Lido Pimienta has announced her new album, La Belleza ("The Beauty" in English). Out May 16 via ANTI-, it marks her first record since 2020’s Grammy-nominated Miss Colombia.

Listen to the album’s lead single “Mango" below:

La Belleza came to fruition during the COVID-19 lockdown, where Pimienta, like many other artists, had to cancel her tour (for Miss Colombia). Though unable to support her album on the road, Pimienta found herself able to experiment, specifically with classical music.

“The thought of making ‘classical music’ never occurred to me before, but making experimental electronica on Miss Colombia was not premeditated either,” Pimienta said in a press statement. “All I create is a natural evolution of my curiosity and stubbornness.”

She continued:

“[La Belleza] was insanely ambitious—but I also didn’t overthink it... For the first time in a long time, I had time—time to learn.”

Pimienta says she found a lot of inspiration from soundtrack music, especially Lubos Fiser's score to he Jaromil Jireš film, Valerie And Her Week of Wonders.

La Belleza found Pimienta working with Ableton and MIDI techniques, alongside producer Owen Pallett, who also worked on the orchestral arrangements for the album with Pimienta, which were performed by the Medellin Philharmonic Orchestra. The album also features choral arrangements sung by the Coro La Belleza de Barranquilla.

Revisit The Needle Drop’s review of Miss Colombia and subsequent interview with Pimienta.

La Belleza is out May 16. Presave here. Full tracklist below:

01. Overturn (Obertura de la Luz Eterna)
02. Ahora
03. Quiero Que Me Beses
04. Mango
05. Aún Te Quiero
06. El Dembow del Tiempo
07. ¿Quién Tiene La Luz? El Perdón.
08. Tengo Que Ir
09. Busca La Luz