Rauw Alejandro as a Sueños Musical Festival headliner is good on paper, but not so great in practice, as we saw Saturday night. Chicago fans don’t know the words to most of his songs even though he’s one of the most popular reggaetoneros in the world right now.
He performed hit songs like “Party,” “PONTE NASTY” and “Curáme,” but the energy just wasn’t there. Grant Park was still crammed for day one of the two-day festival — Rauw is a big draw, at least in Latin America, where he’s charting at #1 on Apple Music in four countries. He hasn’t fully crossed over into mainstream American music, but since he’s rubbing shoulders with bigger artists like Shakira and Bad Bunny, his time is likely coming soon.
Most recently Rauw Alejandro made headlines for his whirlwind romance with Rosalía, a Spanish singer-songwriter, that came to an end last year. That breakup probably influenced a lot of his sadder music, which unfortunately contributed to the low mood among festival-goers who came to party.
He brought Álvaro Díaz on stage as a special guest for the first-ever live performance of “BYAK” since Díaz released his sophomore album “SAYONARA” last week.
“This is the first time he and I have officially sung this song on stage,” Rauw told the audience in Spanish as he introduced his friend. “Voy a dejar que la música habla. I’ll let the music speak for itself.”
The two go way back, having collaborated on “Problemón” in 2021 and both having deep roots in Puerto Rico. They bring out the best in each other when it comes to exploring a more alternative sound. Díaz performed a set of his own early Saturday.
Before parting ways, the two shared a warm, brotherly hug onstage while Rauw carried a very special version of the Puerto Rican flag: a light blue one, which usually represents Puerto Rican independence.
Even though Rauw still has some work to do to connect with U.S. audiences, he got Sueños attendees moving more and more near the end of his set. When he is able to create songs with catchy lyrics like “Todo De Ti” and “LOKERA,” he resonates with fans looking for a modern twist on reggaeton.