The Singles Jukebox

Becky G’s reggaeton incarnation finally finds our favor…

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Juana Giaimo: For a long time, women in reggaeton only echoed what men wanted to hear. A clear example is Daddy Yankee’s classic single “Gasolina” — when he sings “She likes fuel,” the girls answer “Give me more fuel!” Only a few years ago, women started having a stronger voice in reggaeton that didn’t depend of men. In this sense, “Sin Pijama” is a strong statement of female artists in a reggaeton statement that has been postively changing. Natti Natasha and Becky G are willing to do what they want. “I didn’t bring pajamas because I didn’t feel so,” not because you — men — told me. While in the old reggaeton songs I mentioned, the female voices were always in choir, here Becky G and Natti Natasha have each their own space in the song. On one hand, Natti Natasha has precise verses that shows her determination to do whatever she wants. On the other, Becky G uses her whispering voice to be more seductive. Together they make one of the most dynamic duos of the year so far. “Sin Pijama” is guiltlessly sensual and also incredibly fun. 
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Adaora Ede: I love sleep! I also love strong women! So in theory, I love “Sin Pijama”, a song that has been standing strong in every Latin music playlist I’ve seen on Spotify since its release in April. In the vein of Tinashe’s and Britney’s “Slumber Party,” Latin pop princesses Natti Natasha and Becky G serve us yet another anthem about getting sexy in bed, this time with kick drum! The tempo of this track is stuck in an awkward spot between danceable and easy listening. It is certainly sexy in lyrical content, but the sensuality is lost on discerning ears that realize that the two ladies’ whispers are overpowered by the beat. Natasha and G do flirt ruthlessly with the dembow but never quite hit the sweet spot, although the Daddy Yankee yell-rap verse Natti gives us is fierce, the deliverer ironic given Becky’s background as a quirky Chicana teen rapper. Frankly, this three-minute run time is simply forgettable and leaves a lot to be desired for such an empowering song in the often sexist world of Latin urban music.
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Juan F. Carruyo: I swear the newest crop of reggaeton stars have the weirdest song structures: they love to present a so-so chorus, hit a quickie rap verse and then hit you with the real thing in the middle of the song. I call it the “pile-another-hook-on” method. Note how the lyrics change in the second repeat of the (presumed) chorus: they go from staying in bed to smoking weed. That’s thematic development right there. I can’t get my head around this song and I can’t get it out of my head either. 
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Katherine St Asaph: Maybe the connotations are different in Spanish, but “sin pijama” has the same issue as “Mayores” or Britney’s “Slumber Party“: offputting cuteness in a song about sex. (And anyway, anecdotally speaking, one tends to get more enthusiasm if you do bring pajamas — it signals that you deliberately planned to stay — or, as pop dudes have reminded us, if you wear theirs.) Both vocalists are poised and competent, Natti Natasha’s verse is particularly blunt, and Dr. Luke’s not at Becky G’s label anymore so there’s no longer that source of creepiness; I just can’t get past the title.
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Edward Okulicz: Good, fierce verses from Natti Natasha animate the track, but otherwise the song is more bouncy than sexy. The chorus is sing-song not come-hither, and the melodies are slightly catchy but a bit too dinky to not get swallowed by the beat much of the time. My hips shook little but my ass is stuck to my chair.
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Stephen Eisermann: Becky G continues to impress me with her affinity for taking on sexually charged tracks and selling them effortlessly. In reggaeton, the men often get away with the most vulgar tracks and most, myself included, merely shake our heads as we dance along, but it’s about damn time a girl — or two, like here — twist the formula. Becky and Natti trade raunchy verses and the sexuality drips off their every word as a blend of tropical music and reggaeton blasts in the background. It results in a terrific, sexual song spearheads by two girls who just want to tease.
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Crystal Leww: If you want to look for an example of a woman who has taken her sexuality into her own hands, Becky G’s it. Between “Mayores,” hot remixes for “Mi Mala” and “Dura,” and now this collab with Natti Natasha, Becky G makes songs having fun with sex. “Sin Pijama” slinks along that reggaeton beat, another fun entry into an evergrowing summer playlist for me. I’m so happy that Becky G ended up being a star after all. 
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