Bad Bunny Debuts New Album At Massive Listening Party In Puerto Rico

Can an album listening party with 16,000 guests feel cozy? Special? Evidently, yes. Bad Bunny made that happen on Thursday (Oct. 12) as he debuted his new LP, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.Held at the iconic Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot (aka El Choli) in San Juan, the event’s itinerary was a mystery when announced. Would Bad Bunny show up? Or would fans simply hear the album track by track without him? Nobody knew. Still, tickets sold out within two hours of going on sale.

Expectations were varied among the concertgoers, many of whom were giving Renaissance vibes in cowboy hats and boots and sparkly fringe tops and skirts. (Of course, Bad Bunny’s new signature, the blue L.A. Dodgers hat, was seen throughout the crowd, too.) Some fans were just happy to hear the album among friends and with top-notch sound. However, others hoped for more.“Espero que Bad Bunny salga — en un caballo (I hope Bad Bunny comes out on a horse),” Dariana Cruz, 33, joked to Billboard. “He doesn’t have to sing, but he should come out at least.”

Cruz didn’t get her wish of him coming out on a horse, but Bad Bunny did show up — and in spectacular fashion. In the center of the arena floor, surrounded by clamoring fans, a souped-up vintage Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow — the same car used in the video for “Where She Goes” and in his 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards performance — slowly lowered from the ceiling. Fans screamed. Bad Bunny was in the driver’s seat.

In the heart of enchanting Puerto Rico, beneath a sky painted with the hues of a tropical sunset, music history was written as Bad Bunny unveiled his highly anticipated new album. The air was charged with excitement as fans from all corners gathered at the spectacular venue, transforming the island into a pulsating hub of anticipation.

Encircling the car below were a dozen or so dancers, all of them clad in black with faces totally covered by something akin to a balaclava, but with eyes sealed for an alien-like look. Bad Bunny wore the same, with a checkered handkerchief resting atop his head.The album kicked off with tracks playing in chronological order, beginning with “Nadie Sabe.” El Conejo nodded along subtly, matching the pensive tone of the song, in which he reflects on his trajectory. He started making music as a young teen 10 years ago, and today he’s almost 30, with five full-length albums and heaps of EPs and singles. In the song, Bad Bunny seems to grapple with his continuously spiking celebrity and the corresponding loneliness it apparently brings. That first number was crucial in setting the tone for the night. This is how Bad Bunny made thousands feel close to him, despite being some 20-feet above them in a luxury car 99% of his fans could never afford. There were moments during “Nadie Sabe,” and again throughout the night, when he seemed to look to the crowd, to truly look for individual faces, in search of feedback or approval.