Ensaya comes from the verb ensayar, which means "to rehearse" or "to practice". It's a word you might associate more with a play or a band than a romantic encounter, which makes its use here so unique.
In the song, Manuel Turizo sings, "Pero un beso robado no se ensaya" (But a stolen kiss isn't rehearsed). This beautiful, poetic line captures the spontaneity and passion of an unplanned moment, suggesting that some of the best romantic moments can't be practiced.
Imagine you're at a party and the vibe is perfect. That's the scene Manuel Turizo sets in "Antes Que Te Vayas." He's only there because he saw someone special, telling them, "Eres el motivo por el cual esta noche quise salir" (You're the reason I wanted to go out tonight). He's completely focused on this person and feels like time is running out before they leave.
This song is all about seizing the moment. Before the night ends, he has a plan: he wants to "bailar contigo hasta la última canción" (dance with you until the last song) and "robarte un beso y después pedir perdón" (steal a kiss from you and then ask for forgiveness). He's very clear that this is just for one night. He doesn't even know their name, but he's sure the feeling is mutual. He promises that after this night, their time together will just be a fun memory, a "TBT" (Throwback Thursday).
Manuel Turizo was studying to be a veterinarian in MonterĂa, on Colombia's Caribbean coast, when a song he and his older brother Julián put out themselves in 2016 took over Latin radio. "Una Lady Como TĂş" sets Julián's ukulele against Manuel's low baritone, and its video has since passed two billion views on YouTube. He was sixteen then, born in MonterĂa in April 2000 into a family of musicians.
His debut album ADN (2019) reached number eight on Billboard's Top Latin Albums with Ozuna, Nicky Jam, Anuel AA and Sech along for the ride, and "Sola" gave him his first Latin Airplay number one. Dopamina followed in 2021, then 2000 in 2023, the album built around "La Bachata": number six on the Billboard Global 200, number one in Spain, and fifteen weeks atop the Argentina Hot 100. He has recorded with Marshmello ("El Merengue") and Shakira ("Copa VacĂa"), and his fifth album Apambichao, released in April 2026, goes back to Colombian merengue and vallenato with Maluma on the title track.