Rauw Alejandro’s ‘Carita Linda’ Is The Music Video That’s Serving Puerto Rican Realness — Bomba, Culture, and Straight-Up Vibes
Rauw Alejandro is bringing more love and attention to Puerto Rico with his music video for “Carita Linda.” The video shows off what makes the island so magical from the food to the people to the culture. Rauw Alejandro is joining Bad Bunny in showing off a deep love for the Island of Enchantment and we are here for it.
“Carita Linda” is a neo-bomba bop
The song brings together neo-bomba and urban beats in a hypnotic way. You can feel the spirit of the island moving through your body when you listen. ‘Carita Linda’ is Rauw Alejandro’s unequivocal love letter to Puerto Rico and the Afro Puerto Rican community. The song digs into the bomba yubá subgenre, which was born out of resistance.
Bomba yubá dates back to the 16th century in enslaved African communities in Puerto Rico. It was how the enslaved people were able to communicate despite different languages. Bomba is known to have a fast-paced rhythm and call-and-response style. “Carita Linda” leans into the genre to deliver a memorable new track.
Bomba yubá was born from a resistance to colonial powers. Through the centuries, bomba has grown to influence music around the world and its influence in Latin music is hard to miss. It wasn’t always a popular music genre but time has let its influence reach all parts of the world thanks to artists like Rauw Alejandro.
It was in the 1940s and 1950s that two artists brought bomba to the world stage and found mainstream success. Rafael Cortijo and Ismael Rivera built their career on bomba. Their fame brought the genre to a global audience. The sound of Puerto Rico started to fill the ears of people around the world.
Rauw Alejandro’s music video for “Carita Linda” is another beautiful love letter to Puerto Rico
The “Carita Linda” music video opens with scenic shots of Puerto Rico’s natural beauty. Viewers are treated to aerial shots of the island followed by running water and palm trees swaying in the breeze. If that isn’t enough to draw you into the beauty and magic of Puerto Rico, the rest of the music video shows the people. Puerto Ricans are proud of their homeland and it shines through in this music video.
Natural beauty aside, the music video captures the vibrant and beautiful people of Puerto Rico. There are shots of people cooking, dancing, playing soccer, and children running. “Carita Linda” emanates strong Puerto Rican pride and joy from a resilient people.
Rauw Alejandro wears his Puerto Rican pride with a vejigante mask. The pink mask is a symbol of cultural pride that has Spanish roots with strong Taino and African influences. Originally, the masks represented demons. Overtime, the meaning of the mask has evolved representing cultural pride and resistance against oppressors.
The music video was shot by Martin Seipel and El Zorro in Puerto Rico. Everyone understood the assignment to create a piece of art that amplifies and uplifts Puerto Rico. The visuals in the music video feel authentic, personal, and intimate. “Carita Linda” welcomes the world into Puerto Rico that locals know and love.
