Puerto Rican lover boy and rapper Jay Wheeler delivered a heart wrenching performance to a sold out crowd in Miami on Oct. 20 at the Kaseya Center. Once Wheeler came out, the crowd sang along for six songs straight.
Wheeler’s first time on that stage took place four years ago as a guest appearance for Farruko’s concert in January 2020. Back then when he performed “Otra Noche Más”, almost no one knew him. This time around, he performed the song at his own show to a sold out crowd.
Wheeler’s distinctive vocals roared through the venue as the band provided some much appreciated backup sound.
The stage mimicked an old home building that was equipped with a second story balcony where the guitarist, bassist and secondary vocalist sang. The lower level featured a homemade basketball hoop, garage door and porch where the drummer was.
Dancers wore a brown, white and silver color pallet. While the men rocked brown jumpsuits and silver durags, the girls sported brown jumpsuit pants with a tight white top. Their choreography acted out the story told by Wheeler’s lyrics.
One of Wheeler’s biggest hits sparked an uproar from the crowd. As “No Te Enamores” blasted through the speakers, fans cried out the lyrics and happily danced energetically to the chorus.
As Wheeler’s verse hit, he delivered an emphatically toned worthy performance.
The show hit its first turning point as red and blue lights flashed all over. The screen slowly lowered in front of the set to display an interrogation cell digital background.
Wheeler, while being cuffed to a chair center stage, gave a restricted yet intense performance of “La Ultima Canción.”
In stark contrast, Wheeler’s most renowned love song “Me Enamore” ignited, not one but two proposals right next to me. Wheeler likes to keep his fans guessing.
The next stint of songs featured guest appearances by Noreh and Greeicy. Accompanied by beautiful garden-like backgrounds and vibrant colors, tracks like “Lugar Seguro,” “Maquillaje” and “¿Qué Te Pasó?” brought life to the venue.
When Zhamira Zambrano, Wheeler’s wife, took the stage and performed “Dicelo” and “Extranandote” with him, the crowd was in awe. The couple shared a loving hand grip, stood simultaneously and split the stage to display their joint performative capabilities.
This Miami show marks a new era for the couple as this was the first show their newborn daughter, Aiunii, was in present for.
As the screen lifts to welcome in the show’s final act, we can see Wheeler equipped in a white-out outfit with some color accents that match that of his album “Música Buena Para Días Malos.”
Kicking it off were the 2021 hits, “Viendo el Techo” and “Desnudarte” which was brought to life by the anime visuals of a kid chasing after airplanes in a grass field, a girl dancing under the rain and the same girl jumping into a river.
After a stint of underwhelming songs, Wheeler re-energized the audience with the up-beat drum and bass track, “SOS,” hit track “Textos Fríos,” party anthem “No Confió,” and “Si Te Veo.”
Wheeler saved the best for last as he performed the global hits “La Curiosidad” and “Pacto” which got everyone, even security, on their feet.
I have only one gripe: the absence of guest tracks.
The setlist was all that kept this from being a near-perfect night. The exclusion of all the more known recent urban tracks left fans wanting more. Tracks like “WYA REMIX RED,” “Aunque Llegue Otro,” “Quítenme el Teléfono,” “Suelta” and “Carro Nuevo” were never played.
Jay Wheeler might have delivered what he promised, but he disappointed fans who were waiting for him to play the hits.