J Balvin and Bad Bunny's much anticipated joint album, Oasis, is here.
Fans have been anticipating the project since May 2018, when Balvin revealed he and Bunny had about six or seven songs in the vault. The reggaeton superstars shed more light on Oasis in their September 2018 Complex cover story, where they explained the meaning behind the project's title.
"It means more than just water," Bunny said. "It’s a rescue, a relief, to freshen up. When you go to an oasis, you go there to supply yourself with the vital things you are missing, things that you need. That's why it says water, because human beings can’t live without water."
Since then, fans have been holding their collective breath, waiting for the project's release date. Anticipation began to surge this week, after Balvin posted a photo of two iced-out Bunny emblems: "500K COMMENTS AND WE MAKE HISTORY!," he captioned the post in Spanish.
Well, Balvin and Bunny didn't disappoint.
On midnight Thursday, the two released Oasis on all major streaming services.
The project spans eight tracks—as expected—and includes guest appearances by Mr. Eazi and Marciano Cantero of Enanitos Verdes. In conjunction with the drop, Balvin and Bunny came through with the video for "Qué Pretendes," the first single off Oasis.
In anticipation of Oasis' surprise drop, Balvin and Bunny sat down with Zane Lowe in the latter's home country of Puerto Rico, where they discussed everything from mental health, their intentions to elevate the culture, and how the collaborative project came to be.
"It was like we have to do something. A project that hasn't been done in the Latin market," Bunny said. "From two huge artists and at the same time with two different styles, but at the same time with—"
"The same language," Balvin interjected.
"Exactly. And that we represent for the Latin community," Bunny added. "A lot of people are proud of Jose [Balvin's first name]. A lot of people are proud of me. It’s like a union … of Colombia and Puerto Rico. There’s a message that goes beyond. It's not like me and someone else from Puerto Rico. It’s something bigger."
Check out the interview below.
