El Shadow, a young Cuban singer of urban music with only 15,000 followers on Instagram, is filming a music video alongside Nicky Jam, one of the major figures in global reggaeton, in a collaboration that began as a dream on social media and became a reality.
Last Sunday, El Shadow posted a video from Playa Santa Lucía in Cuba, where he announced that the song is already recorded and ready for summer. “I’m here at Playa Santa Lucía, a very beautiful place in Cuba, and I’m listening to the song I have with Nicky Yang here, and it came to my mind that it’s time to release this song,” the artist stated in the video.
In the same post, El Shadow sang a snippet of the lyrics from the song titled "La Foto": "I wrote a couple of songs for her, I don’t know her yet / Sitting here on the beach thinking if she were mine / Here, nothing is impossible, I told her I liked her / And it's that I really like you, that my intention is to kiss you / She has the magic and the life."
Just a few hours later, he shared a story of Nicky Jam filming his part of the music video for the song from Miami.
The story of this collaboration began in February 2026, when El Shadow had only 12 thousand followers and asked his community to tag Nicky Jam so he could listen to "La Foto."
The reggaeton artist's response was immediate and public. "I don't know what you all are saying, I'm getting on this song. It sounds going to be huge. Damn," Nicky Jam wrote in the comments, along with a second message that simply said: "Hit after hit."
The moment took social media by storm, and artists like Baby Lores, Real Boynesty, Cal Lybeat, and El Dukeoo congratulated the young Cuban for the recognition.
Shadow reacted with emotion: "I do this for my family, for my daughter, for my loved ones, for my fellow Cubans. This achievement is thanks to you and thanks to God. I love you, God."
The case is framed within Nicky Jam's growing interest in Cuban talent. In January 2026, he released "Magia" alongside the duo Charly & Johayron, with a music video filmed in Rome and Miami, and he also reacted enthusiastically to projects by Bebeshito, Dany Ome, and Kevincito el 13.
What distinguishes the case of El Shadow is that it operates from Cuba, with very limited resources and a small audience that grew from 12,000 to 15,000 followers in just four months, making its story an example of how talent and social media can break down geographical and economic barriers.
"The summer is calling for it. This is Paloooo worldwide," wrote El Shadow when announcing that the release is near.
Are you eager to see the result of this collaboration?
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