Pablo Alborán is turning over a new leaf in his music career — or, rather, a clover. After a decade of releasing love songs, the Spanish singer/songwriter explores new sounds from regional Mexican music to Latin urban on his new album, La Cuarta Hoja. Translating loosely to "four-leaf clover," the title highlights the positivity, joy and newfound freedom behind Alborán's latest LP.

"This is an album that I had the most fun making," Alborán — a 24-time Latin GRAMMY nominee and three-time GRAMMY nominee — tells GRAMMY.com. "I feel like it won't only be the soundtrack for people's romantic moments, but their moments of celebration as well."

As he hints, Alborán turns up the tempo on La Cuarta Hoja — starting with the funky "Carretera y Manta," on which he blends dance beats with symphonic strings. He plays with several new genres across the 11 tracks, with half of those accompanied by his fellow Latin stars.

In the feel-good "Amigos," Alborán seamlessly blends a flamenco kick with the reggaeton flow of Argentine singer María Becerra; flamenco also collides with regional Mexican music in the kiss-off track "Viaje A Ningún Lado" featuring Carin León. Later, he embraces an alternative edge with Spanish artist Leo Rizzi in the rock-infused "4U."

But throughout his exploration, Alborán doesn't forget his roots. Since his debut in 2010 with the soulful "Solamente Tú," he has solidified his legacy in Latin music with his beloved love songs — and he continues that on La Cuarta Hoja, with heartfelt tracks like the cinematic "Castillos De Arena" and the empowering "Voraces."

Whether Alborán is trying something new or doing what he does best, La Cuarta Hoja makes it clear that he is happier than ever. His previous album, 2020's Vértigo, showed a more vulnerable side after the singer came out as gay, and now, he's simply having fun. "I didn't have any shame in daring to do what I wanted to do," he adds.

Before La Cuarta Hoja arrived, Alborán spoke with GRAMMY.com about the new direction of his latest album, his timeless love songs, and what to expect next.

What felt different about making La Cuarta Hoja than your last album, 2020's Vértigo?

My last album I made during the pandemic, working from a distance, far away from the producers. There was a strange feeling of making music when the world was in a bad moment. The difference is what's happening now at this moment. What's happening around you is very important when you're making an album.

[La Cuarta Hoja] is an album where I wanted to try new things. I didn't have a filter or obstacle in working with who I wanted to work with, in the collaborations I wanted to do. I had freedom with this album. I didn't have any shame in daring to do what I wanted to do.

La Cuarta Hoja feels lighter and more upbeat with songs like "Carretera y Manta" and "Voraces." How were you feeling when you were putting this album together?

It's an album that was written after the pandemic at the same time that I started touring again around the world. It was a theater tour where I was closer to my fans. That gave me the drive to write again. It motivated me. All the songs are from a happier place — from a more stable place, we'll say. It's an album that constantly celebrates love, friendship, life, to be alive, and to enjoy what we have.

You experimented with several new sounds and genres on this album, including regional Mexican music on "Viaje A Ningún Lado." How did you feel about trying out that genre, and what was it like working with Carin León?

It was a dream. For a long time, I wanted to work with Carin. I've been passionate about regional Mexican music for a long time. I always wanted to do something with the genre. When I wrote that song, I thought that style, rhythm, and instruments in regional Mexican fit perfectly with it.

I called Carin and asked him if he would like to produce the song with me. He was very generous and easy to work with. I admire Carin so much and I love Mexico. To be able to give this song to Mexico that was made with so much love is special to me.

You're also exploring the Latin urban genre for the first time with the song "Amigos," with Maria Becerra. How was your experience with her?

She's so much fun! It was marvelous. It was 15 hours of filming the music video and it was a very beautiful experience. We were in a historic barrio in Buenos Aires. We had a great time working together. It was very casual. I got to know Argentina and I took advantage of the fact that we were in Argentina filming the music video.

María was in Argentina as well, so it was like all the stars aligned. She's very hard-working. She's very spontaneous. I love how she sings and the way she moves.

Leo Rizzo was another collaborator on this album on "4U" — what was it like venturing into alternative?

It was a very great experience! I learned a lot. I learned a lot from the collaborations in general. Above all, I had a lot of fun. This is an album that I had the most fun making. I feel like it won't only be the soundtrack for people's romantic moments, but their moments of celebration as well.

"4U" is a song where we went to the studio together. We wrote music only to a beat and an acoustic guitar. When you go into a studio and the song surprises you, and the collaboration has spontaneous results that no one expected, and it comes out different than how you planned, I love that. It's a song that will have everyone dancing.

Where did the idea come from to create these interesting fusions on your album?

They came from me. I'm a little bit crazy. [Laughs] I like to try new things. I like to mix flamenco with Latin urban sounds. I like to mix ethnic music with flamenco and ethnic music with pop music. I like to feel what I'm doing and make sure it's something I can identify with. I want the music to be genuine.

The collaborations helped a lot with that, because you always find a bit of yourself in other artists no matter how different they are. When you find those collaborations that you're bringing together, you learn more about yourself and you have so much fun. Just having fun and learning something from the other artist is what every artist is looking for when they create collaborations.

You have written many love songs in your career, including "Castillos De Arena" on this album. Where does the inspiration come from when you're writing those songs?

They come from things that happened to me and people who are close to me, or from movies, or books. They're situations that happen every day. Everything that I write about is what any person can identify with and relate to. I write about things that really happen every day in life. It's not anything that can't be lived by another person.

How do you feel to have some of the most beloved love songs in Latin music?

I'm very thankful and happy. I'm very happy because it's beautiful. I performed in Los Angeles [recently], and to see that the people were singing the songs with me, to see people singing songs that are important to them as much as they are important to me, it's very beautiful.

It's very special that people have these songs as the soundtracks of their lives. It's amazing. It's something that I value so much and that I'm grateful for. It's a dream.

It's been two years since you came out as gay. How do you feel to have inspired your fans in the LGBTQIA+ community to embrace who they are?

I feel very good and I'm very happy — with the hope that the world can continue to become a better place for everyone. Long live love in all its forms.

It's been 12 years since you released your debut single "Solamente Tú." What have you learned about yourself in those 12 years?

I've learned to be more patient. To try to enjoy everything because time goes by so fast. I'm trying to enjoy every moment. To enjoy the present.

I also want to value all the effort that my team and I have put into this, and to enjoy things as they happen. Sometimes you can be constantly thinking about the future — the next song, the next goal — and you don't get to enjoy what you have achieved. Life goes by fast. That's what I'm still trying to learn. Every day it's an exercise for me.

What do you want to accomplish next in your career?

I would like to keep working. To keep making music with the rest of the world. I would love to do something in English. I would love to do something in French. I would love to keep making collaborations that inspire me. I would love to act in movies. I would love to make music for the movies. I would love to keep having concerts in places that I've never been to before.

One of my dreams is to be able to win a GRAMMY. I have never won. To be nominated each time, I'm always grateful to the Recording Academy. I always have love for both the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy. To see that they always have my music in consideration after 12 years is beautiful.

There's still so much I want to do. Above all, I don't want to stop enjoying what I'm doing.

What can we expect from you next?

In the coming year, I'm going to tour again in Spain, Latin America, and the U.S. We're preparing for that tour. We're not going to stop. The idea is not to stop — and take this album to every corner of the world.

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