Ozuna came back to Israel and this time brought more of the Afro-Carribean vibes with him from his native Puerto Rico. The reggaeton star took to the stage with a big smile, repeatedly telling the crowd about his love for Tel Aviv. Playing for about an hour and fifteen minutes, the artist went through all of his hits and gave the crowd a lot of attention. He gave birthday shout-outs, jumped down onto the ground to be eye-level with fans and poured his heart out in song throughout the evening.
With four more years under his belt and a load of fresh collaborations with artists like Shakira, Selena Gomez, Cardi B., Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee, Ozuna has grown into a true professional since his last performance in Israel in 2019. Returning for the second time to Live Park in Rishon, this time, the 31-year-old packed out the house with few tickets available, unlike his last show which was well–attended, but nothing like this.
Ozuna waved and even draped himself in an Israeli flag toward the end of the show, telling the crowd he loved them. It’s a bold move in today’s anti-Israel atmosphere that has seeped its way into Hollywood and the music industry.
Ozuna’s shining moments included his touching rendition of the song “Ibiza,” which nearly had this writer and fan in tears. He also belted out “Se Preparo,” another original Ozuna hit, which had the audience singing along in a language they probably did not even understand. Ozuna, staying true to his brand, spoke to the audience in Spanish. It delighted the many Colombians and Latinos in the country who certainly assembled from all four corners to get a fix of their hometown taste.
Ozuna played a show for thousands, but it felt like it was executed just for me. His devotion to the songs and boyish smiles that naturally crept up along the way were all indicators that this artist truly loves what he does. Many stayed after the show ended just to continue dancing to popular music that a DJ played. People in Israel went home with an island breeze, some movement in their hips and a lot of love from Puerto Rico.
