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Chicago Sun-Times

National

Ambar Colón

Maluma gets emotional in sexy, electrifying Allstate Arena show

Maluma Ashlee Rezin SunTimes Rosemont Carín León Feid (Person) Ricky Martin

Maluma kicks off his sold-out show on Thursday night at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

It’s the start of a new era for Maluma.

Following the release of his sixth studio album “Don Juan,” the Colombian singer is presenting a new version of himself to the planet. He returned to Rosemont’s Allstate Arena on Thursday night (his first visit in two years) to share his latest music and new persona before heading to the East Coast and then Mexico to finish off his Don Juan World Tour.

There’s a new sense of sophistication to the 29-year-old heartthrob Juan Luis Londoño Arias, known simply as Maluma. Making his entrance one hour after scheduled start time, he dazzled in a royal purple headscarf and matching gloves, perfectly complementing his white jacket and shorts, and delivering an electrifying 120-minute set to the sold-out crowd.

Maluma holds court at the Allstate Arena on Thursday night in Rosemont. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

But don’t be fooled — he’s still the same flirtatious, bad-boy Maluma that gave us “Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy” in 2015. The sound that boosted the Latin sensation to fame is just a little bit more refined, mature and confident these days. He embraces the old-school sounds of Latin rock, salsa and reggaetón while still being as fresh and relatable as ever.

The night got started with a funky tribute to his neighbors to the east in Brazil, and Maluma got to show off his Portuguese fluency on “Corazón.” He also gave a nod to some of the sultry, seductive songs that first put him in the spotlight back in 2016: “Chantaje,” from Shakira’s “El Dorado” album and “Vente Pa’ Ca,” a single with Ricky Martin.

Fans sang along to the openers with a thunderous cadence. Hundreds of Maluma’s fans wore purple, some from head to toe, to match the singer’s ensemble. Other concertgoers pridefully carried oversized Colombian flags, while some held signs with messages of admiration and plenty of amor.

Huge, floating video screens broadcasted visuals of fine art, architecture, fashion and luxury cars across the stage. And with the backing of a live band, situated in their own pod-like structures on stage, the don was able to elevate the usual radio hits (most recently, “COCO LOCO”) that have defined his career.

It’s no secret that Maluma has rubbed shoulders with one of the most popular genres in Latin music right now: regional Mexican. After the lights cut to black, a crew member placed a silky purple cowboy hat on the singer’s head as he belted out a loud “grito” or shout, as he sang “Según Quién,” his new song with Carin León.

Maluma performs Thursday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

After shouting out all of his fellow Colombians and Latinos in the crowd, the singer led the crowd in a typical Latino drinking cheer: “¡Pa’ arriba, pa’ abajo, pa’l centro, pa’ dentro!” (“Up, down, center, inside!”) the singer shouted as he took a shot from a small rocks glass before segueing into his next few songs.

“What an emotional night,” he told a crowd of sweaty, swooning fans, many standing elbow-to-elbow. “You all are really the motivation for me to get up every day, to keep working, to keep making music. I love you with all of my heart,” he said in Spanish.

Moments later, a slower, more purposeful version of “Hawái” spilled from the singer’s lips, accompanied by the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar. Basking in the happy frenzy, Maluma pulled himself away from the microphone as the crowd screamed the chorus lyrics right back to him.

After a brief interlude, Maluma made his way through the crowd, delivering high fives and shaking hands with a fortunate few. Eventually, he emerged atop a smaller stage in the middle of the arena, which featured a large inflatable Doberman with bright, glowing eyes.

He threw it back again and sang the features on songs like “X” and “PORFA” before running back to the main stage to close out his set. A sensual, energetic performance of “Cuatro Babys” rounded out the night, with the singer opting to not remove his shirt for the song as he’s done on previous tour stops.

Maluma could benefit from an opening act to entertain early arrivals (especially after his unexplained delayed start), but at the end of the day, this tour is all about one person, Don Juan, Maluma’s no-nonsense, power-wielding alter ego.