This track holds special significance for Vives, as it captures the final accordion performance by his close friend Egidio Cuadrado before his passing nearly two years ago.
“Buscando el Mar” is the second single from Carlos Vives’ highly anticipated album, “El Último Disco.” Listen here.
Miami, FL (April 21, 2026) – There are songs born of inspiration that resonate even before their release. “Buscando el Mar” is one of them. The new single from Colombian icon Carlos Vives, featuring Juan Luis Guerra, not only marks the first collaboration between two musical giants, but also revisits a story from the past, transforming it into a song about searching, nostalgia, and freedom. The track will be available today at 7:00 PM EST on all digital platforms.
Inspired by Gabriel García Márquez’s book Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude), the song was created by Carlos Vives, Carlos Gardel, and Hugo Huertas as a tribute to the Colombian writer, taking as its starting point the story of the character from Macondo who anxiously sought the sea, a metaphor used to convey freedom.
Regarding how the collaboration came about, Carlos Vives shared the following: “During the creation of the song, the idea arose to work with the maestro Juan Luis Guerra. We sent him the concept, which he received with enthusiasm, and, along with his band, 440, he contributed to the final result: a blend of his signature joy and the nostalgia of the characters from Macondo, particularly that of the man who was searching for the sea.”
What began as an idea titled “La Ciénaga del Tiempo”, referring to the “ciénaga” (swamp/lagoon) as the delta of the great Magdalena River, transformed into “Buscando el Mar” when Juan Luis Guerra joined the project and proposed the title.
“Buscando el Mar” is a blend of Caribbean rhythms, pop, and instrumentation featuring percussion, guitars, and piano, creating a sonic journey filled with nostalgia, hope, and connection. Notably, this track holds special significance for Vives, as it captures the final accordion performance by his dear friend Egidio Cuadrado before his passing nearly two years ago.
“I keep searching for the sea, yet your heart is not in this boat lost in the solitude / I keep searching for the sea, yet your heart is nowhere to be found, how I wish I could start over in life,” goes the chorus of this highly anticipated collaboration, which combines the infectious energy and interpretive power of Carlos Vives with the elegance and musical sensibility of Juan Luis Guerra.
“I have admired Carlos’ music and career for many years, as well as Colombian music. It was high time for this collaboration between Carlos and me. This is the perfect moment, and the perfect song, for us to sing together,” shared Juan Luis Guerra.
The release is accompanied by a concept video featuring images from both artists’ past and present, along with the song’s lyrics.
This track serves as the second preview of “El Último Disco,” an album designed to be dedicated: songs that are not merely listened to, but shared, remembered, and that remind us of values that have been forgotten. Prior to this release, Vives unveiled “Te Dedico,” an intimate song born of gratitude that champions a return to the values that truly matter, such as romanticism and a more intimate way of connecting through music. This song, which has an official music video starring Carlos Vives’ son, Pedro Vives, served as the calling card for this highly anticipated album.
Currently, the 18-time Latin GRAMMY winner is on an international tour with his Tour al Sol 2026, which has already seen its first SOLD-OUT shows in Toronto and Montreal, followed by multiple cities in the United States, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Ecuador. For information on dates and tickets, visit carlosvives.com.
