It turns out “Bellacoso,” Residente and Bad Bunny’s late Summer drop initially intended as a celebration to Ricky Roselló’s removal – for which they both actively vouched for, is even better live. The best friend duo we love to love performed the song for the first time last night on the Jimmy Fallon stage. It was Residente’s first, and El Conejo Malo’s second, appearance on the late night show.
Introduced by an overly-excited Fallon, the pair opted for a live rendition of the Finnish sample included in their song, surely making viewers do a double take when the camera panned to the quartet. One commenter described them as “stiff gringos,” while several others admired Residente’s choice to include them, saying “I expected the Miku sample at the intro, but a live sampling of ‘Ievan Polkka’ was an interesting surprise for sure.”
If this all sounds foreign to you, it turns out the intro and outro to “Bellacoso” is pulled from the classic “Ievan Polkka” by the famous Finnish band named Loituma. Specifically, this is, according to Rolling Stone, the Hatsune Miku version. The song itself is about a woman named Ieva who can’t help but dance listening to the polka music coming from neighbors. There are various samplings and versions of the song, including a folk metal version and random mixes around the world. Why not add a reggaeton take to it? If there’s anyone who’d do it within the urbano space, and do it well, it’s Residente – who’s shown an appreciation for other cultures in the past (particularly on Residente) and will clearly continue to do so in his solo sophomore album.
Watch a confident as ever Residente and chill, nearly unrecognizable Benito dominate the stage here:
Catch the sample in the 1:40-1:50 lapse, here: