"Desenfocao'"
Promotional single by Rauw Alejandro
from the album Vice Versa
LanguageSpanish
English title"Unfocused"
ReleasedAugust 10, 2021 (2021-08-10)
Genre
Length2:50
LabelSony
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Manu Lara
  • Tainy
Rauw Alejandro Promotional singles chronology
"Perreo Pesau'"
(2021)		 "Desenfocao'"
(2021)		 "Nubes"
(2021)
Music video
"Desenfocao'" on YouTube

"Desenfocao'" (transl. "Unfocused") is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro for his second studio album, Vice Versa (2021). The song was written by Manuel Lara, Rafa Pabón, Kenobi, Colla, Eric Duars, Alejandro, and Tainy, while the production was handled by Lara and Tainy. It was released to Latin American radio stations by Sony Music on August 10, 2021, as the first promotional single from the album. A Spanish language new wave, synth-pop, and funk song, it finds the singer very confused after a relationship breakup, so that he barely even knows where he is.

"Desenfocao'" received widely positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its fusion of genres. The song peaked at number six on Monitor Latino's Honduras pop chart. An accompanying music video, released simultaneously with the song, was filmed as a long take and directed by Alejandro and NINE-D. It depicts the backstage of a concert, where Alejandro parties and enjoys his night right before the show. To promote the song, he performed "Desenfocao'" and "Cúrame" in a special two-song set with Billboard and Honda Stage.

Background and release

Alejandro released his debut studio album, Afrodisíaco, on November 13, 2020.[1] Two weeks after finishing the work on Afrodisíaco, he started working on his second studio album, Vice Versa.[2] The latter was released for digital download and streaming by Sony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment on June 25, 2021, and "Desenfocao'" was included as the ninth track.[3] During an interview with Vice, when he was asked if "Desenfocao'" was chosen as the next single from the album, Alejandro responded:

I would like the public to listen to the album and decide what my next single will be. If they tell me: "Let's make a video of this one," we'll make a video of that one. They are the ones who choose, let them decide.[4]

On August 10, 2021, "Desenfocao'" was released to Latin American radio stations by Sony Music on August 10, 2021, as the first promotional single from the album.[5][6]

Music and lyrics

Musically, "Desenfocao'" is a Spanish language new wave, synth-pop, and funk song,[8][9][10] with elements of disco, pop, EDM, and deep house.[9][11][12] The song uses cowbell and runs for a total of 2 minutes and 50 seconds.[3][10] It was written by Manuel Lara, Rafa Pabón, Kenobi, Colla, Eric Duars, Alejandro, and Tainy, with its production being handled by Lara and Tainy.[13] Lyrically, "Desenfocao'" which translates to "Unfocused" in English,[14] finds the singer very confused after a relationship breakup, so that he barely even knows where he is.[15] The lyrics include, "No sé a adónde voy, nadie sabe nada / Creo que estoy desenfocao' / Jangueando to' los día' / ¿Que salió el sol? No sabía" (I don't know where I'm going, nobody knows anything / I think I'm unfocused / Hanging out every day / When did the sun come up? I didn't know).[6]

Reception

Upon release, "Desenfocao'" was met with widely positive reviews from music critics. Julyssa Lopez from Rolling Stone, ranked the track among Alejandro's 10 Essential Songs, labeling it "One of Vice Versa's most interesting peaks". She described the song as "blurry" and called Tainy's production "spacey", stating that it "brings out the song's lysergic wooziness and helps Rauw swerve into unexpected directions".[15] Writing for the same magazine, Lucas Villa highlighted the song as a "stunning standout" from the album and noted its fusion of genres.[10] Also in his review for The Fader, he called it "intoxicating".[16] Billboard critic T.M. Brown labeled it "a shimmering, stadium-ready track that shows off Alejandro's sonic and aesthetic range".[9] Another author of Billboard named it a "hit".[17] USA Today reviewer Pamela Avila described "Desenfocao'" and "La Old Skul" as "up-tempo songs perfect for the summer".[7]

Piet Levy from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned "Desenfocao'" as a "standout" for Vice Versa, comparing it to The Weeknd's After Hours era: "With its moody synth waves and creamy pulsing beats, the track is like the perfect marriage of the Weeknd's '80s-inspired 'After Hours' era with the more reserved and enigmatic sound from the start of his career."[18] Happy FM staff wrote that Alejandro has managed to leave his audience "speechless" with the release of the song, "that is leaving no one absolutely indifferent".[19] The song peaked at number six on Monitor Latino's Honduras pop chart in August 2021.[20] It later appeared on its respective year-end charts in 2021 and 2022.[21][22]

Promotion

Music video

A screenshot from the music video, depicting Alejandro partying in the backstage of his concert.

An accompanying music video was released simultaneously with the song. The visual was directed by Alejandro and NINE-D. It depicts the backstage of a concert, where Alejandro parties and enjoys his night right before the show. The video was filmed as a long take with a glowing "psychedelic" filter that is "a little dazed and unsteady", as it is suggested by the song's title. In the final scene, the singer appears on the stage and starts singing behind a microphone in front of thousands of attendees.[14][23]

Live performances

Alejandro gave a live performance of "Desenfocao'" and "Cúrame" in a special two-song set with Billboard and Honda Stage. For the former, he wore a "glossy all-white suit".[9] "Desenfocao'" was also included on the set list for Alejandro's the Vice Versa World Tour.[24]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]

  • Rauw Alejandro – associated performer, composer, lyricist
  • Manuel Lara – composer, lyricist, producer
  • Rafael E. Pabon Navedo "Rafa Pabón" – composer, lyricist
  • Jorge E. Pizarro "Kenobi" – composer, lyricist, recording engineer
  • José M. Collazo "Colla" – composer, lyricist, mastering engineer, mixing engineer
  • Eric Pérez Rovira "Eric Duars" – composer, lyricist
  • Marcos Masís "Tainy" – composer, lyricist, producer

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Desenfocao'"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Latin America August 10, 2021 Contemporary hit radio Sony Music [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Afrodisíaco by Rauw Alejandro". Apple Music (global). Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  2. ↑ Roiz, Jessica (June 25, 2021). "The Moment of Rauw Alejandro: 'Todo De Ti' Singer Goes Full-Experimental On 'Vice Versa' Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Vice Versa by Rauw Alejandro". Apple Music (global). Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  4. ↑ Salazar, Cynthia (May 15, 2022). "Rauw Alejandro es el nuevo príncipe del pop latino". Vice (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "'Desenfocao Rauw Alejandro - Sony Music" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  6. 1 2 López, Juanix (August 11, 2021). "Rauw Alejandro en 'Desenfocao', su nuevo vídeo". Qué! (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Avila, Pamela (June 25, 2021). "Meet rising Puerto Rican reggaeton star Rauw Alejandro: 'I'm my own competition'". USA Today. Retrieved December 4, 2022. The tracklist kicks up a notch with up-tempo songs perfect for the summer, from "Desenfocao'" to "La Old Skul".
  8. ↑ "Desenfocao' MP3 Song Download by Rauw Alejandro". Gaana. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Brown, T.M. (October 18, 2021). "Rauw Alejandro Dances Through the Dark With Two Performances on the Honda Stage". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 Villa, Lucas (June 29, 2021). "Rauw Alejandro Takes Reggaeton to Bold New Places on 'Vice Versa'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ Villalba, Luciana (December 14, 2021). "10 Crème De La Crème Latin Albums Released in 2021". mitú. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  12. ↑ Exposito, Suzy (November 17, 2021). "Disco, dembow and discarded bras: Backstage with Latin music's next global superstar". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "Desenfocao' / Rauw Alejandro". Tidal. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Lopez, Julyssa (August 10, 2021). "Rauw Alejandro Gets Trippy in 'Desenfocao' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Lopez, Julyssa (January 24, 2022). "Rauw Alejandro: 10 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "The 50 best albums of 2021". The Fader. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Watch Rauw Alejandro Perform "Desenfocao'" from the Honda Stage". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  18. ↑ Levy, Piet (June 25, 2021). "Rauw Alejandro proves he's reggaeton's next superstar at sold-out Eagles Ballroom show in Milwaukee". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  19. ↑ "'Desenfocao', de Rauw Alejandro: letra y vídeo" (in Spanish). Happy FM. August 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Top 20 General – Honduras – Del 16 al 22 de Agosto, 2021" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  21. 1 2 "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2021 – Honduras Pop" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  22. 1 2 "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2022 – Honduras Pop" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Rauw Alejandro pone imágenes a su single 'Desenfocao'". Billboard Argentina (in Spanish). August 13, 2021. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Rauw Alejandro se sube a las nubes con su 'Vice Versa Tour' en Fuengirola". Revista Lugar de Encuentro (in Spanish). June 11, 2022. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
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