The lead-up to summer doesn’t get better than a Latin-influenced single and music video by the incredible DJ duo, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike in a collaboration with Ne-Yo and Danna Paola, titled “Mexico”. This follows up the Toneshifterz’s remix of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike”s collaboration with Bassjackers titled “Happy Together”, Ne-Yo’s singles “We Rising” and “Rise Up” which was released as part of the soundtrack to season three episode nine of “Step Up”, and Danna Paola’s collaboration with Felukah and Tam Tam titled “A Kind of Magic” which was a Coke Studio Mix for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The Belgian DJ brothers, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, whose real names are Dimitri Thivaios and Michael Thivaios, have been unstoppable in recent years, topping DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs in 2015 and 2019, and placing second in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020 – overall being in the top 5 for the last nine years, as well as winning several awards including MTV EMAs. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike are certainly on top of their game, and we can’t get enough of their music. We also managed to exclusively interview them about their 2018 single “When I Grow Up” and working with Wiz Khalifa on that track. Most recently they’ve grabbed collaborations with the likes of David Guetta, Daddy Yankee, Paris Hilton, Era Istrefi, Armin van Buuren, Timmy Trumpet, and Regard. Their collaboration with David Guetta & Daddy Yankee, titled “Instagram” featuring Afro Bros and Natti Natasha is their most-streamed single on Spotify with 282 million streams – how that song didn’t become a global number one hit, we’ll never know; with their collaboration with Regard titled “Say My Name”, a cover of the Destiny’s Child hit, behind at 147.9 million and their collaboration with Martin Garrix titled “Tremor”, which was Sensation 2014’s anthem, is their third most-streamed track on the platform at 109.3 million streams. They have had multiple global chart hits but have yet to score a worldwide successful chart hit although we reckon many of their songs were worthy of international chart placements – we’re sure a global hit for them is just around the corner.
As for Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Smith, he is a worldwide superstar with hits like “So Sick”, “Sexy Love”, “Because of You”, “Closer”, “Miss Independent”, “Beautiful Monster”, and “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)”. He really made a name for himself in the ’00s and the early ’10s and has continued to drop amazing new music that certainly isn’t getting the credit it deserves. He has won three GRAMMYs and gone on to collaborate with all of the top artists around the world including Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Pitbull, Kanye West, Keri Hilson, Flo Rida, Leona Lewis, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, David Guetta, amongst many more. He’s also known for his songwriting credits, having co-written Rihanna’s “Unfaithful”, “Right Now”, “Take A Bow”, and “Russian Roulette”; Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable”; Mario’s “Let Me Love You”; and Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight”. He most recently was revealed as the Badger on the second season of the UK version of The Masked Singer, where he was the runner-up to Joss Stone, and last year saw him drop his eighth studio album, titled “Self Explanatory”.
Then there’s Danna Paola, full name Danna Paola Rivera Munguia, who is a massive Mexican singer, songwriter, actress, and model. She is on the verge of massive global success. She’s already become a Latin icon having starred in a variety of films and TV series, released six studio albums, won an MTV EMA, and been nominated for Latin GRAMMYs, Premios Juventud awards, MTV Millennial Awards, and MTV EMAs. Her songs have gone on to be featured on top TV shows such as “Gossip Girl”, “Elite”, and “Blade Runner: Black Lotus”. In 2020, she became the most listened-to female artist on Spotify Mexico, with her collaboration with Sebastián Yatra, titled “No Bailes Sola”, charting across Latin America. She then pushed further in 2021, dropping her sixth studio album “K.O.”, which really was a knockout, managing to chart in the US Billboard Latin Pop Albums Top 10 and even managed to chart in Spain. The album, which was certified Platinum in Mexico, included her hit single from the previous year and also saw her collaborate with the likes of Luísa Sonza, Aitana, and Mika. Alongside her music career, she was a huge child actor, gaining main roles in “María Belén”, “Amy, la niña de la mochila azul”, “Pablo y Andrea”, and “Atrévete a soñar”, which developed into main roles in “¿Quién es quién?”, “La Doña”, and “Elite”; she has also starred in renowned musicals such as “Wicked”, where she gained critical acclaim. She’s one of a few Latin female music stars who are ready for international fame and success; and, if her voice is anything to go by, she’s bound to get a worldwide chart hit very soon.
Watch the music video to “Mexico” by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Ne-Yo & Danna Paola here:
Written by Dimitri Thivaios, Fridolin Walcher, Geraldo Sandell, Joel Isaac Figueroa Borquez, Ki Fitzgerald, Michael Thivaios, and Shaffer Smith, while it was produced by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Ne-Yo, Saak, Freedo, and Teddy Sky, “Mexico” is an unstoppable hit of a track, with Danna Paola totally stealing our hearts, leaving a mark on our souls, whilst Ne-Yo’s smooth vocals flow right through us, straight to our hearts; on top of that, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike do not disappoint with an upbeat dance number with addicting rhythm and a soft melodic drop. The DJ duo enlisted a real Mexican mariachi band to infuse their Latin sound into the dance track, bringing flavour and texture throughout. Bound to become a dancefloor hit and DJ treasure as the summer slowly comes in, “Mexico” is ready to steal our hearts, with Ne-Yo not holding back adding his R&B energy whilst Danna Paola plunges Latin style and waves with incredible vocals that she delivers with stunning clarity, whilst also showcasing her harmonizing skills as she wraps her beautiful voice around Ne-Yo’s soulful vocals. We expect some awesome remixes to come from this track, this year, and we’ve already added it to our summer party playlists – you should so do the same.
As for the music video, which has been directed by Ada Odreman with Ne-Yo’s scenes directed by Christiann Gilchrist and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s scenes directed by Lennert Kools, we watch various live performance clips from the two DJs and the R&B singer, whilst Danna Paola completely shines in her professional performance visuals. The video starts off by showing various live clips of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike performing at festivals, with the addition of Ne-Yo also showcasing his live performances with his video clips, bringing a sense of live energy throughout, with the scenes edited well, keeping the viewers entertained and engaged. Then Danna Paola comes in and totally takes the spotlight with her official music video scenes that is somewhat suggestive that this was meant to be a professional music video of all the artists, yet Danna Paola was the only one to deliver. In doing so, she doesn’t hold back strutting herself into the scene and making sure she has our attention, looking sultry and sexy, whilst delivering on every front. This music video is set to be seen by people around the entire world and is set to break her into international markets, so we’re not surprised that she showcased the Latin icon that she is. The music video has added images and videos of the stars in Mexico overlaying the main visual – promising that you’ll see something different that you didn’t see before, on your second, third, fourth, and fifth plays; so, go on, click that replay button.
Stream the new single on Spotify here:
“Mexico”, by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Ne-Yo & Danna Paola, is available to download and stream right now, across all platforms, via Smash The House under exclusive licence to W!ZARD Talent Limited. This isn’t the first time that Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike have teamed up with Ne-Yo, they previously worked together on the successful single “Higher Place”, in 2015, which went Platinum in Belgium, hitting number one in the country as well as hitting the top spot of the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. It also charted at number three in Poland, number 15 in Japan, and number 15 in the Czech Republic.