LA FOTO: Shadow and Nicky Jam Release Single Born From Viral Post
The single features production by Jorge Miliano and an official music video from Mechu Recvolution and Nova Films.
Cuban artist Shadow has released LA FOTO, a new single featuring Nicky Jam, distributed under EMM and Plus Media. The song traces its origins to a video Shadow, whose given name is Raudel Gómez Hernández, recorded in Camagüey, Cuba using only a portable speaker, which he posted to Instagram asking viewers to tag Nicky Jam in hopes of one day recording with him. Nicky Jam saw the post, reached out to Shadow directly, and the two eventually developed the collaboration that became LA FOTO. The release is accompanied by an official music video.
Some songs are born in the studio. Others begin long before that, under circumstances few could imagine. The story of 'La Foto' started on the streets of Camagüey, Cuba, where Raudel Gómez Hernández, professionally known as Shadow, was working to support his family while holding on to his dream of making it in music.
Amid economic hardship, widespread shortages, and the frequent power outages affecting much of the country, Shadow found a brief opportunity when he gained access to the internet. Armed with nothing more than a portable speaker, he recorded himself performing one of his original songs and uploaded the video to Instagram with a simple request: tag Nicky Jam, because his greatest dream was to one day record a song with him.
What seemed destined to disappear among millions of social media posts found its way to the right person. Nicky Jam came across the video and was moved not only by Shadow's talent, but also by the authenticity of his story and his determination to keep pursuing his dream despite the challenges he faced. He reached out to Shadow personally, and what began as a simple message soon evolved into a genuine artistic collaboration that has now become 'La Foto.'
The release is accompanied by an official music video created by Mechu Recvolution & Nova Films, offering a visual complement to the song's message while capturing the extraordinary journey of an artist who never gave up on his dream—and another who chose to believe in it.
More than a collaboration between two artists from different generations and career stages, 'La Foto' is a testament to perseverance, the power of social media, and the importance of giving talent an opportunity when it appears.
LA FOTO was written by Raudel Gómez Hernández and produced by Jorge Miliano, with recording engineering by Carlos Ariel Jiménez Jorge and mixing and mastering by Javier Delgado. The accompanying music video was produced by Mechu Recvolution and Nova Films. The single is available on digital platforms.
