Bad Bunny is looking back on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico with new music. Tonight (Sept. 19), the Boricua superstar released the song “Una Velita,” where he also reflects on the island’s political situation.
“Una Velita” is Bad Bunny’s first new song of the year. Following the release of his album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana last October, he had only appeared as a featured artist on Myke Towers’ song “Adivino.” Since wrapping up his Most Wanted Tour in June, Bad Bunny mostly stayed quiet on the music front. It appears that Puerto Rico’s elections for a new governor and the anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Maria brought him back to the recording studio.
With “Una Velita,” Bad Bunny embraces the folkloric sounds of Puerto Rico. He sings about lighting a candle for the people affected by Hurricane Maria and how the island’s infrastructure still hasn’t recovered from the 2017 disaster. “There were five thousand that they let die, and we will never forget that,” Bad Bunny sings in Spanish.
Bad Bunny also appears to talk about the ongoing elections for governor in Puerto Rico. The symbol of the New Progressive Party (NPP) is a palm tree. Current governor Pedro Pierluisi, who has been criticized for his handling of blackouts on the island, is from NPP. His resident commissioner, Jenniffer González-Colón, also from NPP, is running to become the next governor. “The palm tree on which they want to hang the country, one of these days we’re going to knock it down,” Bad Bunny sings.
Back in June, Bad Bunny incentivized people in Puerto Rico to vote by giving them access to livestreams of his concerts. In the last gubernatorial election in 2020, he posted a photo of his voter ID card with the message, “Take it out and use it!”
Listen to “Una Velita” below.