Sebastián Yatra, Manuel Turizo, Beéle - VAGABUNDO

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🎵 Musical Style and Production

• It's a song with a modern merengue base, fused with elements of Latin pop and urban reggaeton. It's inspired by traditional rhythms, such as the style of Venezuelan-style bands and the song “Niña Bonita” by Chino & Nacho.
• Written by Sebastián Yatra with Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo, it was composed during a gym workout.
• According to HookTheory, it's in D major, with progressions and high harmonic tensions, which gives it freshness and dynamism despite its melancholic lyrics.

✍️ Lyrics and main theme

• The lyrics portray the emotional struggle after a breakup. The protagonist tries to distract himself with parties or superficial encounters to forget, but admits that nothing can fill the void of lost love:

“You can go out with anyone, na-na-na-na-na-na […] Getting a tattoo of the entire Bible isn't going to help you / To forget a love that won't end.”

• Acting like a “bum”—going out with everyone and pretending to be carefree—doesn't heal a broken heart:

“You left that void that no one will fill.”

• The song combines nostalgia, longing, and emotional authenticity, reflected in details like specific memories (“your pink mouth from drinking sangria”) that amplify the connection to the persistent pain.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Artistic Interaction

• The collaboration with Manuel Turizo and Beéle adds distinctive vocal layers and dynamics, enriching the musical narrative without losing Yatra's emotional signature.
• Beéle appears in the song as one of the representatives of the new Colombian tropical movement, adding youth and freshness to the song.

🎬 Music Video

• Directed by Joaquín Cambré and filmed in Miami, the video depicts a chaotic party on a yacht, with cameos from Daniela Botero, Valeria Sandoval, and TikToker El Mindo.
• It begins with a police investigation and then flashes back to show the festive events that led up to it, playing with the idea of superficial fun overwhelmed by emotional reality.

📈 Impact and Reception

• "Vagabundo" was very successful in 2023: it reached number one on charts like LOS40, earned multiple certifications in Spain (including non-Platinum), and was certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
• It also managed to enter the Top 10 of Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay in the United States, driven by a 36% increase in radio listenership.

🧠 Conclusion

“Vagabundo” stands out for its contrast between a festive rhythm and deeply introspective and heartbreaking lyrics. The emotional intensity—attempts to forget, self-belief, and suffering for a love that persists—contrasts with the energy of modern merengue, making this collaboration an anthem of contemporary heartbreak. It's a song about showing external strength while facing a broken heart that can't be replaced.