Shakira and Maluma have reunited after eight years with a new merengue song called “AGUA.” The track pairs the two Colombian stars trading vocals over tropical percussion, and it arrives as the pair’s first collaboration since 2018’s “Clandestino.”
Maluma began teasing the song on TikTok earlier this month, sharing snippets of its merengue-influenced sound without initially revealing his collaborator. He later confirmed Shakira’s involvement with a photo of the pair.
The Sound Of “AGUA”
“AGUA” marks the fourth official collaboration between Shakira and Maluma. The song embraces classical merengue rhythms, with the pair playing with the track’s central contrast between water and desire.
The percussion stays tropical throughout, and the vocals trade back and forth between the two artists. The result is a return to the genre’s roots rather than a reinvention of it.
Their Shared History
Shakira and Maluma first teamed up on the 2016 hit “Chantaje,” which spent 11 nonconsecutive weeks atop Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. They reunited for “Trap” on Shakira’s 2017 album El Dorado before releasing “Clandestino” the following year.
“AGUA” now stands as their first new material together since that 2018 release.
The Madrid Residency Context
“AGUA” arrives as Shakira prepares to begin the final stretch of her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.” A 12-show Madrid residency starts September 18th.
The song fits naturally into that run of shows. Fans who catch the Madrid shows may hear the track live alongside her existing set.
The Numbers Behind It
- “Chantaje”: 11 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs
- “Chantaje”: Reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100
- “Trap”: Appeared on Shakira’s 2017 album El Dorado
- “Clandestino”: Released in 2018, their last collaboration to date
- “AGUA”: Fourth official collaboration between the two artists
The Track’s Hook
The track’s focus on water and desire gives it a clear emotional center. That contrast between the two is a strong hook, and it sets “AGUA” apart from the pair’s previous collaborations.
For Shakira, the reunion offers a fresh entry point for listeners who grew up on her prior hits. For Maluma, the pairing gives him a high-profile feature spot with one of Latin music’s biggest names.
The reunion is a reminder of why these two work together. Their chemistry on record has been documented across their past work, and “AGUA” shows that it still holds up.
“AGUA” is available to stream now.
See the video the story is built around at Consequence.
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