Throughout his career, Bad Bunny has collaborated with great artists: Drake, J Balvin, Rosalía, Cardi B and more.
But to make “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” his “most Puerto Rican album of all time,” he enlisted the help of Puerto Rico's emerging talent: students from the Escuela Libre de Música (Los Sobrinos), RaiNao, Chuwi, Omar Courtz , Dei V and Los Pleneros de la Cresta.
He has made a concerted effort to highlight these acts, whether inviting Los Sobrinos and Los Pleneros de la Cresta to “He Tonight's show starring Jimmy Fallon,“ or perform alongside Chuwi at his surprise concert in Río Piedras.
Local artists weighed in on what this collaboration means to them and Puerto Rico.
raionao
(Sebastián Cabrera-Chelin)
The promising RaiNao added sensual high notes to the synth of “Perfumito Nuevo.”
Originally from Santurce, RaiNao, whose name is Naomi Ramírez, is a skilled saxophonist and composer with a fixation on hyperpop, reggaetón, R&B, dancehall and more.
“I connected a lot [to ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’] when I hear it,” RaiNao said.
“Puerto Rico has something that inevitably and wonderfully sneaks in and stays with us. That magic is our meeting point and the creative force that brought us together for this album,” he added.
As a student at the Escuela Libre de Música, the 31-year-old was very excited to know that the students participated in the making of the album.
“Listening to the album transported me to a Friday dance band in the school lobby, so yes, it reminded me of vivid and well-regarded experiences, sounds and images from my life and my country,” he said.
chuwi
Sweetening the beachy air of “Weltita” is the relaxing voice of Chuwi, an indie quartet that packs a soft but powerful punch.
Made up of brothers Wilfredo “Willy” Aldarondo, Lorén Aldarondo, Wester Aldarondo and their friend Adrián López, the young band was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the coastal city of Isabela. The group's soul sound, a mix of indie, jazz and tropical fusion, caught the attention of Bad Bunny, who, according to the musicians, added some of their songs to his playlists while homesick in Los Angeles.
“He made his own playlist of what was playing in Puerto Rico, just to feel at home, and he told us that he had a couple of our songs,” said Lorén Aldarondo.
During their jam session with Bad Bunny, the group was able to improvise an element unique to their hometown: the story of Jacinto, a farmer who is dragged by his cow into an ocean blowhole, known as Jacinto's Well Cave.
“He told us to interrupt the song with whatever we wanted and he literally left the room,” Lorén said. “We started thinking: 'What is beach us?'”
At times, Chuwi's discography includes sociopolitical commentary on topics such as the displacement of local Puerto Ricans.
“I feel like our generation is feeling these issues more deeply. “We can’t buy houses… and we can’t find the jobs we studied for, and the dream was to be able to stay here and find a job,” Lorén said. “It's not even about social problems; “For us it’s just real life.”
“The fact that Bad Bunny is highlighting not only our struggles but also our cultural beauty is truly incredible, and I feel honored that he thought of us and saw us as compatible for this album,” she added.
Omar Courtz
(Entertainment Rhymes/Entertainment Rhymes)
Adding edge to the reggaeton-trap song “Veldá” is newcomer Omar Courtz, also known as “Ousi” to fans.
Originally from Carolina, Omar Courtz, whose real name is Joshua Omar Medina Cortés, has alternated his singing style between reggaeton, trap R&B, and house music. He was inspired to launch his musical career after attending Bad Bunny's “X 100pre” concert at the Choliseo in San Juan.
“That was the day I decided to pursue my dream of being an artist and making music,” writes Omar Courtz. “It was like looking in a mirror while he was singing on stage. It was a confirmation that you can be a big star with a new sound and with our music and our lyrics.”
The album's salsa songs, such as “Baile Inolvidable” and “La Mudanza,” are among his favorites, songs he considers instant classics that will rank among the popular albums of Héctor Lavoe and Frankie Ruiz.
“In addition to making this album thinking about your island, I feel full of pride. It is almost as if he has shown the world who Puerto Rico is, how rich it is in culture, how beautiful our people are and everything we can give musically,” said Omar Courtz.
Next up for Omar Courtz are two sold-out debut concerts at the Choliseo, where he first came up with the idea of pursuing his talent.
Dei V
The starting signal for the sensual trap song “Veldá” with its deep and booming voice is Dei V.
Born David Gerardo Rivera Juarbe in Carolina, Dei V grew up between the island and New York City, which greatly influenced his interest in reggaeton, pop, and hip-hop.
“Puerto Rico is where my first smiles, my childhood, my first falls, my first mistakes, my first achievements [were]. “Puerto Rico was everything,” writes Dei V.
“Growing up and really being a part of that, and then having this gift from Bad Bunny for people, it feels good to be able to contribute a grain of sand,” he added.
Bad Bunny's festive themes in “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” remind him of vacations with his family, “all those beautiful moments with my family that we used to get together, we ate suckling pig.” Even if it hadn't been part of the album, Dei V says he would have been proud of it.
“I respect Bad Bunny a lot. I take him as an example, always giving respect to your country… he who does not love his country, does not love his mother. …this was super special,” Dei V said.
The Pleneros of the Ridge
Sprinkled with a strong dose of seasoning are Los Pleneros de la Cresta in the full party “Café con Ron”, who also add backing vocals to “Baile Inolvidable” and “La Mudanza”.
Formed in 2013 by brothers Joseph Ocasio Rivera, Joshuan Ocasio Rivera, Jeyluix Ocasio Rivera and family friend Josue Roman Figueroa, Los Pleneros de la Cresta hope to preserve Puerto Rico's rich plena culture: traditional folk songs backed by a güiro, accordion and tambourines (hand drums).
The band first came into contact with Bad Bunny last year while performing at the Festival de la Esperanza in San Juan. José Ocasio Rivera, director of the group, bravely suggested that he was willing to collaborate in a plenary session with the trap-reggaeton singer.
To their surprise, Bad Bunny revealed that he was already working on something and was looking to hire them for a collaboration.
“I was speechless, because we didn't realize he was following our music or looking for us,” Joseph said. “One of our goals, internationally, is to be respected and visible in the music industry,” Joseph said.
The instrumental contributions of the students of the Free School of Music, who have called themselves “The Nephews,” are a source of pride for Joseph. Both groups interrupted Jimmy Fallon's monologue on “The Tonight Show” on January 13, when Bad Bunny co-hosted the show.
Joseph notes that many schools are at risk of closing due to the island's current economic crisis, and those that remain open rarely teach the traditional musicology ofbomba, plena, dance and mazurka.
“What Benito did as a project was strengthen and open opportunities, not only for us but for our ancestors, teachers and all Puerto Ricans who seek to preserve our rich cultural heritage,” Joseph said.
