Ojos Tristes

Album: I Said I Love You First (2025)
Charted: 56
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Ojos Tristes" is a slow-burning bilingual pop song by Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco with additional vocals from María Zardoya of The Marías. Gomez sings in English and Zardoya performs in Spanish.
  • "Ojos Tristes" - which translates to "Sad Eyes" - is a post-breakup lament. It samples and reimagines the 1981 Spanish classic "El Muchacho de los Ojos Tristes" by Jeanette, though it shifts the perspective. Where Jeanette's original describes meeting a melancholy, mysterious man, Gomez flips the narrative, with a woman reflecting on the one she left behind.
  • Jeanette gave Gomez and Blanco's version her seal of approval, calling it "gorgeous" and applauding its ability to honor the past while giving it a fresh, modern edge.
  • The production, handled by Benny Blanco, María Zardoya, and The Marías' drummer/producer Josh Conway, wraps the song in a hazy, dreamlike disco glow, balancing nostalgia with contemporary polish.
  • Gomez and Blanco recorded "Ojos Tristes" for their collaborative album I Said I Love You First. It's another chapter in Gomez' exploration of her Latina roots, a journey she's been on since Revelación, her 2021 Spanish-language EP.
  • Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco saw The Marías in concert in 2024. "I was mesmerized by them," Gomez told Billboard, "and knew I wanted to have them on our album."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Female Singers Of The 90s

Female Singers Of The 90sMusic Quiz

The ladies who ruled the '90s in this quiz.

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.