On November 6th, 2025, the iconic rockstar Carlos Santana and the Mexican music superstar Carín León craft a legendary collaboration in the form of “Velas”: a sensual single with rich notes of love and heartfelt surrender. “Velas” is available now across all digital platforms.
The combination of Carlos Santana’s unique salsa-rock style of guitar sound and Carín León’s smooth, passionate voice creates a rich blend of R&B, soul, pop, and rock. Every note is imbued with a strong touch of sensuality, and the song produces a hypnotic urban beat with a flamenco handclap percussion to further drive the message.
The track also touches on the spirituality behind candles in Latin culture, a connection that has always resonated with Santana. “For me, candles have a frequency that connects you with the spirit,” the guitarist explained. Carín León described that the symbolism of the song lies in “the act of asking God for that person.” “This connection that we Latinos have with our spirituality, beyond religion, as part of our popular culture–and portraying it in a modern way,” the singer adds.
“This song is about something that both God and humans love; it’s called romance,” says Santana. “Romance is a bridge between humans and God. We all pray for something, to God or the universe. What I hope people will feel when they hear this song is that they want to give each other a hug. There’s so much negativity in the world right now that we need a hug of light.”
“Beyond the fact that I get to collaborate with him or give my career this great milestone of being with Carlos Santana, I think what anyone from Mexico, anyone from Latin America, any musician should say is thank you for the art you’ve created and for keeping music alive for so, so many years,” León notes.
The narrator in “Velas” does more than love their partner–they revere them. The connection is so strong, so profound, that the narrator and their partner seek divine and spiritual intercession for protection. Various religious figures are showcased in the lyrics–From the Virgin Mary, Muhammad, Buddha, to La Santa Muerte–highlighting a faith that transcends all boundaries. “Velas” follows “Me Retiro”, a collaboration with Mexican group Grupo Frontera. Both hits are produced and written by Edgar Barrera, and part of Santana’s new musical project. To experience the new hit “Velas”, click here.
Photo Credits: antimusic.com, YouTube.com
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