El Dorado by Shakira
El Dorado (English: The Golden, Spanish: ) is the eleventh studio album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, released on 26 May 2017, by Sony Music Latin. The album is mainly sung in Spanish, with three songs in English. After her self-titled tenth studio album (2014), Shakira had her second child, suffered from writer's block and was uncertain about the future of her career. However, her collaboration on "La Bicicleta" with Carlos Vives, encouraged Shakira to continue to work on music. Inspired by her personal life and experiences, El Dorado primarily features songs about the singer's relationship with Piqué. Shakira enlisted longtime collaborator Luis Fernando Ochoa, as well as new producers Supa Dups, Rude Boyz, and The Arcade. The album is primarily a mixture of Latin pop and reggaeton, alongside influences from bachata, vallenato, cumbia, salsa, hip-hop, R&B, trap, and electropop, amongst others. The album features six vocal collaborations: two with Colombian singer Maluma, and one each with Nicky Jam, Vives, Prince Royce, Black M, and Magic!. Music critics commended the album's coherency, and its fun yet mature nature. Other critics, however, felt El Dorado lacked creativity and relied too heavily on previously released collaborations. The album debuted in the top ten of album charts in Argentina, Austria, France, Spain, and Switzerland. It also peaked at number one on the US Top Latin Albums and number fifteen on the Billboard 200 chart. "Chantaje" was the album's first single. It became a global success, topping Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for eleven non-consecutive weeks and becoming certified sixteen times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The second and third singles, "Me Enamoré" and "Perro Fiel", both achieved commercial success as well. In early 2018, "Trap" was released as the album's fourth single. The album has singles that received Diamond certifications in United States (Latin), Brazil, Argentina, France, and Mexico. While the album was accompanied by minimal promotion, a concert tour to support it was confirmed. In 2018, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album, making it Shakira's third Grammy win. To promote the album, Shakira embarked on her El Dorado World Tour. Initially would start in November 2017, but due to a vocal chord hemorrhage she suffered, she postponed the tour, starting in June 2018.
After releasing a boldly assertive self-titled album in 2014 and retreating from the spotlight, Shakira returns with commanding confidence on <i>El Dorado</i>. Sung mostly in Spanish, the trap- and reggaeton-inflected album features the vocalist alongside superstar guests Nicky Jam, Black M, Carlos Vives and Prince Royce. The catchiest track is the buoyant, bi-lingual “Comme moi”, but <i>El Dorado</i>’s most captivating moments harness the electric chemistry between Shakira and Colombian heartthrob Maluma: the up-tempo seduction of “Chantaje” and the irresistible ballad “Trap”.
