Creative director Stillz & stylist Chloe Delgadillo walk Billboard through the viral music video.
Bad Bunny’s “Yo Perreo Sola,” released March 27, is currently the most-watched Latin music video worldwide. Featuring Bad Bunny in drag, it’s as visually eye-opening as it is conscientious, talking about respect for women and highlighting the LGBT community, a departure for Latin urban music.
“The video is 100% Benito,” Stillz, Bad Bunny’s creative director for all his videos and social content, tells Billboard.
Stillz is a 21-year-old Colombian photographer who met Bad Bunny (real name Benito Martinez) through Orli Arias, J Balvin’s photographer. His first gig, covering a show in Las Vegas, eventually led to Stillz becoming Bunny’s official creative director.
The song is at No. 2 this week on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, and the video has so far peaked at No. 2 on YouTube’s Global Top Music Videos chart, topped the YouTube charts in 17 Spanish-speaking countries, and peaked at No. 2 on the Global Top Music Videos chart.
Below, Stillz and stylist Chloe Delgadillo walk us through everything you need to know about the making of the viral music video.
The Gender Breaker
Bad Bunny in drag totally breaks barriers in a genre that’s not only male-dominated, but also typically stereotypes women as sexual objects.
“He wanted to symbolize that men also care about women’s rights and that violence against women also affects us as men. He wanted to make something fun and unique that impacted the world, but he wanted to impact and take a message to the reggaeton community that usually is not as open to speak about the LGBTQ community,” Stillz says.
Bad Bunny has never cared for gender norms and is a big LGBTQ advocate. His most impactful female looks were created by Chloe & Chenelle Delgadillo (Kourtney Kardashian, Paris Hilton) who were hired by Bad Bunny’s personal stylist, Storm Pablo. “He didn’t want to look like a man dressing as a woman,” says Pablo, who added: “He was just thinking outside the box to support the community.”
Dress Like a Girl
Chloe Delgadillo conceived five different female looks for the video, of which three were used.
“We basically treated Bad Bunny as we treat any other female client,” says Chloe, who recruited a glam squad to transform Benito into her different ideas and female characters. He kicked off the music video wearing a red latex suit with boots, a smoky eye and long black hair. “This look represents the badass girl who can be sexy and rocks the latex suit,” adds Chloe.
The second look represents the Instagram girl who’s always perfect from head to toe. The character is ready to dance alone at the club and have a good time.
“When I style, I create personas in my head,” says Delgadillo. Her third look was the classy girl, dressed in black with a nice shiny hat.
While the video was filmed when the COVID-19 outbreak was beginning, Bad Bunny showed up with hand sanitizer and constantly washed his hands.
“Benito makes things from the heart, not for the views. He created this video with love in his heart so people could start to change their points of view,” Stillz said.
