WATCH: Jorge Drexler and C. Tangana in Latest Collab ‘Tocarte’

Musician Jorge Drexler has teamed up with Spanish rapper C. Tangana for the release of their new song, “Tocarte.” The collaboration happened in June 2020, before the duo worked together on Tangana’s track “Nominao” for his second solo album, 2021’s El Madrileño. The release of “Tocarte” also comes with a new music video.

Since “Tocarte” was recorded before “Nominao,” Drexler admits it was hard “to keep the secret” that they had a new song on the horizon.

“It was burning in my hands until we felt … that the right time [had] come,” Drexler said in a statement. “‘Tocarte’ is the first song that Pucho (C. Tangana) and I wrote. Pucho and I wrote the lyrics, but the one steering the helm of this ship… was him, adding his characteristic bold brightness, frenzy, and unselfishness he has when he is working.”

“Tocarte” is described in a press release as “a contemporary and colloquial lyrical exercise” that takes “a minimalist and rhythmic approach tinged with candombe and carioca funk.”

“We wrote the song during the pandemic, at a time when usual interactions like giving a hug or kissing had suddenly turned into risky actions,” Tangana said in a statement. “It is an honor for me to collaborate with Jorge after his amazing contribution to my album.”

Other artists who pitched in to create the song were Tangana’s longtime collaborator Victor Martínez, Jorge’s eldest son Pablo Drexler and Drexler’s longtime collaborator and producer Carles “Campi” Campón.

For the music video, Drexler, who won an Oscar for the song “Al Otro Lado del Río” from the 2004 biopic The Motorcycle Diaries, said director Joana Colomar, who he called “talented and dedicated,” was able to display the “sensuality” of the song from the start. “[That] also led us to feel that the circle was complete and that it was the right time to present the song,” he said.

Drexler and Tangana will perform together at the 22nd annual Latin Grammys on November 18, 2021.