Imagine Dragons have released a remix of their new single “Eyes Closed” featuring an unexpected guest: Colombian reggaetón star J Balvin, rapping in Spanish and delivering some of his best lyrics in recent memory.
The pairing brings additional edge, bass and an increased touch of menace and grit to an anthemic track. The original “Eyes Closed” is vintage Imagine Dragons in its strong, can-do lyrics and rousing motto: “I can do this with my eyes closed.” It also maintains the band’s melodic essence, but goes further, adding some industrial production and even a touch of beats and raps.
J Balvin’s participation kicks things off in a higher gear with a more aggressive attitude. “Eyes Closed” is all about returning from the dead, more powerful than before (“I’ve been broken down and beat up, but I still get ahead,” sings Dan Reynolds).
For Balvin, who had a series of setbacks, the message is particularly appropriate and he takes on the challenge with gusto and bravado, rapping to Imagine Dragons’ rock beats and delivering lines like: “La tormenta no ha podido sacudir mis palmas […]Los que dieron la espalda se les vio la falda […] Si la fe es creer antes de ver, parcero, yo no nací pa perder” (The storm has shaken my palm trees; those who turned their backs on me showed their real colors […] if having faith means believing before seeing, parcero, I wasn’t born to lose.”
Check out the video of the “Eyes Closed” remix with Balvin below.