Inevitable

When Shakira was creating the album ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones?, there was a particular night on the beach of Neguanje, within Tayrona Park, near her native Barranquilla. The sky was full of stars, and that atmosphere inspired her deeply. Together with Luis Fernando Ochoa, in about fifteen minutes, the idea for Inevitable emerged. She took care of the lyrics, while both collaborated on the music, shaping a ballad that frankly speaks about the difficulty of accepting the end of a relationship and the subsequent feeling of monotony. The song, which is included as the fifth track on the album, is often described as a sentimental ballad, with touches of Spanish rock and Latin rock, and uses guitars that start serenely and then become more intense.

The recording of ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones?, which included Inevitable, took place at Crescent Moon Studios in Florida. To achieve a particular sound, equipment such as vintage amplifiers and a forty-year-old German microphone were used, in addition to innovations in instrumental mixing. The entire album took nine months to produce, and Shakira actively participated in the composition of each track. Inevitable, officially released on September 29, 1998, was well-received, reaching third place on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and remaining there for twelve weeks. Furthermore, it was recognized with a Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Latin Award in the year 2000. The song has been part of the setlists for several of Shakira's tours, including the El Dorado World Tour in 2018.