Shakira and Maluma reunite for merengue single "Agua"
Shakira and Maluma have reunited on "Agua," a merengue-fuelled single released on Thursday, Sept. 17. The song is their first major duet since 2018's "Clandestino," Billboard reported. The release brings together two singers with a long history of joint hits.
The track is described as merengue-fuelled. Merengue is a fast-paced dance style from the Dominican Republic. In a pop single, that usually means an emphasis on percussion and a rhythm built for dancing. "Agua" puts that sound at the centre of this reunion.
The single arrived with an official music video. The video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis. Music videos are often released alongside singles to give the song a visual launch from day one.
The title was announced in advance. Maluma and Shakira revealed the collaboration "AGUA" on September 9, according to Hola. That put eight days between the announcement and the Sept. 17 release. The gap gave fans a short wait and a clear date for new music.
"Agua" is described as the fourth official collaboration between Shakira and Maluma, Complex reported. The three earlier official releases are "Chantaje," "Trap" and "Clandestino." The pair also both appear on the remix of Carlos Vives' "La Bicicleta." That extra appearance sits outside the count of four main duets.
Their past releases have charted on Billboard's US charts. "Chantaje" spent 11 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs, the chart that ranks Latin songs in the United States by sales, streams and radio play. That total means the song returned to the top across separate runs, rather than in one unbroken stretch. "Chantaje" also crossed over to the all-genre chart, reaching No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, the main US singles ranking.
"Clandestino" also charted. It reached No. 9 on Hot Latin Songs. It topped three separate Billboard airplay charts, which measure radio plays rather than sales or streams.
For listeners, the context is simple. The new song reconnects a partnership that last released a major duet eight years ago. It keeps the same two voices, but changes the rhythm underneath them.
