Daddy Yankee announced his return to the stage in 2025.

Daddy Yankee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Daddy Yankee, who had announced his retirement from music in December 2023, after more than 30 years of career, recently surprised his fans by releasing his single “Smile at him”, a Christian-themed song, announced in a video featuring actor Anthony Ramos. The song's announcement was accompanied by the message "I'm back," confirming her return, but with a different vision.

New identity: “DY”

The song was released under the name DY, instead of his iconic “Daddy Yankee.” This change is linked both to an artistic renewal centered on his faith and to a legal dispute with his ex-wife and sister-in-law over the rights to the “Daddy Yankee” trademark.

A song with a Christian message

"Sonríele" fuses Caribbean rhythms with spiritual lyrics. In it, DY sings:

“Blessings come to me/ I walk with the Nazarene. Thank you for all the good and the not so good.”
The song was produced by Christian exponent Macrilet “Marky” Rodríguez.

The Puerto Rican announced his conversion to Christianity in December 2023 during his farewell concert, declaring his desire to dedicate himself to evangelization. "Sonríele" represents the first single since his retirement that embodies this new approach.

The media highlights this shift as a growing trend among urban music that incorporates religious themes, in line with artists like Farruko and Héctor "el Father." His return has also generated enthusiasm among fans of classic reggaeton, who are enthusiastic about the future under his new stage name.

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Sources:

• THE COUNTRY