CNCO, a Latinx band consisting of five members – Erick Brian Colon, Joel Pimentel, Richard Camacho, Christopher Velez and Zabdiel De Jesus – recently released their new self-titled sophomore album on April 6.
Their first album, Primera Cita, was released in 2016, so it’s been almost two years since their first album.
The new album definitely shows their growth as a band since their inception. Their lyrics and sound show a more mature side of the members, who are between the ages of 17 and 22.
Not only are they more mature, but stylistically, their sound shows a great variety ranging from ballads like “Fan Enamorada” to reggaeton jams like “Se Vuelve Loca.” CNCO has found their distinct sound in this new album.
Every song tells a story and all the songs really mesh well together, making the perfect album.
CNCO has even added some English lyrics to their songs, most likely to appeal to a wider audience. Their hit song from the first album, “Reggaeton Lento,” is featured on the new album as well, but with a twist. “Reggaeton Lento (Remix)” features British girl group, Little Mix, singing in both English and Spanish.
“Estoy Enamorado de Ti,” which translates to “I’m in love with you,” starts off with a mix of Spanish and English lyrics. While the majority of the song is in Spanish, CNCO gives listeners a taste of both languages in the first verse.
Could this be CNCO’s way of showing that they’re ready to break into the English music market?
Latinx music has become a big influence on pop music today, including songs like “Mi Gente” by J Balvin and “Despacito (Remix)” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber. This album may be CNCO’s big break into the U.S. and U.K. music scenes.
According to CNCO’s website, Primera Cita is certified Diamond, Platinum and Gold in the U.S., Latin America and Europe. Last year, the group performed at 40 sold out shows in 15 countries and even opened up concerts for Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull in the U.S. and U.K.
They’re already having so much success abroad, so why aren’t they charting in the U.S. yet? They were formed in Miami, Florida, during the Latinx music competition La Banda. While they have fans scattered across the country, known as CNCOwners, they haven’t received mainstream recognition — yet.
Let’s take a look at some of the songs from the new album.
Sólo Yo
The first song off of the album already has almost 11 million views on YouTube as of April 18. The song has a catchy, steady beat and can be a bit repetitive, but this style is used for emphasis.
The main verse that’s repeated throughout the song is:
“¿Y quién te cuida? Sólo yo ¿Quién te mira? Sólo yo ¿Quién te abraza? Sólo yo (oh-oh) ¿Quién te acaricia? Sólo yo ¿Quién te besa? Sólo yo Nunca nadie, sólo yo (oh-oh)”
This translates to:
“And who cares for you? Only me
Who looks at you? Only me
Who hugs you? Only me (oh-oh)
Who caresses you? Only me
Who kisses you? Only me
Never anyone, only me (oh-oh).”
Watch the “Sólo Yo” music video below.
Estoy Enamorado de Ti
This song is definitely one of my favorites off of the album. I can’t help but move my hips to the beat whenever this song comes up on shuffle.
I’ll admit, I listen to this probably 50 times a day –no lie. When it ends, I just want more. “Estoy Enamorado de Ti” is one of their more mature songs lyrically. The combination of their vocals and the steady reggaeton beat make this song a great bop.
The first verse features a mix of Spanish and English lyrics:
“Estoy enamorado de ti
Cuando tú me haces así
Won’t you unwind it all over me
Estoy enamorado de ti
Cuando tú me haces así.
Hasta el amanecer (Eh-eh, eh-eh)
Baby, you and I we’re gonna lose our heads
And you can take the lead (Eh-eh, eh-eh)
Déjame cumplir todas tus fantasies.”
This translates to:
“I’m in love with you
When you do me like that
Won’t you unwind it all over me
I’m in love with you
When you do me like that.
Until dawn (eh-eh, eh-eh),
Baby, you and I we’re gonna lose our heads
And you can take the lead (Eh-eh, eh-eh)
Let me fulfill all your fantasies.”
Mamita
One of their hit singles from the album, “Mamita” kicked off CNCO’s new mature sound. The single, which was released in October 2017, has over 72 million streams on Spotify as of April 18, and 132 million views on YouTube.
Erick Colón told People Chica “This new album is very different from our first one. It’s more mature.”
Watch the music video for “Mamita” below.
CNCO has come a long way since they were established as a band in 2015. Hopefully, their self-titled sophomore album will be a catalyst for their well-deserved worldwide success. According to an interview with People Chica,
CNCO hopes to record more songs in English and they even have aspirations to start acting careers. This could become a reality for them if they break through the U.S. music scene and continue charting high in Latin America.
If you’d like to learn more about CNCO and their members, check out my previous article where I introduce the band and their members.