Elegant attire, an excellent storyline and spontaneous moments of perreo were some of the key features of Rauw Alejandro’s first Cosa Nuestra World Tour performance in Chicago Friday night. Fresh from his stop in Houston, the Puerto Rican singer sold-out three nights at United Center and brought the sazón to Chicago’s West Side.
Released in November 2024, Alejandro’s fifth studio album “Cosa Nuestra” is primarily salsa and reggaeton, with fusions of other genres such as jazz, bolero, electronic and rock. For this album, Alejandro wanted to create an entirely new vision heavily influenced by “West Side Story” and telenovelas.
The two-and-a-half hour show was separated into four acts: “Trust No One, Love Anyway,” “Leap of Faith,” “When the Lights Go Down” and “Between Love and War.” In the Broadway-inspired performance, Alejandro adopts the persona of “Raúl Alejandro,” the leading man that falls in love with Maria, a mysterious and effortlessly stunning woman who ultimately tricks Raúl into a trap.
Attendees’ dresswear was inspired by 1960s evening attire such as gowns and finely tailored suits, fitting with the album’s aesthetic appeal. As dapper attendees started filing into the stadium, a QR code with a Playbill-inspired digital program displayed the show’s rundown along with messages from the artist.
“To whoever reads this…this is not just a show. It’s our story — of those who left chasing a dream, carrying the island in their hearts and nostalgia in their suitcases,” Alejandro said in the digital program. “This show is Cosa Nuestra, even if not everyone understands.”
Before the show commenced, concert host and master of ceremonies “Mr. Gomez,” played by artist Gilberto Gomez, , popped up across the venue to get the crowd excited. Once it was time for the show to begin, the yellow curtain was raised and a high-speed car chase was projected on a LED backdrop.
After some dialogue with the audience, the chase came to an end when the two vehicles crashed into each other. Suddenly, the two injured drivers — one of them Alejandro — rose from the stage floor. Alejandro shot the other driver, leading into the singer’s 2022 hit single “Punto 40.”
With the introduction of almost every song, the stage transformed into everything from a nightclub to a park to even Alejandro’s bedroom. Songs such as “Santa” and “Carita Linda” created a lively atmosphere. The live musicians’ and dancers’ talents shined through and made it feel like the audience was a part of the story.
During transitions into the next act, Mr. Gomez provided foreshadowing and recaps of what had just occurred. Decked out in a rhinestone top hat, a pair of timely sunglasses and a three-piece suit with rhinestone adornments, Mr. Gomez’s energy, style and comedic relief transformed the way hosts interact with audiences.
As the acts came and went, Alejandro’s effortless humor and charm along with his flawless execution of complex choreography made him one-of-a-kind. From dancing to the rhythm of bomba barrels to moving suavecito with Maria during a salsa number, Alejandro showed he can dance — and no one can say otherwise.
The 18-track set also included some of Alejandro’s previous works. “Desesperados,” “No Me Sueltes” and “Todo De Ti” revived the nostalgic feeling of discovering Alejandro as an artist during the pandemic.
With this album, Alejandro wanted to try something new that many male artists are afraid to touch: Exploring the depths of genres, creating a world that captivates audiences across the nation and embracing acting and fashion as a key element of storytelling is what we need from artists like Alejandro.
The concept and in-depth storyline that makes up the Cosa Nuestra World Tour was not just excellent, it was daring and empowering.
Only a few stars are able to achieve this vision, and Alejandro is the perfect example of how to blend culturally important sounds with futuristic tendencies. This concert is not just Alejandro’s thing, it is “Cosa Nuestra,” “our thing” in Spanish.
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