It is really no surprise that hit single “Despacito” is taking the world by storm. Rocking the top spot on chart singles, it is clear that artists Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, as well as later collaborating artist Justin Bieber, tapped into something special.
Even before Bieber added his English verse and pop-star image to the song, it was already a big hit in the Latin community and on Spanish language stations in the United States. With his feature to the track, the song almost instantly jumped into the No. 1 hit single spot on Billboard Hot 100, making this the first primarily Spanish song to take number one since the “Macarena” in 1996.
Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and co-writer Erika Ender brilliantly put together a suave and sexy rhythm with tongue-twister type lyrics that instantly make your body want to move with the music. Bieber’s verse and added charisma helped the track make waves by allowing English speaking listeners to form an extra connection, creating a whole new audience for the Latin Pop hit.
The song’s lyrics depict slow-moving sensual scenes, hence the name “Despacito”, meaning slowly, which is further strung out in the slow syllabic pattern of “Des-Pa-Cito” when sung. Although, this is ironically the only slow part of the song, with the other words being sung quickly in time to the beat.
The fact that a Spanish song such as this is flourishing so wonderfully in the U.S. is a big deal for the Latin music industry. It proves that collaboration between artists and communities can be extremely beneficial.
With music as the backbone of the people, and “Despacito” as our proof, music truly can bring us together.
