'We Don't Talk About Bruno' from 'Encanto' is now a No. 1 hit. How'd that happen?

He's got a 7-foot frame, rats along his back – and now, a No. 1 hit.

Yes, that's right: We're talking about Bruno, the Madrigal family's estranged uncle in Disney's "Encanto," and the subject of the animated movie's signature song "We Don't Talk About Bruno," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart Monday two months after its release in theaters.

"Bruno" ties "A Whole New World" from "Aladdin" as the highest charting song ever from a Disney animated movie. It's surpassed "Let It Go" from "Frozen," which peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100, and "Colors of the Wind" from "Pocahontas," which reached No. 4.

"Bruno" is performed midway through the film, as heroine Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) learns from her family about their black sheep relative (John Leguizamo), who has the gift – and curse – of predicting the future. The song was not promoted as a single, nor was it submitted for best original song Oscar consideration by the studio (in favor of Spanish-language ballad "Dos Oruguitas").

But that hasn't stopped "Bruno" from becoming a "Frozen"-style phenomenon all its own: topping Spotify's U.S. Top 50 chart, as well as YouTube Music's songs and music videos charts. On TikTok, videos using the track have surpassed 2.2 billion views, with videos highlighting its choreography and Latino representation, and uncovering Bruno Easter eggs in the movie's poster art.

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In Disney's "Encanto," Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) meets her mysterious uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), who is the subject of breakout hit "We Don't Talk About Bruno."
In Disney's "Encanto," Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) meets her mysterious uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo), who is the subject of breakout hit "We Don't Talk About Bruno."

"The organic nature of the audience landing on 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' really is the marketplace picking the single and that's quite unusual, especially for an animated film," says Chris Molanphy, Slate's chart analyst and host of music history podcast Hit Parade.

"You've got this very bespoke situation where this left-field, almost patter song with multiple artists gets the big rise on the charts. But you have to throw several things into the blender to explain how this happened."

'Encanto' wasn't a hit - at first

"Encanto" got a soft start over Thanksgiving weekend on its way to a $92.6 million box-office haul – the latest in a string of movies aimed at young kids that have struggled to draw families back to theaters during the pandemic. The film's soundtrack, featuring eight original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda ("Hamilton"), similarly disappointed with its debut at No. 197 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

But the movie, and its music, exploded when "Encanto" started streaming on Disney+ Christmas Eve. Since then, the soundtrack jumped to No. 1 on Billboard's album chart earlier this month, unseating Adele's latest juggernaut "30." Multiple songs from the film are featured in the Hot 100 – led by "Bruno" at No. 1 and "Surface Pressure" at No. 9.

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Jason Lipshutz, senior director of music at Billboard, compares the song's meteoric rise to that of Olivia Rodrigo's breakthrough "Driver's License" in January 2021. Like "Bruno," the Grammy-nominated single was propelled by massive Spotify streams and trending TikTok videos, as people looked for the next big thing following the usual glut of Christmas music and fall releases from major artists.

"This is a new animated film that everybody started watching over the holidays – especially families with little kids, who are watching it over and over again," says Lipshutz. "So I'm not shocked it's risen so quickly because everybody can stream it. And I think people are just ready to experience something new."

What is it about 'Bruno'?

Elton John in 1995, holding his best original song Oscar for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King."
Elton John in 1995, holding his best original song Oscar for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King."

Latin music revenues grew for a fifth consecutive year in the U.S. in 2020, according to the Recording Industry Association Of America. And with Colombian hitmakers including Maluma and Sebastián Yatra featured on the soundtrack, it's no wonder that "Encanto" has enjoyed crossover appeal.

But that still doesn't entirely explain why "Bruno" has been singled out by listeners. After all, the song isn't a power ballad like Idina Menzel's "Let It Go." Nor was it given a radio-friendly makeover by Elton John ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight") or Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle ("A Whole New World"), whose respective recordings of the Disney favorites both reached the Top 5 in the mid-early ’90s.

"The major Disney breakout songs don't really function like 'We Don't Talk About Bruno,' which is so much more about plot continuation and is less a kind of ballad as 'Colors of the Wind' or 'Let It Go,' " Lipshutz says. "It doesn't really make a ton of sense without seeing 'Encanto,' but I think because it's such a compelling song within the movie, it doesn't really matter if it's more plot-driven. It's the catchiest song."

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Marisa LaScala, a parenting and relationships editor at Good Housekeeping, believes "Let It Go" still has the edge over "Bruno," which is faster and more complicated for kids to sing, and has less of an emotional connection. But "Bruno" – with its danceable blend of cha cha and hip hop, and mischievous lyrics about a potential villain – has a chance of becoming just as ubiquitous.

"Some of the most enduring Disney songs are the villain songs – think 'Poor Unfortunate Souls,' 'Be Prepared,' 'Gaston,' " LaScala says. " 'Bruno' gets to weave together this myth that gets more and more exaggerated. I think kids like that. ... Plus, the melody switches up for each of the characters, and then the song layers all the parts together, which keeps it interesting.

"Then again, I asked my 6-year-old daughter why she likes it. She just lowered her voice and said, 'It’s mysterious.' "

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'We Don't Talk About Bruno': 'Encanto' favorite is now a No. 1 hit