Daymé Arocena, the Afro-Cuban soul powerhouse known for bridging continents with her voice, is returning to self through Daymé y yo. Out now, via her new distribution partner BMG, the 7-track EP is a stripped-down, emotionally potent offering recorded live in Mexico City—just vocals and piano, nothing more. But in this sparseness lies something characteristic to the Daymé we know and love: vulnerability, intimacy, depth, truth.
The lead single “Mean” arrives as a revelation. A blues song Daymé wrote as a teenager but never released until now, “Mean” brims with unfiltered soul and emotional grit. “Few things make me feel more at my center,” Daymé says of writing and singing the blues. “It brings out my wildest, most irreverent, and most real self.” The track is not just a song; it’s a portal into the earliest expressions of her creative force—now fully realized.
Daymé y yo unfolds like pages of a musical diary. Featuring both never-before-heard songs and reimagined versions of iconic tracks, the collection includes: “American Boy,” “Como,” “Amor de Invierno,” “Menuet Sin Empezar,” “Coda,” “Mean,” and “El Ruso.” Together, they form a kaleidoscope of sonic meditations that speak to Daymé’s dual identity—the public artist and the private woman. It’s an honest portrait of a (fierce) voice that has always used music not for performance, but for liberation.
This new body of work follows a banner year for the Cuban artist. We first sat down with her up close and personal after her groundbreaking 2024 album Alkemi, a luminous fusion of neo soul, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and modern pop, was nominated for “Best Latin Record” at the A2IM Libera Awards. Its standout single “A Fuego Lento,” a collaboration with Dominican star Vicente García, also garnered a Latin GRAMMY nomination for “Song of the Year.” But Daymé y yo offers something different: it isn’t about accolades, it’s about essence.
Recording the EP live in Mexico City, far from the lush productions of her previous records, feels like a deliberate act of grounding. “It’s just me and the songs,” she seems to whisper softly, allowing her breath to creep between each note. And in that whisper, we hear a roar. From Havana to Puerto Rico to CDMX, Daymé has always trusted her intuition to guide her path—and it’s led her here, to a project that feels less like an industry release and more like a sacred offering.
This living, breathing performance of soul was crafted with care by an all-star creative team. With Daymé Arocena on vocals and piano, and also at the helm as music producer, this intimate project is lifted further by the voices of Ayme Canto and Magela Herrera on backing vocals. The visual universe of the project was shaped by creative director María García, brought to life on screen by video director Alberto Mendoza and director of photography Beni Galicia. The EP was mixed and recorded by Eduardo Antonio Marine at LM Studios and Casa de Copas, with mastering by Alejandro Ponce Duarte at Casa Campestre Estudio. Recording was supported by Selene Matamoros Salgado, Emmanuel Alejandro Sánchez Silva, and Erick Manuel Álvarez Sandoval. Behind the scenes, Paola Vicaría and Nicolás Charry of Lucid Dreams Management led production and A&R, with Camila Neus and Angie Carrión lending their touch to the designs, and photography by Natalya Tarankova capturing the essence of it all. This project is a reflection of what’s possible when soul, vision, and community come together—pure, present, and powerful.
With Daymé y yo, she returns to her roots not just geographically, but spiritually. It is a dialogue between Daymé and herself—a reminder that sometimes, the boldest act an artist can make is to turn inward, and sing.
