Maluma Cruises Through Vegas and Embraces Old-School Mexican Pop in ‘Contrato’

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Credit: David Bernal*
Credit: David Bernal*

When Maluma droppedSin Contrato” with Fifth Harmony in 2015, he was seeking zero commitment with a new lover. On “Contrato,” his cumbia mexicana single that dropped Friday, Maluma is looking for a “contract renewal” with an ex-girlfriend he misses.

“And if they have seen me at a party, it was to look for you and now I can’t find your replacement,” he sings in Spanish. “Don’t worry, let’s go step by step.”

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The song draws influence from Mexican pop music from the early Nineties and hears Maluma fuse them with cumbia, which Maluma has previously experimented with. The video follows Maluma, dressed in a black cowboy hat and matching black suit, driving through the streets of Vegas and getting lost in Nevada’s desert mountains.

“I’m really excited to share ‘Contrato’ with all my fans,” Maluma said in a press release. “It was an incredible experience working with Nuno Gómez and Tés in Las Vegas, a city that has always inspired me. The video reflects that energy, and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.”

The new single follows Maluma’s six-track collaborative EP with Blessd, 1 of 1. He’s spent most of the year collaborating with other artists, including Ozuna, El Alfa, and Grupo Marca Registrada. Maluma joined Grupo Frontera on the cumbia track “Por Qué Será” from the Texan group’s Jugando a Que No Pasa Nada.

Maluma also released “Gafas Negras” with J Balvin in January, a post-release addition to his 2023 album Don Juan. The LP featured songs like “Coco Loco,” “Sobrio,” and “Según Quien” with Carin Leon

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