Jump to content

We Don't Talk About Bruno: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Not required
Tags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
Tatewaki (talk | contribs)
247 edits
→‎Lyrics: "Family's patience" didn't "run out" at Pepa's wedding, he still was very much in for another at least 13 years before his self-exile after prophecy on Mirabel + decreased repeats
Line 43: Line 43:
}}
}}


The song details the subplot that involves the ''Encanto'' character Bruno Madrigal, one of three children born to Alma and Pedro Madrigal, alongside his sisters Julieta and Pepa.<ref name="Magic">{{cite web|url=https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/disney-anti-bruno-agenda-mc1/|title=We Won't Talk About Disney's Anti-Bruno Agenda|work=Inside the Magic|last=Cannioto|first=Melissa|date=January 5, 2022|access-date=January 10, 2022}}</ref> After a magical event occurs, he, like the rest of his family, gains a superpower; his is the ability to foresee visions of the future. However, this "gift" is not recognized as helpful to anyone and the already "awkward" Bruno ends up shunned from the family and village for over ten years. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" explains that the family's patience with Bruno had run out during Pepa's wedding day, when Bruno made a joke forecasting rain and thunder. Since Pepa has the ability to control the weather with her emotions, Bruno's joke causes Pepa to create a hurricane on her wedding day.
The song details the subplot that involves the ''Encanto'' character Bruno Madrigal, one of three children born to Alma and Pedro Madrigal, alongside his sisters Julieta and Pepa.<ref name="Magic">{{cite web|url=https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/disney-anti-bruno-agenda-mc1/|title=We Won't Talk About Disney's Anti-Bruno Agenda|work=Inside the Magic|last=Cannioto|first=Melissa|date=January 5, 2022|access-date=January 10, 2022}}</ref> After a magical event occurs, he, like the rest of his family, gains a superpower; his is the ability to foresee visions of the future. However, this "gift" is not recognized as helpful to anyone and the already "awkward" Bruno ends up shunned from the family and village for over ten years. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" explains how Bruno got on bad terms with his sister Pepa on her wedding day, when Bruno made a joke forecasting rain and thunder. Since Pepa has the ability to control the weather with her emotions and not the best temper, brother's joke causes her to create a hurricane.


Later, Mirabel is not given a gift, and Bruno is asked by Alma to find out why. He gets a vision of Mirabel in the middle of the cracked house, or [[wikt:casita|casita]]. Although the vision could be interpreted optimistically and can be changed, Bruno fears that letting the Madrigals know about the vision due to his "keen intuition and [[wikt:clairvoyance|clairvoyance]]" would cause the Madrigals to turn against Mirabel. Bruno ends up leaving the Madrigals, living a life of exile behind the walls of the family's house. While neglected, it is shown that Bruno actually cares deeply for his family, willingly exiling himself to protect the story's protagonist Mirabel, and secretly fixing the cracks in the walls where he stays.<ref name="Mic">{{cite web|url=https://www.mic.com/identity/bruno-encanto-mental-illness/|title=We should talk about Bruno — and how families reject their own|work=[[Mic (media company)|Mic]]|last=Kumamoto|first=Ian|date=January 6, 2022|access-date=January 10, 2022}}</ref>
Later, Mirabel is not given a gift, and Bruno is asked by Alma to find out why. He gets a vision of Mirabel in the middle of the cracked house, or [[wikt:casita|casita]]. Although the vision could be interpreted optimistically and can be changed, Bruno fears that letting the Madrigals know about the vision due to his "keen intuition and [[wikt:clairvoyance|clairvoyance]]" would cause the Madrigals to turn against Mirabel. Bruno ends up leaving the Madrigals, living a life of exile behind the walls of the family's house. While neglected, it is shown that Bruno actually cares deeply for his family, willingly exiling himself to protect the story's protagonist Mirabel, and secretly fixing the cracks in the walls where he stays.<ref name="Mic">{{cite web|url=https://www.mic.com/identity/bruno-encanto-mental-illness/|title=We should talk about Bruno — and how families reject their own|work=[[Mic (media company)|Mic]]|last=Kumamoto|first=Ian|date=January 6, 2022|access-date=January 10, 2022}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:00, 22 January 2022

"We Don't Talk About Bruno"
Song by Adassa, Stephanie Beatriz, Mauro Castillo, Rhenzy Feliz, Carolina Gaitán and Diane Guerrero
from the album Encanto (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
ReleasedNovember 19, 2021
GenreLatin pop
Length3:36
LabelWalt Disney
Songwriter(s)Lin-Manuel Miranda
Producer(s)Lin-Manuel Miranda
Music video
"We Don't Talk About Bruno" on YouTube

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" is a song from Disney's 2021 animated feature film Encanto, with music and lyrics written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was released by Walt Disney Records as part of Encanto (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on November 19, 2021. The song is an ensemble number, performed by the voice cast members Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero and Stephanie Beatriz.

Consisting of gossips and hearsay about Mirabel Madrigal's ostracized uncle, Bruno Madrigal, whose gift for prophecy has been associated with misfortune and has left him estranged from the rest of the Madrigals, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" sees the family members explain to Mirabel why they do not talk about Bruno. The song insinuates that Bruno is villainous, which is central to the film's plot. It further sheds the narrative styles of conventional Disney villain songs, by listing the protagonists' perspectives of the villain. Musically, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" blends Latin music styles such as guajira with pop, hip hop, dance and Broadway elements, and features a polyphonic climax.

Critics praised Miranda's craftsmanship and reviewed the song positively, citing its mystery element and catchy rhythm. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" was a viral, commercial success. It peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the highest charting Disney song of the 21st-century, and reached number one in the United Kingdom, as well as the top 10 in Australia, Canada and Ireland.

Background and release

Lin-Manuel Miranda speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for "His Dark Materials", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.
American actor, playwright and musician Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the original songs of Encanto, including "We Don't Talk About Bruno"

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" is a song from 2021 American computer-animated musical fantasy comedy film, Encanto, by Walt Disney Animation Studios; it is the studio's 60th film. The song is featured as the third track on the film's soundtrack,[1] which has been released in 46 languages. It was written and composed by American singer-songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the seven other songs of the soundtrack. He previously worked on Disney's 2016 animated film, Moana, as well.[2] The song is performed by the film's cast members: Colombian singer Carolina Gaitán (who voices the character Pepa), Colombian musician Mauro Castillo (Félix), American singer-songwriter Adassa (Dolores), American actor Rhenzy Feliz (Camilo), and American actresses Diane Guerrero (Isabela) and Stephanie Beatriz (Mirabel), in the order of their appearances in the song.

Composition

Miranda pitched the song as an ensemble because he wanted to create musical themes to represent every family member, especially "those who do not necessarily get their solo".[3] He said he looked to "A Weekend in the Country" from A Little Night Music and "Christmas Bells" from Rent.[4] He described "We Don't Talk About Bruno" as a "gossip" number because there are things family members do not talk about in front of each other. The first verse is about who is telling the story — Mirabel's aunt Tía Pepa and uncle Félix, who Miranda based on his father, Luis Miranda.[5] Miranda said "everyone sings the same chord progression with a totally different rhythm and a totally different cadence".[6] During the film's early concepts, Bruno's character was called Oscar. Miranda chose the name Bruno so he could work the lyric "Bruno, no, no, no" into the song.[7] "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is a Latin pop song,[8] fusing various musical styles such as guajira, Cuban folk, hip hop, and dance music.[9]

Lyrics

"We Don't Talk About Bruno"
A sample of the song, featuring a verse by Bruno's nephew—Camilo Madrigal, joined by Pepa, Félix and Dolores in the following chorus. Camilo describes Bruno as an evil wizard.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song details the subplot that involves the Encanto character Bruno Madrigal, one of three children born to Alma and Pedro Madrigal, alongside his sisters Julieta and Pepa.[7] After a magical event occurs, he, like the rest of his family, gains a superpower; his is the ability to foresee visions of the future. However, this "gift" is not recognized as helpful to anyone and the already "awkward" Bruno ends up shunned from the family and village for over ten years. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" explains how Bruno got on bad terms with his sister Pepa on her wedding day, when Bruno made a joke forecasting rain and thunder. Since Pepa has the ability to control the weather with her emotions and not the best temper, brother's joke causes her to create a hurricane.

Later, Mirabel is not given a gift, and Bruno is asked by Alma to find out why. He gets a vision of Mirabel in the middle of the cracked house, or casita. Although the vision could be interpreted optimistically and can be changed, Bruno fears that letting the Madrigals know about the vision due to his "keen intuition and clairvoyance" would cause the Madrigals to turn against Mirabel. Bruno ends up leaving the Madrigals, living a life of exile behind the walls of the family's house. While neglected, it is shown that Bruno actually cares deeply for his family, willingly exiling himself to protect the story's protagonist Mirabel, and secretly fixing the cracks in the walls where he stays.[10]

In Encanto's first song, "The Family Madrigal", Mirabel details that Bruno had disappeared years ago.[11] After everyone, except Mirabel, received their gift, their magical house begins to crack, and Mirabel ventures out to find Bruno, hoping that his prophetic visions could explain why she has no gift.[12] The family remains unaware that Bruno never left the house.[7] When Bruno finally returns, his sisters are happy to see him and his mother kisses him. Bruno also explains that he was only teasing his sister.[13]

Critical reception

Music critics praised the genre-blending composition of the song and the mystery element of its lyrics.[9] Romper's Jamie Kenney called "We Don't Talk About Bruno" the stand-out from Encanto, "one that, above all others, has delightfully ear-wormed into our brains and lived there rent-free since we watched the movie with our kids over holiday break".[14] /Film's Caroline Cao ranked the song as the best on the Encanto soundtrack, calling it humorous and nuanced, further stating: "'We Don't Talk About Bruno' bursts with the Madrigals' vibrant personalities, from Adassa's speedy whispering as cousin Dolores to the way Rhenzy Feliz relishes telling a story as the over-imaginative cousin Camilo". Cao deemed it a "perfect ensemble piece that illuminates each character, sheds light on the story's overarching themes, and offers an unparalleled amount of insight into the world of Encanto".[15] Screen Rant's Kristen Brown also called it the film's best song.[11] Clayton Davis of Variety questioned why the song was not submitted for an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, attributing it to Disney not expecting the positive reaction to the song; the Academy's deadline for song submissions was November 1. Instead, "Dos Oruguitas" was submitted for Encanto, which Davis said may have been "the safer bet" for award strategists, due to it resonating emotionally with audiences.[16] Slate critic Chris White attributed the song's Latin music rhythm, Broadway influence, "catchy and tight" melodies, distinct verses, dramatic climax, and the mystery element of its lyrics to the its viral success.[17]

Analysis

Mic's Ian Kumamoto called Bruno's situation a "poignant" reminder of how mental illness is treated in families of color, analyzing his rejection from his own family as "not just unfair, but sinister", as the character has a borderline mental illness or neurodivergence. Kumamoto said that is where the importance of "We Don't Talk About Bruno" comes in: "When you listen to the song closely, the members of the family aren't actually complaining about anything that Bruno has done wrong — they simply don't know what to do with him".[10] Bonnie Jean Feldkamp of Sharon Herald also said it could be argued that Bruno suffers from mental illness, as he exhibits "tics of 'knock-knock-knock on wood' among others".[12]

The song sees various members of Bruno's family sharing their memories of him, from his prophecies to his strange traits, to being described as having a "seven foot frame". Romper's Jamie Kenney summarized Bruno's fate as a prophet: "it's great when they tell you something you want to hear, but when it's bad news? Well, it's easier to demonize the bearer of that news than accept it".[14] Similarly, Princess Weekes of The Mary Sue said: "Bruno was the part of the family that embraced the difference [...] Because when we treat the family weirdo like a pariah for no other sin than being a little bit different, we sever the very bonds of family that we're trying to protect".[13] Caroline Cao of /Film shared that sentiment: "The real villain is the family's insecurities, their shame, and their inability to talk out their troubles. In denying these truths, the Madrigals shut out a loved one who was only trying to help".[15]

When the song is performed in the film, the sequence shows Bruno scurrying around in the background, mostly on the house's balcony. George Chrysostomou of Screen Rant interpreted this as a reflection of where Bruno has been: "While it may seem like a cinematic to add to the musical number, it's actually foreshadowing that Bruno never really left, but instead went into hiding inside his home".[18] Bill Bradley of the same website later commented that since Bruno's eyes were glowing, which only happens when he is making a prophecy, this was likely Camilo (who can shapeshift).[19] The character of Dolores, who can hear sounds from far away, reveals at the end of the film that she could hear Bruno in the house the entire time. She had mentioned this multiple times before, particularly in "We Don't Talk About Bruno", where she sings lines such as "It's like I hear him now" and "I can hear him now".[18]

Commercial performance

Within a week after the film became available to stream,[20] "We Don't Talk About Bruno" reached number one on US Spotify, while the music and lyric videos garnered over 30 million views and 10 million views in its first week, respectively. By January 7, 2022, it remained the top trending music video since its release on December 28.[16] It also became a popular sound on the video-sharing app TikTok.[20]

For the week of January 8, 2022, the song was the top new entry on the US Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 50 with 12.4 million streams,[21] along with another Encanto song, "Surface Pressure", at number 54.[22] The following week, the song jumped to number five, with 25.2 million streams, earning all six credited artists their first top 10 entries on the chart. Lin-Manuel Miranda also garnered his first top 10 writing credit; he previously reached number 20 in October 2017 as both an artist and writer with "Almost Like Praying", a charity single featuring Artists for Puerto Rico.[23] The next week, it rose to number four, surpassing Frozen's "Let It Go" (2013) to become the highest-charting song from a Disney film since "Colors of the Wind" from the 1995 film Pocahontas.[24]

In the UK, the song skyrocketed from number 66 to number four in its second week on the UK Singles Chart,[25] and reached number one in its fourth charting week.[26] The song became the first-ever, original Disney song to top the chart; otherwise, it is the first Disney song to top the chart since Gareth Gates's cover version of "Suspicious Minds" from Lilo & Stitch: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack in 2002.[27]

Charts

Chart performance for "We Don't Talk About Bruno"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[29] 9
Global 200 (Billboard)[30][31] 6
Greece (IFPI)[32] 92
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 4
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[34] 56
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[35] 14
Portugal (AFP)[36] 155
South Africa (RISA)[37] 93
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 55
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 94
UK Singles (OCC)[40] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[41] 4

References

  1. ^ "'Encanto' Single 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' Heading for U.K. No.1". January 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 6, 2022). "'Encanto's' 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' Is Topping the Charts. So Why Didn't Disney Submit It for Oscars?". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  3. ^ Spencer, Ashley (January 13, 2022). "We're Going to Talk About 'Bruno,' Yes, Yes, Yes". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Desowitz, Bill (November 18, 2021). "How Lin-Manuel Miranda Channeled Disney Legend Howard Ashman for the 'Encanto' Animated Musical". IndieWire. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  5. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (December 3, 2021). "Lin-Manuel Miranda on Creating Disney Magic With the Music of 'Encanto'". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Lussier, Germain (November 24, 2021). "This Encanto Song Will Be Stuck in Your Head All Day". Gizmodo. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Cannioto, Melissa (January 5, 2022). "We Won't Talk About Disney's Anti-Bruno Agenda". Inside the Magic. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (January 17, 2022). "With Disney's 'Encanto' Soundtrack Surging, We Need To Talk About Bruno". Stereogum. Retrieved January 19, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ a b Janin, Alex (January 19, 2022). "How 'Encanto's' 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' Became Bigger Than 'Let It Go'". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Kumamoto, Ian (January 6, 2022). "We should talk about Bruno — and how families reject their own". Mic. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Brown, Kristen (December 30, 2021). "Encanto Spoiled Its [SPOILER] Twist Twice In Its Best Song". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Feldkamp, Bonnie Jean (January 9, 2022). "Let's talk about Bruno: Lessons from Disney's 'Encanto'". Sharon Herald. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Weekes, Princess (December 30, 2021). "We Should Talk About Encanto's Bruno Madrigal". The Mary Sue. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Kenney, Jamie (January 3, 2022). ""We Don't Talk About Bruno" From 'Encanto' Is All We Can Talk About". Romper. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Cao, Caroline (December 14, 2021). "Every Song In Encanto Ranked Worst To Best". /Film. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Davis, Clayton (January 6, 2022). "'Encanto's' 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' Is Topping the Charts. So Why Didn't Disney Submit It for Oscars?". Variety. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  17. ^ White, Chris (January 13, 2022). "Why "We Don't Talk About Bruno" Is the Biggest Disney Hit Since "Let It Go"". Slate Magazine. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Chrysostomou, George (December 7, 2021). "Encanto: 10 Character Details You Didn't Notice". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  19. ^ Bradley, Bill (January 13, 2022). "A Tiny Detail Debunks Encanto's Best Bruno Theory". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Dellato, Marisa (January 4, 2022). "Music From Disney's Animated Film 'Encanto' Surges On Billboard Charts". Forbes. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  21. ^ Caulfield, Keith; Trust, Gary (January 5, 2021). "Disney's 'Encanto' Soundtrack Enchants Billboard Charts". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  22. ^ Grein, Paul (January 6, 2022). "Here's Why the Buzzy 'Encanto' Hit 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' Won't Be Nominated for an Oscar". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  23. ^ Trust, Gary (January 10, 2022). "Adele Back Atop Hot 100, 'Bruno,' Elton John & Dua Lipa, Kodak Black Hit Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  24. ^ "'Encanto': "We Don't Talk About Bruno" Becomes Billboard's Highest-Charting Disney Song in 26 Years". Collider. January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  25. ^ Brandle, Lars (January 9, 2022). "Adele Returns to No. 1 In U.K. With 'Easy On Me'". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  26. ^ "We Don't Talk About Bruno becomes first original Disney song to reach Number 1". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ "Encanto's We Don't Talk About Bruno becomes first Disney song to reach UK No 1". the Guardian. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  28. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  29. ^ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: January 15, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  30. ^ @billboardcharts (January 18, 2022). "The #Global200 top 10 (chart dated Jan. 22, 2022)" (Tweet). Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Twitter.
  31. ^ "Billboard Global 200: January 22, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  32. ^ "IFPI Charts". ifpi.gr. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  33. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  34. ^ "Carolina Gaitán - La Gaita / Mauro Castillo / Adassa / Rhenzy Feliz / Diane Guerrero / Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto-Cast – We Don't Talk About Bruno" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  35. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  36. ^ "Carolina Gaitán - La Gaita / Mauro Castillo / Adassa / Rhenzy Feliz / Diane Guerrero / Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto-Cast – We Don't Talk About Bruno". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  37. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 02-2022". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  38. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 3". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  39. ^ "Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz – We Don't Talk About Bruno". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  40. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  41. ^ Trust, Gary (January 18, 2022). "Adele Holds Atop Billboard Hot 100, Gunna & Future, GAYLE Hit Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=We_Don%27t_Talk_About_Bruno&oldid=1067256280"