It seemed as though fans from every corner of South Florida filled the seats of Hard Rock Stadium on Friday to witness the effervescent aura of Karol G. Pink cowgirl hats, Colombian flags, and the glittering lights of Mañana Será Bonito-brand wristbands were all present, with the crowd ready to officially kick off bichota season alongside the Colombian sensation.
Spanish singer Bad Gyal opened the show, performing hits like “Chulo” and “Mi Lova,” prepping the audience for a whirlwind celebration of life and breakthroughs.
However, before la Bichota graced the famed Miami Gardens stage, an all-too-familiar voice began narrating a fictional take on Karol’s life. As an animated storybook appeared across the screens for all to see, Morgan Freeman told the story of Carolina the Mermaid, who longs to escape the emotional pain she faces in the ocean. With the animated siren resembling Karol flying high to the sky to escape her distress, her world freezes to a complete stop.
The visual story’s representation of Karol’s public and private challenges quickly became relatable, with almost everyone having experienced a moment where it felt as though the light had escaped their lives. But rather than wallow in their pain, Carolina the Mermaid and Karol embark on a journey to find that light once again.
In this first act of her two-hour performance, a giant Carolina the Mermaid balloon inflated upon the stage, igniting a screaming crowd as the megastar appeared in a glittery nude ensemble dripping in shimmering crystals. Opening the show with her highest chart-topping single, “TQG,” made in collaboration with fellow Colombian sensation Shakira, Karol G fearlessly faced the massive crowd to get the party started. She quickly followed up with songs like “Besties” and “Mi Cama,” with her pink hair flowing flawlessly behind her as she led the audience through endless reggaeton beats accompanied by her powerhouse voice.
“¡Que chimba, Miami!” she exclaimed to the crowd, acknowledging her gratitude for a packed stadium that came to relish in her message of rising above adversity and celebrating the gift of life.
It’s important to note that Karol’s message has a unique energy as she has been a masterful testimony to overcoming life’s obstacles. From being refused a record deal because of her gender to publicly overcoming a ruptured engagement with Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA, it seems as though there isn’t anything Karol can’t do, inspiring her fans to instill a piece of her fierce bichota energy within each of themselves.
Reverting to her animated story, Carolina the Mermaid meets a butterfly adorned with sunglasses, appropriately voiced by RuPaul, who soon reveals herself as the siren’s fairy godmother.
Karol G performs at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Friday, August 25.
Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg
“The time has come to be strong and tell yourself you can do it,” the godmother declares, transforming Carolina into an outfit that can only be described as full bichota mode.
Just after RuPaul tells Carolina she must overcome her biggest obstacle by riding a great white shark, a mechanical version of the aquatic beast pulls out of the stage with glaring red eyes as Karol G tops it valiantly on a riser. Blasts of fire and neon lights soon shoot out of the stage as Karol G sang hits old and new, from “Qlona,” made in collaboration with Peso Pluma, to the anthem that started it all, “Bichota.”
Bad Gyal also took the stage once again alongside Karol to perform the Mañana Será Bonito hit, “Karmika.” Even famed Spanish rapper and singer Quevedo stepped out as a surprise guest for an emotional performance of “Pero Tú.”
Toward the end of the show, Carolina the Mermaid and Karol prove their invincibility and achieve full bichota status as an animated Freeman closes her story, reminding the audience to do the same beyond the stadium doors.
Karol G performs at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Friday, August 25.
Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg
That breakthrough came to fruition as the concert stage fully embodied Mañana Será Bonito‘s energy, with Karol stepping out in a white ruffled Jacquemus number. Tiny rainbows, smiley faces, and Carolina’s storybook friends adorned the stage, with Karol G and her troop of dancers taking the crowd to all new heights, much like that of her fictional character through her latest album’s cathartic tracks.
With bichota season now in full swing, there is something special about Karol’s ability to connect with her fans artistically and symbolically that some would not expect from most concerts. Her capability to turn her pain and struggles into a portrayal of light and beauty is a testament to what we can do in our lives. Though we might not all become Billboard chart-topping sensations, her story aims to inspire all, from the littlest Latinas with pink hair extensions to the oldest of us who unapologetically love a good perreo.
“There’s a bichota inside every single one of you,” Freeman emphasizes to the Miami crowd. “Que chimba la vida,” he ends, just before adding one final reminder that tomorrow will always be beautiful.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)