Suenos Music Festival kicked off Saturday in Grant Park<\/a>, where many fans were decked out in pink in homage to headliner Kali Uchis. Lace corset tops, mini skirts with long frilled layers and rhinestones dominated the outfits on the park grounds. <\/p>\n Attendees also eagerly awaited the night\u2019s closer, Colombian singer J Balvin, who made his return to Grant Park to mark the fifth year of the festival.<\/p>\n Earlier in the day, Gov. JB Pritzker made a surprise appearance with Dr. Simi<\/a>, an iconic mascot of Mexico\u2019s largest pharmaceutical franchise, to hype up Venezuelan singer-songwriter and record producer Danny Ocean before he took to the stage.<\/p>\n Here are a few highlights from day one of the festival.<\/p>\n J Balvin performs on the main stage during the first day of Sue\u00f1os Music Festival Saturday in Grant Park.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n As the fog lifted away on Saturday night, J Balvin kicked off his Sue\u00f1os headliner set with his 2020 single \u201cBlanco.\u201d<\/p>\n Jos\u00e9 \u00c1lvaro Osorio Balv\u00edn, known to the world as J Balvin, helped close out the first-ever Sue\u00f1os Music Festival in 2022. He returned Saturday for the fifth anniversary of the music festival, which featured Kali Uchis, Danny Ocean, Manuel Turizo and Tito El Bambino on Day 1.<\/p>\n The Colombian singer has a special connection to Grant Park: In 2019, J Balvin performed at the Bud Light stage at Lollapalooza. He made music history as the first Latino and Spanish-language artist to headline the Chicago megafest.<\/p>\n Balvin sported a bright yellow jacket and brown slacks. Backup dancers decked out in head-to-toe denim outfits accompanied him on stage as he continued his set with songs \u201cCon Altura,\u201d \u201cReggaeton\u201d and \u201cAmarillo.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd\u2019s energy was low to start, but things picked up a bit as he went on with \u201cAzul.\u201d Later, Balvin kicked things up another notch with the hit song \u201cI Like It,\u201d which he worked on with fellow musicians Bad Bunny and Cardi B.<\/p>\n Saturday was the third time Balvin got to play the song for fans in Grant Park, and they were not disappointed. In the VIP section, couples and groups of friends danced along and belted out the words of the chorus from the top of their lungs.<\/p>\n Balvin, now grinning from ear to ear, was visibly enjoying himself. The energy picked up a bit more from that point on, and more fans began to sing and bounce along as the singer began singing one of his most popular hits \u201cLoco contigo.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans also reacted positively to tracks \u201cSi Tu Novio Te Deja Sola\u201d and \u201cSafari,\u201d two throwbacks to a golden era of 2010s Latin trap and reggaeton.<\/p>\n At this point, it was unclear whether Osorio Balv\u00edn brought the latest version of J Balvin to Sue\u00f1os. Additionally, the crowd remained pretty mild about halfway through the singer\u2019s set.<\/p>\n But during the song \u201cAy Vamos,\u201d the real Balvin stepped up and the crowd responded with delight. The tune comes from his 2014 album \u201cLa Familia B Sides\u201d \u2014 the record that launched him to fame. (It even won Best Urban Song at the 16th Latin Grammy Awards.)<\/p>\n On \u201cLa Canci\u00f3n,\u201d Balvin asked everyone to put their lights up for the sentimental song about that one song that brings up memories of heartbreak and yearning. Fans went wild for the song, which comes from the \u201cOasis\u201d album, the singer\u2019s iconic collaboration with Bad Bunny.<\/p>\n Taking a moment to catch his breath, Balvin thanked the crowd for welcoming him back to Sue\u00f1os on Saturday night.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd to those who don\u2019t speak Spanish, thank you for coming,\u201d Balvin told the crowd. He dedicated his set to \u201call the [hardworking] Latinos\u201d in the park.<\/p>\n Next, Balvin performed a powerful version of \u201cRojo\u201d that included a backtrack with a chorus of singers, but the moment would\u2019ve been stronger with the addition of a live (and local?) choir.<\/p>\n Balvin shouted out the names of as many Latin American countries as he could while performing another top hit, \u201cMi Gente\u201d (featuring Willy William). His accompanying DJ hyped fans up to a massive beat drop into one of the most infectious parts of the song: \u201cTamo\u2019 rompiendo la discoteca\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The energy built up to a peak with \u201cQue Calor,\u201d another popular anthem with EDM beats, and his closing song, \u201cIn Da Ghetto.\u201d Fans jumped, pumped their fists and sang along to the repetitive final melody of the night until fireworks started going off.<\/p>\n Kali Uchis performs on the main stage during the first day of Sue\u00f1os Music Festival Saturday in Grant Park.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If there is a single artist at Sue\u00f1os that deserves her own Barbie Dreamhouse, it\u2019s Kali Uchis.<\/p>\n Behind the Colombian singer-songwriter, who emerged in her iconic eyeliner and an all-white silver-studded leather outfit, stood an army of backup dancers also in white. They framed Uchis with long white feathers to complete her angelic and ethereal look as she kicked off her set.<\/p>\n She marked the beginning of her Sue\u00f1os debut with a dreamy medley of \u201cTelepat\u00eda\u201d and \u201cMoonlight.\u201d The visuals simulated Uchis\u2019 own version of an \u201cit\u201d girl dream house, while the stage was decorated with luxurious touches, including a pink chaise lounger.<\/p>\n Uchis brought some serious perreo<\/i> and much-needed heat to Sue\u00f1os on Saturday night. Throngs of fans went wild for her as they waved Colombian flags and homemade signs dedicated to the singer.<\/p>\n After noting that she was pleasantly surprised by Saturday night\u2019s clear skies, Uchis went on to express her love for the Windy City. \u201cI really love being in Chicago,\u201d Uchis told fans after blowing them a big kiss. \u201cIt\u2019s one of my favorite cities.\u201d<\/p>\n Uchis then warned the crowd that the next few songs would be throwbacks and forgave the audience for potentially not knowing all of the lyrics. They proved her wrong as fans knew the words to the rest of the set list.<\/p>\n Accompanied by her band, Uchis hit the gas and steered things in an angstier direction with her 2015 song \u201cSpeed.\u201d More throwbacks included \u201cLoner\u201d and \u201cDead to Me.\u201d<\/p>\n Born in Virginia to Colombian parents, Uchis and her family moved back to Colombia when she was about 5 years old. Her music is a unique reflection of both cultures \u2014 she\u2019s got hits in English and Spanish (and even some in Spanglish), plus major collaborations with artists like Tyler, the Creator, Bootsy Collins and Karol G.<\/p>\n Uchis performed a few of those throughout her set, including \u201cLabios Mordidos,\u201d \u201cSee You Again\u201d and \u201cAfter The Storm.\u201d The singer closed out her set with a notably funkier version of \u201cTelepat\u00eda,\u201d right after promising Chicago she\u2019d be returning very soon.<\/p>\n Danny Ocean performs on the main stage during the first day of Sue\u00f1os Music Festival Saturday in Grant Park.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Known to most fans by his 2017 single \u201cMe Reh\u00faso,\u201d Venezuelan singer-songwriter and record producer Danny Ocean made his Sue\u00f1os debut on Saturday.<\/p>\n Ocean probably wasn\u2019t expected to have so much success nearly a decade after releasing that smash hit. But something about his music is increasingly relatable \u2014 especially to the dozens and dozens of Venezuelan fans who gathered around the main stage with flags of their shared homeland.<\/p>\nJ Balvin<\/h3>\n
Kali Uchis<\/h3>\n
![\"Kali](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/760fbea\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3000x2000+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F57%2F25%2Ff6174ae84ce1a2d7d7b4e843502c%2Fsuenosday1-260524-38.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/picture>\nDanny Ocean<\/h3>\n
![\"Danny](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/45d18aa\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3000x2000+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F31%2Fba%2Faf6c3be241ea81e4d794fdd41fd9%2Fsuenosday1-260524-25.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n