Music fans have a funny way of remembering exactly where they were when certain songs dropped. For a lot of us, it was May 2022. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—the guy the world knows as Bad Bunny—had just unleashed Un Verano Sin Ti. It was a massive, sprawling project that basically defined the post-pandemic summer. But among the high-energy reggaeton bangers and mambo experiments, one track felt like a complete pivot. Track number 13. "Otro Atardecer."
That was the moment the world really got to see what happens when the biggest pop star on the planet collides with the velvet-smooth indie-pop world of The Marías.
Honestly, it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. You’ve got the king of trap and reggaeton pairing up with a band known for "Cinema" and "Superclean"—music that feels like it belongs in a hazy, candle-lit lounge in Los Angeles rather than a stadium in San Juan. But that contrast is exactly why the Bad Bunny and The Marías connection became a blueprint for modern cross-genre collaborations. It wasn't just a business move. It was a vibe.
The Story Behind "Otro Atardecer"
Benito is known for being a bit of a music nerd. He doesn't just look at the charts; he listens to everything. The rumor mill—and various interviews from María Zardoya herself—suggests that Benito was simply a fan of their sound. He reached out. It wasn't a label-forced "synergy" project.
The Marías, led by Puerto Rican-born María Zardoya and Josh Conway, bring a very specific psychedelic soul and jazz-inflected dream pop to the table. When they got the call, they weren't sure how their ethereal, soft-spoken style would mesh with Benito's gravelly, rhythmic delivery.
They recorded it in Los Angeles.
The song functions as a dialogue. It’s a conversation between two people who aren't together anymore but are staring at the same sunset, wondering if the other is thinking about them. It’s nostalgic. It’s a little bit sad. It’s very "Indie Sleaze" meets "Caribbean Melancholy."
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What’s wild is how much space Benito gave María on the track. Usually, when a global superstar features an indie act, they dominate the runtime. Here? María’s breathy vocals take center stage for long stretches. It feels like a true 50/50 partnership.
Why This Pair-Up Changed the Game for Indie Artists
Before "Otro Atardecer," the line between "Alternative Latino" and "Urbano" was pretty thick. You had your Coachella bands and you had your Flow La Movie playlists. There wasn't a ton of overlap.
Then this happened.
Suddenly, millions of people who only listened to Daddy Yankee or J Balvin were hearing the psych-rock guitar licks of Josh Conway. It opened a massive door. Since then, we’ve seen a huge uptick in "Urbano" artists seeking out "Alternative" sounds. It made it cool to be soft. It made it okay for a reggaeton album to have a track that felt more like Tame Impala than Tego Calderon.
The Sonic Signature
The production on the Bad Bunny and The Marías collaboration is deceptively simple.
- A steady, mid-tempo drum beat that keeps it grounded in the Un Verano Sin Ti beach theme.
- Those signature lush, swirling synths that The Marías are famous for.
- The lyrical back-and-forth that feels less like a song and more like a late-night text thread you should have never started.
It’s the kind of track that works at a festival but also works when you’re driving home alone at 2:00 AM. That versatility is rare. Most songs are either "club" or "bedroom." This is both.
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The Cultural Impact in Puerto Rico and Beyond
María Zardoya being Puerto Rican is a huge piece of this puzzle. Even though the band is based in LA, that connection to the island is real. For many Puerto Ricans, seeing a home-grown indie artist get that level of shine on a Benito project was a massive point of pride.
It also validated the "weird kids."
For a long time, the dominant export of PR was strictly tropical or urban. The Marías represented a different facet of the diaspora—one that was into vintage film, fashion, and moody jazz. By putting them on the album, Bad Bunny essentially told his audience: "This is also us."
Common Misconceptions About the Collaboration
People often think this was a one-off gimmick. It wasn't. If you look at the credits and the way they’ve spoken about each other since, there’s a deep mutual respect there.
Another mistake? Thinking "Otro Atardecer" is a reggaeton song.
It isn't.
It’s a dream-pop song that happens to feature a reggaeton artist. If you stripped Benito’s vocals away, it would fit perfectly on any The Marías EP. That’s the beauty of it. Benito adapted to their world, not the other way around.
What’s Next for This Sound?
We are seeing the ripples of this collaboration everywhere. Artists like Omar Apollo, Kali Uchis, and even younger acts like Young Miko are playing in this "genre-less" space. The barrier is gone.
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If you’re looking to dive deeper into this specific mood, you have to check out the rest of the The Marías' discography. Start with "Dejate Llevar" or "Cariño." You’ll hear exactly why Bad Bunny wanted that specific magic on his record.
How to Capture This Aesthetic in Your Own Playlists
If you’re trying to build a setlist or a playlist that captures the Bad Bunny and The Marías energy, you need to balance the grit with the gloss. It’s about "Boricua" soul.
- Mix the Tempos: Don't just stick to 100 BPM. Throw in some slower, reverb-heavy tracks between the dance hits.
- Focus on Texture: Look for songs that use organic instruments—real bass guitars, real drums—mixed with electronic elements.
- Language Fluidity: The best tracks in this vein often flip between Spanish and English effortlessly, mirroring the actual lives of the artists.
The real takeaway here is that the "Latin Explosion" isn't just about one genre anymore. It’s a massive, multi-colored umbrella. Whether it's a stadium in Mexico City or a small club in Brooklyn, the sound of "Otro Atardecer" proved that listeners are way more open-minded than labels give them credit for. They want feeling. They want atmosphere. They want something that sounds like a sunset feels.
To truly appreciate the nuance, listen to the track again but focus entirely on the bassline. Josh Conway’s production is a masterclass in "less is more." It provides just enough pulse to keep you moving while the vocals let you float. That's the secret sauce.
If you want to keep exploring this intersection of sounds, look into the production work of Tainy, specifically his solo album DATA. He takes the groundwork laid by collaborations like this and pushes it into a futuristic, almost cyberpunk territory. The evolution is happening in real-time. Keep your ears open for the next time an "indie" name pops up on a major superstar's tracklist—it's usually where the most interesting music is hiding.