"A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal" () is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin and Mexican band Reik for Martin's second extended play, Play (2022). The song was written by Pedro Capó, Pablo Preciado, Andrés Torres, Martin, Kiko Cibrian, Mauricio Rengifo, and Julio Ramirez Juvelo, while the production was handled by Torres and Rengifo. It was released for digital download and streaming by Sony Music Latin on April 14, 2022, as the second single from the EP. A Spanish language pop ballad, it is a heartbreak song, describing what happens when you miss someone with whom you still hope to return one day, and the vulnerability of a heart that resists having to accept reality.
"A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal" received widely positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its lyrics. The track was nominated for Song of the Year at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards. It was commercially successful, reaching number one on Billboards Latin Airplay and Latin Pop Airplay charts. An accompanying music video, released simultaneously with the song, was directed by Daniela Vesco and filmed in Puerto Rico.
Background and release
Ricky Martin started recording his eleventh studio album, initially titled Movimiento, in the second half of 2019, inspired by the 2019 political protests in Puerto Rico. While, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent personal experiences, Martin decided to split the album Movimiento into the two EPs Pausa and Play. He released Pausa in May 2020, and launched "Qué Rico Fuera" and "Otra Noche en L.A." as the first two singles from Play. On March 2, 2022, Martin confirmed that the next single from Play would be a collaboration with Reik. A few weeks later, on April 12, Martin revealed the song's title as "A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal" and announced that it would be released on April 14, 2022. The song was released for digital download and streaming by Sony Music Latin on the specified date, marking the first collaboration between Martin and Reik. An "Orbital Audio" version of the song was released simultaneously with the original.
During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Martin explained that they recorded the song at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and "thought it had to come out at the right time, not before or after", saying that it takes him back to the beginning of his career. He added about the collaboration: "I really wanted to work with Reik, they are an extremely talented group." Jesús Navarro, vocal leader of Reik told the newspaper:
Music and lyrics
Musically, "A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal" is a Spanish language pop ballad, with a slow and intense rhythm. It was written by Pedro Capó, Pablo Preciado, Andrés Torres, Martin, Kiko Cibrian, Mauricio Rengifo, and Julio Ramirez Juvelo. The production was handled by Torres and Rengifo, and the track runs for a total of 2 minutes and 25 seconds. Lyrically, "A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal" which translates to "Sometimes Good and Sometimes Bad" in English, is a heartbreak song about the feelings that are shared flourish in the absence of a special person, whose emptiness reminds us that it is "easy to love, but difficult to forget". It describes what happens when you miss someone with whom you still hope to return one day, and the vulnerability of a heart that resists having to accept reality. The lyrics include: "Le faltan piezas al rompecabezas / Ha sido duro mi amor / Como pesan las fotos que siguen adornando mi mesa / Ay como duele cuando un hombre pierde lo quiere" (Puzzle pieces are missing / It has been hard, my love / How heavy are the photos that continue to decorate my table / Oh how it hurts when a man loses what he wants).