Juanes recording just one original English song — for now
Colombian rock star realizes his goal with forthcoming release of visual album
With the help of PooBear, Colombian rock star Juanes wrote his first song in
The song is part of his anticipated visual album,
to be released in the next few months.
“Four or five years ago I started recording in English, but honestly I find it very difficult,” Juanes said in a recent presentation of his new production in New York.
“I did a few experiments and they didn’t come out very well, until finally this time, after several years living here in this country and knowing the language better, I felt more comfortable doing it.”
Last May, Juanes posted on Instagram a black-and-white photo of him with PooBear seemingly working in Los Angeles. “Making magic,” he wrote. PooBear, the writer behind R&B hits like Usher’s and Chris Brown’s “is an incredible songwriter,” Juanes said.
“We sat there and talked about feelings and things and he would choose the right words.
“To me this is something very hard to do in English,” he said, “but I really had the desire to try.”
The result is a piece that fits in the album’s storyline about a time-traveller astronaut who lands in present time in search of an indigenous goddess who is the love of his life.
“Let’s say goodbye for now/And go our separate ways/It hurts down to my soul watching us go/ It will hurt more if we stay,” Juanes sings in his distinctive mix of Colombian rhythms.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t love you/ Doesn’t mean you lose my security/Doesn’t mean you can’t love me/Doesn’t mean we will never speak.”
Juanes has sung in English in concert — often something by Bob Marley — and at special events like the Eagles tribute and John Lennon’s 75th Birthday Concert He also sang in English with Tony Bennett in a duet of and included the words in his hit’s title and refrain. is his first original song recorded entirely in English. It’s the only English song in which also features his singles Fuego and Hermosa ingrata.