Ouch, love aches! In Duele ("It Hurts"), Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade invites us into the raw moment when a breakup is still fresh enough to sting but already distant enough to spark reflection. She paints a picture of wandering streets without her partner, feeling every step as a reminder of absence, while also sensing that the other person is out there searching for happiness that still proves elusive. The song sways between longing and acceptance: Natalia mourns the change in their connection, yet she also wonders if time might allow them to meet again and rediscover each other “bajo la piel” — beneath the skin where true intimacy lives.
What makes the track so captivating is its bittersweet gratitude. Even while she repeats “Ay, duele el amor” — Oh, love hurts — she thanks her former lover for lifting her spirit, quenching her thirst for affection, and teaching her to feel deeply. In the end, the narrator lets go with tenderness: “Tú me quisiste y yo te quise… yo te dejo ir.” This graceful goodbye turns the heartbreak into a moment of growth, reminding us that real love can leave both a bruise and a blessing inside the heart that now beats a little wilder, a little wiser, and maybe even a little freer.