Enrique Iglesias stuns fans with 90-minute hit-filled set
Enrique Iglesias held his fifth and largest-ever concert in Bulgaria at Levski National Stadium in Sofia, where over 30,000 fans sang along with the performer on Saturday evening. The event featured a 90-minute set with 19 songs, including chart-topping hits and fan favourites, CE Report quotes BTA.
Iglesias delivered a 90-minute set at the national stadium, performing 19 songs. The concert began with a short introduction and opened in Spanish with “Subeme la radio” (2017), followed by “Freak” (2014), “Chasing The Sun” (2021), “Be with You” (2000), “Heartbeat” (2010), “Duele el corazon” (2016), originally recorded with Puerto Rican rapper Wisin, and his breakthrough 1999 single “Bailamos.”
During “Cuando Me Enamoro” (2010), Iglesias walked into the center of the stadium to join the audience. Before performing “Ring My Bells” (2007), he greeted the crowd in Bulgarian with “Nazdrave,” (cheers) then poured a shot for himself and the vocalist he called his on-stage friend. Together, they performed “Takin’ Back My Love” (2008), a song originally recorded as a duet with Ciara. Iglesias joked that the audience was 60% women and 40% men.
The Latin party under the stars continued with “Me Pase” (2021), which, along with “Chasing The Sun,” was one of the most recent additions to the September 20 setlist. The single features Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Farruko and is included on the Spanish artist’s second-to-last album.
After returning to the main stage, the concert continued with “I Like How It Feels” (2011), “Tired Of Being Sorry” (2007), “Escape” from the album of the same name (2001), which concluded with elements of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” and “Tonight I’m Lovin’ You” (2010).
One of the most memorable and engaging moments was Iglesias’ admission that he enjoys several things: writing and performing music, spending time with his fans, being with his family, and having a drink on Saturday nights. After saying this, he took a sip from a bottle and asked, “Sofia, is anyone drinking here? No, right? And who tonight is 18 or older? And who is under 18? Okay, okay, okay. Don’t start drinking until you’re 85.”
For “Hero,” one of his major hits from the early 2000s, Iglesias once again moved to the center of the arena. He continued with “El Perdon,” originally a duet with Nicky Jam, followed by the global hit “Bailando.” For the finale, he performed “I Like It,” typically a duet with Pitbull, handling both parts himself as hundreds of white balloons marked with his initials (EI) filled the venue, accompanied by a dramatic fireworks display.
ENRIQUE AND BULGARIA
Enrique Iglesias made his debut performance in Bulgaria at an open-air concert on September 29, 2010. During the event, he engaged with the audience by speaking a few words in Bulgarian.
On December 14, 2015, he performed a solo concert as part of his Sex And Love World Tour at Arena Armeec. “Sorry I'm late,” Iglesias said in fluent Bulgarian after several songs; the concert began two hours behind schedule in a full venue. The long wait was the only drawback in a night where the artist engaged the audience and delivered a well-executed show, according to attendees.
He invited a father and son on stage to sing. To support the child, he offered him water and gave the parent alcohol. Before pouring a second drink, Iglesias asked who would be driving home. He then took a girl's phone from the audience and pretended to call her boyfriend, saying, “She’ll be home late.” Arena Armeec used an alternative stage setup for the first time.
Due to high demand, Iglesias returned to perform in Bulgaria on May 14, 2016, at the same venue, arriving this time just 50 minutes late. The event was especially memorable for Neli and Ivan from Plovdiv; Iglesias facilitated their engagement in front of 15,000 attendees, taking on the role of pastor. Prior to the proposal, Ivan had held up a sign requesting Iglesias's assistance in proposing from the stage.
When Ivan proposed to Neli, Iglesias captured the moment with a tablet. Their spontaneous "wedding" concluded with a performance of “Stand By Me” from Ben E. King's collection. The 15-minute romantic interlude was not the evening's only surprise; Iglesias admitted, “Last time I wasn’t at my best, but you, Bulgaria, deserve nothing less than excellence.”
Two and a half years later, on November 6, 2018, at Arena Armeec, he delivered a 90-minute concert featuring all his popular songs as part of the All The Hits Live tour. Using a dual-stage arrangement to engage with more fans, Iglesias danced with a female attendee, accepted gifts and flowers, and maintained a constant smile throughout the performance.
