Natalia Lafourcade, Chris Staples, more: The Contenders, Vol. 10

By Robin Hilton,

Published May 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM EDT

Natalia Lafourcade's "Cocos en la playa" is one of the songs we can't stop playing this week.

We're talking new music on this week's All Songs Considered as we update our running list of the year's best songs. This includes a timeless piece from Mexican singer and songwriter Natalia Lafourcade, a plainspoken but moving story-song from Chris Staples, a wildly unpredictable mix of voice, electronics and piano from soprano Barbara Hannigan and more.

NPR Music's Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton.

Featured artists and songs:

Third Coast Percussion: "Please Be Still," from Standard Stoppages
Chris Staples: "Two Carat Diamond," from Don't Worry
Barbara Hannigan, David Chalmin: "Che t'ho fatt'io?," from Electric Fields
Natalia Lafourcade: "Cocos en la playa," from Cancionera
Brooklyn Rider: "Tenebrae," from The Four Elements

All Songs Considered 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2012

Weekly reset: Airing out and beating futons on a Saturday morning in Toyohashi, Japan

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Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.