De Carolina

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"De Carolina"
Single by Rauw Alejandro and DJ Playero
from the album Saturno
LanguageSpanish
ReleasedDecember 8, 2022 (2022-12-08)
Genre
Length3:01
Label
Songwriter(s)Rauw Alejandro
Producer(s)
  • Caleb Calloway
  • Kenobi
  • Raúl Ocasio "El Zorro"
  • DJ Playero
Rauw Alejandro singles chronology
"Lejos del Cielo"
(2022) 		"De Carolina"
(2022) 		"Panties y Brasieres"
(2023)
Music video
"De Carolina" on YouTube

"De Carolina" (transl. "From Carolina") is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro and Puerto Rican producer DJ Playero for Alejandro's third studio album, Saturno (2022). It was written by Alejandro, while the production was handled by Caleb Calloway, Kenobi, Alejandro, and DJ Playero. The song was released by Sony Music on December 8, 2022, as the fourth single from the album. A homage to Alejandro's hometown, Carolina, Puerto Rico, where reggaeton thrived in the 1990s, the track merges the singer's modern reggaeton vision with Playero's classic style, incorporating rave-ready beats and a sped-up sample of "La Gente Sabe" to pay tribute to the city and the Puerto Rican duo Maicol & Manuel.

"De Carolina" received highly positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its lyrics and fusion of genres. It was awarded Best New Track by Pitchfork. The song reached number one in Central America, and peaked within the top 10 in Honduras, and on Billboard's Latin Digital Song Sales in the United States. It was certified gold in Spain. An accompanying music video, released simultaneously with the song, was directed by Martin Seipel. It depicts Alejandro celebrating his roots with a dynamic tour of his childhood streets, showcasing the local culture and daily life. The song was included on the set list for Alejandro's the Saturno World Tour.

Background and release

Rauw Alejandro released his second studio album, Vice Versa on June 25, 2021.[1] The album debuted at number one on Billboard Top Latin Albums, giving Alejandro his first number one on the chart,[2] and was ranked as the third-best album of 2021 and the best Spanish-language album of the year by Rolling Stone.[3][4] In September 2022, he announced that he was going to release his third album in November and it would be titled Saturno.[5] On November 10, 2022, he revealed the album's track list, mentioning it being set for release the following day.[6] The album was released for digital download and streaming by Sony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment on the specified date, and "De Carolina" was included as the 17th track on the album.[7] On December 8, 2022, the track was released as the fourth single from the album.[8]

Music and lyrics

"De Carolina", which translates to "From Carolina" in English, is a heartfelt homage to Alejandro's hometown, Carolina, Puerto Rico, where reggaeton thrived in the 1990s. He merges his modern reggaeton vision with Playero's classic style, incorporating rave-ready beats and a sped-up sample of "La Gente Sabe" to pay tribute to the city and the Puerto Rican duo Maicol & Manuel. The track is a fusion of old and new, with Playero's signature dembow beats enhanced by Alejandro's contemporary electronic flair, including bubbling synths, a pulsating bassline, and static blasts.[9][10][11] The song was written by Alejandro, while the production was handled by Caleb Calloway, Kenobi, Alejandro, and DJ Playero.[12] It runs for a total of three minutes and one second.[7] The lyrics include, "Somos de Carolina y venimos virao" ("We are from Carolina, and we are coming to party").[10]

Critical reception

Upon release, "De Carolina" was met with widely positive reviews from music critics. Named Best New Track by Pitchfork, reviewer Lucas Villa described it as "a swaggering celebration of reggaeton's roots" that also "cements Alejandro's own legacy in the evolving sound of Puerto Rico".[10] Writing for Remezcla, Villa called it "the most meaningful" song on Saturno, praising the track's fusion of Alejandro's "futuristic vision of reggaeton with the classic mixtape style of DJ Playero".[11] Rolling Stone's Julyssa Lopez gave "De Carolina" a positive review, calling it "dynamic" and complimenting its lyrics for "stretching beyond his standard fare and paying homage to his home". She also celebrated its "thrilling, bass-heavy mash-up of influences" and wrote: "It would serve as a worthy introduction to any extraterrestrial beings ready to party on Saturn."[13] In their review of the song, Happy FM staff applauded Alejandro's "innate talent when it comes to composing authentic hits", saying he "left his followers completely speechless" with the release of "De Carolina".[14]

Commercial performance

"De Carolina" debuted and peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales chart on December 24, 2022, becoming Alejandro's 14th top-10 hit on the chart.[15] The song also debuted at number 91 on Spain's official weekly chart on December 25, 2022.[16] It was later certified gold by the Productores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE), for track-equivalent sales of over 30,000 units in the country.[17] In Central America, "De Carolina" reached the summit of Monitor Latino's Hot Song chart.[9] The track also reached the top five in Honduras and peaked within the top 20 in both Nicaragua and Peru.[18][19][20]

Promotion

Music video

A screenshot from the music video, depicting Alejandro driving in the streets of Carolina.

An accompanying music video was released on December 8, 2022. The visual was filmed in Carolina was directed by Martin Seipel. It depicts Alejandro celebrating his roots with a dynamic tour of his childhood streets, showcasing the local culture and daily life. The video features a heartfelt homage to the Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente, including a glimpse of his statue. The narrative follows the excitement of a typical day in the neighborhood, from a woman painting her nails red to boys cycling past domino players and basketball games. The day's casual encounters lead to an energetic block party, where Alejandro, joined by DJ Playero, delivers an electrifying performance that transforms into a spontaneous concert, drawing the community together in a festive culmination of hometown pride.[11][21]

Live performances

"De Carolina" was included on the set list for Alejandro's the Saturno World Tour.[22]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[12]

  • Rauw Alejandro – associated performer, composer, lyricist, producer
  • DJ Playero – associated performer, producer
  • Caleb Calloway – producer
  • Jorge E. Pizarro "Kenobi" – producer, recording engineer
  • Gaby Vilar – A&R coordinator
  • Mayra del Valle – A&R coordinator
  • Marik Curet – A&R director
  • Eric Pérez "Eric Duars" – executive producer
  • José M. Collazo "Colla" – mastering engineer, mixing engineer
  • José A. Huertas "Huertvs" – mastering engineer, mixing engineer

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "De Carolina"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[17] Gold 30,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "De Carolina"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Latin America December 8, 2022 Contemporary hit radio Sony Music [8]

References

  1. ^ Roiz, Jessica (June 25, 2021). "The Moment of Rauw Alejandro: 'Todo De Ti' Singer Goes Full-Experimental On 'Vice Versa' Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  2. ^ "Rauw Alejandro Chart History (Top Latin Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  3. ^ Sheffield, Rob (December 3, 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  4. ^ "The 35 Best Spanish-Language and Bilingual Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone. December 16, 2021. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Coca, Laura (September 24, 2022). "'Saturno' de Rauw Alejandro: esto es todo lo que se sabe sobre su nuevo disco" (in Spanish). Los 40. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Coca, Laura (November 10, 2022). "Rauw Alejandro desvela el tracklist de 'Saturno' (con colaboraciones incluidas)" (in Spanish). Los 40. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Saturno by Rauw Alejandro". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "'De Carolina' Rauw Alejandro ft Dj Playero - Sony Music" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Hot Song monitorLATINO febrero 7, 2023" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. February 7, 2023. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Villa, Lucas (November 15, 2022). "Rauw Alejandro: 'De Carolina' [ft. DJ Playero] Track Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Villa, Lucas (December 8, 2022). "Watch: Rauw Alejandro Celebrates His Hometown on 'De Carolina' with DJ Playero". Remezcla. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "De Carolina / Rauw Alejandro, DJ Playero". Tidal. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. ^ Lopez, Julyssa (November 11, 2022). "Review: Rauw Alejandro Finds His Own Place In the Pop Cosmos on Saturno". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "'De Carolina', de Rauw Alejandro y DJ Playero: letra y vídeo" (in Spanish). HappyFM. December 17, 2022. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Rauw Alejandro Chart History (Latin Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Rauw Alejandro / Playero – De Carolina" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Spanish single certifications – Rauw Alejandro / Playero – De Carolina". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Top 20 General – Honduras – Del 27 de Febrero al 5 de Marzo, 2023" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Top 20 General – Nicaragua – Del 13 al 19 de Febrero, 2023" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  20. ^ a b "Top 20 General – Peru – Del 3 al 9 de Abril, 2023" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  21. ^ Paul, Larisha (December 9, 2022). "Rauw Alejandro's 'De Carolina' Video Takes a Ride Through His Old Neighborhood". Rolling Stone. Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  22. ^ Arbae, Danny (May 21, 2023). "Rauw Alejandro Desafía La Lluvia Y Conquista El Foro Sol En Un Apoteósico 'Saturno World Tour'" (in Spanish). LaCarteleraMx. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "Top 20 Urbano – Panama – Del 6 al 12 de Febrero, 2023" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  24. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Centroamerica" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – El Salvador Pop" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  26. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Guatemala" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  27. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Honduras" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  28. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Nicaragua" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  29. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Panama Urbano" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  30. ^ "Chart Anual Monitor Latino 2023 – Peru" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
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