Enrique Iglesias fans gave an ecstatic reaction when the singer came to Newark as part of his appropriately named "Euphoria" world tour.
Thousands of people turned out at the Prudential Center to see Iglesias and his guest performers Prince Royce and Pitbull. Outside the venue, the radio station 93.1 Amor played music for fans waiting, while inside the Center there were souvenirs and opportunities to take professional pictures next to a cutout of Pitbull.
Singer Prince Royce opened the concert and won the crowds over with his well-known romantic songs and attitude. He fervently sang "Stand By Me," "Corazón Sin Cara" and "Mi Ultima Carta," and showed that he has a strong career ahead of him. Royce ended his performance by giving a rose to a lucky girl in the audience.
Pitbull was next to perform, matching Royce's romantic songs with his own party hits. Within seconds the crowd was on their feet dancing and singing along. With favorites such as "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)," "Hotel Room Service," and "All Night Long," Pitbull sang one hit after the next, bringing both energy and excitement. There was even a guest appearance by singer Nayer, who collaborated with Pitbull on the summer hit "Give Me Everything."
The crowd became even louder as a montage of Iglesias' lyrics played. Iglesias himself made a breathtaking entrance with his song "Tonight (I'm Loving You)," as the lights went down and the screaming hit a high. For the rest of the night all that could be seen were glow sticks, cell phone lights, and the many colorful spot lights that illuminated the stage.
Combining Royce's romance and Pitbull's party, Enrique owned the night with his passion. He not only brought the stage to life through his enthusiasm, but with carefully thought-out scenery and props, such as video appearances from Usher and Wisin and Yandel, paper confetti, and giant balloons with the initials EI. It definitely was a "fiesta forever" while Iglesias performed.
Iglesias showed his soft side when he pulled a man from the crowd on stage to sing with him. The man had just gotten out of the hospital and was glad he was able to make it to the concert. Through their conversation, Iglesias expressed his belief that everyone should be who they are and never be ashamed of themselves, confirming that he represents peace, love, and unity.
When singing hit songs from his recent album such as "No Me Digas Que No," "I Like It" and "Dirty Dancer," as well as classics like "Be With You," Iglesias' voice could barely be heard as fans sang every word with him. However, the crowd grew quieter when Iglesias sang "Hero," most likely because the girls were waiting to see if he would pick someone to be on stage with him, which he did.
Personalizing the Newark tour and winning over the New Jersey crowd, Iglesias tweaked the lyrics of his song to say, "New Jersey, tonight I'm loving you."
Iglesias will head back to the area on Nov. 4, when he will perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Catherine Chidiac can be reached at catherine.chidiac@student.shu.edu.
