KAROL G AT THE 02 ARENA

Colombia’s Leading Lady performed in London’s largest arena and made sure no one in the crowd left the venue without a smile on their face.
by Thomas Melia Photos By Henry Hwu
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Starting off with seven back-to-back hits including the likes of ‘TQG’ and ‘Mi Cama’, the audience were hooked from the first second to the very last during this set. Before and after every song there were cheers of appreciation, but none were comparable to the crowd’s roars when ‘Tusa’ began. What do Karol G fans and theme parks have in common? Screams. Just play the first few strings of this 2019 international anthem into an Arena full of her supporters and you’ll soon find out.

To round off this collection of well-selected tracks we find ‘Amargura’, a song which has gained a new life thanks to the tour. This number has a sentimental value between not only the artist but fans alike. Seeing the mastermind behind the song belting out the lyrics with such force and confidence is empowering for an audience regardless of if it’s their personal favourite or not. For the singer herself, seeing the live emotion and crowd’s reaction to the track as you perform it with tens-of-thousands of like minded fans is core memory-worthy. So core memory-worthy that it warranted a second play in the closing set, if anything fans would’ve been happy for a third run too.

A nice touch to this tour is the story which unfolds throughout different segments of the show. The protagonist of this tale, Carolina la Sirena, has a likeness to the Latin-American Star, with some notable features including her wire-heart tattoo and love of twerking. Throughout the concert, the plot thickens as this mermaid travels across the sea and after an eclectic rendition of ‘Amargura’ the mermaid transforms into a Bichota.
 

It's also good to see that Giraldo has a real love for her fans and this was displayed prominently during ‘Créeme’. She took this song as an opportunity to meet fans, take selfies and pass the microphone to the people who know her lyrics as much as she does. There were a sea of cowboy hats at her sold-out London show but one in particular stood out. This one was white and had text on it which read ‘Bichota, this was gifted to and worn by the performer for the rest of the track.

karol G
 

The newest release which comes out this Friday received a little rendition too. ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’ is the star’s next single and the hype behind it has skyrocketed with fans already knowing a few lines off by heart. When taking one look around the Arena, one thing is clear, the efforts and dedication of the Colombian singer has paid off, she has had a positive and inspiring impact on each audience member that attended the concert.

Giraldo is one remarkable woman and there’s no denying that, however huge respect goes towards the dancers and band for maintaining the energy during outfit changes. Each and every little segment were the ‘Contigo’ singer was not on stage was filled with a story, choreographed routine or charming instrumental to keep the audience occupied. Que Chimba!

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The 33-year-old has had a significant career shift since the release of ‘Mañana Será Bonito’, receiving a multitude of accolades and awards for this record. The Colombian Singer-Songwriter became the first woman to have an all-Spanish language album reach number one on the US Billboard 200 and first woman to take home the Best Música Urbana Album at the GRAMMYs in February of this year. Although these trophies and accomplishments are a great way to celebrate an artist’s hard work, nothing could beat the singer’s face when hearing the crowd sing her songs word for word, she was ecstatic.
 

There was only one flaw with the setlist, ‘CAIRO’ should’ve been the tour closer. ‘PROVENZA’ is an fantastic way to close a show, keeping the energy peaking, but the atmosphere during this 2022 track was ethereal. There must have been endorphins pumped into the drums of this song because as soon as it echoed through the speakers in the arena, the whole crowd was alive. Pair this high energy with a dance break from the female artist and her crew, this was an out of body experience.
 
London may have been home to various Kings and Queens but for these two nights in June, the Bichota has reigned supreme.

karol G
 
 

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