The Uruguayan musician presents a reinterpretation in Spanish of the Brazilian classic Gonzaguinha, accompanied by the Candombe Wheel.
A few hours after the release of his new studio album Taracathe singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler shares a new preview titled “What is it?”a Spanish adaptation of the emblematic theme “O Que É, O Que É?”composed by the Brazilian musician Gonzaguinha.
The song comes as a vivid and contemporary reinterpretation that maintains the essence of the original classic while bringing it closer to the Spanish-speaking public. In this new version, Drexler collaborates with the Candombe Wheela collective born in 2024 in Montevideo that is inspired by the traditional Brazilian samba rodas, where this song is usually part of the repertoire.
The result is a renewed reading in the key of candombe that celebrates the joy of living and the ability to look at the world with the curiosity of a child, as if life were a constant learning. That spirit is condensed in one of the most remembered verses of the song: “Live and not be ashamed to be happy / sing and sing and sing the beauty of being an eternal learner”here converted into the emotional heart of this interpretation.
The production combines the characteristic sensitivity of Drexler with the rhythmic energy of the candombe drums, generating a sound bridge between Uruguay and Brazil. From this intersection emerges a version that dialogues with both musical traditions and reaffirms the artist's interest in exploring cultural links within the Ibero-American sphere.
The launch comes accompanied by an emotional video clip directed by Joana Colomar and Rodrigo Mendezwith assembly of Maia De Zan Hatch. The video interweaves current images with family footage in Super-8 format filmed by Gunther Drexler in Uruguay in the 70s, generating a piece full of memory and emotion.
With this advance, Drexler He once again builds bridges between the music that formed him and the present, projecting his legacy towards new generations based on a universal question that runs through the song: what is life?
“What is it?” is now available on all digital platforms and works as a prelude to the full launch of Taraca.
