Selena Gomez’s 2021 Revelación EP is some of the best work from the singer/actress/business mogul. This project has strong visuals with bodacious songs to match, but despite its quality, the EP has never received the love it deserves.
Gomez took her time during the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. She used her free time to explore her Spanish family heritage and to collaborate with powerful Puerto Rican producer Tainy.
Gomez and the creative team assembled were able to create an EP that has stood the test of time, yet has gone widely unknown by the masses. In light of her latest album, we will explore the rollout, songs, and all the best moments of this timeless gem in the singer’s catalog.
Track Listing
Selena Gomez’s Revelación is a primarily short EP. The project has a total run time of 19 minutes and 31 seconds with 7 tracks total. The EP features Rauw Alejandro, Myke Towers, and DJ Snake with production from producers like Tainy, Albert Hype, and Jota Rosa. The cover art and track listing are as follows:
- De Una Vez
- Buscando Amor
- Baila Conmigo (with Rauw Alejandro)
- Dámelo To’ (featuring Myke Towers)
- Vicio
- Adiós
- Selfish Love (with DJ Snake)
As for Spotify streams, “De Una Vez” comes in with over 105 million streams. Following is “Buscando Amor” with over 16 million, “Baila Conmigo” with over 498 million, “Dámelo To'” with over 34 million, “Vicio” with over 16 million, “Adiós” with over 21 million, and “Selfish Love” with over 117 million. The project together has accumulated over 810 million streams to date, which is a lot for such a short project.
The singles having the most streams make sense. However, the other album tracks having fractions of streams showcase the low recognition this project has garnered, which is shocking, especially from an artist like Selena, who has over 55 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Album Rollout, Reception, and Performance
Weeks before Gomez surprisingly announced the lead single “De Una Vez” on Instagram, she landed the cover of Vogue Mexico, anticipating the Spanish language project’s release.
During this time, many murals popped up around the world with the titles of the project’s singles, teasing the release. In the midst of promoting her Emmy-nominated cooking series Selena + Chef, Gomez surprise-announced “De Una Vez”. The song and video were instantly praised by fans and critics for their mature and fresh sound. Weeks after, she announced “Baila Conmigo” (with Rauw Alejandro), then the EP itself.
Revelación’s Rollout
Revelación came out on March 12th and was met with critical praise by many outlets. The EP received the most praise for any of her musical projects, with her highest Metacritic score of 83. Critics praised Gomez for her vocals, the production, and the visuals of the EP. In addition to the critics, Gomez’s die-hard fans also rallied by her side with the support of her embracing her Spanish roots.
During this time, Gomez also graced the cover of American Vogue on March 9th, discussing the EP. In addition to both her Vogue covers, Gomez found herself on the cover of Rolling Stone India, furthering the media coverage she was receiving. The EP itself debuted at number 22 on the Billboard 200 with 23k units sold. This is significantly lower than her other albums, but due to the EP shifting her sound to Spanish in addition to an EP-style release rather than a full-length album, the result is understandable.
Revelación marked a point in Gomez’s career where she was honored by both the Grammys and the Latin Grammys. The EP was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammys, and the music video for “De Una Vez” was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the Latin Grammys. Gomez was also honored as one of the Latin Grammys’ Leading Ladies in Entertainment. This EP allowed Gomez to explore and delve into her artistry in ways she never had before. Her efforts proved to be successful given the reception she got from both academies and critics across the world.
The Power In The Music
The tracks in this project form a full story. The production perfectly suits Selena’s vocals and helps highlight and push her sultry tone in the most perfect ways. The production acts as a vessel to help guide Selena’s vocals through the sonic universe these tracks symbolize. Each track acts as its moment in time with the perfect blend together, making the project cohesive and poignant.
De Una Vez
This track rolls in a low-tempo manner, highlighting Selena’s sultry and light vocals. The production is airy and dreamy, with complementary background vocals. This track acts as an intro with an instrumental portion toward the end that leads into the rest of the EP. This was the first taste fans got from the project, and rightfully so, since it serves as a perfect intro to the project as a whole.
Buscando Amor
Following the previous track, this song shows Selena in a fun and playful perspective with themes of dancing and letting loose while looking for love — the track’s title. The production is upbeat and intricate with a hard-hitting beat. Towards the end, there is a switch-up, dropping the tone and upping the beat, allowing the production to shine through.
Baila Conmigo (with Rauw Alejandro)
This classic duet is the heart of the EP. Rather than a traditional feature, the two singers swap verses back and forth and collaborate on the chorus together. Throughout the song, the music is infectious, fun, and makes you want to dance. The lyrics and beat support each other perfectly. The production allows both the singer’s vocals to complement each other as well and showcase their compatibility.
Dámelo To’ (featuring Myke Towers)
The production here is unique, which allows Selena’s breathy vocals to take the forefront of this track. The beat and intricate sounds allow her vocals to shine on this track. Myke’s feature adds an extra layer to this track that you didn’t know you needed. This song makes you feel the emotions they’re singing about if someone is directly in your ear.
Vicio
“Vicio” cemented itself as the standout track from the EP the second the beat dropped. This song is one of the catchiest on the EP. Selena’s vocals and the background layers are beautifully mixed, creating a full-on sonic landscape that is available at the press of the play button. This track is truly one of the best moments of her career.
Adiós
As the second-to-last track on the project, “Adiós” leaves nothing left to desire as it delivers in all ways. This song is a catchy breakup track, meaning exactly what it translates to: “bye.” This song is upbeat and powerful with catchy lyrics and melodies, allowing Selena’s vocals, yet again, a chance to slide to the forefront so effortlessly. Overall, another stellar track on this EP.
Selfish Love (with DJ Snake)
Closing out the EP, Selfish Love is a unique, jazzy, Spanglish song that is catchy and memorable. With odd production and sound effects throughout the track, it’s a little jarring at first, but it comes together in a way that makes sense. The thing about these tracks is that they’re produced in such a way that makes them feel full and powerful at all moments.
Final Thoughts on Revelación
Revelación by Selena Gomez was an unexpected release in the artist’s career. However, it stood as a moment for her to honor her heritage and remind everyone of her power in the music scene.
This project delivered 7 powerful tracks with captivating visuals to accompany them. Everything about this project was thought out and crafted to perfection, embodying everything Gomez stands for as a creative. The EP was a moment that hasn’t been addressed the way it should be by the general public, even though it was a critical success. Selena Gomez’s Revelación is the perfect example of an artistic masterpiece overlooked by the general public.
