Colombian reggaeton star Karol G delivered rhythm, dance, charisma and Latin empowerment in her headlining performance at Coachella on Sunday.
The first Latina to headline the festival held annually in Indio, California, said she felt "very proud" of a milestone she noted was a long time coming.
"There has been 27 years about this festival going on and it's the first time a Latina girl is headlining Coachella", she said, thanking the artists who paved the way before her.
With a slight delay that appeared to be due to technical difficulties, the 35-year-old opened with a song centred on a woman challenged to find her place of belonging.
She then brought energy to the stage with "Latina Foreva", the hit from her most recent album "Tropicoqueta", released last year.
She danced in the style of her fellow countrywoman Shakira. Accompanied by a large group of dancers, she used every inch of a stage built to resemble a stone cave.
Karol G revisited her catalog, including hits such as "TQG", "Gatubela" and "Amargura".
She invited Mariah Angeliq to the stage to sing "El Makinon", Becky G for her empowering anthem "Mamiii" and Greg Gonzalez, guitarist of band CAS, to debut a ballad.
She also brought along an all-female mariachi ensemble, as well as reggaeton artist Wisin, who ignited the crowd with a medley of classics from the genre, including "Noche de Entierro" and "Rakata".
The Medellin-born singer delivered a dazzling performance filled with fireworks, dancing and sensuality, while also showing empathy and a strong connection to her fans.
"This is for my Latinos that have been struggling in this country lately. We stand for them", she said, urging Latinos not to "feel fear" but to "feel proud of where you come from".
Then, dressed in the colours of her national flag, she invited the audience to "sing from the heart" the emblematic "Mi Tierra" by Gloria Estefan, which honours roots and speaks of the pain of migration.
Some of her fans started the day by visiting the flea market near the festival that the singer promoted on her social media to support Latino brands in the United States.
"I'm so excited", said Cristina Medina, bursting into tears.
'Latina Foreva' means strength and pride in being Latino and in supporting each other. Look at this opportunity she gave to Latinos. She is very special", she said.
Medina went to the flea market organised by Bichota Records to get a taste of the reggaeton star's look. She saw the Colombian singer's makeup artist, Duvan Foronda, who came to the event to do makeup for fans and promote his clothing line.
Foronda took requests and applied "lots of glitter, lots of sparkle" to several fans.
The first weekend of Coachella, kicked off on Friday with pop star Sabrina Carpenter headlining with her "Sabrinawood" show. Canadian superstar Justin Bieber reconnected with his audience on Saturday after nearly four years away from major stages. That followed electrifying performances by Nine Inch Nails and The Strokes. Coachella will return next weekend with a nearly identical lineup. — AFP
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