"Primera Cita" (transl. "First date") is a song by Mexican singer-songwriter Carín León, released on April 20, 2023, as the fifth single from his third studio album Colmillo de Leche (2023). It was written by Alejandro Lozano and produced by León and Orlando Aispuro.
Background
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Carín León stated that when Alejandro Lozano showed him the song it was in a completely different style, and added:
I really wanted to make music with a touch similar to the beginnings of blues and soul; I wanted to go back to the sounds of Memphis and New Orleans. That's how this song came about, obviously with the marrow of the Mexican regional and accompanied by a theme very much from the north of the country. Everything happened naturally, with a flash of creativity, and with the work in the studio with Orlando Aispuro, my producer, and all the people who help me.[1]
León also told Billboard, "This song is a surprise for us since it was an experiment for our Tiny Desk recording — we made a little soul and fused it with regional Mexican to create something exciting."[2][3] In another interview with Billboard, he stated:
It is a significant song, which today is giving us some exciting surprises that people are connecting a lot with this song. I had wanted to make a soul of doing this mid-century theme for a while. The guitars have all been through amplifiers with a slightly dark sound. More focused on feeling with some lyrics by Mr. Alejandro Lozano, proudly Hermosillense and who has a very northern theme.[4]
Composition
The song, which combines elements of regional Mexican, R&B and soul music,[1][2][3] has themes of love and freedom.[1] Lyrically, it is about the stages of a certain romantic relationship, starting from the first date.[5]
Critical reception
Griselda Flores of Billboard had a positive reaction to the song, writing "The track spotlights his soul-deep raspy vocals and his ability to convey feelings through his songs and melodies with more traditional Mexican sounds. If you're a Carin Leon fan, this will not disappoint."[2]
Music video
An official music video was released alongside the single. With respect to it, Carín León told Rolling Stone, "I started to get an idea around the song because it talks a lot about freedom and moments that are immeasurable. He remembers his first date and has a completely free approach, whether it is sexual, romantic or affective; all located in Tijuana, one of the freest cities in Mexico. The story talks about an internal claim to deprive himself of freedom."[1]
^ abFlores, Griselda; Roiz, Jessica; Raygoza, Isabela; Calle, Luisa; Fajardo, Ingrid; Ratner-Arias, Sigal (April 21, 2023). "Nueva Música Latina: De Feid & Sean Paul, Carla Morrison y más" [New Latin Music: From Feid & Sean Paul, Carla Morrison and More]. Billboard (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2023.
