Puerto Rican band Chuwi says a call from Bad Bunny changed its trajectory. The group’s percussionist, Adrián López, described the moment on the latest episode of New Times’ Midweek Cafecito podcast, hosted by Flor Franceschetti and Celia Almeida.
The band members were balancing day jobs with music about their island’s history, culture and politics when their manager called. Fellow member Wilfredo Aldarondo first thought the call was a prank. Bad Bunny had found the group while living in Los Angeles and feeling homesick, and their songs stood out on a playlist he built of Puerto Rican music.
The collaboration on the track “Weltita” led to a spot on Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” international tour. López said studio sessions sometimes meant missing work without explaining why, and his boss joked that he should call when he became a millionaire.
The band’s trilogy began with the EPs “Pan” and “Tierra,” drawn from a 1940s Puerto Rican political slogan, “Bread, Land, Liberty.” The new album, “Libertad,” completes the series. Chuwi draws on traditional sounds from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and, most recently, Cuba.
The conversation also covered “Cuco,” a song inspired by Aldarondo’s great-uncle, a Korean War veteran and outspoken Puerto Rican nationalist who died with his family in a mysterious accident. Family members have speculated that his politics played a role, but the circumstances remain unclear.
For South Florida listeners, the band’s ties to Miami’s Caribbean audiences make the story relevant. The full conversation is available on Midweek Cafecito.
