More about: Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez made her visions of unconditional self-love a reality on her 2020 album Rare. One year on, and the 28-year-old is now exploring her Mexican heritage by releasing an EP entirely in Spanish - a first for the singer since she previously dipped her toe into DJ Snake, Ozuna and Cardi B’s Latin track ‘Taki Taki’ in 2018. 

Her latest studio release calls out to broken hearts everywhere to escape all of the isolation they’ve experienced over the past year, let their hair down and just dance (two metres away from anyone else, of course).

The EP opens with ‘De Una Vez’, Selena’s previously released first single. Despite being a slow burner, the opening track is perfectly placed to outline her new-found serenity right from the get-go, with the lyrics of the chorus translating into “I’m stronger alone, I don’t regret the past.” The laid-back beat and the atmospheric calm in her vocals serve as a catalyst for the singer coming to terms with the difficulties she has faced in recent years.

But from then on, the EP soon loses direction, thanks to long-awaited return of the twinkling disco ball in Selena’s eyeline. Tracks like ‘Buscando Amor’, ‘Dámelo To’ (ft. Myke Towers) and ‘Adiós’ all suffer from the same one-size-fits-all, largely uninspired Latin dance beat which dominated the charts back in 2018 and 2019 with tracks like Luis Fonsi and Justin Biebers’ ‘Despacito’ and Cardi B’s ‘I Like It’ - only Selena’s additions arrive three years too late to the party. Her Latin club classic-wannabees will no doubt ever get to see the strobe lights or the sweaty, sticky dancefloor of a club (depending on how much longer the pandemic goes on for, that is).

‘Baila Conmigo’, which features Puerto-Rican rapper Rauw Alejandro and is produced by Bad Bunny, provides some much needed respite to the almost non-stop partying Selena hauls us through. The track begins with a fingerpicked bass guitar riff so funky, it could have easily landed on a Charlie Puth record, while Selena’s soft, wavering vocals dance around Rauw’s silky tone in pure ecstasy.  

By the end of the EP, Selena exudes a quiet confidence in ‘Selfish Love’, her half-Spanish, half-English collaboration with DJ Snake. Playful lyrics like “I like making you jealous” paired with an insatiably sexy beat proves that the singer is finally secure in the knowledge that the best love someone could give to her is her own - but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have a little excitement for the night. 

Revelación may not be the world-shaking revelation Selena Gomez hoped for, but it is fun. And quite frankly, we could all use a bit of that.

Revelación is out now.

More about: Selena Gomez