[4][5][6] On 29 March 2000, El Siglo de Torreon reported that a telenovela, then titled Pecado mortal, was being released later in the year and that Gabriel would compose its main theme song.

[7] This was corroborated by Billboard editor John Lannert on 6 May, stated that Gabriel was set to release the song Mexican radio stations titled "Abrázame" in the upcoming weeks.

[9] The telenovela, which stars Victoria Ruffo, Aracely Arámbula, Fernando Colunga and Pablo Montero, began broadcast in Mexico on 31 July 2000.

[16][17] Gabriel was inspired to compose the track after his sister Virginia Aguilera Valadez, who took care of him after their mother died, fell into a coma for seven years.

[22] In 2013, Gabriel performed the song live at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City where he was celebrating his 40th anniversary of his music career.

[24] Gabriel re-recorded "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" as a duet with Italian songstress Laura Pausini on his 28th studio album Los Dúo (2015).

[30] Writing a positive review of the album, Sandra Barrera of the Los Angeles Daily News called the title track a "must listen".

[31] Two years later, CNN en Español included "Abrázame Muy Fuerte" on their 10 Most Memorable Songs list by Juan Gabriel.

[32] On the duet, AllMusic's Thom Jurek felt, with its "shimmering synths, grand piano, and strings", that it was a "fantastic match that juxtaposes" both Gabriel and Pausini.

[41] The track was succeeded at number-one by "Sólo Quiero Amarte" performed by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin five weeks later.

[42] The song spent nine non-consecutive weeks at the top spot of the chart,[43] and ended the year as the best performing Latin single of 2001.