“Joy has come to Chiclayo, my Peru is blessed; joy in the Vatican, there is a pope (...). He has done many social works, and faith distinguishes us ...” These words (originally in Spanish) could be those of a church hymn adapted for Peru. However, this song in Spanish by Donnie Yaipén is performed to the catchy rhythm of cumbia — "la cumbia del Papa," which translates as "The Cumbia of the Pope."
Cumbia is a Colombian style of dance music, similar to salsa.
The 34-year-old artist is a specialist in this danceable and rather sensual musical style, which originated in the Caribbean tradition of Afro-Colombian communities and has gradually spread throughout Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina.
Yaipén has been performing since he was just 11 and now has a career spanning more than 20 years.
“I make music to make people happy, to make them dance,” he told Aleteia.
Although he admits that he doesn't go to church much anymore, he says he has kept up the habit of praying, a habit instilled in him by his mother, a very devout woman.
“My mom is very happy with my song: She told me she had been praying for a long time that I would be able to talk about God in a song ... and now, finally, the election of the pope has given me the opportunity!” he explains.
Evangelizing through music
"I wrote my song so that people can get closer to God through dancing and singing! Many people who don't usually go to church can hear about God and the Pope," says the young artist, who explains that the song is becoming very popular in Latin America thanks to TikTok, where an excerpt of the song has reached 2.6 million views, about four times as many views as on his YouTube channel.
His most successful romantic songs have reached higher numbers — 4 million views — but the "Cumbia del Papa" has been rising constantly.
“We’ve always had a very close relationship with God,” says the young man. His hometown of Monsefú, located about 10 minutes from Chiclayo, cultivates a traditional devotion to El Cautivo, a representation of Christ tied up during his Passion.
Donnie Yaipén didn’t know then-Bishop Prevost personally, but many of his friends and family knew him and had a photo with him.
“My mother met him at a Mass in Monsefú on September 14, the feast of the Holy Cross, which is also the birthday of our bishop who became pope,” the singer explains.
A pope faithful to the people of Chiclayo
From his first appearance on May 8, the new pope addressed a personal message to his “dear diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, and gave so much, so much, to remain a Church faithful to Jesus Christ.”
These few words, totally unexpected, moved the Peruvian people deeply. “It was very moving for all the people of Chiclayo and northern Peru who remember him,” explains Donnie Yaipén.
The nine years of Bishop Robert Francis Prevost's episcopate in this difficult diocese, marked by poverty, have remained in local memory thanks especially to his social commitment, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the floods.
Bishop Prevost rolled up his sleeves, literally, to try to help those affected by these disasters. He visited areas abandoned by the political authorities.
In 2015, he took Peruvian nationality so that he could fully exercise his office as bishop, in accordance with local law.
“How beautiful, how beautiful, everything Robert has done,” the song recalls. It’s an original tribute that will help promote the Pope's popularity even in the most unexpected circles.
“In Peru, there are many people who have lost their faith, but Pope Leo gives us more strength to hold on to the memory of our faith, and also to make Peru known to the world,” explains the singer.
An in-person encounter
The young man went to the Vatican to greet the pope, whom he described as “more Peruvian than ceviche.”
“When I came to meet the pope, I felt happy but also very nervous, much more than when I go on stage. He thanked me for the song, and his secretary told me that he appreciated all the respect and love it expresses. It was very moving for the guys in the band, for my whole family, and for our friends in Peru,” he explains after his visit to the Vatican.
In a short video on his TikTok profile he briefly shows a gift he had made for the pontiff and then footage of the in-person meeting at the Vatican (the audio is in Spanish but the images speak for themselves).
Donnie's next goal is to sing when the pope visits Peru. "I don't know when that will be, but we'll keep an eye out for the date so we can give him a warm welcome!" he says.
