No Es Que Te Extrañe

"No Es Que Te Extrañe" (transl. "It's Not That I Miss You") is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her ninth studio album, Aguilera. It was written by Aguilera, Edgar Barrera, Pablo Preciado, Yasmil Marrufo, Rafa Arcaute and Federico Vindver, and produced by the latter two. It was co-produced by Afo Verde, and vocal production was handled by Jean Rodríguez. The song was released by Sony Music Latin on September 30, 2022, as the album's fifth single.^[b]

"No Es Que Te Extrañe"
Single by Christina Aguilera
from the album Aguilera
Language	Spanish
English title	"It's Not That I Miss You"
A-side	"Intro (La Luz)"[a]
Released	September 30, 2022 (2022-09-30)
Recorded	2021
Studio	Art House (Miami)
Genre	Pasillo
Length	4:43
Label	Sony Latin
Songwriter(s)	Christina Aguilera Edgar Barrera Federico Vindver Pablo Preciado Rafa Arcaute Yasmil Marrufo
Producer(s)	Federico Vindver Rafa Arcaute Afo Verde (co.) Jean Rodríguez (voc.)
Christina Aguilera singles chronology
"Suéltame" (2022) "No Es Que Te Extrañe" (2022) "Learning to Fly" (2023)
Music video
"No Es Que Te Extrañe" on YouTube

Inspired by the domestic violence she and her mother experienced from her father in her early years, Aguilera sings about forgiving her father and setting herself free from her past. The song received positive reviews, with praise focusing on Aguilera's vocals and the song's lyrical topic. A music video depicting Aguilera's childhood was released alongside the song. At the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards the song has received nomination for Record of the Year.^[1]

Background and composition

“As a mother, I want to be the strongest, healthiest version of myself for my children. I wrote ‘No Es Que Te Extrañe’ to come full circle, accept, forgive and be set free. Forgiveness begins when heartache turns into freedom.”

— Aguilera about the song.^[2]

"No Es Que Te Extrañe" was created during Aguilera's recording session for the album in early 2021. The song is a pasillo,^[3][4] a genre which originates from Colombia, and is considered the national style of music in Ecuador, where Aguilera's father is from.^[5] It is written in the key of D Major, with a moderately fast tempo of 184 beats-per-minute.^[6][7] The song is split into two acts: the first act is a tender ballad featuring only Aguilera's vocals and an acoustic guitar, while the second act juxtaposes the first, which features a heavy Latin beat and heightened energy.^[8][9]

Edgar Barrera, who co-wrote the song.

Lyrically, Aguilera sings about getting closure for the domestic violence she and her mother dealt with in her early years from her estranged father, Fausto.^[10] She revealed that she "wrote ‘No Es Que Te Extrañe’ to "come full circle, accept, forgive and be set free."^[11] Aguilera revealed that the song is about "feeling closure in a peaceful way", and understanding that someone who hurt you "might have a story as well".^[12]

Aguilera also added that "No Es Que Te Extrañe" is a song about "embracing the power of forgiveness", and noted: "[it] allowed me to bring awareness on how unhealthy stagnant past grievances can keep you dwelling in dark thoughts and patterns. It’s only when you decide to move forward in forgiveness do you find your healing."^[13]

Release and music video

Aguilera first teased "No Es Que Te Extrañe" on her social media, announcing the album's final part, La Luz. The song premiered on September 30, 2022, and was released commercially for digital download and on streaming platforms worldwide alongside its music video.^[14] The video was co-directed by Mike Ho and Aguilera and produced by Colin Randall. It portrays Aguilera's childhood, witnessing her father's abuse to her mother.^[15] The video parallels Aguilera's childhood with her father's, with Aguilera understanding that he may have gone through a similar situation. It opens in a “typical” American household in a rural scenery. Young Aguilera is comforted by her mother who is abused by a husband. Another scene in the video shows Aguilera as she puts on her father’s military jacket in front of a burning couch outside of her house.^[16] The video closes with the spoken word "Intro (La Luz)".^[16]

Genna Rivieccio of Culled Culture compared the video to the music video for "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)" — a song by Lindsay Lohan which discussed domestic abuse and was also directed by the singer herself.^[16]

Critical reception

"No Es Que Te Extrañe" received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Aguilera's vocals and the song's lyrics. In the official write-up for the Grammy Awards website, Bianca Gracie called "No Es Que Te Extrañe" a "somber" track that "found the artist healing her childhood trauma".^[17] Chuck Taylor – writing for Billboard — complimented the song for demonstrating that Aguilera has got the goods to rise above what so many lesser acts depend on for celebrity.^[18] AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung considered the song "an unexpected moment of high drama that was written about finding closure and forgiveness", and praised it for its "cinematic" quality.^[19] Nick Butler from Sputnikmusic simply called it "great." The New York Times editor Kelefa Sanneh positively viewed the track's theme as "fearless".^[20] Jeff Benjamin, writer of Forbes, defines the song "one of the most stunning songs of her career so far", appreciating the "melancholy" arrangement, prizing the choice to draw from pasillo and the use of requinto guitar, in which Aguilera "speaks to distant memories and finds peace with someone with whom she has a complex history".^[21] Music critic Odi O'Malley believed "No Es Que Te Extrañe" "starts like a [typical] ballad and then becomes more passionate, more evidently Latin".^[22] The track was listed as one of the best Latin songs of 2022 by Spotify's experts.^[23]

Accolades

Year	Ceremony	Category	Result	Ref.
2023	Premios Juventud	Video with the Most Powerful Message	Nominated	[24]
	Latin Grammy Awards	Record of the Year	Nominated	[1]

Track listing

La Luz digital single

1. "Intro (La Luz)" – 0:40
2. "No Es Que Te Extrañe" – 4:43

Credits and personnel

• Writing – Christina Aguilera, Edgar Barrera, Federico Vindver, Jean Rodriguez, Pablo Preciado, Rafa Arcaute, Yasmil Marrufo
• Producing – Rafa Arcaute, Federico Vindver
• Mixing – Mike Seaberg
• Recording – Felipe Trujillo, Ray Charles Brown, Jr.
• Mastering – Jaycen Joshua
• Vocals – Christina Aguilera
• Strings arranging and conducting – Davide Rosi, Roland Gajate

Charts

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Taiwan (Hito Radio)[25]	2
US Latin Digital Songs (Billboard)[26]	9

Release history

Release history for "No Es Que Te Extrañe"

Region	Date	Format	A-side	Label(s)	Ref.
Various	September 30, 2022	Digital download streaming	"Intro (La Luz)"	Sony Latin	[14]

Notes

1. Dual single, released as La Luz
2. The single was officially released under the name La Luz (transl. The Light), featuring "Intro (La Luz)" and "No Es Que Te Extrañe"

References

1. Ratner-Arias, Sigal (September 19, 2023). "Edgar Barrera Tops 2023 Latin Grammys Nominees: Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
2. "Christina Aguilera Releases New Song "No Es Que Te Extrañe"". PM Studio. October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
3. ""No es que te extrañe": la canción de Christina Aguilera con la que le habla a su padre ausente y vuelve a sus raíces ecuatorianas". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved October 18, 2022.
4. Criollo, Fernando (October 3, 2022). "No es que te extrañe de Christina Aguilera es un tema inédito". El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved October 18, 2022.
5. Benjamin, Jeff. "Christina Aguilera Expands Latin-Music Range & Honors Her Ecuador Roots On 'No Es Que Te Extrañe'". Forbes. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
6. "No Es Que Te Extrañe by Christina Aguilera – Key and BPM". SongData.io. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
7. Villacañas, Javier (September 28, 2022). "Así suena 'No es que te extrañe' de Christina Aguilera: Un avance de 'La Luz', su próximo disco en español" (in Spanish). Cadena 100. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
8. Dino, Hiras Di (September 30, 2022). "CHRISTINA AGUILERA presenta LA LUZ el último capítulo de AGUILERA". Sony Music Entertainment Latin. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
9. Ortiz, Mónica (September 28, 2022). "Etiqueta: Christina Aguilera No es que te extrañe" (in Spanish). En Heraldo De Puebla. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
10. "Christina Aguilera's New Spanish Song May Be About Her Estranged Dad". UPROXX. September 28, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
11. Dimaano, Hannah (September 30, 2022). "Christina Aguilera Says EP 'La Luz' is About "Closure In A Peaceful Way"". Talent Recap. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
12. Havens, Lyndsey (September 29, 2022). "Christina Aguilera Reveals What Fans Can Expect From 'La Luz' At Latin Music Week". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
13. Christina Aguilera (September 30, 2023). "One year ago, I made the conscious choice to embrace the power of forgiveness, and it illuminated my path, guiding me towards the light. (...)". Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023 – via Twitter.
14. "La Luz – Single by Christina Aguilera on Apple Music". Apple Music. Apple Inc. September 30, 2022.
15. "Кристина Агилера выступает против домашнего насилия в клипе "No Es Que Te Extrane"" (in Russian). soyuz.ru. September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
16. Rivieccio, Genna (October 1, 2022). "'Confessions of A Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)': Xtina Pulls A Lindsay Lohan for 'No Es Que Extrañe' Video". Culled Culture. Neonmagzin. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
17. Gracie, Bianca (December 28, 2022). "2022 In Review: 8 Trends That Defined Pop Music". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
18. "'No es que te extrañe', la balada con la que Christina Aguilera calienta motores para su nuevo disco" (in Spanish). lavanguardia.com. September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
19. "Christina Aguilera – Aguilera – Review by Neil Z. Yeung". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
20. "Christina Aguilera le canta al desamor con "No es que te extrañe", adelanto de su disco 'La Luz'" (in Spanish). cronica.com. September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
21. Benjamin, Jeff (September 30, 2022). "Christina Aguilera Expands Latin-Music Range & Honors Her Ecuador Roots On 'No Es Que Te Extrañe'". Forbes. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
22. "«Perdono, pero no olvido»: Christina Aguilera finiquita la era 'Aguilera' con 'No Es Que Te Extrañe'". odiomalley.com. September 30, 2022. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
23. "Latino Vibes MIX – Best of 2022". Spotify. Spotify AB. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
24. Escobar Rivas, Ana (June 14, 2023). "Rosalía, Rauw Alejandro, Shakira and Bad Bunny lead the nominations for the Premios Juventud 2023: See the complete list". Los 40 Urban. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
25. "Taiwan Top 10 (2023-07-16)". T4C. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
26. "Christina Aguilera Chart History (Latin Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2022.