Plenty of successful artists started out behind the scenes as songwriters for other artists, and ELENA ROSE fits that description well. Having used her pen on behalf of Rauw Alejandro and Becky G, among others, the Venezuelan American singer capitalizes on 2024 wins—not the least of which being her Boza collab “Orion”—and confidently positions herself center stage on this diverse EP. Across the eclectic set of tracks composing En Las Nubes - Con Mis Panas, she plays with genre without veering too far from her inherent pop appeal. Tender opener “Qué Es Estar Enamorado” tethers its balladic charms to metaphorically rich sentiments, while the femme-forward duet “En Carne Viva” benefits greatly from the robust presence of Scarlett Linares. From the light funk of “Otro Huevón” to the hip-hop-infused Álvaro Diaz team-up “Atlántico,” she never fails to entertain. Her breezy, free-spirited single “Me Lo Merezco” appears here in two versions, including an acoustic take that ramps up its gospel underpinnings to great effect.