Bad Bunny’s ‘Un Verano Sin Ti album surpasses geographical and musical frontiers, immersing listeners into the vivid party scene of Puerto Rico.
Bad Bunny’s performs in San Antonio, Texas during his “World’s Hottest Tour,” on Sept. 07, 2022. (Credit: Destinie Maese)
By Tanya Velázquez
“Hopefully… the summer never ends,” rang all around the sold out, over 50,000-seat stadium Alamodome as Bad Bunny debuted his newest album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” or, a “A Summer Without You” last summer.
Compared to more traditional reggaeton music, which blends styles of dancehall, reggae, underground and hip hop, Bad Bunny’s album has made reggaeton more colorful and prolific than ever. Releasing his music around the time COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in countries worldwide, many people sought to compensate for the years of their life lost to the pandemic. “Un Verano Sin Ti” was a suitable anthem for those celebrating young adulthood as Bad Bunny highlights the simultaneous mortality and immortality of his youth.
Beginning with the sounds of seagulls cawing, the opening song “Moscow Mule” transports listeners to a tropical paradise. It is followed by “Despúes de la Playa,” or, “After the Beach,” which portrays what it is like to be young and free, surrounded by the waves of the ocean, through the infusion of fast and exhilarating merengue beats.
The Latino reggaeton artist flies on a palm tree rig during his concert in San Antonio. (Credit: Jose Luna-Espinoza)
The album also illustrates the intense healing process and difficulties of navigating new love affairs after a failed relationship. The artist implies he is a player, destined to be alone forever.
“Love is very beautiful but there is always something that interrupts it,” he sings, “Baby, let’s do it again, have sex again because tomorrow I may not be here.”
The 28-year-old artist frames the transience of youth and his break-up as a justification for endless dating, drinking and dancing.
Evidently, many people can relate to Bad Bunny’s experiences as “Un Verano Sin Ti” has been recognized as one of the biggest Latin albums of all time, after holding the record for the highest number of first-day streams and reaching number one on the Top 100 music chart of 34 countries worldwide, according to Apple Music. The album can be, and has been, streamed on numerous music platforms including Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, and iHeart Radio.
Beginning his music career in 2016, the Latino artist has been at the forefront of the recent wave of reggaeton music in mainstream society.
The artist has become especially popular among Latinos because of his pride in his Puerto Rican heritage. This is apparent in the five-star-worthy album being almost entirely in Spanish, but even more so in the song “El Apagón.”
“Puerto Rico is the capital of dancing sensually/ partying, now everybody wants to be Latino,” Bad Bunny sings.
It is an assumption that, clearly, is not entirely wrong.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 stars
