Asked why it was important to sing in Spanish, Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, jumped onto a group FaceTime call with Balvin and said simply (in Spanish): “Because that’s the language we speak.”

Balvin, whose real name is José Álvaro Osorio Balvín, added in English: “It’s just the beginning of a new global Spanish wave. I think we’re really making a beautiful statement.”

Duque of Universal Music Latino noted that although Latin pop artists like Enrique Iglesias had transcended language barriers before, “Despacito” — the megahit by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Bieber — had proven to be a sea change. “When I was getting started, you found an artist that was homegrown in the U.S., and even if they were of Latin heritage, they wanted to sing in English,” he said. “Today, even artists who are more comfortable speaking English think it’s cool to speak Spanish.”

Balvin and Bad Bunny’s global mission is apparent on the second track of their joint LP, “Yo Le Llego,” as they each shout out Latin America , beginning with their homelands: Colombia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Panama, the Dominican Republic. The final song, “Como Un Bebé,” features vocals — and rhythmic influence — from the Nigerian Afrobeats singer Mr. Eazi, who himself fuses Ghanaian highlife sounds with R&B.