Maluma Hits New, Versatile High With Sold-Out Madison Square Garden Show
With a forthcoming album on the way, a World Cup song, and 10 Billboard Latin Music Award nominations, Maluma has been everywhere and is only getting started. He kicked off his U.S. F.A.M.E tour on Friday (March 23), and on Sunday night (March 25), he headlined New York City's Madison Square Garden for the first time, impressively selling out the arena, making him the youngest Colombian artist to do so.
Aside from those achievements, the "El Préstamo" singer put on a show nothing short of entertaining. This concert proved he is not only a reggaeton singer, but a multi-faceted artist who is more than capable of singing live: he can dance, from salsa to Milly Rock, has amazing stage presence, interacts with fans, has the ability to change genres without interrupting the flow of the performance and maintains great energy throughout his 20-song set.
The night began at approximately 8 o'clock with the "F.A.M.E premiere," a short video that channeled Old Hollywood -- it was glamorous, had a dramatic plot that progressed along with the concert and showcased Maluma's acting skills. Then "23" began to play and the crowd went wild as Maluma appeared on a stage lift.
He wore a fancy, Hugh Hefner-invoking red-robe tux, and made two more wardrobe changes before the end of the night. As anticipated, Maluma performed a mix of his own hits along with features and remixes, with "El Préstamo," "Corazón," "Vitamina," "Chantaje," "Party Animal," "Vente Pa' Ca," Sin Contrato," "Borro Cassette," "Carnaval'" and "Me Llamas" all making the cut. But Maluma offered new versions of well-known hits, slowing them down or changing the beat unexpectedly, as he did with "Felices los 4," which received a salsa infusion.
He made sure to make the fans feel like an important part of the show by asking them to sing the lyrics before recording them, having it playback on video and even serenading a fan onstage. Before singing "El Perdedor" to her, he coquettishly asked if she had a boyfriend. Her "yes" didn't stop the Latin star from giving her a quick peck on the lips.
Maluma then hopped on a stage lift that hovered over the crowd and performed slow renditions of "Pretextos" and "Vuelo Hacia el Olvido," which lit up the packed arena with cellphone lights. To wrap up the night after nearly two straight hours of performing, Maluma played his latest reggaeton and trap hits, changing the mood up again, and concluded with a long and loud performance of "Cuatro Babys" before leaving the stage one final time.
Maluma will also sit down for an exclusive Q&A at the Billboard Latin Music Conference in April. For more information and to register, click here: http://billboardlatinconference.com
