A household name as one of the Backstreet Boys, Howie Dorough (artistically known as Howie D) now presents his new, solo single “Coqui” — marking his official Spanish-language debut, premiering exclusively on Billboard on Wednesday (June 17).

The nearly three-minute track, penned by Dominican songwriter Darlin, is a sensual Afrobeats jam powered by Howie’s sugary vocals, the subtle sounds of the coqui (a small tree frog native to Puerto Rico) and crashing ocean waves. 

“Making this record, I wanted to identify with things that were true to me, about the culture, the people, and my heritage,” Howie — who was born in Orlando, Fla. to a Puerto Rican mom and Georgia-based dad — tells Billboard. “This is where my mother is from, and where I have the most connection with growing up. With this song, I’m properly connecting with my roots, and I’ve never fully dived in until now.” 

Known as one of the Latin singers of BSB, Howie previously sang in Spanish with the beloved boy band in “Nunca Te Haré Llorar” (“I’ll Never Break Your Heart”) and “Donde Quieras Yo Iré” (“Anywhere for You”); however, he shares that growing up in South Florida in the ‘70s and ‘80s, he wasn’t surrounded by many Latinos, which made it a challenge for him to fully grasp the language. 

“I wanted to sound authentic, and the music felt real to me, it felt very natural,” he says of the song’s creative process. “It was almost like re-training my tongue to understand, it felt like a child learning a language for the first time. I was very humble, I was corrected a hundred times. I didn’t want to accept mediocracy. There were times that were easier, there were other times that I was frustrated, but I got through with Darlin’s coaching and my Duolingo app.”

“Coqui” is Howie’s third attempt at releasing a Spanish-language project, and though he’s aware of his huge, devoted Latin following, he admits that his own insecurities always got in the way. 

“Making music in Spanish has been a passion of mine, but also a struggle,” he expresses. “I was a little scared of not being accepted by my own people, because I didn’t speak the language perfectly. I wasn’t so much worried about my fans, but of the industry tearing me apart.” 

Over the years, he’s grown more comfortable with his Latin identity, and has fearlessly honed his Spanish-speaking skills — with ”Coqui” serving as a reflection of that.   

“Latin music is so big right now, and people are willing to hear music that’s not in their own language,” he notes. “I don’t have major expectations… this is a passion for me, it’s more of a journey. It’s a story that hopefully people will get to know, of a kid who once wanted to embrace his culture, his roots, and because of society and insecurities over the years, I’ve held myself back, but now is the time.”

Below, watch the exclusive video premiere of “Coqui”:

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