llena de poder

HOW PUERTO RICAN WOMEN ARE REVOLUTIONISING REGGAETON

- FRANCES SOLÁ-SANTIAGO

LAST JULY, when Bad Bunny played three soldout shows in Puerto Rico, the superstar - who was the most streamed artist in 2022- took a moment to pass the mic. Sure, he's done this before: his performances have become global spectacles that have included appearances from artists like J Balvin, Romeo Santos and Cardi B. But these weren't normal Bad Bunny concerts. He was returning to his home island to kick off his first stadium tour after dropping the record-shattering, history-making album Un Verano Sin Ti. Thousands of people waited to see what Bad Bunny would do - and who he might bring out.

On the first night, the audience exploded into cheers as Bad Bunny revealed an unexpected guest: the barrier-breaking trans rapper Villano Antillano. She stepped onstage wearing a satin jacket with sky-high platforms that made her look like a superhero, then proceeded to fire off bar after bar from her viral freestyle session with the Argentine producer Bizarrap, which currently has 179 million views on YouTube. The next night, Bad Bunny made way for Young Miko, the 24-year-old artist from Añasco, whose sleek, swaggy delivery sent her bouncy trap single 'Riri' flying up the charts. By the end of her cameo, the entire crowd was screaming for an encore. The saxophonist-turned-vocalist RaiNao took the spotlight on the third night. Dressed in a see-through T-shirt made by Puerto Rican designer Namibia Viera, she was fearless as she belted out her ballad 'Luv'. 

The gesture was monumental. Bad Bunny could have brought out any artist he wanted. Instead, he co-signed a women-led revolution that's been brewing in Puerto Rico over the past several years.