Nobody knew the Latin sensation would release this unexpected album.
On October’s mysterious Friday the 13th, Bad Bunny released his fifth solo studio album nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana, which translates to “Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow,” once again defying the laws of the reggeaton sound.
Fans only got a few days’ notice of the album’s upcoming release, insinuating that nobody really knew what was going on. But the Latin sensation is back with a new album—Bad Bunny caught fans off-guard.
Steering away from the traditional reggaeton sound, Bad Bunny brings classical harmonies in the intro track “NADIE SABE” (nobody knows) and in “MONACO.” “NADIE SABE” is solely composed of violin and cello while Bad Bunny sings about living in the present moment and taking control of your own life.
“MONACO” pays a heartwarming tribute to the late French singer, Charles Aznavour, with the classic violin intro to “Hier Encore” starting the song, only to switch gears to hard rap. The song’s interlude is a passage from Aznavour’s classic, referring to how he “caressed time and played with life like we played with love and lived the night.”
“MONACO,” “NADIE SABE,” and “TELEPHONO NUEVO” are the more mysterious tracks as they start with softer tempos before and then they catch you off guard with a rougher tone. He uses a lot of dialogue and sound effects to transition from both beats, namely a Formula One car engine playing on top of the interlude and a phone dial saying “the number you have dialed has been changed.”
“TELEPHONO NUEVO” starts off with a softer beat until he announces “[he’s] gonna change his number, we’ll call later” before Luar La L’s new number dials in with hard rap. “VOU 787” starts off with Madonna’s “Vogue” intro, accompanied by claps before the beat drops and Bad Bunny attributes how “now [he’s] a model, a photo for Vogue.” “SEDA” (silk) is slow and sexy with a pop flare, holding a “hiding in the sheets” energy. All three tracks add an expensive connotation to the album: silk as the “fancy” material, fashion dominatrix magazine Vogue, and a brand new phone. Bad Bunny gives riches a new sound.
This album is quite different from the previous four, steering away from the tranquille summer vibes and reggaeton beats, to the eccentric pop, hard rap and classical. Bad Bunny makes several references to pop culture and powerful, strong figures such as Rocky Balboa, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradonna, who are mentioned several times throughout the album.
nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana is a mystery album where each song is different, yet their unique style represents who Bad Bunny is as an artist. It’s an experiment of different genres, styles, and themes, questioning what it means to live life. It’s an anthem about what the album is truly about—a giant question mark that all you want to do is find the answer to. No one knows how or if they can put their finger on it, but that’s the beauty of album number five.
Trial track: MONACO
Score: 9/10
