"Lokera" is a song by Puerto Rican singersRauw Alejandro,Lyanno and Brray, for Aljenadro's third studio album,Saturno (2022). It was written by Alejandro, Lyanno, and Brray, while the production was handled by Mr. NaisGai, Alejandro, and Caleb Calloway. The song was released fordigital download andstreaming bySony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment on July 25, 2022, as thelead single from the album. A Spanish languagereggaeton andelectronicperreo, it portrays the thrill of waking up in a stranger's bed. The track received widely positive reviews frommusic critics, who complimented its infectious and danceable rhythm and the singers' vocals.
"Lokera" was nominated for Urban Collaboration of the Year at the36th Lo Nuestro Awards. The song was commercially successful, reaching the top 10 in eight countries, including Colombia and Chile, and onBillboard'sHot Latin Songs in the United States. It also became Lyanno's first entry on theBillboard Hot 100. The song has received severalcertifications, including 22×platinum (Latin) in the United States. An accompanyingmusic video, released simultaneously with the song, was directed by Marlon Peña and Alejandro himself.
Rauw Alejandro released his second studio album,Vice Versa on June 25, 2021.[1] The album debuted at number one onBillboard Top Latin Albums, giving Alejandro his first number one on the chart,[2] and was ranked as the third-best album of 2021 and the best Spanish-language album of the year byRolling Stone.[3][4] Following his successful era, hetweeted on July 23, 2022, to clap back at his haters who criticize him for making music forTikTok: "TikTok is what the world uses, so rather music for the world, later they will create another platform and everyone will use it the same."[5] A few hours later, he announced the title of his new song made for TikTok, to be "Lokera", which would be a collaboration withLyanno and Brray.[6]
On July 25, 2022, "Lokera" was released fordigital download andstreaming bySony Music Latin and Duars Entertainment as thelead single from Alejandro's third studio album,Saturno.[7] The song was later included as the last track on the album, released November 11, 2022.[8]
Musically, "Lokera" is a Spanish languagereggaeton andelectronicperreo.[9][10][11] The song was written by Alejandro, Lyanno, and Brray. Its production was handled by Mr. NaisGai, Alejandro, Caleb Calloway, and Slow Jamz,[12] and the track runs for a total of 3 minutes and 15 seconds.[7] Lyrically, "Lokera" portrays the thrill of waking up in a stranger's bed,[13] with lyrics including, "Despertar en otra cama que no sea la mía / Me importa un bicho mi ex, si es tremenda porquería, jaja" (Waking up in another bed that is not mine / I don't give a damn about my ex, if it's tremendous crap, haha).[14]
Upon release, "Lokera" was met with widely positive reviews frommusic critics. In his review forLatina, Lucas Villa described Alejandro and Lyanno as "a dream duo" with "alluring vocals" that makes the song "more irresistible". He added that "Alejandro will continue to rule the dance floor with 'Lokera' in hisarsenal".[10] An author ofMonitor Latino labeled it "a theme for the party" and named Alejandro "one of the main exponents of urban music in recent years".[15]Remezcla's Jeanette Hernandez described "Lokera" as "hot", while Alberto Palao Murcia fromLos 40 named it a "collaboration full of rhythm".[11][16] Writing forThe Fader, Jordan Darville noted that it "has a red-bloodiness that's as infectious as it is unsavory", naming Lyanno and Brray the "perfect wingmen for the track".[17] Ernesto Lechner fromRolling Stone ranked the track as Alejandro's 36th-best song,[13] andBillboard staff listed it among the "7 Essential Tracks" onSaturno.[18]
"Lokera" is one of Alejandro's most commercially successful songs in his career, peaking at number 55 on theBillboard Global 200.[23][24] The song debuted at number 37 on the USBillboardHot Latin Songs chart on August 13, 2022, becoming Alejandro's 32nd entry, as well as both Lyanno and Brray's second.[25] On December 24, 2022, the track reached its peak of number nine, giving Alejandro his ninth top-10 hit on the chart, Lyanno his first, and Brray his second.[26][27][28] "Lokera" debuted at number 99 on the USBillboard Hot 100 on the chart issue dated October 22, 2022, becoming Alejandro's sixth entry on the chart, Lyanno's first and Brray's second.[29][30][31] The song was certified 22×platinum (Latin) by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for track-equivalent sales of over 1.320,000 units in the United States.[32] In Spain, "Lokera" peaked at number 12 and was certified triple platinum by theProductores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE), for track-equivalent sales of over 180,000 units in the country.[33] The track reached the top 10 in Colombia,[34] Chile,[35] Dominican Republic,[36] Ecuador,[37] Guatemala,[38] Honduras,[39] and Peru.[40] It also peaked in the top 20 of Bolivia,[41] Costa Rica,[42] El Salvador,[43] Latin America,[44] Mexico,[45] and Puerto Rico.[46] In Mexico, the song was certified 4× platinum + gold by theAsociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON), for track-equivalent sales of over 630,000 units.[47]
A screenshot from themusic video, depicting Alejandro singing in front of the mirror in the bathroom.
An accompanyingmusic video was released simultaneously with the song. The visual was directed by the Marlon Peña and Alejandro himself. The scene opens with Alejandro putting on his clothes after a hookup. The camera then captures the nocturnal activities of Lyanno, who delivers his verse among people dancing, drinking, and having fun in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A different shot shows Rauw being confronted by a man outside a bathroom, and Lyanno intervenes to prevent a potential conflict. The man is escorted out by the crowd, while Rauw expresses his gratitude to Lyanno for his assistance. Next, Brray performs his rap as a woman dances sensually with him. The video ends with the attendees jumping into a pool filled with inflatable toys. However, their enjoyment is cut short by a police raid that terminates their splendid time.[11]
