Juanes makes magic at ‘MTV Unplugged’ concert with Juan Luis Guerra by his side
On Wednesday, February 1, Juanes played for an intimate crowd of around 800 at the New World Center in Miami Beach. The artist kept his look casual in a t-shirt and jeans. (Photo & video: Courtesy of MTV Tr3s)
By ANGIE ROMERO
Channel: Entertainment
It was a night to remember. Juanes, surrounded by the people who never lost faith in him — die-hard fans, music industry executives, band mates, friends in the press, his mother Alicia, his wife Karen, and childhood friends from Medellin — played a 14-song set at the New World Center in Miami Beach for the latest installment of the long-running MTV Unplugged series.
And how could he have gone wrong with Juan Luis Guerra, his friend and mentor, serving as the musical director for the upcoming live CD/DVD?
Juanes has played soccer stadiums in Colombia with tens of thousands of people. He’s rocked Madison Square Garden. And yet, he’s never sounded this good. He said it himself during one of his heartfelt exchanges with the audience the night of the concert.
“I’ve never heard my music like this before; thank you, Juan Luis.”
And he wasn’t just talking about the acoustics inside Frank Gehry’s architectural marvel. Maestro Juan Luis Guerra made sure Juanes was backed by all kinds of instruments, among them: horns (trumpet, trombone, sax), violins, bass, piano, several guitars (among the traditional acoustic guitars, we spotted a cuatro, a ukulele, and a banjo), percussion, and three back-up singers. A 32-person choir joined Juanes on the closing number “Odio Por Amor.”
The sumptuous arrangements breathed new life into familiar hits, and Juanes made sure to switch up his vocal delivery just the right amount. One of the highlights was “Es Por Ti,” which he dedicated to Karen, “the love of my life, the mother of my children.”
Though their three children (Luna, Paloma, and Dante) were sleeping at home on Wednesday, they’d had the chance to witness their papa’s dress rehearsal the night before. On that night, Juanes talked about how much this concert means to him.
“This moment is … immense,” he said.
As in the dress rehearsal, the Colombian rock star poured his heart out during and in between songs. The set list chronicled all of his major hits, including “A Dios Le Pido,” “La Camisa Negra,” “La Paga,” and “Volverte a Ver.”
Juanes also took the opportunity to unveil three songs that were born out of their many studio sessions at Guerra’s home in the Dominican Republic leading up to this big night, including: the piano and violin-backed ballad “Todo En Mi Vida Eres Tu,” “La Señal,” which is sounding a whole lot like his next single, and “Azul,” a duet with Spanish legend Joaquin Sabina.
Sabina was one of two very special guests who joined Juanes onstage, the other being the drop-dead gorgeous and unquestionably talented Paula Fernandes from Brazil. Fernandes, in a fairy-tale like dress, traded verses in Portuguese with Juanes on the bossa nova-tinged “Hoy Me Voy” — one of his most overlooked songs.
After the concert, friends and family headed to the poolside bar at the Delano Hotel in South Beach, where they shared cocktails and hugs with Juanes on what was definitely one of the most important nights of his career — a “dream come true” for him.
So what can this album do for Juanes on a critical and commercial level? Well, if history is any indication, it can only lead to good things. In 2006, Ricky Martin found himself at a similar career crossroads, and upon the release of his MTV Unplugged album, the world was reminded of the power of his voice.
Though Juanes is an entirely different artist, with a gift all his own, he shares something with Ricky: everything he does comes from the heart. And in his heart he knows that he was meant to make music forever — the kind that makes people’s lives happier, fuller, richer.
Juanes’ MTV Unplugged special will air in May on MTV Latinoamérica, Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más (in the U.S.), MTV España, and Vh1 Brasil. The CD/DVD will be released that same month through Universal Music.
