La Alternativa: New music from Julieta Venegas, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso

Every week, La Alternativa delivers the very best from the Latin alternative scene by curating a blend of emerging and established artists within the Latin diaspora, while providing a platform to champion our growing local music scene. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Wednesday.

The end of the year is fast approaching, but artists in the Latin alternative world are not slowing down as they give us a taste of what to expect in 2026.

Julieta Venegas is readying her 12th studio album and recently released lead single “Tiempo Dorados,” which translates in English to “the golden age.” As the title suggests, it’s a song about remembering the past — not with melancholy, but with grace and the strength of living in the present moment (think: first love, innocence, childhood).

Having grown up in Tijuana, Vengeas has delivered a track that nods to her northern Mexican roots while filtering her message through the sounds of requintos and in a norteña. Written in collaboration with El David Aguilar and Lara Artesi, “Tiempo Dorados” is a genre exploration I appreciate so much from an artist I was already a big fan of. I can’t wait to hear the new album and all the way she’ll touch more hearts with such personal, reflective lyrics.

This episode also features a pair of artists with a new album in their rearview mirror but still riding the momentum of its success. Argentine duo CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso received five Latin Grammys this year, including Best Alternative Music Album (PAPOTA) and Best Alternative Song (“#TETAS”). More recently, they released the track you’ll hear in our playlist, “Gimme More.”

They seem to be pointing toward a post-PAPOTA era, with a music video that’s almost a play-by-play of their Latin Grammy experience and a song that references the excess that follows success. It’s a message focused on the continuous dissatisfaction the industry creates in artists as they reach a supposed “summit” in their musical journey.

I, for one, doubt that CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso have peaked and can’t wait to see what they do to follow this catch and fun addition to their catalog.

Episode playlist

• Larry & Joe, “Como Llora Una Estrella”
• Gego Y Nony, “999 El Mensaje” ft Ofili
• Ivan Cornejo, “Me Prometi”
• Sebastian Yatra, “Milagro”
• CA7RIEL & Paco Amaroso, “GIMME MORE”
• Pachyman, “Calor Ahora”
• Juliana & LAGOS, “Manhattan”
• MAGNA & ARIA VEGA, “UN CUARTICO”
• Mireya, “La Responsabilidad”
• Julieta Venegas, “Tiempo Dorados”
• Yung Pleit, “By Your Side/A Tu Lado”
• Buscabulla, “Te Fuiste”
• El Zar, “La Forma de Estar Solo”
• Paloma Murphy, “(sola)”
• Valentina, “1 veranito sad”
• ZTVZ, “Tqm
• Rosalía, “De Madruga”
• rusowsky & Ralphie Choo, “BBY ROMEO”