Biography
"We Don't Talk About Bruno" is a song from Disney's 2021 animated musical film Encanto, with music and lyrics written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was released by Walt Disney Records as part of the film's soundtrack on November 19, 2021. The song is an ensemble number performed by some of the film's voice cast members: mainly Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo [es], Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero and Stephanie Beatriz, and a few others in minor roles. A viral sensation, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" has been described as one of the best Disney songs and the studio's biggest crossover success.
Consisting of gossip and anecdotes about Mirabel Madrigal's ostracized uncle, Bruno, whose gift of seeing the future has been associated with misfortune and has left him estranged from the rest of the Madrigal family, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" sees some of the family members and the townsfolk explain to Mirabel why they fear his prophecies. The song suggests that Bruno is villainous, but sheds the narrative styles of conventional Disney villain songs by listing other characters' perspectives of the villain.
Musically, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is a midtempo tune blending Latin music styles such as salsa and guajira with pop, hip hop, dance and Broadway elements, propelled by cha-cha-chá beats, sung by an ensemble, and climaxing in a polyphonic outro.
"We Don't Talk About Bruno" was met with acclaim from music critics, who praised Miranda's craftsmanship and the song's mystery element, catchy rhythm, versatile composition, ensemble of singers, and lyrical personality. A commercial success, "We Don't Talk About Bruno" spent several weeks at number one in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, and peaked in the top five in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" is the longest-reigning chart-topper for Disney in the US Billboard Hot 100 history, as well as the studio's first-ever original song to top the UK Singles Chart. It broke the all-time record for the most credited artists (seven) on a Hot 100 chart-topper.