Grammy Award-Winning Puerto Rican superstar Rauw Alejandro brought his Saturno World Tour to the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on April 16, 2023. 

The packed-out crowd scrambled to find their seats and await an electrifying performance from the hit-maker’s reggaeton-pop album, “SATURNO,” which was released in November of last year. Many kept the intergalactic sci-fi space-vibe going with antennas and futuristic sunglasses similar to the superstar’s. From the beginning, you immediately felt the hype and excitement in the air and knew you would be in for a ride. You hear a woman’s voice on the speakers queuing audiences to prepare for take-off. 3…2….1!

To open up the show, Rauw Alejandro played none other than “SATURNO” of course, the party jam that got the aerobatic dancers flipping and flopping on stage. It’s no surprise he chose the title track from his hit album as the first song. 

Alejandro comes out rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants with space-like sunglasses  that cover his head, almost alien-like. The song transitioned to “PUNTA 40,” where the crowd screams in a frenzy. There was lots of dancing and fancy footwork the superstar showcased to the audience, which came off smooth and seductive to some fans. 

Alejandro shows off some dance moves with the song “VERDE MENTA” and gets the crowd feeling some type of way, because before you know it, women are throwing bras and underwear on stage, (in reference to the song “PANTIES Y BRASIERES.”) He picks up some underwear and gives it a brief air kiss before tossing it off stage. The crowd loves it and goes wild. At this point the energy of the roof has already been raised. 

The Puerto Rican hitmaker brought out Chris Palace who was sporting lime-green hair to perform “GATAS” and had the crowd screaming every word. Special guest Jabbawockeez hit every dance step and didn’t miss a beat. They sure had your eyes glued with their clever moves and impressive foot work. 

“CAZADORES” was another one that had the crowd going while the fast-paced “CORAZÓN DESPIENADO” had him bouncing across the stage. The energy continued when he performed his Global breakout hit “Todo de Ti.” One of the more memorable moments was the crowd’s reaction to the mega-hit “Party” with Bad Bunny. It was certainly a party you didn’t want to end! I was stoked when he played my favorites. “DE CAROLINA” had you dancing every second, and you couldn’t help but scream the lyrics to the catchy chorus of “LOKERA.”

For the more emotional-track “LEJOS DEL CIELO,” Alejandro hangs from the ceiling with a safety strap attached, giving the illusion he’s floating in the air- adding a sentimental layer to the performance. He also performed another one of my favorites, “VAMPIROS” featuring his new fiancé Rosalía off their joint EP “RR.” (He had just popped up for a surprise appearance during Rosalía’s Coachella performance the night prior!) Soon after he played “Besos,” another fan-favorite. The music video plays on screen, showing sweet special moments from the pair and their adventures traveling all over together. It’s a sweet tribute to showcase their love for one another; you can truly feel the love and happiness they bring out from each other. 

Overall, Rauw Alejandro put on a show-stopping, unforgettable performance, and certainly brought the intergalactic vibes to Austin. His sound spans across generations, from older to younger, making him one of those most sought-out artists of modern Latin pop. Like he said at the concert, “¡Los latinos son los que controlan todo!” (The Latins are the ones controlling everything!”) 

He’s one of those artists who can make hit-after-hit. You don’t even need to understand Spanish to know he makes great music. But after hearing “SATURNO” and catching a performance of his, it’ll sure make you want to learn the lyrics! 

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Cover Photo Leean Vargas

Leean Vargas is the Highlight Reel newsletter editor at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and an honors graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. She is a concert enthusiast who loves traveling, photography, good food, and discovering new hangout spots in her beloved city, Austin, Texas.