15. What is this?
For anyone who lives under a rock or does not listen to the radio, “Despacito” is a single, by Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, that was released by Universal Music Latin on January 13, 2017. The song was written by the two performers and Erika Ender and was produced by Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo. The official music video, which was released on the same day, shows both artists performing in the La Perla neighborhood of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and at a local bar there, La Factoría. Since then, the song has been heard through digital downloads, live in places like Mexico, California & Puerto Rico & on Conan, on the Love + Dance World Tour and on the radio numerous times through remixes and the original version.
14. Oh, so it’s popular on YouTube?
The song, which has become both Fonsi’s and Daddy Yankee’s most successful song so far, falls under the genre of reggaeton-pop. It is sung primarily in Spanish, making it the first of its kind to top the Billboard Hot 100 since “Macarena” in 1996. Within six months, “Despacito” was up to 2.5 billion views on YouTube, receiving its one billionth view on April 20, after 97 days, making it the second-fastest video to reach that milestone on the site. After 154 days, it received its two billionth view, making it the fastest video to do so. Overall, “Despacito” is the most-watched video on YouTube; for years, “Gangnam Style” held that title, but that was recently broken by Wiz Khalifa’s and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” and then by “Despacito”.
13. Why is it in Spanish?
12. How did it come about?
This isn’t the first Latin-to-pop crossover. In the history of Hot 100 alone, another Spanish-spoken No. 1 came about in the summer of 1987, as the East Los Angeles band Los Lobos covered Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” for the soundtrack of the movie version of “La Bamba”. In 1993, the “Macarena” became a crossover hit. And today, fans have “Despacito”. Some would argue, though, that the English language was needed in these Latin songs, to help carry them to the top, since there was a movie, a dance craze and a remix with one of America’s biggest male pop stars involved in these three songs. However, performers like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Santana, Pitbull and Shakira have been putting spicy flairs on the radio for years, and “Despacito” is just another great and unique example of crossover music from two talented Puerto Ricans.
12. How did it come about?
After a two-year hiatus, Luis Fonsi wanted to create a fun, comfortable, Latin song that would make people dance, so he started collaborating with his friend Erika Ender, who won a 2016 Latin Grammy Award as songwriter, then added Daddy Yankee into the mix for an “urban injection”, whom it had worked with on “Una Oportunidad”. Originally, Fonsi was focusing on other songs, but after he heard the completed demo of “Despacito”, he realized he had something powerful, fresh and different – something with an urban feel that Latinos are known for, synonyms with partying and being happy. And that’s exactly what it does – make people happy…which is exactly what the team behind was going for. Everyone involved felt a connection with the song, loving every new idea that combined to make a chart-topping song.
11. Who is Luis Fonsi?
Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero, known by his stage name of Luis Fonsi, was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 15, 1978. He is an oldest child. He can speak English without even the hint of an accent and started doing so after living in the U.S. for only a month. At Dr. Phillips High School, he was in a musical group called “Big Guys”, along with another present-day performer, Joey Fatone. He studied music at Florida State University on a full scholarship, which led to a recording contract with Universal Music Latin. From there, he sang with and opened for pop stars like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, performed at honorary events at places like the White House and won numerous industry awards. In December 2011, Fonsi and Spanish model Águeda López had a daughter together and were married after three years.
10. Who is Daddy Yankee?
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, known by his stage name of Daddy Yankee, was born on February 3, 1977, in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Before he became a performer, he tried out for the Seattle Mariners, and before he could officially sign, he was hit by an AK-47 round while taking a break from a recording session. After healing up, though, he went on to work in the film industry as an actor and producer and as an administrator for several different organizations (such as a group for young incarcerated people, a Puerto Rican recycling program and El Cartel Records). He also recently released a 3D video game called Trylogy and stated that his marriage (which he usually keeps very private) is strong because he and his wife are friends above anything. He also is private about his daughter, whom he had when he was seventeen years old, which he said was a hard experience.
9. So I can watch and listen to it at the same time?
The popular music video, with its 2B+ views and 14M+ likes, was filmed in December 2016, in Puerto Rico, and was directed by Carlos Perez, who had previously worked with Luis Fonsi on “Corazón en la Gaveta” in 2014, and with Daddy Yankee on “Gangsta Zone” in 2006, “Descontrol” in 2010, “Ven Conmigo” in 2011, and “Moviendo Caderas” in 2014. Thomas Marvel also helped with the hit through cinematography work, and Miss Universe 2006, Zuleyka Rivera, starred in the video, being seen – along with Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and mobs of Puerto Rican dancers – at various parties on the island. The entire thing celebrates Latin American culture and shows off the style, movement, dancing, colors and rhythm associated
This next video may not be a popular as the official music video, but it’s getting around; a video of Niana Guerrero shows what happens when a favorite song comes on…and dancing must ensue! Born in the Philippines, 11-year-old Guerrero is a dancer, actress and entertainer with more than 600,000 Facebook page likes, 1.9 million Instagram followers and 90,000 Twitter fans. While she has two older sisters and a younger sister, her older brother, YouTuber Ranz Kyle, is more well-known. In fact, he and Guerrero recently signed with Big Frame, a leading digital talent management company that represents other online stars like Tyler Oakley and Amanda Steele. Guerrero uploaded a compilation video that shows her dancing to “Despacito” a week ago, and it already has over 12 million views.
Of course, Guerrero’s version isn’t the only one out there. There are numerous remakes and parodies in numerous languages, all with their own unique elements, styles and performers. The instrumental version by 2Cellos, though, may be the best out there (besides the original, of course:). This version just has Luka Sulic, Stjepan Hauser and their two cellos, which they alternate playing, complimenting each other well at different points. The video, which received three million views in its first three days online, starts off strong (These guys are NOT bad to look at it.), in a storage room of sorts, and keeps getting better, as it ends with a cello-equivalent mic drop, Sulic and Hauser singing their own rendition of the song and fans of the song singing along with 2Cellos.
6. Let’s get technical
Most people just want to sing along to songs (or attempt to), but some may be interested in learning exactly how all the sounds of this song were created. Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo used Pro Tools to produce “Despacito”. The twangy sounds at the beginning of the song were created with a Puerto Rican cuatro (a stringed instrument) played by Christian Nieves, who threw in salsa-influenced melodies during the chorus and the hook. An acoustic guitar, percussion instruments (guache and güira) and a hi hat also combined in order to make “Despacito” a true song of the dance-oriented music genre popular in Latin America (which is a genre called cumbia). And everyone’s favorite part – when the word “despacito” is said and slowed down – is done through an effect called text painting, which is when the music is slowed down, too.
5. What’s up with the Justin Bieber remix?
Shortly after “Despacito” was released, a video surfaced of Justin Bieber at New York City’s 1OAK nightclub. He was singing along to the song…but not very much of it, opting instead to rap about how he didn’t know the words and throwing in “poquito”, “dorito” and “burrito” instead. Since burritos aren’t even a Puerto Rican dish, Bieber received some flack for this. However, his co-singer, Luis Fonsi, came to the rescue, stating in an interview that the song is not easy for anyone to sing, even fluent Spanish singers, with its tongue-twisty lyrics. And Bieber’s fans are louder than his critics, praising him for his “Despacito” remix, which he recorded in Colombia in an hour and released four days later, after seeing how people responded to the song in a Columbian club. The remix topped the charts of Finland, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland and Sweden, as well as, of course, the US Billboard Hot 100. Jason Boyd and Marty James were the ones who co-wrote the remix, and Colombian musician Juan Felipe Samper helped Bieber sing in Spanish, which earned a special praise from Outmagazine, saying that Justin Bieber singing in Spanish was a highly sexual experience.
4. So…Can I got to Puerto Rico now?
Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero, known by his stage name of Luis Fonsi, was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on April 15, 1978. He is an oldest child. He can speak English without even the hint of an accent and started doing so after living in the U.S. for only a month. At Dr. Phillips High School, he was in a musical group called “Big Guys”, along with another present-day performer, Joey Fatone. He studied music at Florida State University on a full scholarship, which led to a recording contract with Universal Music Latin. From there, he sang with and opened for pop stars like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, performed at honorary events at places like the White House and won numerous industry awards. In December 2011, Fonsi and Spanish model Águeda López had a daughter together and were married after three years.
10. Who is Daddy Yankee?
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez, known by his stage name of Daddy Yankee, was born on February 3, 1977, in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Before he became a performer, he tried out for the Seattle Mariners, and before he could officially sign, he was hit by an AK-47 round while taking a break from a recording session. After healing up, though, he went on to work in the film industry as an actor and producer and as an administrator for several different organizations (such as a group for young incarcerated people, a Puerto Rican recycling program and El Cartel Records). He also recently released a 3D video game called Trylogy and stated that his marriage (which he usually keeps very private) is strong because he and his wife are friends above anything. He also is private about his daughter, whom he had when he was seventeen years old, which he said was a hard experience.
9. So I can watch and listen to it at the same time?
The popular music video, with its 2B+ views and 14M+ likes, was filmed in December 2016, in Puerto Rico, and was directed by Carlos Perez, who had previously worked with Luis Fonsi on “Corazón en la Gaveta” in 2014, and with Daddy Yankee on “Gangsta Zone” in 2006, “Descontrol” in 2010, “Ven Conmigo” in 2011, and “Moviendo Caderas” in 2014. Thomas Marvel also helped with the hit through cinematography work, and Miss Universe 2006, Zuleyka Rivera, starred in the video, being seen – along with Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and mobs of Puerto Rican dancers – at various parties on the island. The entire thing celebrates Latin American culture and shows off the style, movement, dancing, colors and rhythm associated
8. Who is that little girl?
This next video may not be a popular as the official music video, but it’s getting around; a video of Niana Guerrero shows what happens when a favorite song comes on…and dancing must ensue! Born in the Philippines, 11-year-old Guerrero is a dancer, actress and entertainer with more than 600,000 Facebook page likes, 1.9 million Instagram followers and 90,000 Twitter fans. While she has two older sisters and a younger sister, her older brother, YouTuber Ranz Kyle, is more well-known. In fact, he and Guerrero recently signed with Big Frame, a leading digital talent management company that represents other online stars like Tyler Oakley and Amanda Steele. Guerrero uploaded a compilation video that shows her dancing to “Despacito” a week ago, and it already has over 12 million views.
7. And who are those cello players?
Of course, Guerrero’s version isn’t the only one out there. There are numerous remakes and parodies in numerous languages, all with their own unique elements, styles and performers. The instrumental version by 2Cellos, though, may be the best out there (besides the original, of course:). This version just has Luka Sulic, Stjepan Hauser and their two cellos, which they alternate playing, complimenting each other well at different points. The video, which received three million views in its first three days online, starts off strong (These guys are NOT bad to look at it.), in a storage room of sorts, and keeps getting better, as it ends with a cello-equivalent mic drop, Sulic and Hauser singing their own rendition of the song and fans of the song singing along with 2Cellos.
6. Let’s get technical
Most people just want to sing along to songs (or attempt to), but some may be interested in learning exactly how all the sounds of this song were created. Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo used Pro Tools to produce “Despacito”. The twangy sounds at the beginning of the song were created with a Puerto Rican cuatro (a stringed instrument) played by Christian Nieves, who threw in salsa-influenced melodies during the chorus and the hook. An acoustic guitar, percussion instruments (guache and güira) and a hi hat also combined in order to make “Despacito” a true song of the dance-oriented music genre popular in Latin America (which is a genre called cumbia). And everyone’s favorite part – when the word “despacito” is said and slowed down – is done through an effect called text painting, which is when the music is slowed down, too.
5. What’s up with the Justin Bieber remix?
Shortly after “Despacito” was released, a video surfaced of Justin Bieber at New York City’s 1OAK nightclub. He was singing along to the song…but not very much of it, opting instead to rap about how he didn’t know the words and throwing in “poquito”, “dorito” and “burrito” instead. Since burritos aren’t even a Puerto Rican dish, Bieber received some flack for this. However, his co-singer, Luis Fonsi, came to the rescue, stating in an interview that the song is not easy for anyone to sing, even fluent Spanish singers, with its tongue-twisty lyrics. And Bieber’s fans are louder than his critics, praising him for his “Despacito” remix, which he recorded in Colombia in an hour and released four days later, after seeing how people responded to the song in a Columbian club. The remix topped the charts of Finland, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland and Sweden, as well as, of course, the US Billboard Hot 100. Jason Boyd and Marty James were the ones who co-wrote the remix, and Colombian musician Juan Felipe Samper helped Bieber sing in Spanish, which earned a special praise from Outmagazine, saying that Justin Bieber singing in Spanish was a highly sexual experience.
4. So…Can I got to Puerto Rico now?
On June 11 of this year, Puerto Rico voted for statehood, and 97 percent of those who participated were in favor of it – yet most citizens did not vote at all. Those who are in support of independence just boycotted the vote, even though the Puerto Rican governor himself, Ricardo A. Rosselló, voted in favor of becoming the 51st state to end what he referred to as 500 years of colonization. The island also has obtained over $74 billion in debt.
Perhaps “Despacito” can help it out, though? Since the song landed on April 17, 45 percent more people have been searching for Puerto Rico online, according to research from Hotels.com – even despite the fact that the Zika virus had the island’s tourism numbers down last year. When people see shots of the pretty beaches, the colorful neighborhood of La Perla and the hopping club La Factoría, they lust for that kind of excitement. The video director of “Despacito”, a Puerto Rican named Carlos Pérez, even called the video a love letter to the island.
3. What does “despacito” mean exactly?
Slowly. Vayamos despacito porque las rocas están resbalosas. Unhurriedly. Let’s go slowly because the rocks are slippery. Delicately. La madre acarició despacito la cabeza del bebé. Gently. The mother gently stroked the baby’s head.
These are just a few examples of definitions for “despacito”. In the song, the world is hearing about a love story that needs and wants to go slowly: I need to dance with this person. But we need to take our time. I want to breathe this person’s neck in, but without rushing, whispering things in their ear, undressing them and hearing them. I’ve been trying for awhile, but I wanted to enjoy the trip. But now, I’m ready; let’s do it on a beach in Puerto Rico…slowly.
2. And…What does the rest of this song say?
The song talks about getting closer to love – about breathing it in, having pulses accelerate, feeling another person’s rhythm, getting to reallyyy know each other – but not getting in a hurry with it! It inspires listeners to find the beauty in a ride that starts slow then gets wild – a ride called love.
“Despacito” quickly became the song of the summer, a global hit and a record-breaking tune. It’s been turned into memes featuring Meryl Streep, Elsa from “Frozen” and the word “burrito” a lot. Is it the beat that made it so popular? Is it the combo of the talented Luis Fonsi and the skilled Daddy Yankee? Perhaps people are drawn in by the sexy moves in the music video? Or the lure of a tropical island? Who cares…It’s good.
1. Anddd…When can I hang with these guys at La Factoría?
While strolling the casual streets of San Juan, one could stumble upon a popular and eclectic spot called La Factoria. A checkerboard floor, fairy lights, mixed drinks and the fact that no sign is used/needed here (just follow the music and laughter) combine to make this bar what it is. Hand-carved ice, homemade bitters, seasonal specials and the favorite, Lavender Mule, are just added bonuses on the menu. A wooden door at the back of the club leads to a small and secret wine bar. And there will always be a DJ keeping the crowd happy, since groups are always there celebrating everything from birthdays to life. So go! Book a flight! Visit the capital city of Puerto Rico and one of the world’s top 50 bars! Go celebrate life…Slowly.
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