Sebastián Yatra is putting a reggaeton spin on a beloved classic. The Colombian pop star teamed up with Spanish singer Bad Gyal for his new single “2AM” today (Nov. 21). The collaboration interpolates the melody from “Thank You” by Dido. The two artists party hard in Miami, FL, in the music video. In an exclusive interview about the release, Yatra and Bad Gyal opened up about how this special collaboration came together.
“It’s an honor because it’s one of the most iconic melodies in history,” Yatra tells Remezcla. “Thanks to God that the original songwriters of [‘Thank You’] let us use it.”
Yatra notes that during the writing session for “2AM,” one of his co-writers was playing the chords for “Thank You” on the guitar. Eminem turned it into a global hit when he sampled Dido on his song “Stan.” Despite 2022’s “Mi Bebito Fiu Fiu” running into “Thank You” clearance issues, Yatra decided to press forward with their request. “I said, ‘Why are we going to create another melody? We’re going to use this one,'” he recalls. After the interpolation was cleared, he had Bad Gyal in mind to join him on “2AM.” The reggaeton-pop banger was a change of pace from her EDM and dancehall-heavy debut album La Joia.
“Even though it’s a melody that we’ve heard many times, this sounds very fresh and cool to me,” Bad Gyal says. “I also came out of my comfort zone a bit. This is reggaeton de luz. Sebas’ style blended very well with mine. What I love about this song is that it allowed us to be ourselves yet united us in a beautiful way.”
In the alluring “2AM,” Yatra and Bad Gyal sing about wanting to drunkenly text an ex after hours. Their partying in the music video includes a moment when Yatra playfully twerks and Bad Gyal pretends to throw bills at him. With a laugh, Yatra says about that moment: “For me, that was the most fun part of the video. You can really see our personalities come out.”
This is reggaeton de luz. Sebas’ style blended very well with mine. What I love about this song is that it allowed us to be ourselves yet united us in a beautiful way
It’s because of said personalities that they’re both adored by the LGBTQ+ community, and they’re aware of what this epic collaboration means for those fans. Yatra’s shirtless photos on his Instagram have women and gay men in the comments while Bad Gyal has previously appeared on Drag Race España. “We’re going to do what we can to be able to sing this song at a Pride festival with you guys next year,” Yatra says. “We love you!” Bad Gyal adds, “I’m ready! That would be incredible. My LGBTQ+ fans give me the strength to keep going. They’re very intense in the best sense of the word. I’m grateful to them for always supporting me.”
Yatra is working hard on his fourth album, which will come out early next year. While calling “2AM” the album’s party anthem, he promises we can expect more ballads like the heartfelt “Los Domingos.” On Nov. 25, Yatra will also make his Broadway debut in New York City, playing Billy Flynn in Chicago. He is excited to continue evolving as an artist.
“This album I’m making is very lyrical,” he says. “It’s a celestial experience. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve had time to sit down and write for an album instead of going to the studio for a week straight. Now that I’m a decade into my career, I’ve done things that I still can’t believe. I want to keep enjoying the ride and surprising myself.”
Check out the music video for “2AM” below.
