Sálvame

"Sálvame" is a song recorded by Mexican pop group RBD. It was released as the third single from their debut album, Rebelde (2004). It became a number one hit all over Ibero-America, becoming their third consecutive number-one single in Mexico. Anahí sings the lead vocals while the rest of the band sing on the chorus. The song became a phenomenon of its own, loved by fans across the globe and widely regarded as the group's "Hymn to Love".^[1] Its Portuguese and English versions were released alongside their albums in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

In mid-2004, Televisa began production on the teen-oriented telenovela Rebelde, and its main young actors Anahí, Alfonso Herrera, Dulce María, Christopher von Uckermann, Maite Perroni, and Christian Chávez were put together by the show's producers to form the band RBD. The song was used extensively throughout the show, mostly during scenes featuring a tearful "Mía" (played by Anahí). Their album was recorded in two days, and released on 30 November 2004, to positive reviews and commercial success, reaching the number one spot on Mexican charts.^[2]

Preceded by "Rebelde" and "Solo Quédate En Silencio", "Sálvame" was released on 15 March 2005, as the album's third single. In Brazil, the song was released along with "Solo Quédate en Silencio", on a double A-Side single. The band recorded a Portuguese version of their debut album following immense success in Brazil, and the song's version in the language was also released as a single in the country, under the title "Salva-me".^[3]

The song's sequel, "Algún Día", was recorded and sung solely by Anahí in 2006, and is featured on RBD's third Spanish studio album, Celestial. The English version, "Save Me", was recorded and featured on RBD's English studio album, Rebels, also from 2006, with a different instrumental.^[4] Anahí was the main singer on the two new versions as she was on the original Spanish version. "Sálvame" is the group's only solo song to be recorded in all three languages.

"Sálvame" is a Latin pop ballad that lasts for 3 minutes and 43 seconds. It was written by DJ Kafka and Max di Carlo, and produced by the latter alongside Armando Ávila and Carlos Lara. Like its predecessor, it was written in the verse-refrain-prechorus-chorus structure. The lyrics find Anahí in a depressed state since her lover left her. In the first verse, she sings "Vivo en la desesperanza" ("I live in hopelessness"), while in the refrain she states she "survives from pure anxiety" ("Sobrevivo por pura ansiedad").^[5] In the pre-chorus, the singer says that "little by little the heart, is losing faith" ("Poco a poco el corazón, va perdiendo la fe"). In the second verse, Anahí reveals that despite her attempts to move on, "...love is the word, that is sometimes hard for [her] to forget" ("amor es la palabra, que me cuesta a veces olvidar"). During the chorus, she pleads for her ex-partner to save her from "loneliness" and "darkness". The band echoes this sentiment, stating: "Save me from oblivion" and "weariness" ("Sálvame del olvido", "Sálvame del hastío").^[6]

Jessica Roiz of Billboard called the song "one of [the band's] iconic tracks" and described it as "a heartfelt ballad about a broken heart that yearns to be saved".^[7] Lucas Villa of Uproxx said Anahí "sings her heart out about trying to survive the fallout from a crushing breakup".^[8] Mariana Canhisares of Omelete, described the track as "RBD's big anthem about suffering" and that it "talks of heartbreak in such a painful way".^[9]

The music video was the group's third to have been directed by Pedro Damián. It was shot in Canada while the band and young cast of the telenovela were in the country during filming of Rebelde. The band perform on the snow, playing instruments, like drums and guitars, with Anahí singing the song, while their castmates skate in the background. Behind the scenes footage was also used in the video.^[10]

Following the relaunch of RBD's music in 2020, "Sálvame" became their most-viewed video on YouTube, reaching 100 million views. It has earned an additional 19 million views as of September 2023.

The song has been performed on several occasions. In 2005, RBD performed on the Mexican program No Manches, where they included the song in their setlist. In the same year, they participated in the program Otro Rollo performing "Rebelde", "Sólo Quédate en Silencio", "Sálvame", "Nuestro Amor" and "Un Poco de Tu Amor". In 2005, they participated in the program Sonricslandia performing the song. The single was included in the setlist of their first national tour, which passed through all of Mexico and began on 3 January 2005, entitled Tour Generación RBD. During this tour, the group's first CD/DVD entitled Tour Generación RBD En Vivo was released. Also in 2005, they performed the song during the Celebración Virgen de Guadalupe.

In January 2006, the band filmed the CD/DVD titled Live in Hollywood, made in promotion of their second studio album, which contains a medley of the first three singles from Rebelde. In October 2006, during their visit to Brazil, RBD performed the song's Portuguese version, "Salva-Me", on the program Domingo Legal. During the tour's stops in the country, they performed the song, with the band providing the choruses in Portuguese. Manaus and Fortaleza received the song entirely in the language. The concert in Rio de Janeiro, where the 2007 DVD Live in Rio was filmed, features Anahí singing only the second verse and refrain in the language. In December 2006, they appeared in Teletón México, performing the song.

The track was included on the group's 2007 Tour Celestial, which spawned the CD/DVD Hecho en España, filmed in Madrid. Anahí says "I do, I do believe in fairies", while performing the track in small, purple, fairy-like wings. The next year, the song was performed throughout the Empezar Desde Cero World Tour and the band's then-last concert series Tour del Adiós.

During RBD's reunion show, Ser o Parecer: The Global Virtual Union, which took place on 26 December 2020, Anahí once again performed the song, against a vibrant blue background, dressed in a black and white ensemble. After giving a speech about unity and love, she was joined by Christian, Maite, and Christopher (as they were the only ones to take part of the show), for the last chorus. "Sálvame" was included on the setlist of the band's concert series, the Soy Rebelde Tour, which took place during 2023. It was perfomed by Anahí with support from the two backing vocalists, instead of having the band sing the choruses.

In 2025, Rolling Stone en Español listed it as the 54th greatest Spanish-language song of the 21st century.^[11]

Digital download^[13]

1. "Sálvame" – 3:43

Digital download / Rebelde (Edição Brasil) / Portuguese version^[14][a]

1. "Salva-me" – 3:45

Digital download / Live in Hollywood^[15]

1. "Medley Rebelde - Live" (Medley with "Rebelde" and "Sólo Quédate En Silencio") – 8:31

Digital download / Rebels / English version

1. "Save Me" – 3:56

Digital download / Ser O Parecer: The Global Virtual Union^[16]

1. "Sálvame (En Vivo)" (2020 live version) – 5:21