Sebastián Yatra is livin’ on a prayer

For Sebastián Yatra, a miracle doesn’t have to be a grandiose happenstance; it can be a child’s smile, the perfect cup of tea or rain on a sunny day.

“You find [miracles] in everything,” said Yatra in a video call from his Miami home.

These tiny, often overlooked moments sparked the concept behind the Colombian singer-songwriter’s fourth studio album, “Milagro.” Released on May 16, the project took three years to complete and marks a more introspective chapter in the pop romantic’s life.

“A lot of these songs are very emotional and they’ve helped me get through some of the different moments I’ve been through in these past years,” said Yatra.

(Luis Alejandro Marquez)

The album’s title reflects a new, more spiritual chapter of Yatra’s life. He initially came into the spotlight with his 2016 breakthrough Latin-EDM hit “Traicionera” and the 2017 vallenato song “Robarte un Beso,” which he recorded alongside fellow parcero Carlos Vives. All the names of his past albums also took on otherworldly elements, such as 2018’s “Mantra,” 2019’s “Fantasía” and 2022’s “Dharma.”

“Ever since I was a teen, I started having a really big connection with God,” said Yatra. “When I say God, I mean this indescribable energy or person — whatever it is that brought us here.”

That theme is most evident in “Milagro’s” soft gospel hymns like “Amen,” which affirms the power of faith in moments of uncertainty and summarizes the very ethos of this project.

“It’s a cool way for me to explain how I see spiritually and the love and respect I have for people all around the world,” said Yatra.

Throughout the album, the crooner leans into his poetic lyricism, which shines brightest in twinkling love tracks like “Milagro” and “Segundo Amor.” Also sprinkled throughout the record are buoyant Caribbean tracks, like the already popular merengue hit “Vagabundo,” featuring Manuel Turizo and Beéle, and “2AM,” his reggaeton collaboration with Bad Gyal that revamps Dido’s 1999 song “Thank You.”

And, like many of Yatra’s albums, there is also room for heartbreak. He unravels his desperation and jealousy in songs like “La Pelirroja” and “Disco Rayado.” Yet that pain does not mean all hope for love is lost — “There’s sadness in a lot of my music, [but also] a sadness with optimism,” he said.

(Paz Vallejo)

Now 30 years old, Yatra finds himself at a peaceful center, profoundly taking in the world’s beauty and its unpleasantries. “The small ups and downs of life are part of living life,” he said. And how could he not appreciate the unexpected journey when it’s led him to rewarding side quests?

In 2021, his tender vocals backed the sentimental ballad “Dos Oruguitas,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda,for the animated musical feature film “Encanto.” The song was performed and nominated for original song at the 94th Academy Awards, an experience that cemented his legacy in the childhoods of many. “The only way for me to understand [that experience] is when I think back to the ‘Little Mermaid’ songs or ‘You‘ve Got a Friend in Me,‘” Yatra said.

Last fall, he made his Broadway debut as Billy Flynn, the crafty lawyer in the long-running jazz musical “Chicago.” The opportunity initially seemed out of reach for the Miami-raised kid, although he had the lead role of Troy Bolton in his middle school production of “High School Musical.”

“?It was a pretty big jump from middle school plays to debuting as a lead on Broadway,” Yatra said. “I want to do it again for sure.”

With a little bit of prayer, it seems Yatra is ready to take on whatever comes his way, “Sometimes I see [life] as a video game,” he said. “It helps not to take myself so seriously.”