Selena Gomez embraces Mexican roots with 1st all-Spanish album
By Alicia Civita
Miami, Mar 12 (efe-epa).- Selena Gomez had waited 10 years for the right moment to release her first album in Spanish, a language she says is an important symbol of the Hispanic blood that courses through her veins.
Even so, the 28-year-old American recording artist said in an interview with Efe that she’s glad it didn’t happen until 2021, a year in which she hopes immigrants will be treated in a “humane and dignified” manner in the United States under a new Democratic administration.
Titled “Revelacion” and released on Friday, the EP (extended play) features seven songs, including a pair of duets with Puerto Ricans Myke Towers and Rauw Alejandro and another with DJ Snake.
The Texas native launched the project in 2019 after meeting Puerto Rican music producer Tainy while recording “I Can’t Get Enough,” a single in which that pair also collaborated with J Balvin and Benny Blanco.
She made the move just months after guesting along with Cardi B and Ozuna on DJ Snake’s hit dance track “Taki Taki.”
“I was feeling very inspired and in my heart it was the right time to do it,” she told Efe. “I have such amazing fans in Latin America, and this was really a thank you to them for all of their love and support.”
“I’m a Latina through and through. I’m very proud of my background. I love having the last name Gomez and I never wanted to downplay that side of my heritage,” she said.
Although her latest release stands alone as her only album in Spanish, the recording artist stressed that it does not mark a radical departure from her earlier work and instead complements her previous album, “Rare,” which came out in 2020 and was her first in five years.
“I think ‘Revelacion’ is a nice companion to my last album. There is a through line lyrically about heartbreak, hope, the importance of self-love and the strength in being vulnerable. Lyrics are important to me. I want every word to matter. I think the EP blends a nice mixture of Tainy’s influence and the mood I bring to my music,” Gomez said.
The EP includes the tracks “De Una Vez,” “Baila Conmigo (with Rauw Alejandro) and “Selfish Love” (a bilingual pop song with DJ Snake), which were released in February and the first week of March. The other songs are “Buscando Amor”, “Vicio,” “Adios” and “Damelo To'” (featuring Myke Towers).
Gomez said she was very pleased with the inclusion of Rauw Alejandro on “Revelacion,” even though the decision was not hers.
“I knew (‘Baila Conmigo’) needed a male voice on it as well. I was introduced to him through the label. His voice is so soulful and the manner in which he blends R&B and reggaeton is beautiful. He’s only going to get bigger!” she added.
She also has nothing but words of praise for Tainy, who headed up the EP’s team of producers.
“He’s such a genius and so humble. And when you’re working with Tainy, you’re also working with a team of the most incredible writers and producers – because those are the people he surrounds himself with, ” Gomez said.
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