Telepatía
"Telepatía" (stylized in all lowercase; transl. "Telepathy") is a song by American singer Kali Uchis. Originally released on November 18, 2020 as part of her second studio album Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), it became the album's third single on February 26, 2021, after gaining prominence on the social media platform TikTok.[1][2] Uchis drew inspiration from telepathy and being able to spiritually communicate with someone whom she could not be with.[3]
This article is about the Kali Uchis song. For the Matoma song, see One in a Million (Matoma album)."Telepatía"
- Spanish
- English
February 26, 2021
2020
2:40
- Karly-Marina Loaiza
- Cristina Chiluiza
- Servando Primera
- Manuel Lara
- Albert Melendez
- Marco Masís
- Tainy
- Lara
- Albert Hype
Unlike her debut studio album, Isolation (2018), Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) initially failed to enter any national charts. However, the viral success of "Telepatía" helped launch the album onto the Billboard 200 for the first time.[4] The song went on to win Favorite Latin Song at the 2021 American Music Awards.
The song was sent to contemporary hit radio in the United States on April 6, 2021.[5]
Composition[edit]
"Telepatía" is an R&B[6] and Latin pop song[7] with a laid-back, steady rhythm, and a dreamy, relaxing feeling due to its simple production and “twinkling” instrumentation. Lyrically, the song is about a long-distance relationship that sees Uchis singing (in both Spanish and English) about making love to her partner telepathically while they are apart.[8]
Critical reception[edit]
"Telepatía" ranked as the fifth best song of 2021 by Billboard, stating that "not only essential for its addictive groove and inspired lyrical content, the pop gem also put a spotlight on truly bilingual songs having chart potential."[9] The song won Top Latin Song at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.[10]
Music video[edit]
On March 18, 2021, the music video for "Telepatía" was released.[11] It was directed by Uchis herself and filmed in her hometown of Pereira, Colombia. The singer said she wanted "Nothing overproduced, just the beautiful natural magic of the country I have had the honor of also calling home my entire life, Colombia."[8] Uchis announced through her social media that the video had to be uploaded three times due to an error with the audio synchronization.[12]
The video features Uchis walking through the streets of Pereira in a dreamy state, wearing several different outfits. At points she is seen riding a bicycle in a miniskirt, revealing a thong she’s wearing underneath. She eventually ends up walking past a young man working on his car, though it’s not implied they are together in the video; he stares at her longingly, eventually running uphill to find her swinging on a playground. The two never touch or physically connect, which harkens back to the lyrical theme of a long-distance, telepathic connection.
Live performances[edit]
Uchis performed "Telepatía" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 8, 2021.[13] She also sang the song at the 2021 MTV Millennial Awards.[14]
Telepatía (acoustic) – Single