Meet the Puerto Rican acts featured on Bad Bunny’s ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’
bad bunny has worked alongside several well-known artists during his music journey, including Drake, J Balvin, Rosalía, Cardi B, and many others.
Instead of merely labeling his album as “his most Puerto Rican work,” he sought assistance from the budding musical talents of Puerto Rico: pupils from Escuela Libre de Música (Los Sobrinos), RaiNao, Chuwi, Omar Courtz, Dei V, and Los Pleneros de la Cresta.
He’s put considerable energy into highlighting these performances, as shown by inviting Los Sobrinos and Los Pleneros de la Cresta to “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” or sharing the stage with Chuwi at his impromptu concert in Río Piedras.
The homegrown acts chimed in on what this collaboration means for them and Puerto Rico.
RaiNao
Up-and-comer RaiNao added sultry top notes to the synth-dembow of “Perfumito Nuevo.”
Born in Santurce, RaiNao (also known as Naomi Ramírez) showcases her talent as a versatile saxophonist and composer. She has a particular interest in genres such as hyperpop, reggaeton, R&B, dancehall, and others.
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“I connected a lot [to ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’] when listening to it,” said RaiNao.
In Puerto Rico, there’s a special charm that subtly seeps into us and lingers. This enchantment serves as our common ground and the driving force behind our collaboration on this album,” she explained.
As a graduate from Escuela Libre de Música, the 31-year-old was particularly thrilled to discover that students had contributed to the creation of the album.
The music took me back to the memories of a lively school dance on a Friday night, indeed evoking precious recollections, auditory impressions, and visual snapshots from my life and my homeland,” she remarked.
Chuwi
In “Weltita”, the gentle tunes of Chuwi, an indie band, softly yet potently fill the coastal atmosphere with their calming melodies.
Consisting of Wilfredo “Willy” Aldarondo, Lorén Aldarondo, Wester Aldarondo, and friend Adrián López, this youthful band emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic in the coastal city of Isabela. Their music, a unique blend of indie, jazz, and tropical fusion, resonated deeply with Bad Bunny. The musicians claim that he included some of their songs on his playlists while feeling homesick in L.A.
As a movie enthusiast, I created a personal soundtrack featuring tunes popular in Puerto Rico – it made me feel right at home. Loren Aldarondo shared that we even had a few of our songs on there.
During their collaborative performance with Bad Bunny, the band spontaneously added a local touch – the story of Jacinto, a farmer who was pulled into an ocean blowhole by his cow, a tale well-known in their hometown and famously referred to as Jacinto’s underwater cave.
Lorén mentioned that we should interrupt the melody with whatever seemed fitting and then exited the room,” he said. “This made us ponder, ‘What does it mean for us to be bold or daring?’
Occasionally, Chuwi’s music touches upon social and political issues, like the relocation of native Puerto Ricans.
Loren expressed that our contemporary generation seems to be experiencing these issues more acutely. We struggle with affording homes… and finding employment in fields we studied, which was supposed to allow us to stay here and find work. To us, it’s not just social concerns; it’s the stark reality of life.
It’s amazing how Bad Bunny is showcasing not just our hardships, but also the richness of our culture in his music. I feel privileged that he considered us suitable for this album, and I’m truly grateful.”
“What’s really cool about Bad Bunny is how he highlights both our struggles and the beauty of our culture through his music. I’m honored that he thought we were a good fit for this album.
Omar Courtz
In a fresh twist for the reggaeton-trap track “Veldá”, it’s the rising star, Omar Courtz, who is making waves as “Ousi” among his audience, that contributes an additional edge.
Born in Carolina, Joshua Omar Medina Cortés, more commonly known as Omar Courtz, has shifted his singing style among reggaeton, trap R&B, house music, and other genres. His passion for music was ignited after attending Bad Bunny’s “X 100pre” concert at the Choliseo in San Juan, inspiring him to start his own musical career.
On that very day, I found the courage to chase my long-held dream of becoming an artist and creating music. Watching him perform live, it felt like gazing into a mirror, validating that one can shine brightly as a star while offering a fresh sound and powerful lyrics – our music and our words.
Among the standout tracks on the album are “Baile Inolvidable” and “La Mudanza”, which he considers timeless classics and believes they’ll be highly ranked alongside hits from Héctor Lavoe and Frankie Ruiz.
Beyond creating this album with Puerto Rico in focus, I’m filled with a sense of great pride. It feels like he’s been sharing with the world the essence of Puerto Rico – its vibrant culture, the beauty of our people, and our musical talents,” expressed Omar Courtz.
For Omar Courtz, the next step is two sold-out debut performances at the Choliseo, a venue that initially sparked his desire to nurture his abilities.
Dei V
Kicking off the sensual trap song “Veldá” with his rumbling deep vocals is Dei V.
David Gerardo Rivera Juarbe, born in Carolina, spent a significant portion of his childhood both on the island and in New York City. This unique upbringing played a substantial role in cultivating his passion for reggaeton, pop, and hip-hop music.
In my heart, Puerto Rico holds the first laughter that echoed through my youth, the bumps and scrapes of a carefree childhood, the blunders I learned from, and the victories that made me who I am today. To me, Puerto Rico is more than just a place – it’s the essence of my existence.
Having been brought up there and actively participating, followed by receiving this gift from Bad Bunny for the public, it’s gratifying to play even a small role in it,” he commented.
The festive motifs in Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” evoke memories of holidays spent with family for him, “all those lovely moments with my loved ones that we shared, enjoying lechon together.” Despite not being part of the album, Dei V expressed feelings of pride towards it.
Dei V holds Bad Bunny in high regard. He considers him as an inspiration, showing great respect for one’s homeland… anyone who doesn’t cherish their homeland is like someone who doesn’t appreciate their mother. This was incredibly meaningful,” said Dei V.
Los Pleneros de la Cresta
Los Pleneros de la Cresta generously season their party plena “Café con Ron” with an abundance of flavor, and they also incorporate harmonious group singing into “Baile Inolvidable” and “La Mudanza.
I was one of the founding members, along with my brothers Joseph Ocasio Rivera, Joshuan Ocasio Rivera, Jeyluix Ocasio Rivera, and our friend Josue Roman Figueroa, who established Los Pleneros de la Cresta in 2013. Our shared passion is to preserve the vibrant cultural heritage of Puerto Rico, focusing specifically on the traditional folk songs known as plena, which are characterized by their distinctive rhythm backed by a güiro, accordion, and panderetas (handheld drums).
Last year, the band had their initial encounter with Bad Bunny when they were performing at the Festival de la Esperanza in San Juan. Joseph Ocasio Rivera, the group’s leader, courageously proposed that they could work together on a plena track with the trap-reggaeton artist.
To Bad Bunny’s amazement, it turned out that he had already been working on a project and was seeking a collaboration with them.
1. “Joseph was left astonished, as it hadn’t occurred to us that he was listening to our tunes or seeking us out,” Joseph expressed. “Part of our global ambition is to achieve respect and prominence within the music scene,” added Joseph.
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2. “Joseph was taken aback, discovering we hadn’t realized he had been listening to our tracks or trying to find us,” he said. “Our international goal is to gain recognition and prominence in the music world,” he continued.
Joseph takes great pride in the significant musical contributions made by “Los Sobrinos,” a group of students from Escuela Libre de Música. On January 13th, during Jimmy Fallon’s monologue on “The Tonight Show,” with Bad Bunny as co-host, both groups disrupted the show, providing a moment Joseph is particularly proud of.
Joseph points out that numerous schools on the island may be forced to shut down because of the persistent economic troubles, leaving little room for the continued teaching of the traditional music genres such as bomba, plena, danza, and mazurca.
As a fellow movie buff, I’d like to share that the project Benito undertook wasn’t only about bolstering possibilities for us; it extended to our forebears, mentors, and every Puerto Rican striving to safeguard our vibrant cultural legacy. In other words, he opened doors not just for the here and now, but for generations past and future.
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2025-01-18 04:32