Peso Pluma Drips Star Power With Tecate Pa’l Norte Performance: ‘Thank You for Loving Me So Much’

Entertainment

The Mexican hitmaker extended his set after Kendrick Lamar canceled his performance. These were some of the best moments of Peso’s show.

Peso Pluma performs at the Tecate Pa’l Norte festival in Monterrey, Nuevo León on March 29, 2024.

Courtesy of Tecate Pa’l Norte

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Drawing in a sea of festival-goers, 100,000 people according to organizers, Tecate Pa’l Norte kicked off its 2024 edition on Friday (March 29) at the emblematic Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Nuevo León in Mexico.

Friday’s eclectic lineup included a headlining set by Peso Pluma, who made his debut at the festival. Kendrick Lamar was also set to headline day one, but his performance was canceled just hours before he would took the stage because of “unforeseen circumstances due to logistical issues,” according to an official statement by the organizers.

But Peso’s extended performance made up for Lamar’s last-minute cancelation, delivering a high-energy, corridos-packed set, performing his greatest hits like “Rubicon,” “Lady Gaga,” “AMG” and “PRC.” He also had special guests join him on stage, including Jasiel Nuñez, Yng Lvcas and Luis Vega. “I was really looking forward to being back with my Mexican people,” the 24-year-old hitmaker told a roaring crowd who chanted “Peso, Peso, Peso,” after every song.

Peso’s set at Pa’l Norte follows a string of canceled shows in Latin America earlier this year, including his concerts in Perú, Paraguay and Chile (for Viña del Mar) due to “personal reasons.” The Grammy-winning artist is set to kick off his 2024 Éxodo Tour in the U.S. in May, which will include more than 35 shows with stops in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Dallas and more before wrapping Oct. 11 in Montville, Conn.

His upcoming Éxodo stint will follow a big touring year for Peso. who finished the 2023 landing at No. 47 in the all-genre Top 100 Tours, grossing a total of $48.8 million across 39 shows, according to Billboard‘s year-end Boxscore charts. Peso, who will be performing at Coachella in April, is set to drop a new album this summer, which will follow his breakthrough set, Génesis.

Day one of Pa’l Norte also included performances by other acts like Kevin Kaarl, Belanova, Bomba Estéreo, Aitana, Deorro and Keane. Blink-182 and Louis Tomlinson are set to headline the main stage on Saturday, March 30.

Here are the best moments from Peso Pluma’s headlining set at Tecate Pa’l Norte.

A Grand Entrance

Peso didn’t just appear on stage. He made a grand entrance. Before he took centerstage, a cryptic video began playing. A troupe of people dressed in black from head to toe, with their faces fully covered, appeared on the screen making their way down a stairs in a lit-up hallway. Then, in another scene, Peso’s band members takk their masks off, revealing their faces to the sound of Kanye West’s “Black Skinhead.” But then the men in black returne, this time pacing around in a circle with Peso Pluma sitting in the middle.

A narrator delivers a message while the video continues to play: “All things that have some difficulty seem impossible to you. Trust in the time that usually gives sweet exits to many bitterness. The path reveals only those who dare to face adversity face-to-face and overcome it with sincerity. He stands before the eyes of the world as he always knew he would.”

In the video, Peso Pluma stands up from the chair once the narrator stops talking, realizing it’s showtime. Then, he took the stage. Fans roared at the sight of Peso, who wore a red windbreaker suit, black leather gloves and a black balaclava mask (which he later switched for a black baseball hat). A heavy chain adorned his neck. 

Star Power

A year ago, Peso Pluma was still considered an up-and-coming artist. On March 29, he headlined a 100,000-capacity festival in his native Mexico. It’s a reflection of Peso’s rapid rise to the top as one of the most consequential Latin acts of this generation. “Look at how packed Parque Fundidora is,” he said as footage of the crowd that covered every inch of the park was shown on the jumbo screens. “I’m very thankful to be here. Look at how many of us [are] here. Thank you for receiving me and loving me so much,” the Mexican star expressed.

Extra Special Guests

“You want the first guest or what?” Peso asked his fans, who immediately responded with a yes. Doubling down on his commitment to support his friends (also artists who are part of his label, Doble P Records), he first brought out Jasiel Nuñez to perform “Rosa Pastel” and “Lagunas.” The two later embraced in a hug, with Peso looking extra proud of Nuñez.

Then, he brought out lesser-known act Luis Vega. Peso said he was performing with for the very first time. Vega co-wrote “Rubicon,” one of Peso’s biggest hits to date — so they obviously had to perform it at Pa’l Norte.

Another surprise guest on Peso’s set was Yng Lvcas, with whom he performed “La Bebe – Remix,” their 2023 mega hit, which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 (chart dated May 6). He also brought out Tito Double P and Joel de la P for “La People II.”

All the Hits

Peso Pluma’s setlist ran the gamut, from oldies to newer songs. Delivering a corridos-packed performance, he knew exactly what his fans wanted to hear from him. He went on to perform “Gavilan II,” “Nueva Vida” and “El Belicón” — telling fans that if they knew the lyrics to that one, he’d be impressed. “That’s the song that made me famous,” he explained. He also performed “Las Morras,” “Rompe La Dompe,” “El Azul,” “Por Las Noches,” “AMG,” “PRC,” “Lady Gaga” and his Bizarrap-produced “BZRP Music Sessions #55.”

“We are grateful to bring corridos and Mexican music to the world,” he said proudly.

A Showman Through and Through

Peso Pluma has all the energy in the world. Whether he’s running from one point of the stage to the other or showing off his quirky dance moves, he’s never still or static. His ranging facial expressions also humanize the superstar, who throughout his show seems excited, pensive, emotional and somewhat cagey. At other times he’s playful, flashing a shy smile and blowing kisses straight to the camera, which projected onto the black-and-white jumbo screens at the show, causing a knee-jerk reaction from fans who applauded and screamed ecstatically in return.

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