Havana is the second single released from Camila Cabello’s debut album, Camila. A duet with Hip Hop artist Young Thug, Havana breaks from Pop conventions while simultaneously embracing some of the hottest trends of the day.
In an interview with NME, Cabello stated “we didn’t even release Havana as a single because no one believed in it enough,” adding that people were telling her, “that’s a cool song, but it’s definitely not what you want as a single from your album.” However, Cabello’s instincts proved to be correct, and the single was a huge success, solidifying her position as a major solo artist since leaving Fifth Harmony.
On the surface, Havana might seem like just another Pop song, but when you look under the hood, you can see how meticulously well-crafted and clever it really is. Not only does it capitalize on some of today’s hottest trends, such as Hip Hop, Trap, R&B/Soul and Latin genre influences, but it also breaks from Pop song conventions, helping it to stand out among its contemporaries.
This video provides an in-depth analysis of the songwriting and production techniques used to craft the song.