What was projected on the double screen placed right at the top of the stage in the corners of the orchestra conducted by the timbalero Manolito Rodríguez left no doubt even to the most distant viewer that the famous Puerto Rican singer India was in it trance as he performed countless of his greatest hits during the nearly three-hour concert he gave Saturday night at the Coca-Cola Music Hall.
It wasn’t in vain.
India is, was and will be a genius and a character as long as she sings on set, whether it is a large space like a coliseum or stadium that holds over 10,000 or more spectators or in a space like Coca-Cola. , which was almost bursting given the number of people who came to see her and sing with her. The lower level and the upper level, full. And not to mention the amount of people in the hallways. About three thousand people.
And the veteran singer didn’t disappoint. He put soul, life and heart into every song he performed and, in case anyone had any doubts, made it clear that his vocal range, his phrasing, his interpretive strength, his tears and his tessitura were still the same at 54 years old are as alive as they were back then. In the 1990s and 2000s, it was the spearhead of the female salsa world. India is a reference today. Job.
She took the stage in a silver outfit and a tall top hat. (David Villafañe/Staff)In front of an audience in which men were a pure minority and women in their element, Linda Bell Viera Caballero, stage name of the performer, brought a lot of heat to the matter through her lyrics, gestures, gestures, looks and body movements., smiles and Comments made it very clear, among other things, what her rallying cry was on stage and in her personal life as a feminist: women must be respected. And that the man who knows how to love must also know how to respect.
The concert began with the songs Dancing on the Fire (from his first professional album Breaking Night) and Lover Happiness (1994 album Strictly Rhythm), performed by a DJ, complemented by characters and designs on the screen reminiscent of the beginnings A singer in New York remembered India, as a teenager he worked in hip-hop, house and freestyle.
Then, after the orchestra’s musical performance, India took the stage and the audience immediately agreed with her. Wearing a shiny silver jacket and pants and a black top hat, she then sang the song Nubes Negras with guest artist, Colombian Goyo, a former member of the group ChocQuilbTown.
When the number ended, India addressed her audience. “Thanks for being there. “They thought it wouldn’t come back, but what happens comes around,” he said.
And he started rolling up the sleeves of his jacket and then turned to the audience again: “Did you think you got it from me?” he said, and the women’s choir responded and stayed with the song. “Don’t worry…look what I have for you.”
And the beginning of the song “My Greatest Revenge” played, one of India’s biggest hits and one of the songs she says she really enjoys performing.
And the audience, meaning the women, well, they sang it from start to finish with their artist stopping several times from singing and pointing his microphone towards the audience so that their voices could be heard.
The artist, as throughout the show, did not stop playing high, powerful notes at the end of the songs and in the soneos, as if she wanted to send a clear message: her voice is like a coconut.
The concert continued with a medley that included the songs “I’m never gonna gogo you”, “If you are my man” (where the group of dancers under the direction of Maestro Tito Ortos demonstrated their skills), “Estúpida”, ” Hielo” and “Sola” included. All songs were sung and/or hummed by a majority of the audience.
The second guest of the evening gave his lecture and this time arrived on time.
One of the Querendons of Puerto Rico, Manny Manuel, the so-called King of Hearts, took the risk of singing a duet with her on the song Costumbres and certainly it was played in the original Indian and Orocoveño tone since he did it that way to keep it as high as possible. His charisma and his experience on stage helped him a lot.
Of course, while India was changing, one of several actions he performed during the concert, Manny Manuel got a second chance and hit a big shot. Manny sang one of his great merengue songs, “They Say the Men,” and then the story was different. Manny Manuel put people in his pocket.
Upon her return to the stage, India paid tribute to her godmother Celia Cruz, who christened her “Princess of Salsa.” India sang a medley of Celia with Yerbero moderno, Quimbara and Bemba colorá, in which she demonstrated her singing talent. The orchestra, led by Manolito Rodríguez, sounded impeccable. Rubén Rodríguez was on bass, Carlos Camilo on piano, Kashiro Thompson on congas, Richard Carrasco on bongo, Savier Anel Díaz on drums, three trumpets, Luis Aquino, Víctor Amber and Aníbal Martínez, all of them, along with trombonist Víctor Vázquez , César Ayala and Mario Yamil Quinter. In return, Saviel Cartagena played the alto saxophone, Víctor Maldonado played the baritone and the choirs included Laura Sáez, José Luis de Jesús, Urayoan Lizardi and José Díaz.
The orchestra played the number “Download” for Celia, nuances of Tito Puente’s sound were clearly felt in the arrangement, while India changed her clothes again.
Then came the climax of the concert. India dedicated a medley to the famous Cuban artist Guadalupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, better known as La Lupe or La Yiyiyi. And with the songs “What I Asked You” (Gabriel Luna), “The Great Tyrant” (Tite Curet) and “If You Return” (Paul Mauriat), hundreds of women “transformed” and let out the magnifying glass that was inside them lives.
India sang and all the female fans didn’t lose sight of her. They also sang the lyrics with her. Some got up from their seats, made their gestures, strong gestures, pointed at their partners as if reproaching them, in short, the spirit of La Lupe enveloped them, and after they had finished the medley, the applause and the laughter, they came out. . And the men, thank you very much. They had no choice and applauded too.
India enjoyed the moment to the fullest.
Another guest artist, Victoria Sanabria, made an appearance that received great applause from the audience. During the song If you return, Sanabria dedicated an improvisation to India and then sang the song Soy boricua, made famous by Bobby Valentín and his orchestra with Marvin Santiago on vocals. Here Sanabria showed his talent and ability to improvise.
Immediately afterwards, another guest, the young singer Elysanij, made it clear that she is a privileged voice, one of those that Puerto Rico has given so often. Janielys Maldonado, nicknamed “The Sweet Melody,” sang a duet with India on the song Sedúceme, and both stood out for their great vocal range. It was like a one-on-one interview where Elysanij, who sings the same bachata, salsa, merengue and reggaeton, looked very good on stage and was very well received by the audience. India praised this young woman and predicted a great future for her in music.
After Manolito Rodríguez sang the song Yo te dejé por loca, India came to the set with new clothes and in 1994 introduced her teacher, musical director and pianist, who was crucial to the singer’s career: Sergio George produced the album Dicen que soy , one of the great albums by the Puerto Rican singer who was born in Río Piedras in 1969 and grew up in the Bronx, New York. It was her grandmother who gave her the nickname “India” at the beginning of her musical career.
Sergio George then accompanied the orchestra in the numbers “They say I am, I want to never see you again”, “Either she or I”, “Live our thing” and “That man”, in which the dancers are actively on stage contributed.
Another change of clothing came. Then India sang the medley of “I’m Tired of Being the Other” and “Private Property” as if to end the concert, even though it was a false ending.
The show ended with the song My First Rumba from the 1992 album recorded with maestro Eddie Palmieri.
A Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, India is the woman with the most number 1 songs (11 in total) on the Billboard Tropical Song Airplat chart. Furthermore, the renowned music magazine Rolling Stone ranked India at number 113 in the top 200 singers of all time this year.