ENCUENTROS

Becky G’s love for música mexicana used to be one she kept to herself. Prior to 2023’s ambitious *ESQUINAS*, the Mexican American superstar had largely limited her Spanish-language work to the pop and reggaetón spaces. Yet as corridos and other related styles surged into the mainstream as part of a genuine, youth-driven movement, her ultimately perfectly timed album transcended the trends to reveal not merely a devotion to this music but a proficiency within it. Triumphant after the warm reception the project received, she returns roughly one year later with the like-minded *ENCUENTROS*. Less a follow-up than a companion to its predecessor, the 16-song effort finds her eagerly exploring cultural heritage while making history of her own. Throughout *ENCUENTROS*, Becky G expresses herself over themes familiar to música mexicana listeners across generations. The unresolved heartache of “COMO DIABLOS” and the jilted lover’s one-upmanship of “DESIERTO” each contribute to a wider romantic canon full of passion and pathos alike. Hardly limited to one particular format, she demonstrates diversity without losing credibility, as authentically herself over the cumbia throwback “OTRO CAPÍTULO” as on the sad sierreño cut “XLAS NUBES.” Analogous to the corridos tumbados scene, her “VISTO CARO” name-drops luxury brands with the added authenticity of having plenty of firsthand experience with them. When she’s singing from the bottom of a bottle on “OJALÁ” or the more pensive “ULTIMA VEZ,” her sincerity always shines through. Along the way, she recruits genre hitmakers like Tito Double P and Óscar Maydon, who bring their specific strengths to “CRISIS” and “MERCEDES,” respectively.