"Chantaje" (; English: "Blackmail") is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring fellow Colombian singer-songwriter and rapper Maluma. It was released on October 28, 2016, via Sony Music Latin as the lead single from Shakira's eleventh studio album, El Dorado (2017). The song was written by Shakira and Maluma and produced by the two and The Rudeboyz, with musical composition done by the former three and Kenai. The song is Maluma and Shakira's second collaboration, after the two were featured on a remix of Carlos Vives' single "La Bicicleta".
"Chantaje" is a pop and reggaeton song. Lyrically, the song was considered a "battle of the sexes", where the male protagonist is not sure where he stands with his lover, and the female protagonist does not exactly clear things up. The music video for "Chantaje" was filmed in Barcelona, Spain, with video director Jaume de Laiguana, Shakira's long-time collaborator. Commercially, the song topped the Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Spain, Uruguay, and US Billboard Latin Songs charts, while also reaching the top five in nine additional countries. It became the most successful Latin single of the decade by a female artist in the United States. The track is also certified Platinum or higher in ten countries, including Diamond in Argentina, Brazil (three times), France, Mexico and United States (Latin). The song was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Urban Fusion Performance at the 18th Latin Grammy Awards.
Background and release
Puerto Rican composer and recording artist Kenai had the word "Chantaje" in his mind months before the idea of a collaboration with Shakira and Maluma emerged. He stated in an interview that the idea of the song was intended to be his own single. While working on music demos in Colombia with The Rudeboyz, he received a call from the production duo to work on a collaborative single between Shakira and Maluma that was intended to be presented to the artists the next day. They were supposed to offer three different demos to Shakira and Maluma, but ended up working on just one feeling confident enough about its potential. The three worked together on the demo one night in Colombia. The Rudeboyz traveled without Kenai the next day to Barcelona, Spain to meet with Shakira and Maluma to keep working on the song together.
Before collaborating with Shakira in "Chantaje", Maluma served guest vocals for the official remix of Carlos Vives and Shakira's 2016 song "La Bicicleta". Later, Maluma travelled to Barcelona in early September 2016 to work with Shakira, along with his production team. He confessed to Billboard that "he couldn't miss the opportunity to work with [her] again." The pairing was possible due to Sony Music Latin, who proposed the idea for both artists working together again after the remix of "La Bicicleta". Maluma also commented about Shakira, stating: "It was an amazing experience. [...] She's a great artist, but she's also a composer. I learned a lot."
Before releasing the song, Shakira shared clues on her Instagram account on 25 October 2016, and if someone solved the mystery, they would get a personal message from the singer confirming the correct answer. The first photo had Shakira "wearing a magician's hat and holding a rabbit," which meant "Magic", name of both Shakira's and Maluma's first albums; the second photo had a drawing of a crown in a white board, meaning Maluma's crown tattoo; and the third photo was Shakira holding a poster with a photo of Alejandro Sanz (which stands for his nickname "Chan") + TA + G, which was the title of the track: "Chantaje". Later, the singer shared the artwork of the single, featuring both artists. Eventually, the song was released on 28 October 2016 through digital download by Ace Entertainment.
Composition
"Chantaje" was written by Shakira, Maluma, Kenai and production duo The Rudeboyz. It was also produced by Shakira and Maluma with The Rudeboyz. "Chantaje" is a pop and reggaeton song, with tropical synths in its background. The song is built from a "pitched-up vocal" saying "Hola, mira" ("Hello, look"). Lyrically, the song is a chase "between a lustful man and an unattainable woman," where "he’s not sure where he stands with her, and she's not exactly clearing things up." "Yo soy masoquista" ("I'm a masochist"), he says, and she responds, "Con mi cuerpo, un egoísta" ("With my body, an egoistic"), adding: [...] "En esta relación, soy yo la que manda" ("In this relationship, I’m in command"). In the chorus, she warns him: "No soy de ti ni de nadie" ("I'm not yours or anyone else's").