YOU South Africa|August 17, 2017

Here’s the lowdown on the catchiest song of the year.

Article Reader

DES . . . pa . . . cito! Hands up how many of you have woken up with this earworm buzzing about your brain – even if you can’t quite get your head around the rest of the rapid Latin lyrics.

The ridiculously addictive Spanish song has had everyone from Puerto Rico to Port Elizabeth dancing and singing along after it exploded onto the pop scene and became this year’s hottest hit, breaking records left, right and centre.

Not only has Despacito catapulted singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee to superstardom, it’s changed the fortunes of the folk who live in the former don’tgo-there slum where the music video was filmed. One hit song and – voila! – the place is booming.

“It’s such an honour,” Luis says. “The whole world is singing in Spanish. We have everybody googling, ‘What does despacito mean?’”

It means “slowly”, in case you’ve been living under a rock, and the lyrics are charged with none-too-subtle sexual innuendo.

But it’s feel-good fun all the way – no Spanish-language song has achieved such crossover success since Los Del Rio’s Macarena in 1996.

“It’s amazing, especially given the times we’re living in,” Luis says. “It feels as if we’re in a divided world with politics, but when you hear Despacito and you see someone who doesn’t speak Spanish trying to get the words right . . . it shows the power of music.

“We’re breaking down barriers – I think that’s the biggest win out of all of this.”

CHANGING LIVES

The video for the song’s original version was shot in La Perla, a barrio or slum area of around 1 600 people situated between Old San Juan in Puerto Rico and the sea.

この記事は YOU South Africa の August 17, 2017 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は YOU South Africa の August 17, 2017 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

YOU SOUTH AFRICAのその他の記事すべて表示
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
YOU South Africa

PUSHED TO THE LIMIT

The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist

time-read
5 分  |
5 September 2024
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
YOU South Africa

HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY

Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache

time-read
10+ 分  |
5 September 2024
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
YOU South Africa

THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!

time-read
3 分  |
5 September 2024
THE eyes HAVE IT
YOU South Africa

THE eyes HAVE IT

They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area

time-read
1 min  |
5 September 2024
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
YOU South Africa

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER

It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry

time-read
4 分  |
5 September 2024
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
YOU South Africa

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!

Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world

time-read
5 分  |
5 September 2024
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
YOU South Africa

'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'

When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her

time-read
5 分  |
5 September 2024
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
YOU South Africa

SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!

A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel

time-read
5 分  |
5 September 2024
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
YOU South Africa

READY TO SMILE AGAIN

A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth

time-read
5 分  |
5 September 2024
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
YOU South Africa

HARRY AT A CROSSROADS

As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life

time-read
8 分  |
5 September 2024