Brenda K. Starr dives into a cover of “Tu Vida En La Mía”

On the back of a swinging groove that grows more enticing with every passing moment, Brenda K. Starr dives into a cover of “Tu Vida En La Mía” ready to win the hearts of anyone within earshot. Her harmonies are the cornerstone of every explosive moment of fireworks the song will contain, but unlike the original version of the track (which was recorded by the legendary Marc Anthony), the grooves are led more by her vocal stylings than they are any components within the percussion. “Tu Vida En La Mía” is the first song to be released on Eso Es Records, and while it’s a cover of an already well-liked composition, it feels as fresh and intriguing as the artist responsible for its reworking does here.

Eso Es Records isn’t the only Latin pop record label racking up the headline stories this April, but in my opinion, they’re one of the few on this side of the Atlantic worth keeping on your radar through the rest of the year. Artists like Brenda K. Starr aren’t inclined to work with just anyone in the industry – after years of learning what’s good and what’s bad in this game, Starr is an artist who knows a thing or two about how to operate on the underground side of the music business. By choosing to work with the likes of Michael DeBarge and Natalis Ruby, she doesn’t just reassert her music as being one of the more important discographies to follow in this genre, but she also makes it clear to audiences that she’s planning on advancing her reach well beyond where it was in the late 2010s.

The hook in this version of “Tu Vida En La Mía” feels a lot more textured and tone-centric than the Marc Anthony rendition of the song did, and though the master mix can be credited for the crisp sound here, I wouldn’t give it all the praise for the efficiency in Starr’s performance. She’s steering away from anything that could even come close to resembling sonic filler in this track, and in doing so, sets herself apart from the bulk of her indie counterparts in the underground recording similar music this spring. If this is what here marriage with Eso Es Records is going to consist of, all I can say is sign me up for more.

Brenda K. Starr isn’t a stranger to the success that comes with making amazing music, but in her new single “Tu Vida En La Mía,” she raises the bar for both herself and the scene that spawned her career in the first place. With Eso Es Records behind her, she’s almost guaranteed to see a lot more action in 2020 than she did in 2019, and in the next few years, I’d expect another LP with her name on it finding a home on the top half of the charts for sure. The world is ready for a sequel to Pétalos De Fuego, and personally, I think Eso Es Records are the right people to give it to us.

Mindy McCall