Arthur Hanlon presents his new EP, 2 Manos, 1 Mundo, released on Friday (April 11) through Sony Music Latin. In this seven-song album, which follows his acclaimed Piano y Mujer series, the Detroit-born pianist joins forces with nine of his friends – Ana Bárbara, Ángela Aguilar, Carlos Vives, Darell, Goyo, Manuel Medrano, Nia Skyfer, Tiago Ior and Yotuel – for an “ethereal and dreamy” production (as he describes it) that fuses rhythms such as Brazilian bossa nova, Cuban cha-cha-cha and Colombian vallenato with his distinctive piano melodies.
“It was a good time to come back and write,” Hanlon tells Billboard, whose last two albums included songs performed by artists such as Ivy Queen, Ha*Ash, Kany García, Natalia Jiménez, Evaluna Montaner and more. “This is a musical manifestation of the friendships I have from different parts of the world.”
Created in his own home in Miami, with the royal blue piano in his living room, Hanlon assures that his creative process always begins at home with friends, because he is the type of artist who “loves to cook.” “This project is very personal,” he emphasizes. “It’s my way of connecting with the artists. there’s no chemistry or connection, it’s hard for me to collaborate.”
Next, Hanlon breaks down some of the songs on 2 Manos, 1 Mundo, which also includes a piano rendition of Santana’s hit “Europa.”
About “Bala perdida” with Ángela Aguilar: “We wrote the song and then we joined forces with Ángela. I always say: I’m constantly looking for that magic. I knew that with this song and with Ángela, by placing the piano in the desert, we would create a contrast between the music and the natural environment. That’s how this song came about.” Hanlon and Aguilar premiered “Bala perdida” at the 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony.
About “Repetimos” with Yotuel & Darell: “‘Repetimos’ was the first song I did for the album. Yotuel asked for a cha-cha-cha but to make it funky. I thought, how can we make it a Cuban-meets-Detroit sound? We needed that crunch on the song, so we called Darell.” “Repetimos” reached No. 9 on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart last October.
About “Goodbye” with Carlos Vives & Goyo: “Carlos came to my house, we were drinking gin and tonic, and thinking how interesting it would be if the Magdalena River and the Mississippi River connected. And that’s how this song was born. We filmed the video on the streets of Bogotá. We walked two nights through the streets to capture the good vibes of the nightlife and that feeling of saying goodbye to someone you love.”
Hanlon also talks about his collaborations with Ana Bárbara, Manuel Medrano, Tiago Ior, and Nia Skyfer, and how each song on the EP represents a different friendship and musical connection. He also shares his excitement for the release of 2 Manos, 1 Mundo and his hopes that it will bring people together through the power of music.
In conclusion, Hanlon expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to work with such talented and diverse artists, and how this project has allowed him to explore new sounds and styles while staying true to his love for the piano. He hopes that listeners will enjoy the album and be inspired to connect with others through music, just as he has with his friends and collaborators on 2 Manos, 1 Mundo.