Thousands of people crowded the Sueños Music Festival entrance at Grant Park by noon on Saturday in anticipation of Xavi, who’s the world’s most-played artist in the Mexican regional genre. Before the festival organizers released the official schedule, fans had expected him to be one of the headliners.
With Xavi’s sudden rise to stardom, listeners outside of the West Coast haven’t always known how to pronounce his name. DJ Fresco, the official host of Sueños, introduced him on the stage as “Sha-vee” instead of “Ha-vee,” provoking some chuckles and boos from the crowd.
Earlier this year, Xavi became the first Mexican artist to top the global Spotify chart with his solo hit “La Diabla,” despite having launched his career in the middle of the pandemic with Interscope Records. His YouTube and online presence quickly amassed fans and millions of views after his debut “La Víctima.”
Xavi’s set at Sueños included both “La Diabla” and “La Víctima” in addition to his latest hit, “Corazón de Piedra.”
Xavi danced and skipped on the stage sporting a red Chicago Bulls jersey with his first name and the number 24 over a white tee and ripped baggy jeans and sneakers. He rocked his signature haircut with medium wavy locks framing his face.
The highlight of the show was when Xavi unfolded a Mexican flag and draped it over his back while he continued to sing, causing the crowd to erupt and yell out “Viva Mexico.” The 19-year-old recently collaborated with the traditional sierreño group Los Dareyes de La Sierra on the song Poco a Poco, which he sang at Sueños sans Dareyes.
Sueños Music Festival has a few more Mexican performances on the schedule, notably Peso Pluma on Sunday, who is credited for pushing modern corridos into the mainstream.