Looking for Paradise
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Looking for Paradise
| cover = lookingforparadise .jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Alejandro Sanz featuring Alicia Keys
| album = Paraíso Express
| released = 23 September 2009
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = 4:41
| label = WEA Latina
| writer = Alejandro Sanz, Alicia Keys
| producer = Tommy Torres
| chronology = Alejandro Sanz
| prev_title = En la Planta de Tus Pies
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = Desde Cuándo
| next_year = 2010
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Alicia Keys
| type = singles
| prev_title = Doesn't Mean Anything
| prev_year = 2009
| title = Looking for Paradise
| year = 2009
| next_title = Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
| next_year = 2009
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|oRFegcmOTPE|"Alejandro Sanz - Looking for paradise (Feat. Alicia Keys) (videoclip oficial)"}}}}
}}
"Looking for Paradise" is a song by Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz featuring American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It is the first single from Sanz's eighth studio album, Paraíso Express.{{Cite web |last=Herrera |first=Monica |date=September 22, 2025 |title=Alejandro Sanz Recruits Alicia Keys, Sets Date For ‘Paradise’ |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/alejandro-sanz-recruits-alicia-keys-sets-date-for-paradise-267313/ |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Billbaord}} Released through Warner Music via music download on 23 September 2009, the song topped the Spanish Singles Chart and was certified platinum by PROMUSICAE. The collaboration won the Billboard Latin Music Award for Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event in 2010.{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Latin Music Awards – 2010 Finalists and Winners |url=http://www.billboardevents.com/latin/awards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221104/http://www1.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/photos/stylus/158808-2010-LATIN-AWARDS-WINNERS.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=October 16, 2015 |magazine=Billboard}}
Composition
The song is written by the artists themselves with Kasseem Deam and Tomas Torres, the latter also a producer of the track.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Looking for Paradise - Testo di Alejandro Sanz |url=https://testicanzoni.rockol.it/testi/alejandro-sanz-feat-alicia-keys-looking-for-paradise-86317726 |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=Rockol |language=it}} In an interview with El Mundo, Sanz talked about the meaning of the song and the decision to collaborate with Keys:{{Cite web |last=Valdes-Valle |first=Lissette |date=September 22, 2009 |title=Alejandro Sanz encuentra el paraíso junto a Alicia Keys |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/09/21/cultura/1253567247.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |website=El Mundo |language=es}}
"It is a very positively song, musically and lyrically, in which it speaks directly to the listener, inviting him to look for his paradise. That paradise is often within us, although sometimes we insist on looking for it outside. Alicia is a very authentic woman for music. I think she is going to be a surprise for many people."In Brazil, the song was included in the international soundtrack of Tempos Modernos.{{Cite web
|url = http://www.teledramaturgia.com.br/tele/temposmodernost.asp
|title = Teledramaturgia
|work = teledramaturgia.com.br
|access-date = 20 October 2010
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110317214506/http://www.teledramaturgia.com.br/tele/temposmodernost.asp
|archive-date = 17 March 2011
}}
Music video
The music video for the song, directed by Gil Green, was filmed in Barcelona, Spain, and released on September 25, 2009 through the Sanz's YouTube channel.{{Cite news |date=September 25, 2009 |title=Videoclip de 'Looking For Paradise' el primer single de Alejandro Sanz interpretado junto a Alicia Keys |url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2009/09/25/actualidad/1253829611_740215.html |access-date=January 31, 2025 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}
Accolades
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Award nominations for "Looking for Paradise" ! scope="col" |Year ! scope="col" |Ceremony ! scope="col" |Award ! scope="col" |Result ! scope="col" |Ref. |
| rowspan=3|2010
|Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event |{{Win}} |
| Premios 40 Principales
|Best Song |{{nom}} |
| Premios Ondas
|Mejor canción |{{won}} | |
| 2011
|Collaboration of the Year |{{nom}} | |
Chart performance
The song entered the U.S. Billboard charts on the week of 10 October 2009. It debuted at number 10 on the Latin Pop Songs chart. On the next week, it rise to number 4; at number 21 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and later, the song was the airplay gainer, rising to number 9, on its third week rise again to number 7; and at number 32 on the Tropical Songs chart. The song, so far, peaked at number 67 on the Billboard Radio Songs chart.
On the week of 14 November 2009, the song went to number 1 on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart and Tropical Songs chart. A week later, the song finally went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. This was Keys' first number one on all three charts, which also made her the first African-American of non-Hispanic origin to reach number 1 on the Hot Latin Tracks.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (2009)
!Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Mexico (Monitor Latino){{cite web|url=http://www.info7.mx/seccion/alejandro-sanz-y-alicia-keys-conquistan-lista-de-popularidad/432370|title=
Alejandro Sanz y Alicia Keys conquistan lista de popularidad|language=Spanish|date=2009-11-03|publisher=INFO7|accessdate=2017-09-24}} |1 |
| {{single chart|Spain|1|artist=Alejandro Sanz / Alicia Keys|song=Looking for Paradise|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|4|artist=Alejandro Sanz|rowheader=true|access-date=2 August 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardlatinsongs|1|artist=Alejandro Sanz|rowheader=true|access-date=2 August 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardlatinpopsongs|1|artist=Alejandro Sanz|rowheader=true|access-date=2 August 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardtropicalairplay|1|artist=Alejandro Sanz|rowheader=true|access-date=2 August 2023}} |
| scope="row"|Venezuela (Record Report){{cite web|url=http://movil.recordreport.com.ve/?i=62|title="Looking for Paradise" Venezuelan Latin Chart number-one|publisher=Recordreport.com.ve|access-date=5 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822132537/http://movil.recordreport.com.ve/?i=62|archive-date=22 August 2011|url-status=dead}}
|1 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (2009)
!Position |
|---|
| scope="row"|Spain (PROMUSICAE){{cite web|url=http://www.promusicae.es/files/listasanuales/canciones/Top%2050%20Canciones%20Anual%202009.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326222943/http://promusicae.es/files/listasanuales/canciones/Top%2050%20Canciones%20Anual%202009.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2010 }}
|17 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|title=Looking for Paradise|artist=Alejandro Sanz|relyear=2009|certyear=2009|type=single|award=Platinum|id=alejandro-sanz-looking-for-paradise|access-date=September 21, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Alejandro Sanz}}
{{Alicia Keys singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Alejandro Sanz
Category:Songs written by Alicia Keys
Category:Number-one singles in Spain