Okay, real talk: I was scrolling through new submissions the other night, half-asleep, and then “Agua Santa” by Angelyse Mariah hit my speakers… and suddenly I’m wide awake, hips moving, pretending I’m in a Miami club at 2 a.m. even though I’m literally in sweatpants in my living room. That’s the power of a perfect summer-to-fall crossover banger, friends.
This track is pure liquid sunshine bottled into three-and-a-half minutes of Latin pop meets dance-pop perfection with just the right amount of adult contemporary smoothness. Think Rosalía meets early 2010s J.Lo with a splash of Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” energy, but make it Jersey-girl real.
Angelyse Mariah isn’t some industry plant with a million-dollar rollout – she’s the definition of grinding from the ground up. Born and raised in a small town in New Jersey, she packed her bags and moved to New York City right after high school to chase the dream. And chase she did. Her very first single “Hurting Yourself” was literally recorded on iPhone Voice Memos in her bedroom during lockdown 2020 – a full mood we all lived through. That raw, DIY energy carried straight into the studio for her follow-up “Like Me”, but “Agua Santa” feels like the moment everything clicked.
Produced and engineered by the ridiculously talented Chini Slickback at So Amazin Studios in Clifton, NJ, this song sounds expensive without trying too hard (the best kind of expensive). The beat hits with that reggaeton-lite rhythm that makes your shoulders do that involuntary roll thing, layered with shimmering synths and a bassline that feels like it’s flirting with you. And Angelyse’s vocals? Honey, she glides from breathy verses to that powerhouse chorus like she’s been doing this for decades, not dropping her third single ever.
Lyrically, “Agua Santa” is giving spiritual cleansing, self-love baptism, and “I look good and I know it” all at once. The Spanglish flow is effortless – she’ll have you screaming “¡Bendición!” in the pre-chorus whether you grew up speaking Spanish or just know how to order tacos. It’s flirty, it’s confident, it’s the soundtrack to your glow-up era.
Fun fact that makes me love her even more: Angelyse has been dancing for 11 years. Classically trained in ballet, modern, and hip hop from ages 3 to 13, took a little break, then came back strong as part of the We Run This The Collective dance team in 2021. You can HEAR that dancer’s rhythm in every melody she writes. Her body moves to the beat before the beat even exists – that’s a gift.
In a world where Latin pop is absolutely dominating (Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Rauw Alejandro are still eating up the charts in 2025, let’s be honest), Angelyse Mariah feels like the fresh face we’ve been waiting for. She’s got the cultural authenticity, the vocal chops, the dance background, and most importantly – songs that actually stick in your head after one listen.
If you’re into artists like Becky G, Natti Natasha, or young Selena vibes with a modern twist, you need “Agua Santa” in your life immediately. This is the kind of song that starts at the cookout, ends up in the club, and somehow still works when you’re doing your skincare routine at 11 p.m. crying about your situationship. Versatility!
Independent artists like Angelyse are out here creating magic with limited resources, and honestly? That’s the future of music. If you’re an artist reading this and you’ve got fire ready to share with the world, you already know DistroKid is the move for getting your music on Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok – everywhere. And because I genuinely want y’all to win, here’s the tea: use my link and get 7% off your membership. That’s free guac money, baby. → https://distrokid.com/vip/seven/2058328
Angelyse Mariah is just getting started, and I’m calling it now – by this time next year, we’re all gonna be fighting for tickets to her shows. Mark my words.
So tell me – are we adding “Agua Santa” to the playlist immediately, or are we adding it and making it the personality for the rest of 2025? Drop your thoughts below, I’m nosy and need to know I’m not the only one obsessed.
