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How Jose Iglesias㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ became the perfect anthem for the underdog Mets

Baseball player hits a home run with soaring feel-good pop song
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New York Mets㽶Ƶֱ Jose Iglesias (11) heads for first after driving in two runs on a base hit against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the National League baseball playoff series, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

It㽶Ƶֱs a pop hit like many others: An ascending chorus, an addictive hook, a warm rhythm. But 㽶ƵֱOMG,㽶Ƶֱ performed by , has become the perfect anthem for the team㽶Ƶֱs

Since its release on streaming platforms in late June, 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ has become a hit for a , embraced on and off the field. The largely Spanish-language 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ is ubiquitous at Citi Field, while also raking in well over 2 million on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. through Oct. 10, according to the music data and analytics company Luminate. On YouTube, the official music video has nearly 4.5 million views.

As the Mets Wednesday in the National League Championship Series against the 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ may continue to soar: On Friday, shared a remix of the song alongside Colombian singer Silvestre Dangond.

Here㽶Ƶֱs how a baseball player whose career seemed to be nearing its end hit a home run with the song.

The sound of 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ

The song is contemporary Latin pop, incorporating elements of reggaetón and tropical music 㽶Ƶֱ pop sounds heard all over Latin America and the U.S., says music journalist and critic Gary Suarez, author of the newsletter.

㽶ƵֱAs a song, it is just pure, positive pop music,㽶Ƶֱ he says. 㽶ƵֱIt is a celebration of good things over adversity, which feels very right for a baseball song.㽶Ƶֱ

A sample lyric: 㽶ƵֱNo tengo nada pero soy feliz,㽶Ƶֱ or 㽶ƵֱI have nothing but I㽶Ƶֱm happy.㽶Ƶֱ

Its bilingual chorus, too, allows 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ to appeal to a broad audience. 㽶ƵֱOh my god! Dame salúd y prosperidad,㽶Ƶֱ the 34-year-old Cuban-born Iglesias sings. It translates to 㽶ƵֱOh my god! Give me health and prosperity.㽶Ƶֱ

For a song like this is a long time coming. 㽶ƵֱThere are so many Dominican, Puerto Rican, Cuban people playing baseball right now. And the Mets, of course, are no exception. And so, I think there was a certain amount of a need for a song like this to come from and reflect this world,㽶Ƶֱ Suarez says.

As for the Pitbull remix, Suarez points out that the song was written near Miami, Pitbull㽶Ƶֱs stomping grounds.

㽶ƵֱHe is a ubiquitous pop star that lends greater appeal to this, especially in a time when the Mets are in the National League Championship Series,㽶Ƶֱ he says. 㽶ƵֱIt doesn㽶Ƶֱt hurt to have some star power behind it. And maybe that helps to have a longer lifespan beyond, you know, the end of the Mets season.㽶Ƶֱ

While Pitbull is known to be a (even once recording the theme song 㽶ƵֱMarlins Time to Represent㽶Ƶֱ), he told The Associated Press in a statement that, as a Cuban American, he related to Iglesias 㽶Ƶֱbecause of our shared culture.㽶Ƶֱ

The song 㽶Ƶֱis about being an underdog and positivity making it the perfect fit,㽶Ƶֱ Pitbull said.

How Jose Iglesias became Candelita

Iglesias broke into the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox as a 21-year-old in May 2011, won AL Rookie of the Year in 2013 and was an All-Star with Detroit in 2015. The Mets are his seventh team in 12 major league seasons, and he㽶Ƶֱs earned nearly $40 million in salary.

But by 2023, his future in MLB was cloudy at best, and he spent the entire season in the minor leagues. That㽶Ƶֱs when he started to release under the moniker Candelita (a Spanish term in the Caribbean for someone who is energetic or passionate), starting with 㽶ƵֱTambor㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱCantinero.㽶Ƶֱ Earlier this year, he released a collaboration with Cuban singer Lenier, 㽶ƵֱNo Voy a Volver,㽶Ƶֱ as well as a few other solo tracks: 㽶ƵֱTe Lo Advertí㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱPerdóname Padre.㽶Ƶֱ

Nothing, though, has hit like 㽶ƵֱOMG.㽶Ƶֱ Iglesias wrote and recorded it last offseason at home on a ranch outside Miami, while also preparing to join the Mets on a minor league contract.

He began the season in Triple-A, but injuries opened a spot for him in Queens. When he played his first game with New York on May 31, 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ was his walk-up song. He quickly emerged as a sparkplug for the Mets, earning more playing time, and his song became a rallying cry for the team.

Iglesias for the first time after the Mets beat the Houston Astros at Citi Field in late June, and it has since become an anthem for not only the team, but Mets fans, too.

㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ debuted at No. 1 on Billboard㽶Ƶֱs Latin Digital Song Sales in July, selling over 1,000 downloads in its first week. The official music video features dancing employees 㽶Ƶֱ an Amazon worker, a mechanic, a cook 㽶Ƶֱ and ends in an outdoor party.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs hard to say how I feel,㽶Ƶֱ Iglesias said after that ballpark performance. 㽶ƵֱThat was a big deal. Singing in front of great fans and seeing my teammates running up there is just a dream come true.㽶Ƶֱ

Now, the song plays after every Mets homer at Citi Field and after every win. After home runs, smiling players pose in the dugout for group photos holding an 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ sign in blue and orange 㽶Ƶֱ team colors, of course.

The song also plays in the Mets clubhouse, where they㽶Ƶֱve enjoyed three champagne celebrations in the past three weeks, first for clinching a playoff spot and then twice for advancing.

Are there other baseball players who are musicians?

Music is inextricable from the ballpark experience, between players㽶Ƶֱ walk-up songs to eighth-inning singalongs to the likes of 㽶ƵֱPiano Man㽶Ƶֱ or 㽶ƵֱMr. Brightside㽶Ƶֱ at So, it shouldn㽶Ƶֱt come as much of a surprise that

It㽶Ƶֱs also not totally uncommon for them to see some chart success: baseball and football star 1994 R&B-rap record 㽶ƵֱPrime Time㽶Ƶֱ hit No. 14 on Billboard㽶Ƶֱs Heatseekers Albums chart and No. 70 on its Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Former debut album, 2003㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱThe Journey Within,㽶Ƶֱ hit No. 3 on the Jazz Albums chart.

Who could remix 㽶ƵֱOMG㽶Ƶֱ next?

There㽶Ƶֱs no shortage of musician Mets fans: has name-checked the team a few times. The Beastie Boys㽶Ƶֱ Ad-Rock and MCA were notable fans. is said to be a fan, per MLB.com, having grown up in Queens. Billy Joel was the last to play the Mets㽶Ƶֱ historic before its demolition.

No word on whether a musical career, but the possibilities are endless.





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