Welcome to Primera Persona, a new section of Platea where we explore reflections deeply connected to Puerto Rico, the kind that give you a warm flutter in your chest.
At 11:55 a.m. my television was set to the NPR Music channel on YouTube because I did not want to miss a single thing from the Bad Bunny Tiny Desk. I was anxious because I am a music lover and I knew something beautiful was going to happen, and I also knew he would be joined by close colleagues and musicians from Puerto Rico.
The excitement was obvious. Noon arrived and it began… all very well… until that melody from Fabiola Méndez's cuatro puertorriqueño came in… That aguinaldo jíbaro… wow! I felt something very strong, like at Christmastime, when you witness a parranda ajibará with all the powers.
Any Puerto Rican who says their hair didn't stand up is lying. PITOORRO DE COCO was a great song to cement the emotions. I was surprised that it wasn't only the cuatro puertorriqueño you could hear, there was a bordonúa and a tiple! … Anyone who doesn't know what those are should go look them up, to learn about our string instruments.
This was a GREAT "tiny" concert of contemporary Puerto Rican music. On this occasion, in addition to the crew that has accompanied him during the DTMF promotional run, el Conejo was joined by outstanding musicians including Fabiola Méndez, Luis Sanz, Emmanuel Santana and Luis Amed Irizarry, who served as the Tiny's musical director.
These four talents have spent years dedicated to our folklore, and it moves me that Benito has them by his side.
We got to witness something you don't see much on stage anymore, but that is largely what making music is about: the interaction and connection between an artist and their musicians.
How attentive he was with his band, the playful banter with "Capitán Amed," and the moment he singled out bassist Krystal Santana, a student at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, whom he described as "one of the people with the most flow you'll ever see playing bass"… oh yes, without a doubt.
Bad Bunny interacts with Krystal Santana, bassist and student at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico. Still from the Bad Bunny Tiny Desk (NPR).
It gives me a lot of hope that the Bad Bunny project right now is not focused necessarily on "The POP Star," but on our music, which moves across an impressive range of genres, blending local and foreign influences throughout its history.
This production reminded me of the collaborative spirit that defined the legendary Fania All Stars, where the collective takes center stage. How good Benito is… How good he is!
Aguinaldo, plena, bomba, bolero, danza, salsa… all the foundations without losing his essence: making space for the musicians, introducing them, letting our national instruments be heard.
The ease with which he moves, both with his musicians and the audience, tells you he is a remarkable phenomenon, as they say, he has 'ángel'. I also found his dialogue and the way he approached the topic of colonialism very intelligent.
The comic tone he took while recounting the rehearsal they held in front of the White House, the back-and-forth about which language he should use, right up to exclaiming "¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!" — there were several messages that did not escape anyone in that room or watching the video from their phone.
No one should have any doubt, and even if his vocal timbre is not your favorite, Benito is a great artist, brave, clear about his place, about what he represents and defends, about what we are.
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The author is an artist and creator of the cultural platform and calendar ¡DímeloMio!
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
