‎PRIMERA MUSA – Album by Omar Courtz

“Proper now in Puerto Rico, the youthful artists stopped delving into reggaetón,” Omar Courtz tells Apple Music. “I’d like to reignite the flame of the Puerto Rican reggaetón that misplaced floor previously couple of years.” This assertion, each private and bold, underscores the truth that for the person born in Carolina, his origins and the will to symbolize them are every thing. Courtz is a part of the brand new wave of boricua artists who first gained notoriety within the native underground, then stood facet by facet with the style’s established stars.

Years of perseverance paid off, and Courtz is lastly having fun with the fruits of his labor on PRIMERA MUSA. The album’s inspiration and conceptual by way of line are unmistakable: the music of his adolescence in Puerto Rico. “As I used to be choosing the tracks, I considered my muses—the artists that I listened to after I was a child,” he explains. The album’s 17 tracks are deeply boricua in spirit, full of sudden collaborations and disparate moods. “This album speaks to the nightclub, the streets, my followers—anybody who wish to take part and hearken to my tales.” Right here, he guides us by way of among the album’s key tracks.

“UNA NOTi”
“I used to be excessive, actually, after I made this music. I went to the studio after a present and recorded it utilizing a unique beat. It began with the melody, and we developed the remaining with Haze producing. I improvised the bars, after which rerecorded the entire thing with a brand new backing observe. However I didn’t just like the voices, so I returned to the unique session, which sounded actually intense. Folks suppose the title refers to a notification, however it’s truly about la nota [Puerto Rican slang for being high].”

“MUSA ELEVA”
“I’ve been listening to Rihanna since my faculty days—this rhythmic sample most likely stayed in my unconscious. Bassy, the producer of this and different tracks on the album, additionally grew up listening to these artists, and we share the identical influences. After I informed him I used to be on the lookout for one thing nearer to Afrobeat, he obtained it immediately. We nonetheless needed it to have a Puerto Rican contact, and this got here to thoughts.”

“DRIPPEO KBRON”
“This venture is particular as a result of it showcases totally different sides of my character. Moreover singing about ladies and making music for the nightclub, I additionally wish to document entice songs with the artists I respect. I known as Dei V for this observe. He’s very gifted, and I had the chance to inform him about my venture. We ended up recording various songs collectively, and that is one in every of them. I needed the album to have some heavy-duty sounds for the road. This document spans the totally different sides of my life.”

“A L O C A – T”
“It begins with a reference to ‘Alócate’ by Zion. Zion & Lennox have all the time been one in every of my best influences. Motivando a la Yal was the primary album I purchased with my very own cash. There was a CD participant at my grandmother’s home, and I obtained a couple of albums as a gift, however this was the primary one which I purchased alone. I performed it a lot that it stayed in my thoughts and impressed my very own music. Zion & Lennox are of nice significance to me.”

“SERIO CON ESE Q”
“Working with Anuel AA was wonderful. He was the one who obtained in contact with us. He needed to do a remix of ‘LUCES DE COLORES,’ however I urged doing one thing new as a substitute. We confirmed him a few tracks, and ‘SERIO CON ESE Q’ was one in every of them. We recorded in Miami. Bassy and I had part of it labored out already. I laid down the melody, and we wrote the lyrics collectively. We locked ourselves within the studio and completed the observe immediately. We had labored collectively on one other document, however this one was actually good, too.”

“LUCES DE COLORES”
“I collaborated with Bassy, who additionally did the tracks with Anuel AA and Rauw Alejandro. We love reggaetón however treasure plenty of different genres—as children, we listened to entice and R&B. Regardless that we attempt to protect the essence of reggaetón, we additionally tried to include the opposite sounds that encourage us into the melodies or lyrics. This is without doubt one of the tracks the place we fused reggaetón with totally different colours.”