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.
J Balvin's "Azul" is all about a wild, fleeting encounter at a boat party. He's completely captivated by a woman who lives for the moment. She likes to "salir y amanecer / Beber y enloquecerse" (go out until dawn / Drink and go crazy). The whole scene is set under a blazing sun, so hot that he jokes, "Yo que no traje bloqueador para tanto calor que quema" (And I didn't bring sunscreen for so much heat that burns).
He describes her in detail, from the tiny bathing suit that looks great on her to the way she gets a tan instantly. She's the life of the party, with a "trago en mano, bien borracha" (drink in hand, very drunk), and he's confident she's into him, even if she plays it cool. The vibe is pure summer fun, but there's a sense it won't last. He admits, "cuando el día termine / No sé si la vuelvo a ver" (when the day ends / I don't know if I'll see her again), making it a perfect snapshot of a temporary summer romance.
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.