Candela literally means "candle flame", but it's often used as slang for intense fire, heat, and passion. It's a word that perfectly captures the vibrant energy of Latin music and dance.
In the song, Alvaro Soler sings "ella prendió candela" (she lit the fire), describing the electrifying passion she brought into his life. It's a powerful, fiery word that embodies the spirit of the entire song.
Candela brings together Spanish pop star Alvaro Soler and German-Spanish singer Nico Santos for a bright, bilingual track all about the spark of a life-changing romance. The story kicks off in a vivid setting "donde se vive entre colores" ("where you live among colors"), where Alvaro spots someone passing on a street corner "llena de luz y de canciones" ("full of light and songs"). From the moment she takes his hand and promises never to let go, everything shifts. The chorus centers on the word candela, which literally means "candle" or "fire," but in Spanish music and dance, dancing "como candela" means moving with intense rhythm, heat, and unstoppable energy.
Nico Santos steps in with the English verse to dial up the romantic commitment, singing that there are "no smoke, no mirrors"—an idiom meaning zero deception or tricks. He is so clear about his feelings that he even jokes about needing "wedding rings." He promises to fan her fire and follow her anywhere, turning love into pure, shared momentum. By the time they both chant "ella prendió candela" ("she lit the fire"), the track makes it clear: one bright smile flipped their whole world upside down.
Álvaro Soler was ten when his family moved to Tokyo, and seventeen when he came back to Catalonia with piano lessons and most of a second childhood behind him. He was born in Sant Cugat del Vallès in 1991, formed the band Urban Lights in 2010 with his brother and a few friends, reached the final eight of the talent show ¡Tú sí que vales! with them in 2013, and left in 2014 to work on his own.
The song that broke him was "El mismo sol" in 2015, a number one in Italy and Switzerland that was re-recorded as a bilingual version with Jennifer Lopez. "Sofia" did it again a year later, topping the charts in Italy, Poland, Belgium and Switzerland and going platinum several times over in Italy. His albums are Eterno agosto (2015), Mar de colores (2018), which carried "La cintura", Magia (2021) and El Camino (2025). He records in Spanish, English, Italian and German, wrote "Yo contigo, tú conmigo" with Morat for Despicable Me 3, and has coached on the German edition of The Voice Kids.