J. Balvin announced this week the imminent release of a remix to his hit single, Mi Gente. He mentioned that a huge pop star would join the project, but nobody thought he was referring to none other than Beyonce herself!
The reggaeton star posted a picture of the song’s Spotify cover art on his Instagram, and the remix garnered nearly two million views in less than 24 hours. But the best part of the remix is that Beyonce can be heard singing in Spanish!
Beyonce has worked with Shakira in the past, and has even released Spanish versions of some of her songs in the past, but this is her first full-immersion into Latin music. As for J.Balvin, this marks the second American artist to work with him, the first being Pharrell on the reggaeton song Safari.
Queen B, however, has been heard singing Spanish in the past, remixing her own If I Were A Boy to Si Yo Fuera Un Chico. This time, though, she raps in Spanish, alternates to English, and leaves any listener speechless with her versatility.
Perhaps the greatest thing about this ‘Mi Gente’ remix is that all funds will go to victim relief funds for multiple countries. Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the rest of the affected Caribbean islands will receive all funds generated by the remix, as well as Florida and Houston.
The Houston-native has expressed concern for the situation in her hometown and other devastated states like Florida. Her website gives visitors the option to donate to relief efforts for Texas, Mexico, Florida, Puerto Rico, and other areas hit by natural disasters.
A message on the site reads:
“We are heartbroken by the hurricanes and earthquakes that have devastated families around the world. There are many ways to help. We’ve listed a few organizations that are on the ground from Mexico to the Caribbean, lending a hand to those who need it most.”
Comments of the remix and its beneficial nature have been widely positive, praising both artists for their efforts. Some people even compared this remix to Justin Bieber joining in on the ‘Despacito’ remix, but of course, this one is for a good cause.
The original ‘Mi Gente’ has close to one billion views on YouTube and is one of the most popular Spanish language songs ever in the United States. Beyonce is using the hashtag #BEYGOOD to spread the word and raise awareness, and many applaud her solidarity with those who are in desperate need of help.