The pop singer was asked by author and fellow Colombian Gabriel García Márquez to write a song for the film adaptation of his novel Love in the Time of Cholera.
How did you and García Márquez become friends?
It happened around 10 years ago, when he first interviewed me, and we immediately clicked. I spent an entire afternoon talking with him, and we planted the seeds for what is a strong friendship today.
Is Love in the Time of Cholera your favorite of his works?
I am a big fan of One Hundred Years of Solitude too. I think they're my top favorites. Gabriel has documented faithfully the social reality of my country — its magic and its contrast and its poetry.
You typically write pop songs, but [Cholera song] Despedida is Latin folk. What was writing that like?
I knew I was standing in front of a huge challenge. The big question for me was, How will I make music for a movie that is based on a masterpiece that already has so much musicality? It's my dream song. It's brought me closer to where I'm from.
A lot of pop stars don't write their own music, but you do. From where do you draw your inspiration?
For some reason, my inspiration comes to me when I'm on planes. In the air, I have more time with myself than I do when I'm on land.