Although José José passed away five years ago, his legacy is still alive. On Sept. 25, Sony Music Mexico partnered up with Spotify Singles to release “Ya No Pienso en Ti,” an unreleased track by the Mexican icon. The release coincides with the singer’s fifth death anniversary on Sept. 28.
“Ya No Pienso en Ti” accentuates José José’s signature and passionate vocals backed by a rhythmic bass, harmonica, and melodic keys. His tenor croons narrate a sentimental heartbreak story, transporting the listener to his heyday in the 1970s. Towards the song’s end, an electric guitar takes over, adding an exciting and modern twist to the nostalgic pop ballad.
Per the press release, the new song was found by a routine tape conservation and digitization process. Latin Grammy and Grammy-winning audio engineer Edson R. Heredia of Sony Music Mexico found El Príncipe de la Canción’s unreleased track. He described it as a “magical moment.” The findings included three preserved vocal takes and a single recording by the musician, recorded back on Nov. 9, 1978, in England.
To research his findings further, Heredia teamed up with Fernando Hernández, an executive who worked with the Mexican icon during his time with Sony Music. They discovered that the original audio was engineered by David Hunt, with musical direction by producer and arranger Tom Parker.
“During the 10 years that life allowed me to be in the ARIOLA company, José José showed me his professionalism and his immense talent as one of the most important Mexican singers of the last century,” Hernández shared in a press statement. “The public can see this in the production of this song, under the direction of producer, and arranger Tom Parker.” Moreover, Heredia worked with Latin Grammy winner Memo Gil for the new song’s mix.
With more than five decades of musical trajectory, José José remains one of Mexico’s most beloved singers who spanned genres like ballads, bolero, bossa nova, and jazz. With iconic tracks like “El Triste,” “El Amar y El Querer,” and “La Nave del Olvido,” the emblematic singer is still popular today, amassing over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Listen to José José’s newly-released track “Ya No Pienso en Ti” below.