Aguardiente is a compound word that literally translates to "fire water" (agua for water + ardiente for burning). It's a strong, anise-flavored liquor that's very popular in Colombia, J Balvin's home country.
In "Azul", this word instantly sets the scene for a high-energy party. Mentioning this specific drink adds an authentic cultural touch, giving you a taste of Latin American nightlife while you learn.
Colombian star J Balvin brings pure summer party energy in "Azul", telling the story of a wild, sun-drenched day on a boat with a woman who lives life on full blast. From the opening beat, he is captivated by her carefree lifestyle, singing "Le gusta salir y amanecer, beber y enloquecerse" ("She likes going out and staying up until sunrise, drinking and going crazy"). The song centers on her living an "extreme" life, mixing aguardiente (a traditional Colombian anise-flavored liquor) with rum, getting a tan under the scorching sun, and dancing without a care in the world.
Throughout the track, Balvin jokes about being completely unprepared for the heat she brings, admitting "Yo que no traje bloqueador para tanto calor que quema" ("Me, who didn't bring sunscreen for so much burning heat"). He sprinkles in fun pop culture nods, shouting out reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee with "A lo Yankee, estás dura" ("In Yankee style, you look amazing") and fellow Colombian star Maluma. He even mentions his longtime producer Sky in the line "Dos cachás y tosió cuando Sky se lo pasó" ("Two hits and she coughed when Sky passed it to her"). It is a bold, upbeat party anthem all about an unforgettable boat trip with someone who might vanish once the sun goes down.
J Balvin grew up in Medellín playing guitar in a teenage rock band with Nirvana and Metallica on repeat, and spent part of his teens in Oklahoma and New York picking up English. Born José Álvaro Osorio Balvín in 1985, he had been releasing music in Colombia for about a decade before anyone outside it paid attention.
"6 AM" with Farruko changed that in 2014, and "Ay Vamos" and "Ginza" followed: "Ginza" held number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart for 22 weeks, a record at the time. He kept singing in Spanish anyway, and "Mi Gente" reached number three on the Hot 100 once Beyoncé joined the remix, before "I Like It" with Cardi B and Bad Bunny went to number one in 2018. His albums run La Familia, Energía, Vibras, Colores (every track named after a color, and a Latin Grammy for best urban album), José and Rayo, plus Oasis, a joint record with Bad Bunny. In August 2019 he became the first Latino artist to headline Lollapalooza in Chicago.