Corazón (feat. Nego do Borel)

"Corazón" explores a theme of post-heartbreak liberation with a playful and cavalier attitude. The song's protagonist has been cheated on and had his heart broken, but instead of expressing sadness or pain, he declares his freedom. The central message is one of moving on and embracing the single life. The lyric, "Tú me partiste el corazón... Pero mi amor no hay problema," which translates to "You broke my heart... But my love, there's no problem," encapsulates this defiant cheerfulness. He decides that since his heart is already in pieces, he can now give "un pedacito a cada nena" (a little piece to each girl). This isn't about deep emotional connection but rather about casual, no-strings-attached encounters. The song subverts the traditional heartbreak narrative, replacing sorrow with a celebratory and flirtatious tone. It's a declaration of independence and a refusal to be weighed down by a past betrayal, suggesting a modern, somewhat hedonistic approach to relationships and breakups.

The song narrates the story of a man whose heart has just been broken by his partner. However, instead of wallowing in sadness, he adopts a surprisingly nonchalant and liberated attitude. He opens by directly addressing the person who broke his heart, stating that while they did indeed shatter it, it's not a problem for him. His solution is to take the resulting pieces and distribute them freely, giving a little bit of his heart to every new girl he meets. This becomes the central theme: a playful and somewhat cynical approach to moving on, transforming a typically painful experience into an opportunity for casual, widespread flirtation.

He tells his ex not to bother coming back with excuses or stories, pointing out his unwavering loyalty to her from the beginning. He laments that he was never warned about her unfaithfulness, accusing her of being with other people. In response, he declares that it's his turn to change the rules of the game. His new 'system' involves going out with new women and sharing his heart without any sorrow or regret. He emphatically says goodbye, adding a "Muito obrigado" (Thank you very much in Portuguese), signaling that there's nothing left for her.

The chorus, reinforced by both Maluma and Nego do Borel, repeats this core idea. The bilingual nature of the song is highlighted here, with Nego do Borel singing in Portuguese, "Você partiu meu coração, mas meu amor, não tem problema, não, não," which translates to "You broke my heart, but my love, there's no problem, no, no." This reinforces the carefree dismissal of the past relationship. Nego do Borel adds a verse in Portuguese, stating that if he doesn't even bother to hold onto money, why would he hold onto a grudge? He points out that she was the first one to mess up, so their story is over. The pre-chorus chants further emphasize his lack of fear in saying goodbye and his intention to 'distribute' his heart. The song ends with a final, cheerful "Tchau, tchau" (Bye, bye), cementing the lighthearted and definitive end to the relationship.

"Corazón" was released on November 3, 2017, as the lead single from Maluma's third studio album, F.A.M.E. (2018). The song is a Spanish-language re-imagination of the popular 2017 Brazilian pop-funk track "Você Partiu Meu Coração" by Nego do Borel, which also featured Anitta and Wesley Safadão. Maluma fell in love with the original song during a trip to Brazil. He decided to create his own version, adding a Latin urban flavor while respecting the original's sound. In an interview, Maluma explained that after hearing the song at one of Anitta's concerts in Brazil, he immediately contacted Nego do Borel to propose a collaboration for a Spanish version. The production team included Maluma's longtime collaborators The Rude Boyz (Kevin Jiménez and Bryan Lezcano), alongside the producers of the original track, Umberto Tavares and Mãozinha, ensuring a fusion of styles. The song was written by a team that included Maluma (Juan Luis Londoño), the original writers Jefferson Junior and Umberto Tavarez, and others like Kevin Jiménez and Bryan Lezcano. The music video was shot in São Paulo, Brazil, directed by Jessy Terrero, and features a cameo by Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho Gaúcho.

The song is built on a very catchy and danceable reggaeton rhythm with a tempo of approximately 99-100 BPM. The rhythmic structure is straightforward and designed for mass appeal, typical of the urban pop genre. The lyrics follow a relatively simple verse-chorus structure. The rhyme scheme is not strictly formal but relies on assonance and consonant rhymes common in Spanish-language pop music to create a fluid, melodic feel. For example, in the lines, "Nunca me avisaron cuál era el problema / Te gusta estar rodando por camas ajena," the '-ema' and '-ena' endings create a satisfying, near-perfect rhyme. The pre-chorus uses repetition ("Uooh uooh uohh") to build anticipation for the highly memorable chorus. The interplay between the Spanish and Portuguese sections is smooth, as the rhythmic cadence of both languages is similar, allowing the transition to feel natural and maintain the song's overall groove.

"Corazón" is a prime example of musical and linguistic fusion. Musically, it blends the pop-funk rhythms of the original Brazilian song with Maluma's signature reggaeton and Latin urban sound. This is achieved through its production, which involved both the original Brazilian producers and Maluma's Colombian team, The Rude Boyz. The most prominent stylistic technique is the use of bilingual lyrics, seamlessly integrating Spanish and Portuguese. This not only reflects the collaboration between a Colombian and a Brazilian artist but also broadened the song's appeal across Latin America. Maluma delivers his verses in Spanish with his characteristic smooth, melodic flow, while Nego do Borel sings the chorus and a bridge in his native Portuguese, bringing a different vocal texture and energy. The vocal ad-libs like "Maluma, baby" and the call-and-response in the chorus ("¿O quê? O quê?" / "What? What?") are characteristic hooks of the reggaeton genre, making the song incredibly catchy. The tempo is upbeat and danceable, contrasting with the lyrical theme of heartbreak.

"Corazón" was a significant commercial success and further cemented Maluma's status as a global Latin music star. As a bilingual track, it successfully bridged the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking music markets in Latin America. The song performed exceptionally well on the charts, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and even entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number 87, marking Maluma's third entry on the chart. The music video, featuring soccer superstar Ronaldinho, became immensely popular, garnering over 1.5 billion views on YouTube as of early 2022. The song was certified 11x Platinum (Latin) by the RIAA in the United States. It was the lead single for Maluma's album F.A.M.E., which went on to win the Latin Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album in 2018. The song's success highlighted the growing trend of cross-cultural collaborations within Latin music and the global appeal of reggaeton and urban-pop fusions.

The central metaphor of the song is the 'broken heart' itself. Traditionally a symbol of immense pain and sadness, Maluma and Nego do Borel repurpose it into a symbol of liberation and abundance. Instead of being a source of sorrow, the shattered heart becomes a commodity to be distributed. The line "Ahora puedo regalar, un pedacito a cada nena" ("Now I can give a little piece to each girl") transforms the broken pieces from something negative into positive, shareable assets. This re-framing is the core of the song's playful and cavalier attitude towards a typically painful event. It metaphorically suggests that the end of one relationship has opened the door to countless new, casual ones, turning a loss into a perceived gain of freedom and opportunity.

The most significant recurring motif is the central lyrical hook: "Tú me partiste el corazón / Pero mi amor no hay problema, no, no / Ahora puedo regalar un pedacito a cada nena" ("You broke my heart / But my love, there's no problem, no, no / Now I can give a little piece to each girl"). This phrase is repeated multiple times, both by Maluma in Spanish and by Nego do Borel in Portuguese, making it the undeniable core of the song's identity and meaning. Its repetition drills the theme of carefree heartbreak into the listener's mind. Another recurring element is the interjection "Maluma, baby," a signature producer tag for the artist. The chant-like pre-chorus ("Uooh uooh uohh... No tengo miedo de decir adiós / Yo quiero repartir meu coração") also functions as a recurring musical and lyrical motif, reinforcing the theme of liberation and the desire to move on by sharing his 'heart'.