Jennifer Lopez and Rauw Alejandro have joined forces for a new single, “Cambia El Paso.” The fiery song marks Lopez’s first release of 2021, as well as her first collaboration with Alejandro.
The pop track was produced by Lopez’s frequent collaborator, Trevor Muzzy, with a slick beat and Reggaeton grooves. The single will be followed by a music video featuring the duo.
“Cambia El Paso” translates to “change the step,” which mirrors Lopez’s intended meaning for the upbeat tune. “The song is about change and not being afraid to take the step,” Lopez said on an episode of SiriusXM’s Pitbull’s Globalization show. “Like, just take the step, advance, do what you need to do. If something’s not feeling right, whatever it is in your life, like, just make that move and dance. Dance is life, and joy and happiness.”
She added that the lyrics referencing dance is about more than just choreographed movement. “I’m talking about something else,” Lopez said on the show. “All she wants to do is just dance, dance, dance, dance again. You gotta live. You gotta be yourself. You got to be happy. And that’s what the record’s about.”
Lopez is currently putting the finishing touches on her ninth full-length studio album, set to be her first Spanish language album since 2007. The singer dropped several singles last year, including her single “In the Morning” and two collaborations with Maluma, “Pa’ Ti” and “Lonely.”
In January, Lopez performed a medley of “This Land Is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful” during the inauguration ceremony for President Joe Biden. During the performance, Lopez declared “Justicia para todos!” — “Justice for all!” — and stated emphatically “Let’s get loud!” a nod to her hit single.
The singer also appeared at Global Citizen’s Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, a Covid-compliant event at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium in May. There Lopez led a singalong of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and delivered a rendition of her single “Ain’t Your Mama.”