Apparently, the song that has all the young people dancing and singing in Puerto Rico is “Estamos Bien” (We’re fine) by Bad Bunny. Now, I’m not a fan of this particular singer, but then again, I’m not seventeen. According to Victoria Acosta Ortiz and Daneliz Torres Rodriguez, this song is everywhere. And lots of young people are getting into the beat. Listen to Victoria and Daneliz talk about this song.
“I like the message it gives,” Daneliz says. “We’re fine, even though we pass through bad moments, we know how to rise.” I agree, because I saw these students rise up.
There was probably no worse moment for many teens in Puerto Rico than the passing of Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017. Many were without food and water for days. Power was not restored for months. Schools were closed and life turned upside down. But as Victoria says, “We’re okay. We have everything we need.” Puerto Rico’s teens are okay and are back to singing.
Bad Bunny made his television debut on The Tonight Show with an interesting performance of “Estamos Bien” one year and one week after Hurricane Maria tore through the island. Seeing this video helps me understand how the young people relate to this song (even though I can barely understand a word he says, and I speak Spanish. Thank God for subtitles).
What about you? Do you like “Estamos Bien?” If not, what song makes you feel happy and positive about the future?
For more insights on Puerto Rican youth culture, keep reading. This blog posts weekly.
