La Loba is back, with reggaeton’s favorite pretty boy…
[Video][Website]
[7.17]
Juana Giaimo: After the breezy and innocent “La Bicicleta”, Shakira decided to team up with Colombia’s latest reggaeton star to release her most sensual song in years. She acts with confidence, but Maluma isn’t outshined either. They form a very dynamic duo, moving cautiously while embracing each character: Shakira is a femme fatale, who has Maluma at her feet begging for attention that she isn’t willing to give. They each try to seduce the other with in-check verses and hypnotizing vocals, cleverly completing each other’s lines — the scenario changes when Maluma sings “I’m a masochist” and she answers “With my body, a selfish man”. But in this kind of maze, the straightforward and slightly more upbeat chorus provides a casual tone and makes “Chantaje” a potential song of the summer — at the least in the Southern hemisphere.
[9]
Gaya Sundaram: I’ve never come across any semi-cute boys that can hold a tune when I duck into the Indian grocer’s for a 2L tub of yoghurt — but then again, I’m not Shakira. Without a middle-eight to mix things up, it’s up to the percussion to provide variety and maintain a tension that prevents “Chantaje” from becoming completely flaccid. It’s a song that ultimately goes nowhere, but at least sounds good (not) doing it.
[6]
Iain Mew: It seems funny at first for Maluma to take the lead, but it makes sense once it emerges that most of the song is tease — distorted voices, Maluma, Shakira in atypical modes, all to further spread out the moments of Shakira in full force and make them the sweeter.
[7]
Will Adams: That warbly hook has been crawling its way through my brain all week. Between that and the instant chemistry between Shakira and Maluma, the rest of “Chantaje” can stand to be light on the production.
[7]
Ryo Miyauchi: While Maluma’s smooth talk once again aids the more muted approach that new reggaeton has taken lately, a call for restraint hasn’t exactly been what brings out the best from Shakira. This back and forth hangs at a stalemate, and someone’s got to raise the stakes here if either one is looking for the dance to get a little hotter.
[5]
Peter Ryan: Of course it was time for Shakira to do a hyper-glossy pop-reggaetón track, and the components here hit their marks — the production straddles muffled and crunchy, leaving plenty of room for the vocalists to circle each other; Maluma was always going to get trampled in this matchup, so he’s doubling-down, throwing himself at Shakira’s feet, only to be met with blissful aloofness. It’s a demonstration that Shakira is paying attention to what’s happening back home, and that her knack for twisting trends to suit her purposes is as strong as ever.
[9]