"Oye" (English: Listen! or Hey!) is a song by Cuban American singer and songwriter
Gloria Estefan. It was released by
Epic in 1998 as the second single from her eighth studio album, gloria! (1998). The song was written by Estefan, her husband
Emilio Estefan, Jr., Randall Barlow and Angie Chirino and produced by Estefan, Jr., Barlow and
Tony Moran. However, the single still reached number one on the US BillboardHot Dance Music/Club Play chart and in Spain. It earned the
Billboard Latin Music Award in the category for "Best Latin Club-Dance Track of the Year".
On June 3, 2022, Estefan released the "Oye" English (EP)[1][2] and its Spanish (EP)[3][4] to all digital and streaming outlets.
Critical reception
J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun felt that "Oye" is "where
latin meets
disco most effectively." He added, "Basically a sort of
techno-
salsa fusion, it combines the thumping regularity of electronics with the soulful release of
Afro-Cuban rhythm, a combination so potent it makes dancing an almost involuntary response."[5] Also Ben Wener from Beaver County Times noted the "bouncing Afro-Cuban flourishes" of the song.[6]
Larry Flick from Billboard remarked that the second single from "La Glo's slammin' dance opus", gloria!, "sidesteps the disco demeanor of the previous "
Heaven's What I Feel" in favor of a percussive salsa flavor." He added, "Once again, the veteran singer manages to surprise and delight, delivering a bilingual performance that is fraught with smoldering sensuality. She is bolstered by an arrangement that teeters between current club sounds and the shoulder-shakin' tone of her
Miami Sound Machine breakthrough, "
Conga". In fact, if you've been pining away for a jam that captures the party vibe of that classic recording, look no further."[7]
Joey Guerra from Houston Chronicle stated that it has one of the album's "strongest punches", describing it as a "sweltering bilingual cut that recalls" Puerto Rican singer
Ricky Martin's international smash "
Maria".[8] Victoria Segal from NME said that songs like "Oye" "speak the international language of tedium".[9] Flick for Vibe noted that the song has a "ferocious new energy and a vocal spark that Estefan hasn't previously displayed."[10]
Music video
The accompanying
music video for "Oye" was directed by
Argentinian director
Gustavo Garzón and features Estefan performing the song in a nightclub.
"Oye" (English: Listen! or Hey!) is a song by Cuban American singer and songwriter
Gloria Estefan. It was released by
Epic in 1998 as the second single from her eighth studio album, gloria! (1998). The song was written by Estefan, her husband
Emilio Estefan, Jr., Randall Barlow and Angie Chirino and produced by Estefan, Jr., Barlow and
Tony Moran. However, the single still reached number one on the US BillboardHot Dance Music/Club Play chart and in Spain. It earned the
Billboard Latin Music Award in the category for "Best Latin Club-Dance Track of the Year".
On June 3, 2022, Estefan released the "Oye" English (EP)[1][2] and its Spanish (EP)[3][4] to all digital and streaming outlets.
Critical reception
J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun felt that "Oye" is "where
latin meets
disco most effectively." He added, "Basically a sort of
techno-
salsa fusion, it combines the thumping regularity of electronics with the soulful release of
Afro-Cuban rhythm, a combination so potent it makes dancing an almost involuntary response."[5] Also Ben Wener from Beaver County Times noted the "bouncing Afro-Cuban flourishes" of the song.[6]
Larry Flick from Billboard remarked that the second single from "La Glo's slammin' dance opus", gloria!, "sidesteps the disco demeanor of the previous "
Heaven's What I Feel" in favor of a percussive salsa flavor." He added, "Once again, the veteran singer manages to surprise and delight, delivering a bilingual performance that is fraught with smoldering sensuality. She is bolstered by an arrangement that teeters between current club sounds and the shoulder-shakin' tone of her
Miami Sound Machine breakthrough, "
Conga". In fact, if you've been pining away for a jam that captures the party vibe of that classic recording, look no further."[7]
Joey Guerra from Houston Chronicle stated that it has one of the album's "strongest punches", describing it as a "sweltering bilingual cut that recalls" Puerto Rican singer
Ricky Martin's international smash "
Maria".[8] Victoria Segal from NME said that songs like "Oye" "speak the international language of tedium".[9] Flick for Vibe noted that the song has a "ferocious new energy and a vocal spark that Estefan hasn't previously displayed."[10]
Music video
The accompanying
music video for "Oye" was directed by
Argentinian director
Gustavo Garzón and features Estefan performing the song in a nightclub.