Karol G Dazzles at MetLife Stadium, Brings Tainy, Judeline & rusowsky for ‘BbY WOW’: 5 Best Moments

Not a single minute was wasted. On Thursday (Sept. 17), the first of her two nights at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Karol G delivered a high-energy spectacle that kept the audience on its feet from beginning to end.

Set against a stunning cavern-like backdrop flanked by two massive screens, the world-class production included a large live band, mesmerizing choreography, sparkling outfits, elaborate lighting, pyrotechnics, special guests — even a pool! Above it all, the Colombian superstar shined with her unmatched charm and charisma, and her deep connection with her fans.

“I don’t know, but we haven’t seen each other in about two or three years, so I hope we tear the house down tonight — because we came to sing, we came to dance, we came to cry, we came to scream, we came to have a blast — yes or no!?” Karol said amidst the deafening roars of the crowd.

Divided into six acts — including one dedicated to her new album No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, released on Aug. 7, just two weeks after the tour began — the show kicked off at full energy, with Karol performing hits like “Latina Foreva,” “Un Gatito Me Llamó,” “Oki Doki / Ta OK” and “Qlona” alongside an impressive troupe of dancers, laser lights and fireworks. This was followed by the night’s most colorful set, dedicated to her Tropicoqueta era, featuring plenty of Latin flair, sequins, percussion, a spectacular feathered headdress and a massive macaw she climbed onto to sing part of the lambada track “Papasito.”

One of the night’s big surprises was the appearance of Tainy, Judeline and rusowsky to perform the global No. 1 hit of the moment, “BbY WOW.” The song, included in Karol’s new album, tops both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts for a second week.

Thursday’s show — part of the Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour, which kicked off on July 24 in Chicago —marked the Medellín star’s return to the MetLife Stadium, where she had previously performed in September 2023 during her first stadium tour, Mañana Será Bonito. The opening act was Venezuelan singer-songwriter Elena Rose, whose set included hits like “Caracas en el 2000,” “Cosita Linda” and “Orion.”

Promoted by Live Nation, the world tour is in support of Karol’s latest album, Tropicoqueta, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart and No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Additionally, all 20 songs from the set debuted on Hot Latin Songs, becoming a first for the singer. 

Karol, who also received seven Latin Grammy nominations this week — including for album of the year, record of the year and song of the year — is set to perform again on Friday night (Sept. 18) in New Jersey. She will continue her U.S. trek through Atlanta, Houston and Miami, among other cities, before wrapping up the year with a series of shows in Mexico. The tour will resume in 2027, starting in Europe.

Here are five of the best moments from her first night at the MetLife.

• Act 1: Latina Foreva

  As soon as Karol G appeared onstage — dressed in an elaborate gold bra and miniskirt and surrounded by a large group of dancers — it was clear that the sold-out stadium was in for a treat. To the beat of “Latina Foreva,” Act 1 was an immersive, exciting experience, featuring high-energy choreography, laser lights, fire shooting to the sky and more. The camera work was also stunning, including the one set up in the back, to which Karol walked several times to speak in a close-up directly to the crowd.

  Songs in Act 1 also included “Un Gatito Me Llamó,” “Oki Doki / Ta OK,” “Qlona” and “S91.”

• Act 2: Tropicoqueta

  The second act was an explosion of joy. With costumes inspired by Cuban cabaret, filled with color, fans and feathers, Karol performed the mambo “Tropicoqueta” and the lambada “Papasito,” swaying alongside her dancers with the widest smile. At the tip of a small runway that extended toward the audience from the center of the stage, a giant red elegante appeared, on which Karol — wearing a massive feather headdress — climbed to sing part of the second song.

  Suddenly, the dancers disappeared and an elegant all-female mariachi group emerged, complete with violins, guitarrón, vihuela and trumpets. The seven-member band — all dressed in impeccable white — accompanied Karol on “Ese Hombre es Malo” and “Mamiii,” in one most tasteful moments of the night.

• “BbY WOW”

  The No. 1 song in the world right now got a special moment too, with Karol presenting first Puerto Rican producer Tainy as guest, followed by Spanish singers Judeline and rusowsky. The audience erupted in cheers watching the new hit collaboration live, with Tainy at the turntable and Judeline and rusowsky providing the vocals that have helped propel the track to the summit of the Billboard global charts for the past two weeks.

  The performance was part of Act 3, dedicated to songs from Karol’s latest album No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto. It also included “Te Llevaste Tó,” “Ahí,” “Alguien Que Te Amaba,” “Si Lo Ven” and “El Barco.”

  Watch part of the “BbY WOW” performance below:

• Act 5: Crystal Pool

  In an exquisitely choreographed display of pure sensuality, Karol and her dancers moved to a circular pool on a secondary stage, where they danced and twerked suggestively in the water to hits such as “Dile a la Luna,” “Bandida Entrenada,” “Ojos Ferrari” and “Una Noche en Medellín.” The camera direction visible on the screens was utterly hypnotic. Massive columns of white light shot skyward from around the edge of the pool, creating a stunning effect.

• The Finale

  If Act 1 kicked off with high energy, the finale was the culmination of a magical night that left the nearly 50,000 people in the stadium completely satisfied. Karol closed the show on a high note with a cumbia version of “Bichota,” a salsa version of “Tusa,” her recent hit “Coleccionando heridas” (originally recorded with Marco Antonio Solís) and her merengue track “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.” To wrap things up, she had the crowd jumping euphorically to her smash hit “Provenza (Remix),” which segued into a massive shower of confetti and fireworks. There was no encore — and none was needed.