Global music icon Carlos Vives continues to build excitement around his anticipated new album release, Cumbiana II, on May 13, he’s teamed up with legendary Argentine artist Fito Páez on new track “Babel,” with this song, Vives pays tribute to a genre that’s influenced his career and also delivers a message surrounding social issues today.
The song was written by Vives and Páez, who produced the track with Kogiman (Andrés Leal and Martín Velilla) and Diego Olivero. “Babel” discusses the negative effects that stubbornness and pride can have on humans. The song alludes to a train that makes different stops, with people getting off, continuing on their own individual path.
Directed by Sergio RodrÍguez and Carlos Andrés Valencia from Mestiza Films and filmed between Bogotá and Santa Marta (close to ‘La Ciénaga’), the music video follows a dystopian world that is going through a war. The visuals follow a little girl as she notices what is happening around her and decides to take action to create a better future for everyone. Following the lyrics of the song, the main character inspires her parents and the public to get on a train and be a part of the change. Throughout the video, sounds from instruments used in classic Rock can be heard such as the electric guitar and the bass guitar. Other instruments such as the typical gaita from Mayte Montero, the flauta de millo, among others were used by Vives showcase the different sound that will encompass Cumbiana II.
“Babel” was released on the heels of Vives’ track “Solo,” where he projects the diversity and contradiction of the human being: the song is sad because of the story it tells but happy, at the same time, because of the rhythm and the sounds that it includes. Prior to this, Vives collaborated with fellow Colombian Camilo to release “Baloncito Viejo”, which continues to hold at #1 in Colombia for the sixth consecutive week and top charts throughout Latin America. Also part of Cumbiana II, this single has over 10 million YouTube views and over 20 million cumulative streams.