Fans who were distraught when headliner Peso Pluma’s set was cancelled at last year’s Sueños Festival returned this year determined to see him perform. The weather would not be an obstacle this time around. (Subsequent to the cancellation, Peso returned to Chicago for two sold-out shows at United Center last October.)
In his usual low-key urban attire of jeans, t-shirt, and a puffy jacket, Peso energized the crowd on Saturday evening with his instant classic, “AMG,” a collaboration with his contemporaries Gabito Ballesteros and Natanael Cano. The song was a staple in Gabito’s Sueños repertoire last year.
The 25-year-old rocked a black White Sox baseball cap, which he later swapped for a white one and then a beige one.
Halfway through his set, he invited three guests on stage, two of whom are in the Sueños lineup: the Dominican “king of dembow” El Alfa, his paisano Aziel Núñez, and Tito Doble P, who’s performing tomorrow and who he repeatedly referred to as his cousin. (Fans are expecting Tito Doble P to sing “Dos Días” again on Sunday for his scheduled Day 2 set.)
In April, Peso took the Coachella stage for the third year in a row. He also became the first Mexican artist to headline Rolling Loud California.
His experimentation with hip-hop and reggaeton music was evident at Sueños when he sang “Quema,” which features Ryan Castro and “La Bebe,” a remix with Yng Lvcas.
At one point during the show, he revealed he’s been focusing on his romantic corridos — a growing trend among Mexican banda-norteño singers who are gradually distancing themselves from songs that speak to the reality of narcoculture in Mexico. However, he closed his show with the song “Lady Gaga,” another collab with Gabito Ballesteros and Junior H that makes references to drug use.
Peso Pluma is another artist who’s received threats from criminal organizations, which may explain why his recent tours have been abroad.
Toward the end of the show, Peso Pluma wrapped himself in a large Mexican flag and asked the crowd to wave their own flags. He exclaimed, “¡Viva la cultura mexicana!”