Percolating in his native Puerto Rico, rising artist Joyce Santana captivates with his dense lyricism and deep arsenal of flows. Addressing a certain someone on a short-but-powerful song collection, Joyce shares A Quien Pueda Interesar, his new EP, available everywhere now via Rimas Ent. With a title that translates to “to whom it may concern,” A Quien Pueda Interesar delves deep on the subject of modern love, switching between reggaeton and trap–courtesy of producer Young Martino–as Joyce speaks on distinct situations in the project’s three songs. On the opening track “Dormir Sola,” Joyce shows off his skills with melody as he discusses a complex and toxic love filled with romantic gestures but absent the day-to-day support necessary for a relationship to succeed. The EP continues with the banger “Besties,” which finds Joyce going back and forth with rising Puerto Rican phenom Young Miko over a ping-ponging trap beat that inspires both emcees to show off their most locked-in flows. Joyce closes out the EP with “Tu Canción,” which details his regrets about the end of a recent relationship, with help from a blazing guest appearance by Amarion, one of the hottest artists in the streets of Puerto Rico.
A Quien Pueda Interesar follows up another fiery EP, Nadie Se Salva, released in Summer 2021. Though it only spans 5 songs, the EP demonstrates Joyce’s striking versatility, moving from drill on opener “Heavy,” to trap beats on the single “Contesta El Cel” and the closer “Mi Mentalidad.” Nadie Se Salva is home to “BabyMama” (Remix), a supersized posse cut. A fiery mix of reggaeton and modern R&B sounds, with guest appearances from heavy-hitters Farruko, Luar La L, Myke Towers, Eladio Carrión, and Ñengo Flow, “BabyMama” (Remix) already has over 4.7 million views on its YouTube audio and over 3.3 million streams on Spotify since its release in late December. In addition to Puerto Rico, the remix has reached YouTube’s trending chart in markets like Spain, Chile, Colombia, and Peru.
“BabyMama” (Remix) is the latest step in a rise to prominence that started when he was a teenager. Joyce Santana was a poet before he ever started rapping. His mother wouldn’t let him use swear words in the home, so Joyce decided to write his thoughts down–these thoughts became his poems, and eventually his lyrics. Over the past several years, the artist has been building a reputation as one of the best bar-for-bar wordsmiths on his home island. His 2015 debut album Luz En La Oscuridad was a personal and densely lyrical work that established him among tastemakers in Puerto Rico as an artist to watch. In subsequent years, the artist looked outward, creating several hits, including “Vicky,” a viral track that tells the story of a seemingly wholesome woman with a party girl streak. In 2019, Santana made a memorable appearance on “El Perreo Intenso,” offering incendiary political commentary in a vicious 16-bar verse.
Joyce is currently preparing a new album to release later this year, and armed with his notebook of bars and a willingness to experiment, he’s ready to put the worlds of hip-hop and reggaeton on notice. Stay tuned for much more from Joyce Santana in the coming year.
Buy/Stream A Quien Pueda Interesar EP: https://rimas.
Buy/Stream “BabyMama (Remix)”: https://rimas.io/BabyMamaRMX
© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
