Vanesa Martín returns to Málaga to open 'Casa Mía': "I ask that you let me be your hostess"

Málaga is the birthplace of artists. From Picasso to Banderas, this city can be called home without the need to build walls. There are homes whose ... real estate is measured in memories. They are sustained by memory and emotion. Last night, Vanesa Martín opened the doors of 'Casa Mía' at a packed Martín Carpena and requested something unusual for big concerts: "I ask you to let me be your hostess." She couldn't offer ham or cheese. But she did offer memories, embraced wounds, desires, freedom, and a place to return to.

The artist from Málaga kicked off her 'Casa Mía' tour in her city, "being more home than ever," and attendees were able to share an evening with her, sometimes romantic and sometimes heartbreaking. 'Casa Mía' is not only Vanesa's ninth album, but it is also an introspective journey that explores the emotions and memories that compose her identity. Twenty years in music that the artist celebrates "with more foundations, more excitement, and more desire to reach deep into your memories and your heart." This tour is not limited to Spain; Vanesa will lay the foundations of her home across the ocean, specifically in Argentina, where the composer will give four concerts.

Málaga appeared early in the speech. Not as a postcard, but as a learning experience. "How lucky I am to be from this city, to have been born in my family, to be from Málaga, which has taught me to feel, to love, to make mistakes, and, above all, the way back," she said emotionally. She talked about the Málaga character as a form of hospitality that is not proclaimed but practiced. "I always say it's not because I'm from here, but we are people I would ask out," she joked amid laughter, before admitting that, no matter how much she flies, she always wants to return. The concert started with 'Hábito de ti,' dressed in a black sequin suit and lace top, supported by a solid band of guitars, saxophone, and drums encapsulated in an echo atmosphere, along with a staging that alternated between intimacy and explosion.

Adamuz, the fragile life

One of the most poignant moments came when the concert paused to look outside the stage. Vanesa Martín raised her voice for the victims of the Adamuz train accident. "You realize that life is very fragile. We have been in shock for several days and still can't process it," she confessed with the venue in silence. The connection was close. She recounted the case of Carmen Morales, a regular follower who was traveling in one of the wrecked cars. She denounced the vulnerability of citizens in "a society that should look after our safety" and sent a clear message: "My love, my respect, and my hug to the victims, the injured, and their families. Let's cling to life more than ever."

Vanesa Martín enjoyed singing some of her most iconic songs with the audience, such as "Hábito de ti" or "Complicidad." The attendees vibrated not only with the music but also with the journey of the artist from Málaga, whose songs have accompanied generations through different stages of their lives. She turned music into a home to return to at any time. Although this "home of hers" not only holds past memories. She also presented new songs from this album on stage, exploring her emotional roots, like 'Objetos perdidos' or 'Tenemos universo de sobra'.

One of the surprises of the night was the almost telepathic appearance of Joaquín Sabina, a close friend of Vanesa. The veteran singer from Jaén participated in this concert through a video showing clips of him recording the song 'No nos supimos querer' with the artist from Málaga. They often have everyday meetings where she shows him her lyrics. In a chat over coffee, she managed to convince her friend to record this song with her, after Sabina lamented that Vanesa Martín could not meet one of his great references, 'Chabeli Vargas'. The composer responded to Sabina with a loving "but I have you." An anecdote that reflects the great affection they have for each other.

Who would you leave your side of the bed for?

The night made room for play and the celebration of love in all its forms. The artist from Málaga posed a question to the audience: "Who would you leave your side of the bed for?" The first response came from Virginia, from Alicante, who pointed to her wife, amid applause. Her initial speech was indeed carried out: "I ask you to let me put emotions, memories, strengths, desires, freedoms in your heart." The game continued to the end of the stands, where Pablo spoke up. "I would leave my side of the bed for my wife." Then it happened. He brought one of the most special moments of the night. He knelt down and pulled out a ring from a different green box. The Carpena exploded. Vanesa, also the hostess of that moment, led the moment towards 'Preciosidad,' as if the house expanded to accommodate one more story.

Amid the intensity of the feelings, Vanesa needed to take a break to share a funny anecdote with her fans. She relaxed and made her audience laugh. The artist shared that, while the 2024 Paris Olympics were being celebrated, she was asked to sing something to cheer on the athletes. She confesses she thought, "I don't have any sports-themed songs to sing." Along with the audience, she mentally reviewed all her songs to see if any could fit what they asked for. After several unsuccessful attempts, where only songs of melancholy and heartbreak came to mind, Vanesa concluded: "I need to start singing more upbeat songs."

Finally, the chosen one as her "most sports-related song" was "90 minutes." Not for its rhythm, but because it coincides with the duration of soccer matches. Although Vanesa had to defend her song in front of the Spanish Water Polo Team, where matches last 32 minutes. A fact that the artist from Málaga admitted she did not know, but "it turned out very nice."

The downside of this intimate evening organized by Vanesa Martín is that, like all, it had to come to an end. Málaga, the city that saw her born and reach the highest peaks in the music world, saw how its hostess gathered the emotions she had scattered around her particular living room, until closing the doors of her house. Although being Málaga we're talking about, that door always remains ajar: "No matter how much I fly, I always want to return to Málaga." Because there are many houses, but only one home.