just Despacito enjoying Hearts and Flowers in Havana dancing the Macarena!

Hello Monday peeps! We made it to May already! And apparently our April Showers had a delay, as we’ve been experiencing tons of rain the past week or so – but the sun will return in a few days, so it’s something to look forward to. You know, having a chance to dry out. 😉 Since it is Monday, that, of course, means music! For this week, the theme is: “Latin Artists”. Let’s get this Latin party started!

Let’s start with a song that is a Latin pop/reggaetón that was penned by this artist with the intention of creating a fun tune that would make people want to dance. He was quoted as saying:

“The song grew in a very natural way; it really snowballed into this final version. [The song] started with a melody hook that I had with my guitar only. The beat for this track came after I wrote the lyrics, which I wrote as if I was writing a ballad. I sat with my guitar and started this cumbia pattern with my guitar.

After we wrote it, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to leave it as a cumbia/pop song or to give it this urban injection. I also don’t consider it a reggaetón song, but it does have that reggaetón energy, and to me, that’s the new pop. A mix between a pop melody and a subtle urban beat to create the best of both worlds.

The video was filmed in Puerto Rico, where I’m from, and it celebrates our Latin culture and who we are; movement, dancing, and rhythm are engraved in my bones. The genre I listen to the most is salsa, so people look at me and see this guy who’s done mostly romantic ballads, but there’s always been this other side. It captures the best of both worlds, and I think that’s helped the success of the song.”

This was the first ever Spanish-language song to spend ten consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the Global Spotify Chart. This was also the first time in 21 years that a primarily Spanish-language song topped the Hot 100. The previous one to do so was Los Del Rio’s “Macarena,” which spent 14 weeks on the summit in 1996.

Here’s the inimitable Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber with “Despacito”:

Next up is the undisputed queen, a true trailblazer for Spanish-language music in the United States. The multifaceted diva, who is not only a singer but also an actress, dancer, and businesswoman, catapulted Latin pop in America with her debut album in 1999. Her album in 2002 had the songs she’d been writing about her new love at the time. 20 years later, they reunited (and got married), which inspired her to get back in the studio to write new music. She said:

“[The first album] was inspired by that time in my life. And 20 years later, when we reunited, the kind of same thing happened to me where I was like, I want to get back in the studio. I want to make music again. And I know some artists make music when they’re tortured and heartbroken, but not me. I’m the opposite.”

About this particular song, she said:

“[This song]’ for me was really about the idea that people look at you, and even in this day of social media, look at you from the outside. And everybody kind of puts this best foot forward.

But the truth is, it’s not all hearts and flowers. No matter how blessed or great you think somebody’s life is, it’s not that. It’s work to become a better person. It’s work to do all of these things. And you got to stay in touch with who you are, but at the same time grow. And I think this whole project is about kind of thinking things are like a fairy tale and then realizing that they’re not.”

Give a listen to the inimitable Jennifer Lopez with “Hearts and Flowers”:

Next is an artist who pays tribute to the capital of her home country, Cuba. The pop star moved back and forth between Havana and Mexico City as a child before settling in Miami. She sings about her Cuban heritage and also muses about a former flame she left back in her native land.

The video starts with a mini nod to the Telenovelas – if you want to skip that part, the song starts in at 2:30, but it is entertaining to watch!

Here’s Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug with “Havana”:

Last but certainly not least, it is a song many people (including me and my friends) danced the special dance whenever it played, and it was the #1 Billboard hit. A Spanish flamenco-pop duo they were inspired to record this on a trip to Venezuela when they spotted a beautiful flamenco dancer named Diana Patricia. This was the first hit for this duo since 1962 and their only hit in the US.

This song stayed in the US Top 100 for 60 weeks, the one-time record for the longest run on the singles chart.

Fun fact: Macarena is a female name which means “Mother of God.”

Time to dance! Here’s Los del Rio with “Macarena”:

That’s a wrap for this week – have a great Monday! See you on the dance floor!

Now onto the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:

I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, and Alana of Ramblin’ with AM!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!