“When it comes to making music, I have always had the vision not to ban anything,” TINI tells Apple Music about her new album Cupido, on which the most diverse genres converge. “Every time I get into the studio, I try to be genuine and find something so that my audience can understand that feeling,” the Argentine singer tells Apple Music. “My wish is that the album keeps people company.” In the midst of jet-setting collaborations and studio sessions in Buenos Aires, Miami, Los Angeles and Madrid, TINI embarks on a sentimental narrative journey, evidenced by the bittersweet R&B of “7 Veces” and the romantic reggaetón outbursts of “Fantasi” as well as the monumental balladry of “Carne y Hueso”, whose classical touch opens up new paths for an increasingly close and expressive voice. Read on as TINI discusses Cupido’s songs, one by one. “Cupido” “The album reflects a process, both romantic and personal, which lasted two or three years, so its songs cover many different emotions. This track begins to tell the story of what can happen when you don’t understand what led to a relationship’s end. It takes time and a grieving process to know how to love yourself once more, and to realise that you can be happy again. What I wanted to convey is the feeling of uncertainty experienced at the very beginning. This is where I start to tell my story of love and heartbreak.” “Te Pido” “This tune goes a little more in depth on what happened in ‘Cupido’. There were a lot of things I didn't want to write about, or things I knew but didn't want to touch on. Deep in your heart you know what's going on but refuse to see it…until you finally hit a wall. There is some learning in the honesty of ‘Te Pido’, especially in terms of following my intuition. I knew this was going to happen, and it ended up happening. What occurs in relationships, at some point, becomes life lessons.” “Muñecas” (feat. La Joaqui and Steve Aoki) “This piece represents a searching process—which I think a lot of people go through—of hanging out with my girlfriends and understanding that I can fall in love again. Personally speaking, there is also a quest for freedom, which deals a lot about ways of mingling. I thought this was an interesting title for the third song because throughout these two years, one of my most important connections has been my girls.” “El Último Beso” (feat. Tiago PZK) “Just like ‘Te Pido’ or ‘Maldita Foto’, this is a song that could be played quietly with a guitar and be a ballad. However, the three tunes I just mentioned follow a reggaetón beat—the slow kind that makes you dance. Although it's all somewhat sad, I dance and transition to a world that still gets a smile out of us. There's quite a bit of that on this album, songs that tell a sad story but make you feel good. Here, one finally feels strong and says, ‘Why not have a last kiss?’ to then realise that this last kiss was not going anywhere.” “Carne y Hueso” “I've always liked making ballads, but this one conveys a real heartbroken feeling. I loved it right from when we made it. Nonetheless, I never thought people of all ages and parts of the world would connect so much with it and to each other. I grew up listening to Reik, Alejandro Sanz and Sin Bandera. I would never stop making ballads. It is in my DNA, when it comes to making music and developing different stories beyond pop, reggaetón or danceable material.” “La Loto” (feat. Becky G. and Anitta) “Multiple women are included on this album, to represent how important they were to me and my musical growth during these years. It is a message of unity. Lyrics for ‘La Loto’ or ‘La Triple T’ show the moment when I began to realise that in order to find myself, I had to understand that another person’s opinion should not affect me. There is maturity in listening to yourself without caring about what others say. I often mention this during my shows, and here it becomes an idea represented by two women who are very important to me.” “Las Jordans” “This melody stands at the middle of the album because it conveys the feeling of being halfway through—and almost about to end—the process where you mature in many aspects and grow personally. The better you are and the more confident you become, suddenly certain people come back, except that this time you have the strength not to fall into the same pattern you already know leads nowhere. This song comes to yell a big ‘NO!’—reminding you once again that you're better off and that you've already gone through a long process so as not to let someone invade and sow doubts once more.” “Beso En Las Rocas” “This is where love reappears on the album. The track is all about falling in love and feeling butterflies in the stomach again. On a musical level, this song would be a ‘cousin’ or ‘little sister’ of ‘Fantasi’, with an Afrobeat style I had not done before. It includes pop melodies and a bit of dembow; it’s different from reggaetón. We did several more songs with the same beat and they came out very naturally. When I think of live shows, these are tunes that raise the energy, not only for me but for the audience as well.” “7 Veces” “From a musical standpoint, this track is the most different of all. It's the first time I've done R&B—which is one of my favourite genres even if I had never dared to try it before. I kept it away for a long time and I wanted people to hear my voice attempting this musical style. It somehow conveys the sentiment of long-distance love, the classical ‘I met you and now I have to go’. Musically, it was perhaps my biggest challenge.” “Fantasi” (feat. Beéle) “‘Fantasi’ spins around falling in love and opening your heart anew. It strongly reflects that intensity of mine when it comes to falling in love. I devote myself to a relationship with laughter and smiles, and this song is just like that. It has got something very nice and angelic.” “Miénteme” (feat. Maria Becerra) “This piece breaks away from the idea of a lifelong love, children, marriage and so on. All of these are beautiful concepts that I respect, but I think that my process led me to understand that not all ties are like that. Putting that expectation on me ended up ruining the present. This explains why the song talks so much about tomorrow. Tomorrow maybe we’ll be friends or have tea… Today, let's enjoy the night without taking everything so seriously. People identified with a really simple idea which also connects a lot with my generation.” “Maldita Foto” (feat. Manuel Turizo) “I love this song with all my heart. I have loved it ever since we left the studio. It's a piece of reggaetón that makes you dance and has a beautiful melody. Manuel’s voice was so good… It speaks of the desire to see each other again, also knowing that it is no longer the right time for it. You have gone through the mourning and then that damn photo appears. You thought you were fine, but then you’re wrecked again. Who hasn’t been through this?” “Bar” (feat. L-Gante) “L-Gante gave the song a unique personality. This one and ‘Muñecas’ are among my purest reggaetón tracks, and have got a lot of bass and slightly darker tones. It talks about an unresolved love, but without so much drama. Tonight, the affair dies at the bar and that's it. Also, I have got options… My aim is to take the drama out of these situations and turn them into relaxation, into a search in which you end up finding yourself. There's some of that in these songs.” “La Triple T” “The pursuit of self-love and the feeling of freedom. In 'Cupido'’s music video, arrows hit me hard; things happen and everything ends badly. But then, towards the culmination, I grab the arrow and the reins of my life back. That's the ultimate message of the album.”