The Latin music boom is showing no signs of slowing down with the likes of Maluma, Feid and J Balvin touring their music across the globe. Recently Bad Bunny sold an incredible 2.6 million tickets for his stadium tour across the world, proving that there’s a huge appetite for Latin music even in places that don’t necessarily speak Spanish. One of the stars of the genre that’s been gaining increasing popularity is Sebastián Obando Giraldo better known to fans as Sebastián Yatra. Following the release of his debut album ‘Mantra’ in 2018, he’s been notching up the hits and establishing his own path, largely away from the trends that are dominating the Latin genre. Think of him more as a natural successor to Ricky Martin – a singer that explores pop rhythms and ballads, rather than a master of the reggaeton sound that is omnipresent.
2022’s ‘Dharma’ and the subsequent ‘Dharma+’ reissue, really elevated Yatra to a whole new level thanks in part to the crossover appeal of ‘Tacones Rojos’. That song was remixed with John Legend and preceded the launch of ‘Dos Oruguitas’, which was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and was a huge hit from the ‘Encanto’ soundtrack. A little over 3 years on from ‘Dharma’, Yatra is releasing his fourth studio album ‘Milagro’ (‘Miracle’ in English).
The 17-track collection features eight previously released songs, some of which date back to 2023. Of those songs ‘Una Noche Sin Pensar’ (‘A Night Without Thinking’) is a highlight, marrying Yatra’s smooth vocals with a dance beat for an uptempo moment unlike anything he’s done before. ‘2AM’, a collaboration with Bad Gyal, samples Dido’s ‘Thank You’ and the end result is a club banger that leans into reggaeton. ‘Los Domingos’ (‘Sundays’) showcases Yatra’s more romantic side, stripping back the beats and replacing them with acoustic guitar.
One of the album highlights is the title track ‘Milagro’, which opens with dramatic classical piano before Yatra’s distinctive vocal comes in. It’s the perfect showcase of Yatra’s strengths as an artist, and what sets him apart from his peers. While there is a reggaeton beat that kicks in, the song has an emotional heart that makes Yatra stand out. That is echoed on ‘Amen’, which arrives near the middle of the record and is a dreamy moment that you can lose yourself in.
Elsewhere on the record Yatra enlists Gus for ‘París’, a slow-building uptempo moment, he showcases his romantic side on the gorgeous ‘Segundo Amor’ (‘Second Love’) and leans into a folkier sound on ‘El final que soñábamos’ (‘The Ending We Dreamed Of’), which really suits him. The recently released ‘Disco Rayado’ (‘Scratched Record’) is a beat-driven Latin pop track that could fare well on radio, if it’s given the right push.
‘Milagro’ is exactly the kind of record that Yatra’s fans would expect. He continues to operate in his own lane, perfectly mixing current and classic sounds. At his heart, he’s a balladeer and that Ricky Martin comparison I made earlier in the review remains relevant. Yatra has the vocal chops to impress and now that he’s established he can act (both on screen and on Broadway), alongside his musical talents it seems the sky is the limit. ‘Mirago’ is a perfect listen for the summer ahead.
Track list: 1. Milagro 2. Lienzo (with ROBI feat. Ariza) 3. La Pelirroja 4. Vagabundo (with Manuel Turizo & Beéle) 5. Disco Rayado 6. Amen 7. Templo de Piceas (with HUMBE) 8. Segundo Amor 9. Mi Puerto 10. Energía Bacana 11. París (with Gus) 12. 2AM (with Bad Gyal) 13. Una Noche Sin Pensar 14. Los Domingos 15. La Primera Vez 16. El final que soñábamos 17. Óleo de Mujer Con Sombrero (feat. mi papa) Record label: Universal Music Latino Release date: 16th May 2025 Buy ‘Milagro’ now
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