Carin León turns WiZink Center into Palenque, breaks Madrid Arena attendance record

With an electric roar that echoed in every corner, Carin León took over Madrid's WiZink Center, marking his historic debut in Spain. Part of his Boca Chueca tour, the show not only marked the Mexican star's first appearance in Europe, but also broke a record: With an audience of 17,426 people, he surpassed Metallica's mark set in 2018, becoming the event with the highest attendance of the more than 1,200 concerts held at the venue.

The atmosphere at WiZink was unique, transformed into a 360-degree Palenque style, with spectators surrounding the arena as if in a boxing ring, an unprecedented arrangement for this Madrid venue. Among the attendees were music stars such as Vanesa Martín, India Martínez, C. Tangana and Ximena Sariñana, as well as the legendary soccer player Sergio Ramos, all of whom witnessed a night in which Mexican and Spanish music mingled for two and a half hours. pure spectacle.

From the start, Leon's enthusiasm for his presence in Madrid was palpable. “I've always said: the second place I would go after Hermosillo is Madrid,” he confessed, clarifying the special place this city holds in his heart. One of the first surprises of the night was the live performance of “Recorrerte”, a song in collaboration with Sen Senra that he described as “sexy”, managing to stir the emotions of the audience. The song, which has not yet been officially released, will be part of the Galician artist's album PO2054AZ, VOL. II by the Galician artist, scheduled for release on November 15.

One of the most touching moments of the evening came with the presence of his great friend and mentor, Álex Ubago, with whom León has shared a special bond since he invited him to his birthday party in San Carlos, Sonora last July. Together they performed two of Ubago's classics, “A Gritos de Esperanza” and “¿Qué Pides Tú?”, in a tribute to the influence Spanish music had on the Sonoran's career. “What a dream to share with the artists I admire, long live Spain and long live its artists and music,” exclaimed a visibly moved Leon.

The connection between the two artists was strengthened by a dedication by León to those affected in Valencia by DANA (a meteorological phenomenon that usually causes heavy rainfall and recently caused tragedy in the region). “Life is sometimes very uncertain and very unfair. I want to dedicate this concert to the people of Valencia,” he said, drawing applause from the audience. “More than a minute of silence, I want an eternity of joy. Long live Valencia and this song goes with a lot of love and respect,” he added before performing “Vida Pasada.”

After singing “Por Culpa De Un Tercero”, the venue thundered with the arrival of another of the night's stars: Pablo Alborán. Together they performed “Viaje a Ningún Lado” in a duet that showed their mutual respect and admiration. “This man is a bully, how do you sing!” joked Leon, to which Alboran replied with a wink: “For me, being together on stage in Madrid, there is no better place.” In this musical society, the artists gave each other another joint performance, “De Piedra a Papel”, which became one of the most recognized moments of the evening.

Among the special guests was Omar Montes, who performed with León the song “Ron con Coca” and in a tone of admiration said: “How proud of you, Carin León, to come to Spain and break more than the Spaniards. You deserve all the good things that happen to you.”

The evening unfolded with a number of hits, such as “Que Vuelvas”, “Talento de Televisión”, “Tóxico” and “Aviso Importante”. But the energy reached another level with the arrival of Manuel Carrasco. Together, they performed their collaboration “No Me Llores,” as well as a little-known Carrasco gem that the Mexican himself asked him to sing, “Yo Te Vi Pasar,” which reflected the palpable chemistry between the two artists. “I am happy in front of so many beautiful people at your party. Let's enjoy it, brother,” exclaimed Carrasco, infecting the audience with his enthusiasm.

The musical show continued with a stunning version of the classic “Aunque Tú No lo Sepas” by Enrique Urquijo, to which León added his unique style. And, to close the night, León could not leave out one of his most beloved anthems, “Primera Cita”, which sealed a spectacular debut in the Spanish capital.

“Beyond faith, I'm sure there will be more dates like this,” Leon expected, before saying goodbye.

The next stop on his Boca Chueca tour is London this Sunday, November 3, followed by Amsterdam and Paris on November 4 and 5, respectively.