As you open your photo album of keepsakes, you indulge in the aroma and trace your fingers over the crease of the book. You find yourself in awe of the many moments you were able to photograph in your life, navigating and trying to decipher the emotions that were felt at the time, and what milestones you have encountered to feel such a sensation again.

Similarly, the album, “DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS,” which translates to “I should have taken more photos,” by Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Bad Bunny, encapsulates the mourning of fleeting moments derived from nostalgia. Through his craft, he is able to characterize Puerto Rican culture and many other cultures with his signature album cover depicting a white plastic chair where many ancestors have perched on to reminisce on past conversations about folklores, quick small talk about one’s day, and nonsensical chatter at cookouts. Bad Bunny was also able to unravel the epitome of family and the urgency to preserve the beloved moments shared with them before they become a distant memory.

Here are four of the 17 tracks that explore the beauty of Puerto Rico, traditions, nostalgia, and pleasure.

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“NUEVAYoL” (New York”)

“Si te quieres divertir (If you want to have fun)

Con encanto y con primor (¿pero qué es esto?) [With charm and exquisiteness (but where is this?)]

Solo tienes que vivir (¿y este frío?) [You just have to live (and it’s cold?)]

Un verano en Nueva York (un ratito nada más)” [A summer in New York (just for a little while)]

This track was written as a tribute to the “Nuyorican,” which is a product of New York and Puerto Rican culture, and how the city has contributed to the preservation of the culture. Similarly to how the acclaimed musical, “In The Heights,” captures how honorable New York is towards the Caribbean nature of their culture, Bad Bunny stresses the importance of indulging in a summer in New York at least once in your life as a meaningful way to foster unity and open pathways to achieve aspirations. This is also an anthem of protest against gentrification as Bad Bunny advocates for immigrant rights. 

“BAILE INoLVIDABLE” (Unforgettable Dance)

“No, no te puedo olvidar (No I cannot forget you)

No, no te puedo borrar (No I cannot erase you)

Tú me enseñaste a querer (You taught me how to love)

Me enseñaste a bailar” (You taught me how to dance)

Here, Bad Bunny compares a loving relationship to an unforgettable dance, where the memories devoted to it are equated to choreography as a form of storytelling. He captures a state of denial to the point where he cannot stomach separation from his lover, due to their ability to hopelessly devote themselves through forms of vulnerability. The track also features a Salsa nature into it, describing his fleeting life with his lover as an intense party where everyone of all ages, backgrounds, and feelings is there to indulge in one unforgettable dance. 

“TURiSTA” (Tourist) 

“Una foto bonita, un atardecer hermoso (A pretty picture, a beautiful sunset) 

Una bailaíta, tu cadenita de oro (A little dance, your gold chain) 

Estuvimos tan cerquita, mirándono a los ojos (We were so close, looking into each other’s eyes) 

Dime si viste la pena de mi corazón roto” (Tell me, did you see the sadness in my broken heart) 

In the song, Bad Bunny creates a metaphor for a superficial feeling of a momentary romantic relationship. Additionally, he tells the story of how his lover only enjoyed the “best parts” of him, and once things got difficult, they left. Not only does he create this metaphor, but he also mentions how tourists come to visit Puerto Rico for leisure, ignoring the context and struggles of the locals living there. Although the time spent together was memorable, it is difficult to ignore the struggles faced, and reflecting on the nostalgia is never truly easy. 

“DtMF” 

“DeBÍ TIRAR MáS FOToS de cuando te tuve (I should’ve taken more pictures when I had you) 

Debí darte más besos y abrazos las veces que pude ( I should’ve given you more hugs and kisses when I could)

Ey, ojalá que los míos nunca se muden (Hey, I hope my people never move away) 

Y si hoy me emborracho, pues que me ayuden” (And if I get drunk today, I hope they help me out) 

Here, Bad Bunny creates a melancholic song highlighting the feeling of regret and loss of time, and cherishing memories with close loved ones. By highlighting these feelings, he can capture the pain of nostalgia of how he had spent more time enjoying and capturing the feelings he had for his past lover. Not only does he highlight the feelings of missing a previous partner, but he also reflects on the emotional toll of longing for home and the loss of connection to his roots. 

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Through the reflection of his homeland of Puerto Rico, tradition, and pleasure, he is capable of capturing a perfect picture of all that he is feeling, given the current political state his home is facing. By uniting these symbols of his culture, he uses his music to connect himself with his people, bringing them closer in a time of difficulty. Additionally, by doing so, he is not only able to unite himself with others but also reflect on all the things that mean the most to him in his life, culture, and tradition.