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"Chula"
Single by Grupo Firme and Demi Lovato
Language	Spanish English
Released	August 15, 2024 (2024-08-15)
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	2:30
Label	Music VIP
Songwriter(s)	Demi Lovato Eduin Caz Luis Mexia Manuel Orozco Oak Oscar Linnander Pablo Preciado Sean Douglas
Producer(s)	Oak Oscar Linnander Sheeno
Grupo Firme singles chronology
"Domperi" (2024) "Chula" (2024) "Qué Fuimos (En Vivo)" (2024)
Demi Lovato singles chronology
"Penhasco2" (2023) "Chula" (2024)
Lyric video
"Chula" on YouTube

"Chula" is a song by Mexican band Grupo Firme and American singer Demi Lovato, released through Music VIP Entertainment on August 15, 2024. It was written by Lovato, Eduin Caz, Luis Mexia, Manuel Orozco, Warren "Oak" Felder, Oscar Linnander, Pablo Preciado, and Sean Douglas, while Felder, Linnander, and Sheeno handled its production. Before its official announcement, both acts premiered the song at a concert in Austin, Texas, as part of the group's La Última Peda concert tour. "Chula" is a Spanglish dance-pop track, which marked a departure from Lovato's rock-infused sound.

Background

At the end of July 2024, after being asked for new music, American singer Demi Lovato teased the release of a song on social media with a video that she captioned, "Say you're ready but I bet you not", quoting the lyrics of the then-upcoming song. In response to the video, the regional Mexican band Grupo Firme wrote three emojis in the comments, hinting at a possible collaboration. Billboard asked the group's leader Eduin Caz about a feature between the two acts, and he said, "Demi Lovato is an artist whom we've admired since we were kids". "We would watch her on television", he continued, and showed his admiration for the artist. He concluded by saying, "Luckily the collaboration happened and the song is really good".

On August 2, 2024, at the Austin, Texas stop to the La Última Peda Tour, a concert tour by Grupo Firme, Lovato appeared by surprise to perform a new song with the frontman of the group, Caz. Titled "Chula", it marked the first collaboration between the two acts, and the third single by Lovato with a Latin artist, following her 2017 single "Échame la Culpa" with Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi and her 2023 "Penhasco2" with Brazilian singer-songwriter Luísa Sonza. While they were singing the song, screens announced its release date for August 15, 2024. A post shared on Grupo Firme's TikTok account showed Lovato and Caz doing a soundcheck before the surprise performance. On August 24, 2024, Lovato performed the song for the second time at the Festival Hera HSBC in Mexico.

Recording and composition

After Lovato expressed interest in recording a bilingual song, she met the group, distributor mates, in a studio in Los Angeles. "Chula" was written by Lovato, Caz, Luis Mexia, Manuel Orozco, Warren "Oak" Felder, Oscar Linnander, Pablo Preciado, and Sean Douglas, while Felder, Linnander, and Sheeno handled its production. A dance-pop track with elements of Mexican and electronic music, it marked Lovato's return to pop music following her previous two rock albums, Holy Fvck (2022) and Revamped (2023). "Chula" also was a departure from Grupo Firme's usual musical style. In an interview with Rolling Stone's Tomás Mier, the Spanish and Native American descent singer said, "That's what I love about singing in Spanish: It goes back to my literal roots".

Reception

"Chula" received positive reviews upon its release. Describing it as a "electrifying duo", Johan Sebastián Gómez Rojas from RCN Radio said that "Chula" marked a milestone in Grupo Firme's career, and said that they made a "irresistible fusion of styles and cultures". While adding the song to its list of New Music Picks, Univision predicted that "it will definitely light up the dance floors". La Prensa dubbed "Chula" as a "contagious song that invites the public to dance", and praised Lovato's powerful vocals.

Charts

References

1. ^ Mier, Tomás (August 3, 2024). "Demi Lovato and Grupo Firme Debut Spanglish Dance Collab, 'Chula'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
2. Iasimone, Ashley (August 3, 2024). "Demi Lovato Joins Grupo Firme for 'Chula' Debut in Austin on La Última Peda Tour". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
3. Flores, Griselda (July 10, 2024). "Grupo Firme Talks Demi Lovato Collab, Mexican Music's Global Domination & More". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
4. ^ Rice, Nicholas (August 5, 2024). "Demi Lovato Performs New Bilingual Collaboration 'Chula' with Grupo Firme in Texas". People. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
5. "Luísa Sonza Reveals How She Got Demi Lovato on 'Penhasco2' & More". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
6. Martínez Barba, Mariana (August 26, 2024). "En el festival Hera las cantantes Demi Lovato, Camila Cabello y Dana Paola fueron protagonistas". Los Angeles Times (in Spanish). Retrieved August 26, 2024.
7. ^ Mier, Tomás (August 16, 2024). "Demi Lovato and Grupo Firme Didn't Let a Language Barrier Stop Them From Making a Bop". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
8. "Chula — Single — Album by Grupo Firme & Demi Lovato". Apple Music (US). Retrieved August 16, 2024.
9. Cordero Orellana, Melanie (August 16, 2024). "Demi Lovato incursiona en nuevo género uniendo su voz con Grupo Firme para "Chula"". Los 40. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
10. Gómez Rojas, Johan Sebastián (August 18, 2024). "Grupo Firme y Demi Lovato lanzan 'Chula', la canción que fusiona el pop con la música mexicana". RCN Radio (in Spanish). Retrieved August 18, 2024.
11. "Uforia #NewMusicPicks: Grupo Firme, Santa Fe Klan, Kenia Os, Kapo y más estrenan música nueva". Univision. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
12. "Así suena "Chula", la canción de Demi Lovato con Grupo Firme". La Prensa. August 19, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
13. "Grupo Firme: Latin Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
14. "Grupo Firme Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2024.

• 2024 singles
• 2024 songs
• Demi Lovato songs
• Spanglish songs
• Songs written by Demi Lovato
• Songs written by Oak Felder