sech wrote most of 42 during the pandemic lockdown, and he visualized the project as something that would get listeners moving once the world opened again. “Pata’ Abajo,” featuring senior counterparts Wisin y Yandel, sets the tone for perreo, the sound that continues on the standout “Sal y Perrea.” Still, it’s “911”  that marks one of this year’s most influential tracks and one of the most determined cuts on the project. —J.M.

In one of the most unexpected artistic evolutions of the year, the rowdy Colombian rock outfit Diamante Eléctrico traded their signature beer-soaked guitar riffs for a revelatory, soulful new sound bathed in sumptuous bass lines and atmospheric synths. Mira Lo Que Me Hiciste Hacer is filled with seductive cuts, such as “Cuando Fuimos Reyes” and “Sálvese Quien Pueda” where frontman Juan Galeano weaves cheeky tales of tragic romance and self-destruction. “Suéltame, Bogotá” shines as a funky love letter to chaotic metropolis dwelling, while the sensual droning of “Amalia” could pass for a long-lost Sade deep cut. Diamante Eléctrico’s revamped style is best exemplified by disco-laced “Los Chicos Sí Lloran,” where Galeano questions confining patriarchal structures while astutely avoiding cornball preachiness. —R.V.

When it comes to cadence, timing, and writing, few come close to the Puerto Rican rapper Eladio Carrión, who achieves near-perfect taste equilibrium as he balances commercial sounds and straightforward, hard-edged wordplay and punchlines on his album Monarca. His style has always reflected his bicultural identity, shaped by both U.S. hip hop and Latin trap, and he levels up from his debut album, Sauce Boyz, which offered an introduction to his versatility, rhythmic patterns and vocal projection. Monarca goes farther: Trap ballads and R&B instrumentals meet harsher styles such as drill (such as the brash, Balvin-assisted “TATA”) and insouciant trap corridos (such as the “Ele Uve” remix featuring Ovi, Noriel, and Natanael Cano), each delivered with ease. —J.M.

Though Chilean indie pop queen Javiera Mena has been a self-proclaimed song artist for much of her career, the pandemic allowed her to shape her latest project I. Entusiasmo into an exciting, wide-ranging collection of singles that shine individually while forming a cohesive whole. Following a rather over-ambitious major-label debut (Espejo, from 2018), I. Entusiasmo is a gratifying return to form for Mena, who revisits the vivid sensuality (“Corazón Astral”) and stolen glances (“Pasión Aka Ilusión”) of previous beloved releases. Mena and her production partner Pablo Stipicic are never overly nostalgic; instead, they look ahead, plunging into techno hedonism on “Diva” and orchestral majesty on love triangle epic “Dos.” —R.V.

The Colombian singer Alea reclaims a word that was thrown her way a lot as a kid — “alborotá” can mean “disruptive” or “messy” or “too much” — and uses it to celebrate unbridled freedom and carefree expression as a woman. She doesn’t hold back, letting her creativity pour out over spiritually driven tracks that experiment with Latin American traditions like huapango, cumbia, porro, boleros, and more, all built from acoustic instrumentation and melodies. Her spoken word verses and hushed, jazz-inspired vocals make “Échale Sal” a meditative, gorgeously understated standout, while the haunting “Inspírame Madre” sees her call on past ancestors and Mother Earth for inspiration and guidance. —J.L.  

Crafted in the bleakest hour of the pandemic and engaging with civilian uprisings that have rocked Colombia for over two years, Bomba Estéreo’s Deja LP brilliantly metabolizes anguish into healing energy. At the top of 2020, the band retreated to frontwoman Li Saumet’s beachside home outside Colombia’s northern city of Santa Marta, convening percussionist Efraín “Pacho Carnaval” Cuadrado and avant-pop queen Lido Pimienta to develop the record’s alchemic storyline. Deja unfolds in elemental chapters refracting suffering (“Tierra,” “Soledad”), resilience (“Agua,” “Se Acabó), and sobering self-awareness (“Ahora”) through a prismatic lens of cumbia, champeta, synthpop, and bullerengue. The result is some of Bomba Estéreo’s most personal music yet and a welcome, authentic return to the global spotlight. —R.V.

Chilean pop superstar Mon Laferte has fully embraced the music of Mexico, her adopted homeland, and she plunges into earthier, folksier terrain with the impressively textured Seis. While saddling up for corridos (“No Lo Vi Venir”) and norteñas (“Amigos Simplemente”), she incorporates blockbuster features from Gloria Trevi and Alejandro Fernández. Laferte bookends Seis with the exquisite “Se Me Va A Quemar el Corazón,” echoing ranchera trailblazer Chavela Vargas while also reimagining the cut as an ornate banda sinaloense with La Arrolladora Banda El Limón. Laferte’s politically charged cumbia “La Democracia” is a sober reminder that she hasn’t been completely swept up in a romantic Mexican daydream; the feminist agitator is always present and ready to cause a ruckus. —R.V.

The seventh album by the Mexican band Zoé raises the bar once again and ranks among the best in their hefty, 25-year career. Craig Silvey, who also worked on their Latin Grammy-winning LP Aztlán, takes the place of longtime producer Phil Vinal and helps the band unlock a sound that’s deeper than their past endeavors but still doesn’t lose a drop of traditional pop charm. “Velur” is an example of some of Zoé’s most emblematic riffs and “El Duelo” captures the captivating cadence of a jaded-sounding León Larregui. “SKR” breathes a dark nostalgia over the project, while “Este Cuadro No Me Pinta” feels like Zoé walking in the footsteps of Pink Floyd in Pompeii from a distance. —R.D.

“Hasta la que no hablan español se pasan enviando ‘OMG,’” Myke Towers raps in the first dazzling verse of many on his second studio album. True indeed: Lyke Mike is the kind of lyrical showcase that makes you want to tell a friend about, especially if your taste in hip-hop skews toward the classics. The Puerto Rican star flows with effortless confidence, stacking bars with a flair that’s as much Big L as Tego Calderon. Myke floats over synth-string stabs on “Sr. de los Cielos”; dances deftly around a salsa sample on “Pin Pin”; spins a casually unforgettable hook on “Cuando Me Ven”; tangles with a horn loop on “Papa Johns.” All 23 tracks show an MC whose verbal athleticism is too elite to ignore. —S.V.L.

In the midst of a global shutdown, Colombian bullerengue legend Petrona Martínez decided there was no better time to ask the world to sing as one. The foundational cantadora’s luminous, Latin Grammy-winning album Ancestras is an awe-inspiring drum circle stretching far beyond Colombia’s Caribbean coast to include women singers, musicians, visual artists, and sound engineers from across the African diaspora. Martínez is joined by a cast of collaborators including Afro-Peruvian diva Susana Baca, Brazilian R&B chanteuse Xênia França, Dominican salve icon Enerolisa, and beloved mariachi ensemble Flor de Toloache. The end result is a living document of the generational wisdom of women, particularly Black women, and an effusive invitation for more to join the circle. —R.V.

So much history lurks on Salswing!, an album that feels like a rich timeline of the origins of salsa, chronicling the genre’s roots in big band swing, Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban sons. Alongside his longtime backing band Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, Rubén Blades revisits classics such as “Pennies from Heaven” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as staples from his own, decades-long catalogue, including the 1979 hit “Paula C.” The Panamanian legend, who was recently recognized as the Latin Grammy’s Person of the Year, has always been known for his expressive narratives; even when he’s performing other people’s songs on this project, he’s weaving vivid stories. —J.L.

For decades, Xiomara Fortuna has reigned as the Dominican Republic’s queen of fusion with visionary intersections of rock, jazz, merengue and ancestral Afro-Caribbean sounds. And while most rising artists in Dominican indie look to Fortuna for guidance, 2021’s Viendoaver makes  it clearer she’s drawn her own lessons from younger generations. Teaming up with producer Ghetto, Fortuna embraces fresh influences from dembow, reggae, and trap, reimagining mystical folk tales on “Cabala,” with Carolina Camacho, and delivering a rapturous anthem of Black pride alongside rapper Acentoh on “Afro E.” Fortuna’s boundless curiosity reaches critical mass on the explosive “Pongo Corazón,” unleashing a speed rap that would make Busta Rhymes quake, proving that a legend can still learn new tricks. —R.V.

Xenia Rubinos’ astonishing third studio album Una Rosa is a towering glossary of Latinx cultural references weaving together kitschy imagery of flower lamps and old radio commercials, euphoric rumba, pounding digital beats, and eerie synths that feel straight out of Italian horror films. Her nigh operatic vocal performance on “Ay Hombre” could make her an overnight Televisa star, while poignant singles “Who Shot Ya?,” “Don’t Put Me in Red,” and “Working All The Time” unpack collective anxieties of police brutality and labor rights. Una Rosa never feels belabored; instead Rubinos’  gracefully transforms themes of grief and desolation into cathartic tributes to her Cuban and Puerto Rican roots, as well as her own surreal experiences as a child of the diaspora. —R.V.

The underground non-conformist Álvaro Díaz broke through as a songwriter on recent hits by Rauw Alejandro and Tainy and Yandel. However, the full scope of his artistry reveals itself on the delightfully playful Felicilandia, inspired by his childhood memories of a Puerto Rican amusement park that he’s envisioned as a place “where sad kids go to find happiness.” A sense of mischievous happy-go-luckiness meets an endearing mopiness on songs that reflect a mood board of influences, ranging from old-school reggaeton to Blink-182. Everything from the artwork — impish cartoons for a grown-up sense of humor — to wondrous, left-of-center beats on cuts like “Nitro+” and “Close Friends” make the album one of the year’s most fun. —J.L.

On Origen, Juanes delivers a master class in production, showcasing organic, analog arrangements that are exquisite and stunningly honest while breathing new life into the music that define him as an artist. He offers heartrending homages to titans such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Marley as well as icons from Latin America, including Juan Gabriel, Juan Luis Guerra, Fito Paéz, and Joe Arroyo, laying out how his artistry derived from a history of eclectic rhythms and sounds that fused over time and shaped who he is today. Alongside his co-producer Sebastian Krys, he takes the idea of tribute music to levels unprecedented in Spanish-language music and settles into his own place among legends. —D.O.

On the tails of last year’s Un Canto Por México, Vol I, the singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade returns to her project of highlighting the sounds of Mexico by revisiting folk classics and building on the cannon with original works on Un Canto Por México, Vol II. Along with Mexican regional stalwarts like Pepe Aguilar and Aida Cuevas, Lafourcade also peppers the album with collaborations that expand the very concept of what traditional Mexican music can be, such as that with Oaxacan rapper Mare Advertencia Lírika on “Tú Sí Sabes Quererme.” —V.B.

Mabiland’s second album, Niñxs Rotxs, deepens and enriches the R&B en español that’s continued to claim space in the Latin music industry, and also takes listeners on an emotional journey that blends neo-soul, rap, hip-hop, and R&B. Through her melodious soundscapes built for deep thinking, the Colombian multi-hyphenate shapes a narrative of a “broken” girl — reflected in the album title, aesthetic, and lyrics — and carefully lays out the internal battles that come with the experience. She strays from commercial pop reggaeton, opting instead for soft undertones of nu-funk, experimental instrumentation, and sequence selections that hold her stories together. Tracks such as “Niñxs Rotxs” are rooted in self-reflection, while “Ashé” and “WOW” act as powerful reclamations of pro-Black protests. —J.M.

Cimafunk’s incandescent sophomore album, El Alimento, unfolds as a series of intersections between Afro-Cuban musical tradition and stateside masters of funk, hip-hop and rock & roll. The elastic bounce of “Funk Aspirin,” with George Clinton, brings a euphoric comparsa aboard the Funkadelic mothership, while a swirling melange of rumba and sticky bass lines provide a rich sonic canvas for veteran rapper Lupe Fiasco’s nimble word play. Loving nods to Afro-Cuban percussion abound on “No Me Alcanza,” performed with Havana legends Los Papines, while the saturated synths of “Estoy Pa’ Eso” wink at Sign O’ the Times-era Prince. Cimafunk’s roots act as a prismatic lens of musical memory, refracting strife and indefatigable Cuban resilience across the album, most emphatically on the resistance anthem “Esto Es Cuba.” —R.V.

C. Tangana prowls restlessly in search of new fusions on El Madrileño — sticking a “classic Cuban melody” next to a sample from YG and H.E.R., rubbing gloomy Toronto R&B production against Brazilian baile funk, sending graceful bossa nova crashing against programmed hip-hop. Tradition vies with modernity, Spanish musical styles bang into Latin American ones. Like a physicist colliding particles in the hopes of making new discoveries, Tangana smashes sounds and styles together; the work is important even though not all the trials are triumphant. “Everybody is demanding a change [in the sound of the Spanish-language pop mainstream],” Tangana told Rolling Stone. “It’s a matter of courage — artists need to experiment.” —E.L.

After loading his debut album, Afrodisíaco, with old-school reggaeton, Puerto Rican star Rauw Alejandro switched gears and approached his second LP, Vice Versa, with the off-the-wall abandon of a mad scientist. The project, packed to the brim with unexpected beat switches and sudden flashes of house, bolero, and Brazilian funk, morphs constantly: Its crowning jewel, the Eighties-inspired, mirror-ball smash “Todo de Ti,” is all pep and disco glitter that eventually meets the brooding atmospherics of tracks such as “¿Cuándo Fue?,” a downbeat heartbreak ballad that explodes into voltaic blasts of drum and bass. Each twist is a reminder that even the most polished, commercial strains of reggaeton and Latin pop can — and should — avoid monotony. —J.L.