Yes, Selena Gomez Sings in Spanish for ‘Revelación’
Selena Gomez is one of the biggest stars today, conquering the film, TV, music, and makeup industries. It’s undeniable that Gomez is talented, but did you know that the star can also sing in Spanish?
Selena Gomez wanted to release ‘Revelación’ for years
Her 2021 EP, Revelación, is the star’s first full-length Spanish project. However, she has recorded Spanish songs before, like Spanish versions of her songs “Who Says” and “A Year Without Rain.”
Gomex also released a remixed cover of her namesake Selena Quintanilla’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” where she also sang in Spanish. More recently, she has collaborated with other Latin artists, like Cardi B, Ozuna, and Puerto Rican producer Tainy.
Gomez grew up speaking Spanish, but her ability to speak the language faded as she got older and did not speak it as often as she once had.
Revelación was a project that the singer had wanted to release for years, but her busy schedule of filming movies and touring her albums meant that she could not dedicate the time she wanted to the EP.
“This has been something I’ve wanted to do for 10 years, working on a Spanish project, because I’m so, so proud of my heritage, and just genuinely felt like I wanted this to happen,” Gomez said in an interview with Zane Lowe. “Just with all the division in the world, there’s something about Latin music that globally just makes people feel things, you know?”
How Selena Gomez prepared to record ‘Revelación’
When the world slowed down in 2020 after the pandemic lockdowns, Gomez finally had time to focus on the Spanish EP. Since the star is not fluent, Gomez decided to enlist the help of a translator and a vocal coach while creating the songs for Revelación.
One of the things she wanted to work on was the vocabulary she would use in the songs. Gomez did not want to use pitch-perfect Spanish; instead, she focused on learning Spanish slang and colloquial phrases.
Her hard work on Revelación paid off. The EP debuted at 22 on the Billboard 200, selling 23,000 units in the first week of its release. This debut was the biggest sales week for a Latin music album by a woman since Shakira’s 2017 album Dorado.
The music video for the EP’s lead single, “De Una Vez,” was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards. Revelación was also nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
Selena Gomez’s had a personal connection to the project
The music on the EP was deeply personal for Gomez. In addition to being a way to honor her heritage, the singer also saw it as a way to connect with other Latin Americans. Her paternal grandparents were undocumented Mexican immigrants, and Gomez said the family lived in fear of their deportation for years.
With Revelación, Gomez wanted to connect with fans who have experienced the same things. She told the Los Angeles Times that she thought, “Maybe embracing that part of me can be a source of healing for somebody else.”
Gomez is a huge star today, appearing in star-studded projects and releasing successful albums. Revelación has shown the world that, no matter the language, Gomez can deliver a hit song.
