It is a new era for Rauw Alejandro. Clean off the release of his incredibly 1st solo solitary thinking of the truth that August, the disco-tinged “Touching the Sky,” and teased an approaching album, the Puerto Rican artist has taken center phase across the intercontinental pageant circuit.

The announcement of his headlining slot at the forthcoming Coca-Cola Music Fest and Baja Beach front Fest highlights his escalating prominence, adhering to a prime billing at Chicago’s Sueños incredibly final month. Nevertheless his ascension feels most pronounced at New York’s Governor’s Ball Audio Festival, the style-spanning festival that ties his roots and customized narrative in just the bustling electrical energy of the Massive Apple.

On Friday (June 7) at 7:30 p.m., the superstar lit up Gov Ball’s GoPuff phase. Dressed in a striped accommodate that harked back once more to the late 1960s, a tribute to West Facet Story, Rauw unleashed a effectiveness billed with boundless electrical energy and impeccable dance moves. About the technique of an hour, he rolled out hits like “Al Callao’,” “Panties y Brasieres,” “Party,” “Desesperados,” “Desenfocao,’” and “Todo de Ti,” blending difficult-hitting reggaetón with riveting dance-pop anthems.

His connection to the crowd was palpable: “I’ve normally experienced a special connection to this city. My dad was born in Brooklyn. It is a meeting position for many cultures,” he explained to the audience. “Many of us still left our state in research of prospects and dreams. And I experience that right here you can satisfy all the goals that you want to do in everyday living. In my case, a aspiration is becoming fulfilled by sharing it here with all of you, a desire that I am dwelling nowadays, many thanks to all of you who have supported me because day 1.”

Gov Ball, with its legendary New York-encouraged elements like a tattooed Statue of Liberty and town memorabilia, saw Rauw honor NYC in his incredibly personal exceptional way. A subway prepare replica served as his phase backdrop, setting the scene for a powerhouse dance efficiency that pulled from his admiration of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” and Chris Brown moves, assuring all of his celebrity caliber. In a standout highlight, the performer obtained off the stage to sing amongst the tens of numerous numbers of fest-goers.

Moments just prior to his dynamic act, Billboard Español caught up with the Puerto Rican artist to go over his impending album, and the person stories that shape his public persona and electrifying performances.

It is fascinating to have you listed right here in New York headlining at Gov Ball. How are you emotion about today’s common functionality?

I’m genuinely energized. It is my initially time. It is a big give. In the final quantity of lots of years, there have been a excellent deal of Latinos headlining U.S. festivals. We are suitable right here. 

Do you place with each other differently to conduct a headlining competitors set in comparison to your possess concert events or when on tour? How does the know-how differ to you?

It is diverse. In festivals, you share a stage with other artists, so you never ever have two or 3 numerous hours to do a demonstrate. My reveals are normally two and a 50 % hrs lengthy, arena and stadium shows. But festivals, it is like we’re united as artists. We’re sharing electrical energy with the neighborhood. The pageant starts midday till 10 p.m., so it is like a short teaser. Festivals are added enjoyable, a lot much more energetic. I emphasis further on what persons like. I just want to have a incredibly great time. My reside functionality, I just go into my album principle, and then I try to clarify to a complete story about it, and endorse your new album. With festivals, we use it a lot much more for marketing and advertising singles. It is the flavor in advance of the tour. I bear in thoughts my 1st pageant, when I didn’t have an album on the other hand 6 years back. It was just marketing me as a new artist. Festivals are that chance. I’m headlining this pageant, and I have a exceptional surprise for the people today right now beneath. My father is from Brooklyn I have a massive quantity of household members in New York, so there is that particular partnership. And this weekend is the Puerto Rican Working day parade. Puerto Rico is in this post.

Dance is this type of a considerable aspect of your performances. Can you share some insights into how you establish your choreography? Who are your choreographers? 

I’ve been operating with FeFe Burgos. He’s also Puerto Rican. He’s been in New York for a incredibly lengthy time. He’s been dancing with lots of artists. I have been with him for close to six decades. Also, we collaborated with all the choreographers. It’s how you mix this Latin flavor with all these other sorts of dancing all-about the planet, with hip-hop, jazz and up to date. I even have a smaller sized basis of ballet. I have commonly danced my full lifetime, just for enjoyable.

In my feeling, you are the best dancer, obtaining the genre’s performances to the upcoming quantity.

I understood that this is exactly where I want to be, so I started researching a incredibly small bit a lot much more. I verify out to get higher and enhanced with time, [incorporating] the salsa flavor. There’s been so quite a few artists as a outcome of previous generations that have impressed me. I never neglect observing Michael Jackson when I was a boy.

My dad has been a significant admirer of Elvis Presley and James Brown. So it is like you grew up with that style. Considering that I was young, all [dance] performers caught my consideration. I was like, hunting at them [thinking], “Oh my God, I want to be like them.” I’m hyper. I are not capable to be on the stage [sitting still]. I will need to go. 

You a quick even though ago introduced “Touching the Sky,” your 1st solo single offered that August (“Hayami Hana”). 

Yes, new solitary, new period. I experimented with to divide my initiatives by eras and figures. It is just a beginning off flavor. I got an album that is practically absolutely prepared. I try not to repeat albums, soundwise. In all my albums, you will commonly obtain reggaetón. Your essence will usually be there. It is numerous speak to, viewpoint and musical colours. I did “Touching the Sky” a couple months ago, and it feels like summer season is coming. It is that vibe. I genuinely do not method accurately what music is going to be [the first single]. It is just how you knowledge at that minute. We’re going with a New York vibe. And I filmed in New York. It was genuinely entertaining.

You channel an outdated dapper New York period. What had been becoming your influences?

It is a minimal small bit far much more like late ’60s and ’70s, West Aspect Story, Broadway, it is theatrical. In advance of I began out [making] tunes, I was carrying out theater at 16, 17 years. So I like to mix theater with tunes. On Saturno, I commenced accomplishing quick motion pictures for my albums. For this just a single we’re generating prepared, you are going to see the distinction amongst my albums and what I did in Saturno prior calendar year. It’s probably to be the opposite.  

I loved freestyle, also. On a exceptional topic, Billboard reported in December that you nevertheless left Eric Duars and that you have a new administration. How has this strengthen impacted your job route?

I assume something is for the higher. I commonly try to expand as an artist. I’ve been in this match for almost nine years now. I began out in the songs company by myself, officially in 2015. Then in 2017, I signed with them [Duars]. And now, 2024. It has been prolonged time. You develop up, you find out. What we did jointly was great. Now it is just a various vision, a diverse standpoint. But that does not have to be… it is just enterprise. I have a great crew best now. I’m 31 years prior, a created ass gentleman. I knowledge absolutely happy at this moment of my daily living. I really feel in command of my full job. I know what I want to do. I have my notes. I found. It is just element of expanding. 

Quite a couple of of your oldest fans, like myself, 1st identified your new music on SoundCloud much more than 5 yrs back. How do you assume beginning up on these forms of a technique impacted your audio job?

SoundCloud was a significant software program for me when I commenced my profession. I in fact assist SoundCloud artists, and YouTube. Back in the operating day, it was just SoundCloud and YouTube in advance of massive platforms. I bear in mind in the Island, everyone was down with SoundCloud, listening to this s— in SoundCloud. It was a compact group. Myke Towers, Alvarito Díaz. Even Poor Bunny. All the artists once more in the days, like in 2017.

Now you are headlining so numerous festivals: a Coca-Cola Pageant, you did Sueños [last month], you are probably to be a Baja Beach Fest headliner. Which is a considerable progress. 

I was observing the old competitors flyers the other operating day. My recognize was compact, and now we’re headliners!

With fame your customized existence gets to be common public far as well, these forms of as your separation with your ex [Rosalía]. How have you confronted these people today encounters in the public eye and how have you positioned power or inspiration to expand personally?

I think that is element of life style, escalating and locating out. We are suitable right here, and I’m just concentrated acceptable now on the present and my lengthy run. All these [past] existence ordeals, I just use it for obtaining a a great deal greater man or lady.

How was probably to the Satisfied Gala?

The Met Gala was enjoyable. It was my initially time. I felt like this kid in a new college. I was like, “What’s up? My identify is Rauw. Hi, I’m Puerto Rican.” It was enjoyment. We skilled the quickly immediately after get-togethers and each issue. I’ve been all-about trend for the final couple lots of years. I assume music and trend regularly [go well] alongside a single yet another.

Talking of vogue, what are you placing on tonight on phase?

I carry out with my stylist. Shout out to Chloe and Chanel. We worked with them also for a couple of numerous years. They are extraordinary. But you are heading to see some vintage Rauw, like an old salsa generation. It’s probably to be absolutely entertaining.

Any new tattoos?

I’m performing on it. I haven’t skilled the time, but I want to tat my legs, my once more, each small issue. The only detail I’m not probably to do in my existence, considering the fact that [I promised] my grandma, was my deal with.

Very final words? 

It’s a new Rauw, new era, new audio. The album is a single issue amazing. I regularly like to do my final touches in Puerto Rico. I assume it is just great luck. Puerto Rico has this magic touch that no other place has, in my feeling. The most significant artists in the Latin globe, most of them are in the Island. It has a thing magical. If you guys want to uncover out, you will will need to go and have a spend a stop by to to the Island.