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Grupo Firme Takes Camilo Down the Banda Route on Playful Single ‘Alaska’

camilo-grupo-firme - Credit: Camilo/Vevo/YouTube
camilo-grupo-firme - Credit: Camilo/Vevo/YouTube

Blaring tubas, the signature accordion, and Eduin Caz’s vocals open Camilo’s new single, “Alaska” — in the most Grupo Firme way possible. On Thursday, the Colombian star took a page out of Maluma’s playbook, enlisting the Música Mexicana band for a worthy crossover.

The silly video for the equally-playful track follows the Firme’s members — including Jhonny and Eduin Caz, Abraham Hernandez, Joaquin Ruiz, Christian Gutierrez, Jose Rubio, and Dylan Camacho — as they party with the mustachioed musician, joke around, and get drunk in a vintage bus.

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“Todos dicen que el alcohol le hace daño a la memoria/Parece que claramente no he bedido suficiente para borrar nuestra historia,” Camilo starts in the chorus. (In English: “Everyone says alcohol affects your memory/But it looks like I clearly haven’t drank enough to erase our history.”)

Then Caz comes in for the chorus’ second half: “Todos dicen que el alcohol va a hacer que yo viva menos/Pero menos estresado y hasta menos preocupado, porque no tengo tus besos.” (In English: “Everyone says that alcohol will make me less/But less stressed and less worried that I no longer have your kisses.”)

The track features a silly play on words and an ode to “el bendito alcohol.” As for the song’s title? Camilo slips another pun into the bridge: “Dicen que me mude a otro lugar pa’ ver si dejo de pensarte,/Yo me voy pa’ Alaska,/Yo me voy pa’ Alaska,/Pero a las cantinas pa’ olvidarte.” (“They’re saying to move somewhere else to stop thinking of you/Well I’ll go to Alaska/I’ll go to Alaska/A las cantinas to forget you.”)

The connection between the Medellín-born artist and the Tijuana-formed band started in Las Vegas, when the two crossed paths in their hotel.

“The synergy was immediate; we exchanged lyrics and verses. It was there that without saying much, we decided that we should join our talents to create something new,” Caz said. ” Thus, was born ‘Alaska,’ synonymous of joy, fun, passion, union and celebration!”

Grupo Firme is no stranger to crossovers. Last year, the group collaborated with Maluma to release “Cada Quien,” which has become a staple at both artists’ shows.

“I love beautiful and transparent people like Grupo Firme. Making a song with them was something that challenged me and felt like an adventure,” said Camilo in a press release about working with the Mexican heavyweights. “Living their musical process in the studio was quite an experience, we had a lot of fun and I think that the energy we experienced when recording is felt in the song.”

“Alaska” joins previous singles “Índigo,” “Pesadilla,” “Pegao,” NASA,” and Nicki Nicole-featuring “Naturaleza,” which are all set to be featured on his third album, De Adentro Pa Afuera, out next month. He’s also heading on you starting Aug. 27 at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

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