It’s hard not to swoon over Bad Bunny — especially after his appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in June. The article featured casual pictures of the Latin pop star’s life in lockdown and showed off his goofy persona, quirky style and stunning septum piercing. Bad Bunny is an icon, and his most recent album proves what a blessing he is to the music world (and the world in general).
Bad Bunny released El Último Tour Del Mundo on Friday (“The Last World Tour” in English), which is his third album out this year. While fans hypothesize on the meaning of the name of the album, I don’t believe he’s saying this is his last tour. With new alternative and rock sounds, the Puerto Rican singer showcases his range on El Último Tour Del Mundo. The album doesn’t sound like the end of anything; it sounds like Bad Bunny is just getting started.
My Colombian roommate, who introduced me to Bad Bunny, theorized that the album name is a nod to the seemingly apocalyptic times we’re living in. It’s much different from his album YHLQMDLG from earlier this year, which featured his typical Latin bangers. The cool, chill beats make El Último the type of album you would listen to daily, sitting in your room, driving your car or any time in between — the type of album I needed right now.
[Review: Miley Cyrus mostly succeeds in bridging her past and present with ‘Plastic Hearts’]
A major hit off the album, “DÁKITI,” is soft yet catchy with irresistible beats. His voice shines throughout the verses and works perfectly with Jhay Cortez, who was featured on another of my favorite Bad Bunny songs, “CÓMO SE SIENTE (Remix).” This song represents the album as a whole with electronic and edgy beats.
My favorite song off the album was “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE,” featuring Rosalía, a singer from Barcelona. When Rosalía and Bad Bunny are singing the chorus together, heaven opens up to my ears. If you look at the lyrics, the song is quite sexy, yet the tone and beats make it almost sad, like a heartthrob. Even the intense songs on this album are calming because Bad Bunny’s voice is so easy on the ears.
Bad Bunny brings in rock sounds to the album with “YO VISTO ASÍ,” playing with strong drums and electronic beats. “BOOKER T” is another intense song on the album; the mix of Spanish rap and rock was unlike anything I’ve heard before. Bad Bunny continued to surprise me as I listened to the album. His unconventional and unique style shined through as a musician — and as a person. This album left me wondering: if Bad Bunny can do this, what else can he do?
[The tenuous hope of my Trump-free twenties]
Another two of my favorites were “120” and “EL MUNDO ES MÍO.” Both were vibey and had me in my feels. I loved the chorus of “EL MUNDO,” which repeated “El mundo es mío / El mundo es tuyo,” translating to “The world is mine / The world is yours.” Those lyrics continuously ring in my head; even his softest songs are catchy.
If I’m going to be honest, I don’t understand what Bad Bunny is saying in most of his songs because my understanding of Spanish is very basic. However, the reason I love his music is that you don’t have to have the strongest grasp of Spanish to enjoy it. It transcends languages and genres. El Último is the perfect album to end this year, but I’m excited to see what else Bad Bunny brings in the future.
