Eight years after his last appearance in Viña del Mar, Alejandro Sanz once again conquered the “monster” of Quinta Vergara on Sunday night, when he opened the 63rd edition of the Viña International Song festival.
The Spanish singer/songwriter thrilled the event's 15,000 attendees by performing live hits like “No Es Lo Mismo,” “Lo Que Fui Es Lo Que Soy,” and “Deja Que Te Bese,” to name a few.
The set began with a video of Sanz, on the big screens at the back of the stage, narrating the beginning of his autobiographical song “Bio” before performing live — dressed in black, with white sneakers and dark glasses — accompanied by a band that included a dozen or so musicians among the instrumentalists and backup singers. “Viña roars!” he shouted before he started to sing.
Sanz later greeted the audience in the coastal city of Chile: “How nice to see you!” he told the “monster,” as he's known as the festival crowd at Quinta Vergara. “What a pleasure to return to this stage after a few years. This is a very special night for all of us here. I hope it is for you too. We will do everything to succeed.”
And they didn't disappoint. For nearly an hour and a half, Sanz and his band delivered hit after hit.
One of the most emotional moments came from “Looking for Paradise,” originally recorded with Alicia Keys, which Sanz performed this time with one of his backup singers. The artist dedicated the touching bilingual song to the volunteers working to help the victims of the fires that left 120 people dead and more than 15,000 homes damaged earlier this month in Viña del Mar. “I want to dedicate it to them with all the love in the world and I thank them. It is from these people that we, as humanity, can truly nourish ourselves, because they are people who selflessly give everything,” he said. “Well this is for you. ¡Viva Chile!”
Some of the songs that inspired the fans were “La Fuerza del Corazón”, “Cuando Nadie Me Ve”, “Quisiera Ser”, “Mi Soledad y Yo”, “Y, ¿Si Fuera Ella?” and, of course, “Corazón Partío”, which the audience lived with Sanz wholeheartedly. Later, they awarded his art and his solidarity with the Silver and Golden Gaviota Awards, the highest honor given to guest artists, according to the intensity of the audience's applause.
But Sanz wasn't the only international star to perform on the event's opening night. Colombian singer Manuel Turizo followed him with his Viña debut, performing an eclectic, colorful set that included ballads, urbano and tropical music, with songs from “Desconocidos” and “Déjala Que Vuelva” to “Vagabundo” and greatest hits his, “La Bachata” and “El Merengue”, which undoubtedly lit up the crowd. Turizo also received a standing ovation from the “monster” and went home with his first Silver Gaviota award.
Manuel Turizo performs during the 63rd Viña del Mar International Song festival in Viña del Mar, Chile on February 26, 2024.
JAVIER TORRES/AFP via Getty Images
Viña del Mar festival 2024 takes place all week at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater and can be seen outside of Chile on the Star+ streaming platform and at the festival YouTube channel.
The celebration continues on Monday (February 26) night with performances by Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo Bocelli, as well as Miranda! as a second act. Maná and Men at Work on February 27. Mora and Anitta on February 29. A night dedicated to Chilean artists with Los Bunkers and Young Cister on March 1st. and for the finale on February 2, Maria Becerra, who took the place of Peso Pluma after the Mexican artist canceled his Latin American tour last week. Trueno will be the second artist of the evening.
If you missed Sunday's performances by Alejandro Sanz and Manuel Turizo or want to relive them, you can watch them here below:
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/alejandro-sanz-manuel-turizo-2024-vina-del-mar-festival-1235615542/
