Leonardo Aguilar Releases Fourth Solo Album, Esquina 22

Leonardo Aguilar released his fourth solo studio album, Esquina 22, on Thursday night, Nov. 5. The 10-track record is out now on the indie label Machin Records, with distribution by Virgin Music Latino.

Aguilar is the son of singer Pepe Aguilar and the brother of Ángela Aguilar, both well-known names in regional Mexican music. He told Billboard Español that years of negative comments led him to put his own career on hold. The new album is his return to making music under his own name.

The record blends two kinds of songs. Three are renditions of classic rancheras, the heartfelt Mexican ballad style that often features big horn sections and a strong vocal: "Las Rejas No Matan," "A Pesar de Todo" and "Acepto Mi Derrota." Two are originals, "Nada Pa'l Futuro" and "Canción de Rancho," the second a collaboration with the singer El Komander.

The album takes its name from a street in Tayahua, Zacatecas, the town where the Aguilar family ranch is located. Aguilar lives there now. The title is a nod to home, and the record's sound follows the same path, staying close to the rural music of his family's region.

The album was produced by Alfonso De La Cruz Pekas. He is a songwriter known for hits recorded by Julión Álvarez, Calibre 50 and Banda Los Recoditos, four acts that have sold heavily across Mexico and the United States. His credits give the record a producer with long experience in the regional Mexican genre.

Aguilar has also built a track record on the radio side of the business. According to Billboard's artist profile, he has earned a No. 1 on Latin Airplay, the Billboard chart that ranks songs by how often Spanish-language radio stations play them. The chart does not measure album sales, so it is a separate count from the first-week figures that show how many copies or streams an album earned.

Album release dates can be a quiet moment in a singer's year, but for Aguilar the date also marks a return to his own name after a long pause. Fans who want to hear the record can find it on the major streaming services from its release date. Its chart performance will be reported by the charts that track it, and those figures will show how many people chose to press play.