In the last few years, Colombia has seemingly taken over the urbano genre from Puerto Rico. Colombian acts like Karol G, Maluma, and J Balvin have also made way for a new wave of stars from the country, like Blessd and Ryan Castro, who have been enjoying a staggering amount of success recently.
Still, at a time when Latin artists are trying to sell out tours alone — even embarking on stadium tours that feel more like an ego boost — Blessd and Ryan have teamed up to deliver a two-hour spectacle of hits.
Fans were still making their way to the seats as the duo hopped on stage at 9 p.m. to kick things off with the remix of "Quien TV." Castro was dripped out in an Off-White tracksuit and Versace sunglasses, while Blessd wore a white T-shirt and Louis Vuitton shoes.
For the duration of the show, Castro and Blessd opted to remain on stage regardless of what track was being performed. Seeing the pair showcase their natural chemistry was a treat, with either one often performing ad-libs or guest verses for the other. When Castro sang the remix of "Una Noche en Medellín," Blessed stood in for Cris MJ's verse or ad-libbed a part of the chorus. It was these little moments that made the show all the more special.
The guys kept the crowd moving and perreando for the entirety of the show as they performed crowd favorites like the Peso Pluma-assisted "Quema," "Soltera," and "Lejania." It seemed like a bold move for Blessd to sing his corrido "Las Morras," as the genre is not as huge in South Florida, but the crowd seemed to love it and were even doing the Peso Pluma dance to it.
Speaking of Mexican influence, at one point during the show, a fan held up a sign that read, "Pepe, regañe a su hija, a Ryan no!" ("Pepe, scold you daughter and not Ryan!") This led to a funny segment in which Castro explained that his song "FDSR" has gotten him into some legal trouble with Mexican-American singer Pepe Aguilar.
The song "FDSR," which stands for "fan de su relación," touches on the scandal surrounding Aguilar's daughter Angela's relationship with singer Christian Nodal. While the song doesn't name the couple, it does reference some aspects of the love affair, which, according to various sources, caused Aguilar to threaten to sue Castro. (A source on Castro's team told New Times that the news of the lawsuit is nothing but chisme.)
Fans chanted for Castro to perform the song, and he obliged.
That wasn't the only tea that came out of this concert, as the surprise guest for the night was Latin trap star Anuel AA. Karol G's former fiancé has been throwing shots at Feid, her current flame. Feid hasn't responded to Anuel, but there are rumors that Blessd and Feid are beefing over the fact that Blessd worked with Anuel on the song "Deportivo." There were also reports on social media of an incident at the final game of this year's Copa América finals, during which Colombian reggaeton stars shared a suite.
It all came to a head when Feid released "11PM en St. Regis," in which he takes shots at whom many speculate could be Blessd, Anuel, or both. Blessd responded to the diss track on Instagram, finally taking the dispute public and referencing the rumored incident at the Copa América.
After all that online drama, it was kind of shocking that Blessd would add to the beef by bringing out Anuel, of all people, to perform their collaboration along with some of Anuel's hits, such as "Mas Rica Que Ayer" and "Amanece." Though Anuel and Blessd didn't call out Feid directly on stage, it seemed to indicate that nothing would stop them from collaborating and working together in the future.
Ryan Castro and Blessd wave the Colombian flag during their show at Hard Rock Live.
Photo by Erick Beltran
To close out the show, Blessd and Castro performed the Colombian soccer banger, "El Ritmo Que Nos Une," followed by "Mirame," before finally ending the night off with "Malory" as yellow, red, and blue confetti rained down. It was a full-on celebration of Colombia, with Castro wearing a sombrero and Blessd carrying the Colombian flag in the show's closing minutes.
Ultimately, Blessd and Ryan proved that Colombian reggaeton and urbano are not only in demand but that fans are more than willing to pack out a show if there is unity with some of the scene's strongest players. Latin music acts typically don't share the stage or even have openers, but Ryan and Blessd proved there is power in number, combining their fan bases and selling out Hard Rock Live.
The pair's celebration of their Colombian heritage made for quite the show. It was a spectacle that didn't require backup dancers, a live band, or anything else. It was just a fun party, and maybe that's what many Latin acts should focus on instead of trying to make the whole show about themselves.
