

A genuine sense of wonder often makes its way into Sebastián Yatra’s music, his lyrical thoughtfulness in matters of life and love proving pivotal to his process. Even as the Colombian singer saw his profile soar in the wake of his Encanto contribution “Dos Oruguitas,” that genuine nature behind his pop-music stylings proved inextricable on 2022’s ambitious and exploratory Dharma. His proper follow-up to that album, Milagro concerns itself with the notion of everyday miracles, starting with the romantic probing of its title track and continuing through the broadly faith-based “Amen” and the “El final que soñábamos.” Obviously, matters of the heart remain a fixture of his songcraft, evident on the yearning pair “La Pelirroja” and “Disco Rayado.” On “Energía Bacana,” he describes a natural emotional high over a slowly paced thump, with handclaps and cheers cropping up intermittently. And while there’s no shortage of ballads here, Yatra concurrently pushes himself sonically further than before, the synth-rock surges of “París” and “Una Noche Sin Pensar” being the most obvious examples. Other shifts come more subtly, by way of the country-infused “La Pelirroja” and the subdued gospel choir of “La Primera Vez.” Though not wholly central to the album’s personal aims, some meaningful collaborations arise here and there. Sentiments swell with the florid poetry of “Templo de Piceas” opposite HUMBE and amid the tropical extravaganza of single “Vagabundo” with Manuel Turizo and Beéle. Yet it might be the simpler pleasures of a skillful interpolation like the reggaetón rework “2AM” with Bad Gyal that keeps his listeners returning for more.