The ‘prince of salsa’ Luis Enrique, known for his hit ‘Yo no sé mañana’, presents this Friday ‘El alma en clave’, his first unreleased album in 13 years, with the impression that the genre and Latin music are on the cusp, according to the Nicaraguan singer in an interview.
The artist told EFE the news of the release of the album, recorded between Miami, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, which implies his first full-length salsa album after ‘Jukebox’ in 2013. Since then, he has perceived a change in the appreciation of the genre internationally.
“I think it has changed positively. I think Latin music is in first place today, thanks to artists like Bad Bunny and many other people who also, from their stage, have been sowing a seed that has borne much fruit in recent years,” he says from Miami, where he lives.
The singer-songwriter, who with more than 30 years of career is one of the most recognized artists in Nicaragua, considers that “Latin music, today, is a trend”, because “many people around the world listen to it, even without speaking Spanish”.
“Perhaps they don’t understand much of what the lyrics say, but Latin music, undoubtedly, because of its rhythm, its cadence, its flavorfulness, is in the international public’s taste,” he emphasizes.
Luis Enrique with his new album: Social and Love Stories
The interpreter of hits such as ‘Desesperado’, ‘Así es la vida’, ‘Tú no le amas, le temes’, ‘Dale un chance’, ‘Solo’, ‘No te quites la ropa’, recognizes that he has adapted to current trends, but assures that he has kept his essence.
The Nicaraguan, who achieved his greatest fame with the song ‘Yo no sé mañana’ in 2009, believes that he has remained in the public’s taste for being faithful to his songs with a “very own sound, an identity of his own”.
“Yes, I have adapted some of the trends, or fashion or the current sound, applying it to my roots, to what I am, because I can’t stop being me either. I have to continue defending who I am, defending my personality as an artist and try to do things from there,” he says.
‘El alma en clave’ contains 11 tracks, including some that he had already advanced, such as ‘La foto’, ‘Ayúdame a entender’, ‘Dando y dando’ and ‘Nombre y apellido’, in collaboration with rapper De La Ghetto.
The artist made this album by “deciding that this was the right time after releasing so many singles”, as he had released several songs such as ‘La foto’, nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2025.
In addition to Miami, the singer recorded the album in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, two places that “represent a huge influence” on his music.
He describes the songs on the album as “love stories, stories in some cases somewhat social”, which he made “essentially, with the desire to also propose something, a very diverse way of making salsa music”.
“I’m not just focusing on getting people to dance. Yes, they’re going to dance, obviously they’re going to dance, but I also want to say things in a different way,” he says.
Luis Enrique announced that the album will have a second part in a deluxe edition, as well as a double vinyl edition, reported Agencia EFE, and that he will tour Spain’s Canary Islands, Colombia and Mexico.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.