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Back to the Game

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Back to the Game
Standard cover
Studio album by
Paulo Londra
ReleasedNovember 23, 2022 (2022-11-23)
Recorded2021–2022
Genre
Length49:27
LabelWarner Latina
Producer
Paulo Londra chronology
Homerun
(2019) 		Back to the Game
(2022)
Singles from Homerun
  1. "Plan A"
    Released: March 23, 2022
  2. "Chance"
    Released: April 6, 2022
  3. "Nublado"
    Released: June 29, 2022
  4. "Luces"
    Released: June 29, 2022
  5. "Cansado"
    Released: July 28, 2022
  6. "Julieta"
    Released: August 4, 2022
  7. "Noche de Novela"
    Released: August 11, 2022
  8. "Party en el Barrio"
    Released: September 14, 2022
  9. "A Veces"
    Released: November 3, 2022
  10. "Necio"
    Released: November 23, 2022

Back to the Game is the second studio album by Argentine rapper and singer Paulo Londra, released by Warner Music Latina on November 23, 2022. Londra co-wrote the album with his record producer and frequent collaborator Federico Vindver, who also produced the album and played every instrument.

Musically, the album explores various genres ranging from rap and trap to pop punk and reggaeton. Back to the Game was described as a work that "brings a renewed breath to Londra's music through a closer exploration of pop punk" and it is a project that "embodies a narrative of his pause in music". Upon release, the album received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its stylistic, varierity of sounds, rhymes, and lyrics. At the 25th Annual Gardel Awards, the album received a nomination for Best Urban Music Album.

Ten singles were released in promotion of the album: "Plan A", "Chance", "Nublado", "Luces", "Cansado", "Julieta", "Noche de Novela", "Party en el Barrio", "A Veces" and "Necio"; the first and lead single topped the major charts in Latin American, including the number one on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100.

Background

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After his legal conflict with his former record label Big Ligas in 2020, and the coincidence of the COVID-19 pandemic that prevented him from releasing music for two years, Londra resumed his career with Warner. On March 23, 2022, he released his first song "Plan A" after winning the lawsuit.[1][2] As part of the release of his first single, Paulo hinted at the title of his second album by gifting a pendant with the inscription Back to the Game to several professional players of the Argentina national football team.[3][4]

On November 2, 2022, Londra revealed in an interview with Telenoche that he already had "his next album ready".[5] In that same interview, he revealed that the name of the album would be Back to the Game and that he would release six more songs in addition to the ones he had already published.[6] Shortly after, Londra announced through his social media channels that the album would be released on November 23, 2022.[7] Three days before the release, Paulo unveiled the album cover and aesthetic through his official Instagram account, as well as the list of songs that would be part of it.[8][9]

Music and lyrics

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The standard edition of the album contains sixteen tracks. The opening track "Chango" is a pure rap song that describes the conflicts the artist had to go through and his strong desire to return to the music industry.[10] "Plan A" is a rock pop song that deals with romantic frustration.[2] The third track, "Party en el Barrio", is a Latin trap song with Duki, which tells the story of two friends who emerged from the streets and conquer the music scene.[11] "Luces" is an electronic dance music track. The fifth song, "Por deporte," is accompanied by a powerful reggaeton beat and tells the story of being attracted to a girl who enjoys partying.[10] "Noche de Novela" is a pop R&B song with English singer Ed Sheeran.[11] "Nublado" was described as an infectious and refreshing punk rock track, with American musician Travis Barker on drums.[11]

The eighth song, "A Veces," features a collaboration with Colombian singer Feid and is a classic reggaeton track with a strong rhythm and a blend of percussion elements.[11] "Cansado," performed with Joaqo, a close friend of Londra, is a song that complements trap and hip hop.[12] The tenth track, "Tenso" is a heartbreak song where Paulo ventures into cumbia.[13] "Ella" is a soft romantic pop ballad that includes a dembow-like tapping that guides the rhythm of the song.[13] As for the track "Julieta", it is a "hypnotic" romantic reggaeton inspired by William Shakespeare's literary work Romeo and Juliet (1597).[14]

In the pop ballad "Ojalá", Londra talks about overcoming a love and taking separate paths.[13] "Necio", a collaboration with Lit Killah, is an urban music track that harks back to his first album Homerun (2019) and draws on trap foundations, addressing themes such as "imbalances in a romantic relationship".[11][15] The ballad "Chance" is the fifteenth track, combining elements of trap and narrating a "love-at-first-sight story".[16] The album concludes with "Toc Toc", a freestyle produced by American rapper Timbaland.[17]

Release and promotion

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Back to the Game was released on November 23, 2022.[18] Along with it, the music videos for "Necio" with Lit Killah, "Por deporte", "Chango", and "Ella" were also premiered on YouTube.[15]

As part of the album's release, Londra gave a free concert at Parque Las Tejas in his hometown, which was attended by approximately 50,000 people.[19] He performed several songs from the album, including "Plan A", "Luces", "A veces", and "Cansado" with Joaqo.[20] He also debuted two unreleased tracks from the album: "Chango" and "Necio" with Lit Killah. On November 29, 2022, Londra released the official music video for "Ojalá".[21] On December 6, Paulo premiered the official music video for the song "Tenso".[22]

Critical reception

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Back to the Game received positive reviews from music critics. Thania Garcia of Variety highlighted that throughout his songs, Londra skillfully navigates between sounds and styles like reggaeton.[23] Darío Porto Toledano from the website Urbano News praised the album, stating that Paulo achieved a great job by offering "highly varied collaborations with internationally renowned artists".[24] In a review for La Nación, Sebastián Chaves gave a mixed critique of the album, stating that only in "Luces" does Londra unleash his best flow without deviating from the tempo and embracing the mood of the song. However, Chaves wrote that in some of the songs, the lyrics don't hit hard and that Londra has an impressive selection of guests but lacks the power to generate an impact.[25]

Billboard named Back to the Game as one of the "Best Latin Albums of 2022" because Londra made a triumphant comeback by offering his characteristic freestyle essence while boldly delving into reggaeton.[26] Radio station Estación K2 named Paulo's work as one of the "top 25 albums of 2022" for being one of the most highly anticipated albums in the music industry, as Londra made a grand return with an album that surpassed expectations.[27]

Commercial performance

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Back to the Game, in its first week of release, managed to reach the Spotify charts as the third most streamed studio album in the United States and the ninth in the United Kingdom, making Londra the first Argentine artist to achieve these milestones.[28] According to Spotify, in the global ranking of debut albums for the week, the album reached the number 2 position.[29]

Accolades

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List of awards and nominations received by Back to the Game
Year Award Category Result Ref.
2023 Gardel Awards Best Urban Music Album Nominated [30]

Track listing

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Back to the Game track listing[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Chango"
2:34
2."Plan A"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
  • Federico Javier Colazo
  • Matías Andrés Rapacioli
  • Vindver
  • Hot Plug
2:58
3."Party en el Barrio" (with Duki)
  • Ángel "BabeTruth" López
  • Vindver
  • Root
3:56
4."Luces"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
  • Colazo
  • Rapacioli
  • Vindver
  • Hot Plug
2:52
5."Por Deporte"
  • Torres
  • Vindver
  • Rengifo
2:49
6."Noche de Novela" (with Ed Sheeran)
Vindver3:11
7."Nublado" (with Travis Barker)
  • López
  • Vindver
2:57
8."A Veces" (with Feid)
Vindver3:11
9."Cansado" (with Joaqo)
  • Londra
  • Vindver
  • Colazo
  • Jarom Su'a
  • Joaquín Domínguez
  • Vindver
  • Hot Plug
  • Su'a
3:01
10."Tenso"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
Vindver2:50
11."Ella"
Sky Rompiendo3:33
12."Julieta"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
  • Ramírez Suárez
  • Vindver
  • Sky Rompiendo
3:04
13."Ojalá"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
  • Su'a
  • Root
  • Vindver
  • Su'a
  • Root
2:45
14."Necio" (with Lit Killah)
Big One3:38
15."Chance"
  • Londra
  • Vindver
Vindver3:24
16."Toc Toc" (with Timbaland)
  • Timbaland
  • Vindver
2:37
Total length:49:27

Release history

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Release formats for Back to the Game
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various 23 November 2022
Warner Latina [31]

References

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  1. ^ "Paulo Londra le pondrá fin a una larga espera de dos años con el estreno de "Plan A"". Rio Negro (in Spanish). March 22, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Lopez, Julyssa (December 16, 2022). "Argentine Star Paulo Londra Hits Restart: 'Time to Make Things I Like'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "¿Sorpresa? El regalo que recibieron los jugadores de la Selección Argentina: El cantante Paulo Londra le envió un collar por su vuelta a la música". TNT Sports (in Spanish). March 23, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  4. ^ "Paulo Londra sorteó sus problemas legales y sacó una nueva canción tras dos años y medio". Nexofin (in Spanish). March 23, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  5. ^ Contemponi, Bebe (November 2, 2022). "Paulo Londra adelantó su próximo disco: "Es una mezcolanza, tengo toda la fe"". TN (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  6. ^ Liguori, Macarena (November 3, 2022). "Paulo Londra reveló el nombre y algunos detalles de su próximo álbum". Via Pais (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  7. ^ "Paulo Londra lo hizo oficial: su nuevo disco ya tiene fecha de lanzamiento". TN (in Spanish). November 16, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  8. ^ Navarro, Alba (November 21, 2022). "Paulo Londra desvela el tracklist y las colaboraciones de su nuevo disco: 'Back to the Game'". Los 40 España (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "Paulo Londra compartió la tapa y la lista de temas de su segundo álbum, "Back to the Game"". La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). November 21, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Paulo Londra vuelve a la escena musical con su nuevo disco "Back to the Game"". Los 40 Argentina (in Spanish). November 24, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e ""Back To The Game": La vuelta de Paulo Londra". Billboard Argentina (in Spanish). November 23, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  12. ^ "Paulo Londra estrenó nueva canción: esta vez junto a Joaqo, uno de los Leones con Flow". La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Pairone, Juan Manuel (November 24, 2022). "Paulo Londra estrenó "Back to the Game": así es su segundo álbum, tema por tema". La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  14. ^ "6 Essential Tracks on Paulo Londra's 'Back to the Game' Album: Editor's Picks". Billboard. November 23, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Así suena Necio, de Paulo Londra con LIT killah: letra y vídeo". El Mundo (in Spanish). November 25, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  16. ^ "Paulo Londra estrenó "Chance", su segundo single desde su regreso a la escena musical". Télam (in Spanish). April 22, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "Paulo Londra presentó el single "Toc Toc" en colaboración con Timbaland". Ámbito Financiero (in Spanish). July 25, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  18. ^ "Back to the Game: Paulo Londra está de vuelta con todas las letras y sonidos". Télam (in Spanish). November 23, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  19. ^ Lucero, Micaela (November 23, 2022). "Paulo Londra, regreso a lo grande y en Córdoba: cómo hacer felices a los fans en 40 minutos". La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  20. ^ Origlia, Graciela (November 23, 2022). "Paulo Londra reunió 50.000 personas, en la presentación espontánea de su nuevo álbum". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  21. ^ Cordero, Micaela (November 30, 2022). ""Ojalá": Paulo Londra sorprende con el estreno de su nuevo video". Los 40 Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  22. ^ ""Tenso", lo nuevo de Paulo Londra". Diario Hoy (in Spanish). December 15, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Garcia, Thania (November 25, 2022). "Paulo Londra Drops Second Studio Album, 'Back to the Game'". Variety. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  24. ^ Porto Toledano, Darío (November 25, 2022). "Paulo Londra ha vuelto al juego de una manera especial". Urbano News (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Chaves, Sebastián (November 25, 2022). "Paulo Londra: la furia y la épica se convierten en simples intenciones en su muy postergado nuevo disco". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  26. ^ "The 25 Best Latin Albums of 2022: Staff Picks". Billboard. December 19, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  27. ^ "Repasamos el año en 25 discos". Tus Radios (in Spanish). December 24, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  28. ^ "Paulo Londra hace historia en los charts internacionales de Spotify". La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). November 29, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  29. ^ "Con "Back to the game", Londra hace historia en los charts internacionales". El Destape Web (in Spanish). November 29, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  30. ^ "Premios Gardel 2023: CAPIF dio a conocer las nominaciones de este año". Filo News (in Spanish). April 11, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  31. ^ Quililongo, Pascale (November 16, 2022). "Paulo Londra anuncia la fecha de su nuevo disco «Back to the Game» para noviembre". Los 40 Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved June 19, 2023.
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