Mexican pop icons Alejandra Guzman and Paulina Rubio brought their Perrisimas Tour to Austin on Wednesday (May 4) night. This first-ever, once-in-a-lifetime trek proves why three decades later they are still the crème de la crème of Latin pop. The two divas confidently shared the stage in a night full of dancing, sing-a-longs, and a lot of history.
You thought you would never see them on stage together. In the 90s, the two artists were involved in a love triangle with Mexican singer Erik Rubin. This led to a rivalry which in turn produced the songs “Hey Guera” by Alejandra about Paulina and “Mio” (which means ‘mine’) by Paulina about Alejandra. The two songs close out their current joint show after a small video package detailing their personal vendetta against each other back in the day.
Despite their old feud which was truly prolonged more by the press and the public, the two stars seem to get along well today. A TikTok video had gone viral after the opening night of this tour which showed friction between the two. It turns out that they jokingly play enemies for a bit during the end of the show and the video was taken out of context. During the show they hold hands and smile at each other while dancing together during the opening number, a cover of ‘Ni Tu Ni Nadie’ by Alaska y Dinarama.
And it felt appropriate, after a pandemic that completely shut down live entertainment worldwide, to bring a sense of unity through music and being in front of their fans. Both artists expressed this sentiment throughout the two-and-half hour spectacle.
‘Two years without seeing you like this. I love you all so much. I can feel the love,’ Paulina Rubio said. ‘Thank you for all your unconditional love these 24 months. It feels good to be back on stage.’
Paulina, who sported an array of sparkling silver and gold short dresses, wowed fans with music from yesteryear. She effortlessly ran through her catalog with songs such as “Yo No Soy Esa Mujer,” “El Ultimo Adios,” and “Ni Una Sola Palabra.” Not missing a beat, she included some of her bilingual songs such as ‘Don’t Say Goodbye’ and ‘Boys Will Be Boys.’
During her performance of ‘Dame Otro Tequila,’ members of the audience in the first row were appropriately served a shot of tequila by a member of the tour crew. She closed out her set with ‘Algo Tienes’ from 2004’s Pau-Latina and ‘Y Yo Sigo Aqui’ from her critically-acclaimed, self-titled album from 2000.
While Paulina brought more of the hits, it was Alejandra who seemed to feel more at home on stage. She interacted with her band members and the audience much more, and her style of performance indicated a more authentic love for being an entertainer.
‘This is still my passion. I love being here,’ Guzman said. ‘Congratulations on surviving this pandemic. We are survivors. Thank you for being here and filling my heart with happiness. The truth is I learned how to cook, how to love myself, all of that, but I still haven’t learned how to live without the applause.’
Guzman, who has always loved to play with a more eccentric fashion sense, changed her over-the-top costumes a couple of times. Regardless, the music still took center stage. ‘Volverte Amar’ and ‘Llama Por Favor, and ‘Eternamente Bella’ were some of the better moments of her set. She also shared her rendition of Aleks Syntek’s ‘Sexo, Pudor, y Lagrimas,’ which she covered for the sequel of the movie of the same name. Guzman was originally supposed to do the song back in 1999, but Syntek ended up composing and lending his vocals for it instead.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the entire concert came when Alejandra performed arguably her biggest hit song ‘Hacer El Amor Con Otro’ from 1991’s Flor De Papel. Her raw vocals echoed throughout the arena which had nearly the entire audience on its feet singing the ballad at the top of their lungs. As it wrapped, both the singer and fans gave each other a round of applause as woos filled the room.
At the end of the show as both artists wave goodbye to a very pleased room of concert-goers one thing remains certain, Paulina Rubio and Alejandra Guzman are masters of their craft. Their stage presence reveals their professionalism as seasoned performers. If you are looking for a fun night of nostalgia and a lot of music, then the Perrismas Tour is where it’s at.
(Photos: Getty Images)
