Ever since Spanish singer Rosalía posted a washed-out Polaroid from a studio session with pop megastar Billie Eilish back in 2019, fans anxiously awaited for the fruition of their collaborative track. Considering these two powerhouse female artists are some of the most exciting and inventive forces in pop music as of late, the hype surrounding their collaboration is justified. Just the thought of these women teaming up for a song is tantalizing. 

Two years after that teasing Polaroid was posted, the pair finally followed up on the rumors releasing “Lo Vas a Olvidar” last month. However, this track doesn’t just function as the first collaboration between two of pop’s brightest stars. It also serves as the feature song in a special episode of HBO’s hit series “Euphoria.”

Sung mostly in Spanish, “Lo Vas a Olvidar” pushes Eilish out of her comfort zone, as it is her Spanish-language debut. The song also puts Rosalía in an unfamiliar position, as it is far more minimalistic and subdued than the rest of her more energetic catalog. Despite the stripped-back track being different than what  fans  expected of a collaboration between these two artists, “Lo Vas a Olvidar” is mesmerizing, especially when you listen to it in the context of “Euphoria.”

The track itself is haunting yet angelic, with reverb-heavy synths complementing the duo’s plaintive, understated harmonies. With such minimal background instrumentation, the lyrics of “Lo Vas a Olvidar” are bolstered and made even more tormenting and melancholic. 

Even if you don’t understand the song’s Spanish lyrics, the serene ambiance and ominous harmonies of the track speak for themselves. However, knowing the meaning of just a few lyrics deepens the song’s meaning. It tells a more in-depth story of the tumultuous turns of a past relationship and the uncertainty and heartbreak that follow a breakup. Translating to “You will soon forget it,” “Lo Vas a Olvidar” is an ode to a past love and the memories made with that person. 

In a gently tumbling vocal run, Rosalía sings, “El amor no puede medirse en un paso firme,” meaning “Love cannot be measured steadily.” The song’s verses are so understated that, at times, it is almost impossible to distinguish between Rosalía and Eilish’s voices. Together, they sing, “Un día soy un dios y al otro puedo partirme,” which translates to, “One day I’m a god and the next I can break.”

The track’s chorus is more powerful than the verses, with the duo repeating, “¿Lo va’ a olvidar? Can you let it go? Can you let it go?” over lighting pulsing drums and resounding electronic beeps. But even though the swaying chorus has more force than the verses, the track lacks a true climax and keeps a mostly melancholy tone.

It may feel like Rosalía and Eilish are holding back to an outside listener and are a bit restrained from their full vocal potential on the track. However, the ambient, dramatic vibe of “Lo Vas a Olvidar” fits seamlessly into place in “Euphoria.” The track is featured on a special episode of the hit HBO series, which centers around Jules.

In the special episode, “Lo Vas a Olvidar” plays while Jules flashes back to her relationship with Rue and wonders if her past love will forget her and if she will be able to let go of the relationship. The overwrought, ephemeral mood of the track makes sense when listened to in light of this scene and the overall relationship between Rue and Jules. 

The track was tailored for “Euphoria,” as its atmospheric, psychedelic vibe perfectly matches the vibe of the show. However, the track doesn’t fit as well when it is listened to as a standalone single from Rosalía and Eilish. For an outside listener, the song feels more like a long intro where they wait for the mood to pick up and transition out of its melancholy. Instead of a three-and-a-half-minute track specially designed for “Euphoria,” the power duo could have begun the track with a soft harmony to fit the show’s soundtrack and then transitioned to a different sound  to create a strong, independent single.

Nevertheless, Rosalía and Eilish create a celestial vibe entirely their own on the track, especially on the outro where Eilish states, “You say it to me like it’s something I have any choice in / If I wasn’t important, then why would you waste all your poison?” While “Lo Vas a Olvidar” may not have been exactly what fans have spent two years hoping for, the track will not soon be forgotten.