A Spanish language power ballad and Latin pop song with elements of rock and gospel, it is about the singer's true love, who gives the meaning of his life.

De Vita recorded his own rendition of "Vuelve" on his studio album Segundas Partes Tambien Son Buenas (2002) and several contestants on various music talent shows have covered the song, including La Mole.

Despite this, "María" was chosen as the album's second single and became a breakthrough hit, reaching number one in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, Turkey, and the whole of South America.

[3] He worked on the album with producers KC Porter and Rosa, and recorded it in studios across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Spain.

In an interview with CNN en Español, he emphasized the album was going to "reaffirm the internationalization of my career and I know that it will help me a lot to destroy the stereotypes that may exist with my culture".

[18] De Vita recorded his own version of the song on his studio album Segundas Partes Tambien Son Buenas (2002),[19] with a "distinctly rock sound".

[20] When De Vita was asked why he made his own rendition of the song in an interview with El País, he clarified that he was not competing with Martin and simply wanted to give the track "another point of view".

[27] In a 2007 interview with Estudio Billboard, De Vita recalled he had been writing the song for 10 years when Martin asked him to compose a track for the album.

[32] An author of Radio Cooperativa named it "pure romanticism",[33] and Vilma Maldonado of The Monitor called the song's hook "instant and unforgettable" and its lyrics "warmly romantic".

[36] Although she acknowledged the song's success on the music charts, the Miami Herald editor Leila Cobo criticized "Vuelve" as one of the album's "weakest tracks".

[8] In a 2018 article for Billboard however, Cobo reflected on "Vuelve" and cited it as an example of Latin pop having previously been a "crooner’s game" and remarked: "[...] thank God for songs like 'Si No Te Hubieras Ido', 'Vuelve' or 'El Buen Perdedor' - how could we have survived heartache otherwise?

[38] An author of Cultura Colectiva named it Martin's "best heartbreak anthem" and stated: "Even if your heart is in a good place, this song is great to sing your lungs out.

"[39] In a retrospective review of the Latin songs that reached number one in 1998, Billboard editor Jessica Roiz stated Martin "made everyone shed a tear" on "Vuelve".

[53] In Latin America, it reached number one in Costa Rica[54] El Salvador,[55] Guatemala,[56] Honduras,[57] Nicaragua,[55] Peru,[58] Puerto Rico,[57] and Venezuela.

[68] A music video for "Vuelve" was filmed at the Ennis House in Los Angeles, California,[69] and directed by American director Wayne Isham.

[38] Cristal Mesa from mitú named it Martin's 24th best music video on her 2018 list and commented on that the "fresh-faced singer was melting hearts with his smooth face and extra stylized hair".

[75] The day after releasing the album, Martin held two sold-out concerts at the 30,000-seat Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico on February 13 and 14, 1998, respectively, where he performed "Vuelve".

[89] The artist then promoted MTV Unplugged with the Black and White Tour, including four sold-out shows at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico.

[98] Prior to the single's release, "Vuelve" served as the theme song for the Mexican telenovela Sin ti which premiered on December 8, 1997.