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.
As we get further in 2026, the album I’m most excited to hear is the 12th and latest from Julieta Venegas, an icon who has created so many pop classics throughout my life.
Venegas is an artist whose music I can connect to different moments of childhood, like singing “Lento” with my mom in the car or relistening to “Me Voy” after watching Casa de Las Flores. I’m so excited for this project because her last album, 2022’s Tu Historia, really resonated with me. She has started teasing the work with the release of lead single “Tiempos Dorados,” which sees her experimenting with Norteño rhythms in a song driven by trumpets and a requinto.
Lyrically, Venegas is reminiscent of a golden era while also accepting the end of that era. I predict that many artists will be exploring nostalgia and going back to sounds and experiences from their upbringings. As for Venegas, she recently signed with global talent agency WME and hasn’t shared an exact date for the album’s release. But I’m confident it will be a real treat.
— Paula Lovo
The project I’m looking forward to is one that, technically, doesn’t exist — officially, anyway.
This year might mark the return of the once-humble Colombian artist Feid, and here’s why that matters. Back in 2014, during a quieter moment for reggaeton, a new wave of Colombian artists began positioning themselves as the genre’s next evolution. Karol G, J Balvin, Maluma and others leaned heavily into collaboration as a strategy, lifting each other while rebuilding global attention around the genre.
Feid was part of that movement. He released music consistently as a solo artist, but mainstream recognition didn’t arrive until 2017 with “Qué Raro,” his collaboration with J Balvin. That track opened the door, and Feid’s popularity grew steadily with every subsequent album. Yet something more disruptive was forming beneath the surface.
When the pandemic hit, a darker, grittier version of Feid emerged: FERXXO. What began as an alter ego quickly evolved into a fully realized artistic identity. From 2020 through 2025, FERXXO didn’t just rise; he dominated. Billions of streams, sold-out arena and stadium tours, and a fan base deeply attached to the aesthetic, slang and emotional rawness of the FERXXO era cemented him as one of reggaeton’s most influential figures. Even his personal life became part of the cultural conversation, as his relationship with Karol G further amplified visibility and reach. But success at that scale brings its own tension.
On New Year’s Eve, Feid released a 3-minute teaser video on Instagram that sparked major conversation across the reggaeton world. In it, he questioned whether the FERXXO persona has grown larger than the artist himself and whether it’s time to return to the simplicity and songwriting roots of Feid. The project name teased, Ferxxo vs. Feid, frames this not as a rebrand, but as an internal reckoning: artist vs. alter ego, intimacy vs. spectacle, songwriter vs. superstar.
This moment feels pivotal. FERXXO represents chaos, distortion, late-night energy and emotional excess. Feid represents craft, melody and the quieter instincts that first drew in listeners. The question is not which one wins, but whether they can coexist.
So, as we head into 2026, the anticipation is real. Whatever direction he chooses, Feid has already proven that evolution is his greatest strength. And whether it is Feid, FERXXO or both sharing the spotlight, we are absolutely here for it.
— Kenny Perez
Our other anticipated albums
- Nando Garicia, Lover Man
- Diego Raposo, unknown title
- Tokisha, unknown title
- Junior H, unknown title
- Tini, FUTTTURA
- Juanes, unknown title
- Cimafunk, Aguaje
- Rawayana, ¿Dónde Es El After?
- Wampi, Tienes Que Ser Feliz
- Lola Índigo, La Bruja, La Niña y El Dragón
