Carlos Santana has been making music for more than half a century, but some of the issues that surrounded him when he performed at Woodstock in 1969 remain as relevant as ever. Among them are racism and discrimination against immigrants, two realities at the heart of “Hermano,” his new collaboration with Natalia Lafourcade , co-written and produced by Edgar Barrera.

Released on October 29th, the song blends son jarocho, a traditional folk music style from the Mexican state of Veracruz, with Santana’s unmistakable guitar, offering a message of empathy and solidarity in the face of violence. It also marks another chapter in Santana’s creative partnership with Barrera, who heads into the 2026 Latin Grammys with 10 nominations , including one for Song of the Year for the Becky G/ Santana collab titled “Mi Gran Amor.”

The story behind “Hermano” began taking shape roughly two years ago, when Santana and Barrera started discussing the direction of the guitarist’s next album.…