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\n\tEverything about Alejandro Sanz\u2019s<\/a> latest EP \u00bfY Ahora Que?<\/em> was a deviation from the way he usually does things. For starters, the process was much more collaborative, with more producers and musicians than usual. \u201cWhat I liked to do was to lock myself in the studio, work for hours, and lose sunlight, practically living in there,\u201d the Spanish artist says with a laugh. But in a lot of ways, this project marked brand new beginnings and new ways of doing things for Sanz: It\u2019s his first EP with his new label Sony Latin, his first songs since a major breakup, and his first music with new management. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIf you stop learning and trying different things in this profession, that\u2019s truly a kind of death, isn\u2019t it?\u201d he says on a recent call with Rolling Stone<\/em>. \u201cIf you don\u2019t want to approach things in a new way, this becomes pretty tedious. So in actuality, this has been a process I\u2019ve enjoyed a lot, and I\u2019m happy with how it all turned out.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tBeyond the countless lessons buried in \u00bfY Ahora Que?<\/em>, the EP includes six songs, all which find Sanz exploring different sounds. The opening track, \u201cPalmeras en el Jardin,\u201d takes Sanz back to his roots with a more acoustic sound. He pictured it as a first introduction to the listener where he outlines all the heartbreak and turmoil he\u2019s experiencing. \u201cI think fits well in the chronology and into a rhythm on the album that sets up how things are presented,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt\u2019s this process of healing in three phases: The first, on \u2018Palmeras en el Jardin,\u2019 you\u2019re listing out everything that\u2019s happening. On the second, \u2018Hoy No Me Siento Bien,\u2019 you recognize what you\u2019re feeling and you start to see the light. And on \u2018Besame,\u2019 you finally reach the other side to heal.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe songs that follow \u201cPalmeras en el Jardin\u201d \u2014 \u201cHoy No Me Siento Bien\u201d with Grupo Frontera and \u201cBesame\u201d with Shakira <\/a> \u2014 include some of the biggest collaborations on the project. (Manuel Turizo also appears on \u201cC\u00f3mo Ser\u00eda.\u201d) The Shakira<\/a> feature marks a long awaited reunion after the two artists worked on \u201cLa Tortura\u201d and \u201cTe Lo Agradezco, Pero No\u201d in 2005 and 2006. They recently celebrated the anniversary of \u201cLa Tortura,\u201d which turned 20 this year; Shakira even brought him out during her concert in Charlotte, where she kicked off the U.S. leg<\/a> of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran <\/em>tour. \u201cIt was incredible to get back on stage with her, to share, to have a laugh. She seemed really great \u2014 she looked happy,\u201d he says. \u201cShe was completely dedicated to her show, working hard as always.\u201d He notes that the day they rehearsed in Charlotte, Shakira was up until 5 a.m. doing soundcheck. \u201cThere\u2019s a reason she\u2019s number one \u2014 she works that hard,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe took advantage of that time to record some content for the new song and to hang out the way we\u2019ve always done.\u201d<\/p>\n