"" (English: "Torture") is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, from Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005). The song was produced by Shakira and co-written by the singer with Luis Fernando Ochoa. Lester Mendez served as an assistant producer. Epic Records released the song on 11 April 2005 by as the lead single from the album. "La Tortura" is a pop, reggaeton, and dancehall track, which lyrically tells the story of a woman who has been emotionally "tortured" because her boyfriend cheated and eventually left her for another, and has now returned begging forgiveness.
Upon its release, "La Tortura" received generally positive reviews by music critics, who agreed that the song was a highlight from Fijación Oral, Vol. 1; they were also ambivalent towards its "Shaketon Mix". It was well received commercially, reaching number one in several countries worldwide, including Hungary, Spain and Venezuela. In the United States, the single reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 (giving Sanz his only entry on said chart), while topping the Hot Latin Songs chart for 25 non-consecutive weeks. It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for a million digital copies sold in the region. "La Tortura" received multiple awards and nominations, including the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 7th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
The music video for "La Tortura" was directed by Michael Haussman and became one of the first Spanish music videos to be aired on MTV. It depicts Sanz spying on Shakira in her apartment, as they remember the times when they were a couple; Shakira also appears dancing erotically on a building's roof, covered with black greasepaint. To promote the single, she performed it on several televised shows and events, and included it in the setlist for three of her concert tours, with the most recent being the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025). The song was covered by Puerto Rican singer Gilberto Santa Rosa and has been credited with being one of the songs to popularize reggaetón globally, outside of the Hispanophone diaspora.
Background and development
After achieving crossover success in 2001 with her first English-language album, Laundry Service, Shakira started working on its follow-up. Having co-written almost 60 songs for the project, in both Spanish and English, Shakira decided to divide the release into two volumes, opting to first release an album entirely in Spanish, titled Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. This would be her first all-Spanish record since Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). For the album, Shakira worked with previous collaborators along with new partners, such as Argentine musician Gustavo Cerati and Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz. She stated that "they are very credible artists within Hispanic music, great composers and unique voices". Billboard opined that their presence on the album could help Shakira re-enter the Latin music market, as her last Spanish album was released seven years prior.
During the 2004 holiday season, Shakira and Sanz worked together in his home studio in Miami. She recalls being nervous as it was the first time she got together with another artist to produce one of her songs. Sanz, who records himself and is the engineer of his own songs, spent three nights in a row going to bed at five in the morning to create the perfect sound for the track. She recalled: "I remember I told him, 'Can't you change this little note?' And he just said to me, 'what?'. He almost threw a puck at my head", referring to her perfectionism. Shakira stated that she spent a full month tweaking the track, as she thought that it was "a song that needed clearly the right, the accurate production. If I went a little bit left or little bit far right, the song would suffer and get affected. And I struggled with the song until I finally got it." Through a statement published by Shakira's label, Epic Records, she considered Sanz's voice as the one the song needed, as it is "raw, unique, full of sensuality"; Sanz described Shakira as "obsessive about detail", and elaborated that she was "a little girl but a giant woman who lives madly in love with her dreams". "La Tortura", the result of their sessions together in the studio, was released as the lead single from Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 in the United States on 11 April 2005, by Epic Records. An electronic-flavored remix, titled the "Shaketon Mix", was later added to the album.
Composition
"La Tortura" was written by Shakira and Luis Fernando Ochoa, while produced by the former and Lester Mendez, who also played keyboards on the song. Sanz also played the Tres Cubano, with Lyle Workman playing the guitar, and Rene Toledo the acoustic guitar. Other instrumentation for "La Tortura" included bass by Paul Bushnell, accordion by Umberto Judex and Frank Marocco, and percussion by Archie Peña. The mixing and engineering for "La Tortura" was performed by Gustavo Celis at Supersonic Studios in Miami, with additional engineering by Rob Jacobs and Kevin Killen. Vlado Meller completed the audio mastering at Sony Music Studios in New York City.
Musically, "La Tortura" is a pop, reggaetón and dancehall song, with some reviewers noting elements of flamenco, cumbia, and electronica in its composition. The New York Times Jon Pareles observed the rock guitars and electronic blips present on the track, as well as an accordion and Sanz's "spry tres guitar", which provided a "funky cumbia feel". According to Shakira, "La Tortura" is a mix of many different elements, explaining that, within its composition, there would be "a little bit of acoustic guitars, a little bit of accordions. It's probably my most Latin track, too. It's one of those cocktails I like to put together". The song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 62 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C major with Shakira and Sanz's vocal ranges spanning from E3 to A5.
According to Shakira, "La Tortura" lyrically deals with "love and hate, infidelity, doubts, a chance of being forgiven... it's a song a [I] wrote in order to reflect that Latin reality called machismo, which is both tragic and comic at the same time". The track is about the "torture" it has been for two lovers to leave each other. One continually betrays the other, who is tired of the lies. Sanz sings, "I know I have not been a saint/but I can fix it baby", while Shakira responds: "you better keep that bone to another dog and then we say goodbye". The song ends as Shakira decides to leave Sanz, despite his pleas, but she asserts that she will not cry over him.
Critical response Upon release, "La Tortura" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Matt Cibula from PopMatters wrote that "what really matters are these two overheated voices working with and against each other, and the way that undeniable beat really comes alive when there is actually a beautiful melody underneath it". Described as a "beat-heavy scorcher" by Geoff Harkness from Chicago Tribune, it was seen by the journalist as the best track on the album Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, who saw its choice as the lead single as a "no-brainer". The staff of Houston Chronicle agreed, naming the track an "obvious standout", and complimenting Sanz's vocals, as his "raspy delivery gives the song a razor-sharp edge". Spence D. from IGN opined that the "ethnic" musical implements on "La Tortura", such as accordion, Spanish guitar flutters, jostling rhythms, and Sanz's vocals "make for one of the more enjoyable and distinct inclusions on the album; a slice of Shakira being Shakira and eschewing the affectation of anybody else's vocal stylings".
For Los Angeles Times Agustin Gurza, "La Tortura" was "so deliciously pop you forgive the crass calculation of mixing restrained reggaeton beats (narcissistically called 'Shaketon'), a dash of Gipsy Kings, a touch of Colombian accordion. Radio loves it and the clubs will too". Ruan Carlo from Sputnikmusic deemed the track as "the most commercial song in the album", noting that it was "noticeably different from previous singles", as it sounds "very Latin, and yet synthesizers are heard at one point", which gives the song a "global tone". Jon Pareles of The New York Times complimented the song and its "Shaketon Mix", arguing that "one of it sounds forced: for Shakira it's all pop, taut structures for volatile passion". Jorge Patiño of Rolling Stone Argentina described the remix as "a cleaner work than the original version until the percussion enters and falls into the reggaeton that invades the stations". Tom Townsend from Yahoo! Music opined that the original song was "slightly disappointing" but was "greatly improved by the remix, tacked on as a bonus track" on the album. Mariana Enriquez from Página/12 called it "not a great song, but at this point no one can avoid humming it".
Accolades Year Award ceremony Category Result 2005 Billboard Music Awards Latin Song of the Year Premios Juventud La Pareja Más Pareja (Dynamic Duet) La Más Pegajosa (Catchiest Tune) MTV Video Music Awards Latin AmericaVideo of the Year 2006 Latin Billboard Music Awards Hot Latin Song of the Year Vocal Duet Hot Latin Song of the Year Duo or Group Latin Pop Airplay Song of the Year Latin Ringtone of the Year Latin Grammy Awards Record of the Year Song of the Year Lo Nuestro Awards Pop Song of the Year International Dance Music Awards Best Latin Dance Track 2007 BMI Latin Awards Song of the Year Latin Ringtone of the Year
Commercial performance
In total, "La Tortura" has sold around five million copies worldwide. In Latin America, the single was well received commercially. In Colombia, Shakira's home country, it peaked at number three. The song also reached number three in Panama, while reaching the top of the charts in Guatemala and Venezuela.
In the United States, "La Tortura" debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the issue dated 7 May 2005. The track slowly climbed the chart until it reached its peak of number 23, on 24 September 2005. On the Hot Latin Songs chart, the song debuted at number 11 on the week of 30 April 2005. It later reached the summit five weeks later, replacing "La Camisa Negra" by Juanes. The single spent a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks at the top, becoming the longest-leading song at number one which was previously held by Son by Four's "A Puro Dolor" (2000), with 20 weeks. The record was later broken by "Bailando" (2014) by Enrique Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona, with 41 weeks. "La Tortura" ended 2005 as the best-performing Latin single of the year. Due to its success, the song was certified platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for over 1,000,000 digital sales. In the Latin field, it received a diamond certification due to sales of 1.92 million sales.
"La Tortura" was also successful in Europe. In Austria, the track reached number three, being later certified gold by IFPI Austria. In Denmark, the song reached number seven on the singles chart, and was also certified gold by IFPI Denmark. In Germany, it peaked at number four, and was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). In Switzerland, it reached a peak of number two, staying there for nine non-consecutive weeks. The single was eventually certified gold by the IFPI Switzerland. In other parts of Europe, "La Tortura" reached the top three in several countries, such as Croatia, Italy, and Switzerland, while peaking inside the top ten in France, Greece, Lebanon and Sweden. It eventually topped the charts in Hungary, Romania, as well as Spain, Sanz's home country. The song's commercial performance in the European countries helped it attain a peak of number five on the European Hot 100 Singles chart, on the issue dated 6 August 2005.
Music video