“Havana” is a song by American singer Camila Cabello featuring American rapper Young Thug, from her debut studio album Camila (2018). It was released on August 3, 2017, alongside “OMG” initially as a promotional single; it was later serviced to radio on September 8, 2017, as a single. Due to its rising success, “Havana” later became the official lead single of Camila, replacing “Crying in the Club”.
In November 2017, a remix version of the song with Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee was released. The first verse and pre-chorus of the remix is sung in Spanish while Daddy Yankee replaces Young Thug’s verse.
“Havana” received critical acclaim with music critics calling the song “sultry” and “bouncy”. “Havana” peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first number one song for both Cabello and Thug. Outside of the United States, “Havana” topped the charts in 23 countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Chile, France, and the United Kingdom. It is certified Diamond in eight countries. Its music video, directed by Dave Meyers, shows Cabello playing herself as Karla, as well as a telenovela actress and a film protagonist. It won the Video of the Year award at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, receiving three other nominations. A vertical video, directed by Sam Lecca, was released on November 10, 2017, on Cabello’s official Vevo account. The clip shows the singer and several dancers in the New York City Subway. The clip was previously a Spotify exclusive.
Cabello performed “Havana” at several award shows, including the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards, the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards, and the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. In September 2018, Cabello released a live version of the song featuring her solo performance. The live version of the song would later be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. It was the best-selling digital single of 2018 according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), with equivalent sales of 19 million units worldwide.
“Havana” was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in October 2021 for selling 10,000,000 units, making Cabello the first Hispanic singer to achieve this milestone.
