This Latinx Heritage Month Tiny Desk is celebrating with an 'El Tiny' takeover, featuring a wide array of artists from all corners of Latinidad.
October 6, 2023 | Isabella Gomez Sarmiento
Villano Antillano kicked off her Tiny Desk Concert with a Britney Spears-approved message: Dump. Him.
"Yo Tengo un Novio," off the Puerto Rican rapper's debut LP, La Sustancia X, called out the toxic, controlling expectations of one of her ex-jevos. Through her sharp Caribbean flow, Antillano broke down the confines of monogamy in her first song before casting light on drug use and escapism as a means of queer survival in "Kaleidoscópica."
Throughout her performance, Antillano showed why she's one of the most exciting voices in Latin trap and reggaeton right now. She flaunted her sexual prowess on "Cuero," and "Cáscara de Coco," then intentionally honored her religious upbringing and place in the church, which she noted isn't always a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ communities. The artist keeps proving that socially conscious lyricism and unfiltered joy can — and should — go hand-in-hand.
SET LIST
"Yo Tengo un Novio"
"Kaleidoscópica"
"Cuero"
"Cáscara de Coco"
MUSICIANS
Villana Santiago Pacheco: artist
Luis Ortiz: vocals
Bayron Feliciano: vocals
Amarilis Ríos: percussion
Barba Blanca: keyboards
David Diaz: bass
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Anamaria Sayre
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Keren Carrión
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Estefania Mitre
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Kara Frame, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
#villanoantillano #nprmusic #tinydesk
["Yo Tengo un Novio"
starts playing] [percussion music playing] I have a boyfriend
Who takes me to the bay And says, "You're mine, mine, mami
And I'm not sharing" "And Ill get rid of
whoever comes between us" "And if you like someone else,
I'll fill them with lead" I really want him to do me everyday And leave me without battery
After nine rounds Someone who tells me
I'm what he wanted That would never replace me,
But I know he's a player I have a boyfriend
Who takes me to the bay And says, "Yo
u're mine, mine, mami
And I'm not sharing" "And get rid of
whoever comes between us" "And if you like someone else,
I'll fill them with lead" I have a man who I like,
Who makes me the jealous type Who gets heated
When he sees my pants And looks around to see
If someone's watching He's always on guard scratch and scratch,
But it's not chickenpox He carries a 30
To give me an advantage The room smells like gum There's smoke
And it's not come from a candle He speeds up
And his boiler bursts He w
ants to take me
To his hood, to his plot I want to move to his hood
To his land Of his little town
play his Dulcinea Live in his farm
With the hens That man makes me happy,
I'm like Ligia Elena Called forbidden love,
I'm his Selena This love is an addiction
That made it into my vein If he's my puppet, my man,
Then I'm his girl I have a boyfriend
Who keeps me up to date He wants me to laugh
And always pays my bills When I'm with him I don't need anything And if I need it.
He's always there to gi
ve me brought I have a man
Who lets me be active He likes me possessive
And always up for it From the streets, from tar,
From asphalt I'm his bitch, he's my dog,
We're like Jenna and Balto I see in his looks,
He wants me to be his woman A married life he wants with me He wants it on paper
To officialize it, That's trap, marriage
He wants me to submit to it The nice girl
Who dies for a bad boy It's never Gucci,
My tiger wears Movado And don't ask where it's from,
Because you know it's stolen Bett
er shut up
And don't say a thing I have a boyfriend
Who takes me to the bay And says, "You're mine, mine
And I'm not sharing" "And get rid of
whoever comes between us" "And if you like someone else,
I'll fill them with lead" I want him to do me every day And leave me dry
At the ninth round Someone who tells me
I'm what he wanted That would never replace me,
But I know he's a player I have a boyfriend
Who takes me to the bay And says, "You're mine
And I'm not sharing" "And I'll get rid
Of whoeve
r comes across" "And if you like someone else,
I'll fill them with lead" [audience cheering] This song, this song is really important
to me because I wrote it based... I mean,
I write everything I, I put out. But I wrote it
based on a terrible, terrible, terrible ex-boyfriend. And every time I sing it,
it just, to me, it's like a testament
of how far women can go when they leave the men
that are holding them back. So...
[audience cheering] I'm just gonna, I'm just
gonna put that out there. And w
e can keep it going. [audience shouting] This next song, um, is a little bit more serious
but very fun. I wrote it about me
and my experiences with my beautiful friends
and my community in Puerto Rico. My queer community. [audience cheering]
Um... And the things we go through. A lot of the times
I've seen, traveling the world and meeting other queer people,
that everywhere we sort of turn to, um, escape, to certain, like, substances,
abuse, a lot of things, because there's a lot of trauma
that w
e need to process. I don't condemn it,
I don't condone it. I just sing about it
because it's a reality. So without further ado, this is "Kaleidoscópica"
for y'all. ["Kaleidoscópica"
starts playing] [soft techno music playing] Tripping balls,
My kaleidoscopic high Colorful pills to escape
From the dystopia No feelings, I'm a robotic girl I'm like Madonna
erotic times I'm psychotic Flamboyant Hexing with my looks, I'm hypnotic With my bichota demeanor,
I'm half-gothic I hit that,
I move your skele
ton I'm blessed
full-blown flow Carrying my amulet,
Smoking a joint Nice character, I'm net weight No one like me
From San Juan to Mayagüez He saw my jeans and said,
"That's the one" You're pretty nice,
You're a 20 out of 10 He started acting cocky
And I pulled it out Tripping balls,
My kaleidoscopic high Colorful pills to escape
From the dystopia No feelings, I'm a robotic girl I'm like Madonna
Erotic times I'm psychotic Flamboyant Hexing looks, I'm hypnotic With my bichota demeanor,
I'm half-g
othic Expensive look
I am scandalous I'm always in another league,
I've never been a small thing I bathe in gold
With pink details Limited edition,
The reason they're all jealous I'm the best at this,
I'm like Kaiser Sosa I'm not usual
And much less suspicious I know I could've been
A lot of things But I've decided
Never to give up I'm now a bitch,
To each to their own There's nothing I can't do,
Everything is easy for me I'm still current,
You are expired And the streets
Know I like bad boys My
milkshake brings
All the boys to the yard And they let themselves
Get caught My milkshake brings
They want to hang And everyone looks
For a good time My milkshake puts
All the girls to beg And they let themselves
Get caught My milkshake hides passions, And everyone wants to saddle me Tripping balls,
My kaleidoscopic notes Colorful pills to escape
From the dystopia No feelings, I'm a robotic girl I'm like Madonna
Erotic times I'm psychotic Flamboyant Hexing looks, I'm hypnotic With my sweet deme
anor,
I'm half gothic [audience cheering]
[Villano laughs] Thank you. Thank you. [Villano gasps]
I really sometimes can't even believe
how far that song went just about me and my friends
and our experiences and how universal it became
for, like, a lot of queer people
everywhere. So, one of my favorite songs
in my catalog... This next song is unreleased,
so it's... [audience cheering] My next release, very soon. I think this month. Pretty sure. Maybe this week. I'm not sure. [audience laughing] U
m... But this is "Cuero." ["Cuero" starts playing] [piano music playing] He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He likes it. It rose He knows about me He ju
And we're doing it again He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He doesn't give a fuck He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut Whatever I ask him,
He wants to give it to me first When the night comes,
He looks for me like a gargoyle Nobody goes down on him like me,
I gargle I'm a crazy Vikin
g,
I'm a barbarian And it's not my fault
That your man loves me Look how that slut
From Babylon moves With my dance
I turn your memory over He's confused with me
Because I'm a demon He fell for the same trick,
The same old story Everyone knows I can be hypnotic I'm infiltrating
Through the speakers Although I'm still
In my gestation period Not going with me
Is a big mistake I can take on everything,
I'm a fucking diamond If I can't get something,
My lovers will find 'em I learned to move
To ever
y beat they play They're always crazy
When as much as I can take He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He doesn't give a fuck He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut Whatever I ask him,
He wants to give it to me first He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He doesn't give a fuck He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut Whatever I ask him,
He wants to give it to me first I'm super rich,
Nothing can affect me When I walk by, they start
Scratching t
heir heads I just get there
And they get jealous That's the effect
Of a bad bitch Puerto Rican Testing out the water
Khaleesi dragon dungeon Rolling a joint
And looking for hashish You're talking so much nonsense,
I didn't get a thing I don't follow your rules,
I live in a colony Dreaming high,
Little metropolitan girl I'm a flirty, pretty girl,
Like Sukihana Suki
Guys come for me Because I'm not straight-laced They're dying for their whores
And killing for their cheaters Little by little
Villan
o gets in on it She hangs out with guys
And men who can do her A fetishistic church-going girl,
A money-maker She sits at the table
And snores so they respect her He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He doesn't give a fuck He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut Whatever I ask him,
He wants to give it to me first He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut He doesn't care about it,
He doesn't give a fuck He knows about me,
He knows I'm a slut Whatever I ask him,
He wants to
give it to me first Long live
to all the sluts of the world. [Villano laughs]
[audience cheering] I think that's
a fundamental thing to say. [audience cheering] Being a slut
has taken me very far, so take notes.
That's it! Do with that information as you please.
[audience laughing] It's nice to be here
with you, thanks. Thanks.
Thanks. This next song
is "Cáscara de Coco." It's a very Caribbean song. ["Cáscara de Coco"
starts playing] I'm not easygoing,
I'm not coconut shell I go little by littl
e
And you went all the way,saoco If you try to show off,
I'll smack you in the face The powers I invoke
Have not been tested yet You say coco slow dow
And I rush I'm a slut
And I put it back in myself When I go out on the street
And I know what I provoke Milking it
Like I'm Delfi, cocoroco Because you turn me on
Like no other Because you take me
To the moon all the way I know you like my attitude Look what you made me do,
What a mess Because you turn me on
Like no other And you are aware of my f
ortune
Right through, I know you like me Zabú Look what you made me do,
What a mess My girl is a slut
Acting like a hex She doesn't mess with small guys
She doesn't leave with anyone She wants to spend
All night with Villano But if she knew that I'm ready
Whenever she wants I'm the rhythm of her boiler And sometimes
I get into the groove Like a timbal player
I spank anyone who wants I have them pissed in my ways Relaxed like Celia
And her Guantanamera And she says, "come back
And tell me how it
was" I stayed between lanes
They are climbing to the sidewalk Devouring the lights
And ignoring the yield With hair to my waist
And hanging around on the stairs I'm not easygoing,
I'm not coconut shell I go little by little
And you went all the way,like crazy If you try to show off,
I'll smack you in the face The powers I invoke
Have not been tested yet You say little by little
And I rush I'm a slut
And I put it back in myself I go out on the street
And I know what I provoke And I'm milking it
L
ike I'm Delfi, cocoroco She's an saphic a satire A sex demon, a machine A sadist, a lunatic Who gets al maniac
When she hears reggaeton Half nice, but magnetic She's daring, a kinetic force Always unheard of,
Two or three girls She likes to go down
When she's high I stole the data,
The crew gives me away They can't with my strength
And that kills them The guys and girls
Are dying for Villana And all the dirty old men
Are hanging themselves I started gambling
That's what this is about They want m
y light
My natural presence They want the cat,
Uba-uba-guata But if you taunt them
Their shot backfires I'm not easygoing,
I'm not a coconut shell I go little by little
And you went all the way If you try to show off,
I'll smack you in the face The powers I invoke
Have not been tested yet You say little by little
And I rush I'm a slut
And I put it back in myself I go out on the street
And I know what I provoke And I'm milking it
Like I'm Delfi, cocoroco One, two, three Against wind, tide or a st
orm I'm here to praise the Lord Against wind, tide or a storm I'm here to praise the Lord All my victories Are because the Lord's angel
Is with me All my victories Are because the Lord's angel
Is with me [Villano gasps] [audience clapping] [audience cheering] [Villano] Thank you. Thank you all so much.
That was a little church number 'cause we all grew up
in the church. It's very prominent
over there in the Caribbean. And we just wanted
to bring that out here. A lot of the times,
there's no spac
e for people like us in church, but, um, I don't know,
all of the teachings and all of the things we learned
stayed with us, and I think the way we socialize
is very much there. So we wanted to, like,
make it a part of it and we did. So thank you all for having us. [audience clapping] Yes, queen! Alright, that was it, everybody. [audience cheering]
Comments
The very last song is a religious one very popular among protestant conservatives in Puerto Rico, who have been trying to boycott Villano's concert this month because it "threatens decency." Troll of the year 🔥🔥🔥
I've been a fan of her since her bizarrap session, she has a great style. Love to see her here as well!
I'm loving the energy between her and her background singers! New fan!!
This is incredible. VA is eloquent, with overflowing riz, intentionality, and playful intellect. The self-belief she has is contagious!!!!! Qué feliz verla en Tiny Desk!!!
i love hearing her songs with a live band, there’s just something about it that feels like the most authentic version. still like the studio versions but this is my new favorite!!!
She has a great flow and writes her own bars unlike many in the music industry, pushing boundaries for other LGTB+ artists in Puerto Rico and elsewhere. Congratulations Villano for another accomplishment on your check list
La villana dándolo todo. ¡Se merece todo!
5:57 "Mi Milkshake Revienta pasiones, gavilan". Me matan (en el buen sentido) las referencias a nuestra cultura PoP en tus letras. 🤩
I love Villana, she ate this. Obvio la música de ella no es para todo de ustedes pero no les cuestan seguir pasando para ver otro videos.
Wow. Nunca le había puesto tanta atención a Villano Antillano y la neta rifa muy muy cabron. Gracias NPR por estas sesiones de tantísima calidad. Gracias por abrir mis oídos.
She is an icon, she is a legend... and she is the moment!
ROMPIÓ DEMASIADO, GRACIAS UNIVERSO POR TRAER A VILLANA AL MUNDO
The real ones know Villano and the ones who don’t get it, need not worry. It ain’t for you.
Great to see Villano Antillano on Tiny Desk. I love her song "Vendetta". Here's to her success and more loving fans 🥂🌟🥂
Te amo, Villana. Gracias por el corito pentecostal. También los canto de vez en cuando en la ducha. Me traen recuerdos agridulces, pero forman parte de lo que soy. Orgullosa de ti. 🇵🇷
Me encanta como, aun que la iglesia no lo haga, Villano también hace comunión con su música. ❤
El panita del piano. Tremendo.
La más bella !!!! La mejorrrr! Nuestra Villana🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Villana tan espectacular como siempre😍😍😍- Saludos desde MÉXICO 🇲🇽
Recién la descubrí hoy y me encanta toda su actitud!