Lives in Marenostrum: Meet an Ambassador of Urban Culture

One of the most fascinating developments in this wonderful world called pop in recent years has been this: artists can achieve resounding success, both commercially and artistically, and yet remain anonymous to a large part of the world's population. This can easily be verified privately by asking, for example, a typical Western European over 30 to whistle a song by Black Pink, or to name a member of the band BTS.

Neither of these groups has been less notable than the Beatles in the 60s. They simply exist in a different part of the world that is not as culturally permeable as social media would suggest. Mora falls into this category. He could walk down Larios Street and only his hardcore fans would stop him.

Mora's concert at Maresnostrum. The 18,000 tickets sold out in just a few minutes. This artist, whose real name is Gabriel Armando Mora Quintero, is already a megastar. Excuse the sticky superlative. But he proved it not only on stage this Saturday. He is touring the world and everywhere he goes, the 'sold out' sign hangs.

The more than two hours that the show lasted confirmed the following: it's not strange not to know Mora. But it is somewhat a pity for those who are capable of enjoying all the genres that music offers. Especially considering the good live performance he possesses. The young man is, after all, one of the most promising artistic figures of his generation. He is one of the most distinctive representatives of the so-called reggaeton.

Because it's undeniable that there was some depth. Mora offered a journey through various genres and one could identify sounds of reggae, hip-hop, merengue, and EDM. The Puerto Rican also incorporated clear touches of trap rap, something that has had a strong influence on recent pop music, as well as the popular autotune effect in these genres.

With a slight delay of seven minutes and with part of the audience still looking for parking, Mora took to the stage with 'Lo mismo de siempre', the eponymous theme of his current tour. The young Puerto Rican possesses that weightlessness granted by charisma. The sunglasses and the cap worn backwards emphasized this in the aesthetic department. He continued with 'Bandida', 'Aurora', and 'Jory'. Four songs were enough to see that the remaining ones would be chanted and screamed like a gale.

A star with his name or a prize for those who resisted recording. Because this was another tone of the concert. The confirmation that the mobile phone is a milestone that, for better or worse, has changed the way of consuming a live show. At times, it seemed like a poisoned candy. Because what you think you record as a memory actually deprives you of living the moment fully, and no photo improves the one embedded in the brain, nor does a 'facetime' improve the palpable good company of someone you care a lot about.

Mora is not a music alchemist. He is not a physicist who has reinvented the genre. Perhaps, that is something reserved for Bad Bunny. But he does have a talent for placing effective hits. His songs are danceable and portray the romantic day-to-day of many young people.

Some, perhaps, with an excess of toxicity that invite repeating a pattern that is not advisable. On the other hand, who hasn't been toxic in their relationships at 20-something? The song 'Droga' was performed genuinely with Mora singing C. Tangana's part, something he did not do later with the rest of the songs that had collaborations and in which playback was used.

The interaction with the audience was more or less constant. "Do you still have battery?" "From one to ten, how much are you enjoying the concert?" "Did we come to have a good time?" These are just a few examples of questions that brought more than obvious answers.

After more than 30 songs, the concert ended with 'Memorias' and 'Detrás de tu alma', with an audience already completely animated. Mora promises to continue sweeping the concerts he has left to give in Spain, all already labeled as 'sold out'.

Meanwhile, over the Marenostrum venue, hung the memory of a stereotyped concert, okay, yes, but with the feeling that it was worth it because one had just seen one of the greats of the moment in urban music. To each their own, of course. Or to quote the protagonist: the same as always.