As flashing lights surrounded the Calibash stage Sunday night, Yuqi Situ sang along and danced to the beat of Becky G’s hit song, “Mayores.”
Becky G was the main reason Situ bought a ticket to the Latinx-led concert.
“I had a really close friend, he is really into Latin music too and we are not Latinas or Latinos, but we really appreciate it,” said Situ, a Chinese teacher who teaches Mandarin at a Los Angeles public school. “We noticed that most music has reggeaton and that’s what we really like, it makes us dance.”
Since “Despacito” was released in 2017, Situ’s interest in Latin music began. Prior to the concert, she said she wanted to channel her inner Latina and that she was excited to be there even if she was attending the concert alone.
Presented by Mega 96.3 and LaMusica App, the annual Calibash in Los Angeles was held for two nights at Staples Center. Both days were sold out, demonstrating that music across the urban genre is growing.
Performances also included Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Nicky Jam, Anuel AA, Wisin, Yandel, J Alvarez and Zion & Lennox.
Situ says she doesn’t understand all the lyrics, but she has an understanding of what some of the words mean.
“If it is repeated multiple times, then I kind of know, but most of the times, no,” Situ said. “Music is a very easy way to learn another language and learn about another culture because it’s very different from my culture.”
Adolfo Arroyo, another attendee says he has been attending Calibash every year for the past four years.
“We’ve gone a long way from back then to now, it’s a big difference now because generations are adapting to Spanish music and we are all learning to be together as one,” Arroyo said.
With reggaeton being played more on English speaking stations like KIIS FM and AMP Radio, artists have begun to collaborate with Latin artists and have even sung in Spanish themselves.
Janeth Ornelas, a social worker expressed her thoughts on Drake singing Spanish in his latest song with Bad Bunny, “Mia.”
“There’s many haters saying that he should stick to what he is and not try to sing in Spanish because he doesn’t know Spanish or maybe that’s not his first language,” Ornelas said. “I mean society should learn to accept everyone for who they are and however they want to be.”
The night came to an end with Ozuna’s unforgettable performance that went over his set time. Situ once again rose from her seat and sang along to his songs. With a big smile on her face, Situ recorded Ozuna and continued to dance the night away.
“Hopefully in the future, I can influence more of my other ethnicity friends to go to concerts like these,” Situ said. “I don’t speak the language, I don’t really know 99 percent of the time what is being sung but I’m really enjoying it.”
