La Canción

Album: Oasis (2019)
Charted: 27
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "La Canción" is a nostalgic reggaeton ballad where J Balvin and Bad Bunny revisit an old relationship after a certain song at the club brings all the memories - and unresolved feelings - flooding back.
  • The lyric is narrated from the perspective of someone who thought they had moved on ("Pensaba que te había olvidao"), only to realize they're still emotionally hooked when "la canción" ("the song") they used to sing and dance to while drunk comes on.
  • "La Canción" appears on J Balvin and Bad Bunny's joint album Oasis, released as a surprise collaborative project that blended Colombian and Puerto Rican urbano styles. "La Canción" was issued as a single on August 2, 2019.
  • The video, directed by Colin Tilley, centers on a woman (played by Paola Nunez) moving through a club while memories of her relationship haunt the space, with J Balvin and Bad Bunny performing amid a dim, smoke-filled environment that mirrors the song's intoxicated recollections.
  • "La Canción" originally peaked at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2019. Internationally, it reached #1 in Mexico and earned certifications in several territories.
  • Both artists incorporated Oasis material into their 2019–2020 live sets, and "La Canción" became a fan-favorite ballad in Bad Bunny's arena shows, often sung back loudly by crowds who knew the hook by heart. The track's slow arrangement also made it a staple in online fan covers and reaction videos, with many listeners calling out how relatable the "I thought I forgot you until they played our song" storyline feels.
  • In a sign that the melody had fully infiltrated the mainstream, a Kidz Bop version was dropped in 2020 - a slightly surreal development given that the original lyric is steeped in adult heartbreak and late-night regret. Still, it proved the concept was universal: everyone has a song they shouldn't hear in public.
  • In February 2026, "La Canción" returned to the Hot 100 following a streaming surge sparked by Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show and the inevitable post-game glow.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.