Coliseo de Puerto Rico
This summer, Bad Bunny is set to transform Puerto Rico’s typically quieter season with a 30-show residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot (a.k.a. El Choli). Choosing not to tour globally, the Puerto Rican superstar will instead showcase his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, exclusively on his home turf from July 11 to Sept. 14. The extraordinary demand for tickets — with 400,000 selling within four hours, half to international tourists — confirms the residency’s global appeal and its potential to substantially enhance the island’s local economy during its sweltering summer months.
This residency concept represents a first for Puerto Rico. Although the Coliseo has hosted multiple back-to-back shows in the past, with artists such as Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel performing on consecutive weekends, the scope and magnitude of Bunny’s residency has never been seen before. This series of 30 shows is unprecedented not only for the number of shows but also for the intensity of the preparation and the international anticipation it’s been generating.
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On Jan. 5, Bunny released Debí Tirar, which reached No. 1 on multiple all-genre charts, including the Billboard 200 and Top Streaming Albums. Reflecting on this success, Benito told Billboard a few weeks after releasing the album, “Man, obviously I’m thankful with the way the world has embraced this album. The thing is, this project… it isn’t mine. It belongs to many people: everyone who worked with me, it belongs to Puerto Rico, my friends, my family. This project belongs to all of us who feel proud of being from Puerto Rico and being Latin.”
In anticipation of the residency, Alejandro Pabón, the Move Concerts promoter behind the residency, details the extensive preparations necessary to accommodate such an unprecedented influx of fans. “We’re expecting around 200,000 people from abroad visiting the island,” he says. “All the local businesses are going to be impacted. All the hotels are sold out. Today [Feb. 13], a local newspaper put out an article saying that for the residency dates, there’s a 70% surge on AirBnB.” While the volume of business will be overwhelming, Pabón mentions that the event’s organization relies on local labor, creating more job opportunities for Puerto Rican residents. “All the hotel staffing are going to have to level up because they’re expecting 100% capacity for those three months,” he says.
Preparing for the residency presents a complex challenge, introducing a level of scale and coordination previously unseen in Puerto Rico’s entertainment history. But it also promises to bring a raft of economic benefits to the island not typically seen during the summer season.
“Traditionally, July is the slowest month show-wise for the venue since forever. So we went and found the slowest period and booked it, which definitely is helping the economy,” says Pabón.
Travel and concierge expert Rob Dellibovi, who serves as founder/CEO of RDB Hospitality, elaborates on the strategic timing of the residency and its benefits to the local economy. “A time where it’s probably 30-40% occupancy, it’ll be like 90% because of all these shows,” he says. “The fact that they’re doing this in July and August is going to be a huge win for the island because nobody’s there at those times [due to the heat]. They’re not displacing any other kind of revenue; they’re just bringing people during the slow season to Puerto Rico.”
Pabón notes that Puerto Rico is well-equipped for major events, boasting a “state-of-the-art arena,” abundant “natural resources, great restaurants, and a lot of hotels.” Unlike typical residencies in cities like Las Vegas that feature international artists, this local showcase will potentially alter perceptions of the island as a global tourist hotspot.
Building on this framework, Coliseo de Puerto Rico has established itself as a rite of passage to Latin pop superstars and beyond. Situated in the heart of San Juan’s Milla de Oro, the venue has held some of Latin music’s most important events of the 21st century. A sold-out Coliseo performance is an affirmation of star power.
The Coliseo De Puerto Rico
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El Coliseo is no stranger to record-breaking events. In 2021, Karol G made history by becoming the first international female artist to set the record for the fastest ticket sales at the venue with two sold-out dates. More than a decade earlier, on March 14, 2010, Metallica became the fastest-selling concert ever at the Coliseo, drawing a crowd of 17,286. However, Bad Bunny has already surpassed Metallica’s record twice: first in March 2019 and again in July 2022. In 2019, Daddy Yankee broke Wisin & Yandel’s record for the most consecutive sold-out shows at the venue with a total of 10 concerts as part of his Con Calma Pa’l Choli tour — a record Benito is now poised to break.
Jorge L. Pérez, the general manager of Coliseo de Puerto Rico, calls Bad Bunny’s upcoming residency a “historic event.” He tells Billboard that in August 2023, Pabón and Noah Assad, Bad Bunny’s manager, unveiled the concept of the residency to him. “I was blown away,” says Pérez, underscoring the complexity of keeping the plans under wraps. “When they started working the room blocks, I got calls from a lot of skeptical hoteliers. They were like, ‘Why are they asking for so many rooms?! What is happening?!’ I was like, ‘I can’t reveal that information, give them all the available inventory that you have. We have a signed contract at Coliseo. This is legit.’”
With the months-long advance notice of 30 sold-out shows, Pérez says the planning becomes much more manageable. Helping matters, he says, is the fact that they are sourcing all concessions products locally, with the venue to feature a special menu highlighting local delicacies such as “alcapurrias and bacalaitos,” embracing Puerto Rican culinary traditions.
“[This residency] will position Puerto Rico as a premier entertainment destination,” says Pérez. “It will open the eyes of visitors who have never come to Puerto Rico. It will create awareness of Puerto Rico as an entertainment and leisure destination.”
Pérez says that growth has been evident in the post-COVID era, as the Coliseo has consistently ranked in the top 20 on Pollstar’s year-end list of highest ticket sales among arenas globally. On Billboard’s 2024 year-end list of Top Venues (15,001+ capacity), Coliseo de Puerto Rico was ranked No. 39, with a gross of $52.5 million and 750,000 tickets sold.
With the Bad Bunny residency and other scheduled events, Pérez says he expects to set a sales record at Coliseo, projecting total ticket sales between 1.3 and 1.4 million for the first time in a single year. He adds that the venue is on track to hold more than 100 events in a single year — another milestone. Because of Bunny’s residency, he says there’s potential for the Coliseo to place among the top five on Billboard’s year-end Top Venues chart. At a minimum, projections show 2025 sales increasing by 73% from last year.
While the venue has hosted residencies before, such as Daddy Yankee with 12 shows in 2019 and Wisin & Yandel with 14 in 2022, this is the first time the Coliseo has accommodated a residency of this magnitude, says Pérez. “The uniqueness about this is a call made by the artist, saying, ‘I released a new album that’s at the top of the charts globally, and I am not going on tour. If you want to see these concerts, you have to come to my island.’ I believe that this call is what makes this residency very special — and the impact it will have on the island’s economy,” he says.
“They’re digging into what the whole Vegas set up is,” says Dellibovi, describing the economic strategy behind such events. “The casinos know that if they have a huge act like Adele, Céline Dion or whoever is doing a residency…people are going to fly in for it — and the casino itself is going to make a ton of money.”
Of the potential ripple effects the Bunny residency might have on the global entertainment scene, Dellibovi hints that it could spawn a new potential trend. “Is Andrea Bocelli going to do an Italian residency? I have no idea,” he says. “I just think it’s super cool that this is going to spark a whole new residency game, in my opinion, where people are going to go to all these places to see the artist in their homeland. Every international artist from any country is going to be like, ‘Oh s—, I’m going to go back to wherever I’m from and have a month of shows and make a lot of money.’ Those cities are going to want it because there are slow seasons. They need it. Everyone’s going to want to support this.”
Echoing this sentiment, Pabón emphasizes the significance of cultural representation and local benefit: “Who wouldn’t want to showcase their hometown or contribute to it in a positive way? It’s not just going to be the Sphere or the MGM [Grand in Las Vegas] doing residences.”
Traveling to Puerto Rico is particularly convenient for Americans, as only a driver’s license is required for entry. Given this ease of access, Puerto Rico is well-positioned to outpace other popular Caribbean destinations such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic in attracting American tourists, Dellibovi points out.
“This is a big trip for people. That’s a party weekend,” he says. “Make sure you’re stocked and make sure your vibe is right. Make sure that you’re ready to deal with a crowd that’s there to have fun. This is not your typical beach crowd. This is going to be people who are in town to party.”
With more than 1.1 million Puerto Ricans residing in the New York metropolitan area, accounting for 6.7% of New York City’s population in 2020, according to the New York Academy of Sciences, the city not only serves as a significant cultural epicenter for the Puerto Rican diaspora but also stands as a primary source of attendees for major events in Puerto Rico. He expects that will be the case here as well.
“New York is the number one [demographic] of people that are going to come visit,” Pabón says. “I’m definitely expecting a lot of second and third-generation Puerto Ricans to come back home. I know that for a lot of them it is going to be the first time that they’ll come visit, because not all of them have had the chance to be here. I know it’s going to be a special [destination] that’s going to let them connect with their island. It was the artist’s idea to create this synergy between them and their island.”
According to the Puerto Rico Report, there are about 5.8 million Puerto Ricans living in the United States, compared with 3.2 million on the Island.
“This is like a pilgrimage, a Hajj for Puerto Ricans,” echoes Dellibovi. “If you’re Puerto Rican, and you love Bad Bunny, who’s not going to want to go to the homeland and see him? It’s the coolest experience ever for actual Puerto Ricans [living abroad].’ He continues, “Bad Bunny is the biggest Latin artist in the world. He is the only Latin artist who can sell out a stadium in any city in the world. He can go to Sweden, Tokyo, Sydney, anywhere. It’s very rare for a Latin artist to be able to do that.”
Pabón emphasizes the deeper motivation behind the residency, reflecting a sentiment shared by his team: “We’re doing this not just for business, that’s secondary. This is done for our country, for our identity, because we really love Puerto Rico. The artist really loves it. Noah really loves it, and all the team. It’s personal. We’re all really excited and happy about this.”
Bad Bunny delivers a spectacular show on any stage, but there’s nothing like seeing the megastar at home in Puerto Rico, performing for his day-ones. After wrapping up his Most Wanted Tour in the U.S., Benito brought the show to el Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan. All three shows, including last Sunday’s (June 9) finale, sold out.
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Benito gifted locals an extra-special event, packed with guest appearances and hometown-specific elements not offered elsewhere.
Most tellingly, he opened with a video montage created specifically for this weekend’s shows. In it, he reflects on the excitement of the earlier tour dates, but makes clear that performing at home is like nothing else. Nobody will better appreciate his work than his fellow Puerto Ricans on the archipelago, he says in the clip, before concluding: If you’ve seen Bad Bunny perform, but you haven’t seen him in Puerto Rico, then you haven’t really seen him at all.
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On Friday’s, Saturday’s and last night’s shows, a youthful, classical orchestra directed by Colombian musician Carlitos López was both the opening act and a live band. The orchestra was also a major feature of the U.S. dates; this weekend, however, the first number was different. The orchestra opened with “La Borinqueña,” Puerto Rico’s official anthem. The crowd came to attention quickly, shifting from anticipatory pre-show bustle into a beautiful choir.
Centered around his latest release, 2023’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana album, the U.S. dates featured two stages at opposite ends and a moving runway that descends from above. The Coliseo setup was the same — and considering the overwhelming number of cargo trailers outside the venue, it’s safe to assume Bad Bunny had the exact setup shipped in.
When the video went black, the orchestra began three Western-inspired overtures, setting a somber, solitary tone, before moving into “Nadie Sabe.” The orchestral opening and subsequent accompaniment was pretty ingenious in the satisfying cohesion it brought; the soundtrack of a companionless cowboy pairs well with the loneliness of fame, which Bad Bunny explores in the track’s lyrics.
When Bad Bunny rose, surrounded by fog, from a hidden opening in one of the stages, the crowd roared mightily. He maintained a stoic demeanor befitting the song, though — then hunched over his gleaming, silver mic at the end as fans chanted “Benito, Benito!”
The coliseum rattled as “Monaco” rolled in, then out — and Bad Bunny took a long moment to look around the giant space. He didn’t smile, yet he looked content. He nodded as if in acknowledgment of the love beaming at him from every direction.
Then came the guest appearances: Joining first for “Fina” was Young Miko, who bounced around the stage between dancers with a big black bow adorning her long blonde hair. Then came Mora for “Hibiki,” and later Yovngchimi for “Mercedes Carota” and Bryant Myers for “Seda.” Benito slowed the show there, stopping for a lights-off pep talk for fans, essentially about being yourself fully, regardless of the hate or admiration you receive.
Moving to the opposite stage, Luar La L hopped on for “Telefono Nuevo.” Shortly after, two lucha libre wrestlers appeared on the opposite stage. It was an awesomely bizarre method of distraction — meanwhile, Eladio Carrión was joining Bad Bunny on the runway to run through a slew of their collaborations.
Another stretch of Most Wanted feels like a piano bar, with only a pianist accompanying Benito as he runs through hits from his growing discography. He got extra playful with the element last night, though, playing a sort of guess-the-song game with fans. The pianist would play a few notes, he’d sing, then stop — did fans know the song? Of course, they always did. He apparently improvised plenty, as eventually the pianist stopped playing and it was only Bad Bunny singing a few bars — before, again, checking to see if fans knew the song. The game seemed to delight him. Here, he smiled plenty.
Again, special to these Puerto Rico dates, the mystery pianist’s identity was finally revealed. She’d been masked at every show since the start of Most Wanted, but removed the covering at the end of the set here, as Benito introduced her to the crowd as Tiffany Román.
Later, De La Ghetto rolled in for “Acho PR.” Then Arcángel hopped in for several cuts — the crowd went wild. Bomba players also joined onstage, with cabezudos wearing the mask also worn by Bad Bunny in the album visuals, as well as by the orchestra player and pianist.
There’s some practical rationale to the overabundance of guest stars in Puerto Rico, of course. It’s logistically easier for these artists to appear in concert alongside Bad Bunny when he’s playing where everyone’s based. Still, it’s a treat concertgoers simply can’t get anywhere but else but here.
In total, the Puerto Rico shows were each about an hour longer than the U.S. shows. Call it preferential treatment, and you’d be right — but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. His hometown fans are the reason Bad Bunny is who is today, and they’re forever his foundation. They deserve the best, and it’s beautiful that Bad Bunny never forgets it.
In 2005, Ednita Nazario sang for the first time at Coliseo de Puerto Rico. Beyond selling 15,000 tickets, the moment was memorable because Coliseo had only opened its doors the year before and Nazario –perhaps Puerto Rico’s most beloved female singer — had been instrumental in lobbying for its construction. That night, she became the first woman to sing at the venue, affectionately known as “El Choli.”
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Today, nearly 20 years later, Nazario holds the record as the woman with most shows at the fabled venue. After her sold-out performances of her “La Reina” (The Queen) shows on Saturday (May 13) and Sunday (May 14), she’ll also become the artist with most sold-out shows after Wisin & Yandel.
Billboard spoke with Nazario about what it means to return to Coliseo and what has happened there throughout her 21 shows.
How do you feel?
“I’m almost speechless, super excited and I can’t believe it. Who could imagine 21 shows was possible? It feels like the first time. It’s one of the things that’s most struck me about my job. The longer I do it, the nerves, the adrenaline, the fast-beating heart, the butterflies in my stomach, they’re a constant.”
What is your most requested song?
“The one that always has to be there, that they’ll request even if I’ve sung for three hours, is ‘Quiero que me hagas el amor (I want you to make love to me).’ It’s an iconic song in my repertoire that I’ll never be able to remove from my rundown. I tried it once and was very sorry. It’s the most expected song. Always.”
The song you most enjoy singing?
“That one. Without a doubt. It’s like an escape valve. It’s a license for free expression, passion, emotion, that takes me on my own trip. I love it, I lie down, I give it my all, I let go. And it’s such a beautiful moment because I see the faces of the audience, and they also go on their own trip, because it’s a very personal, very intimate song.”
I read once that chefs always include their favorite dishes in the menu, sometimes surreptitiously. Think lobster at a steakhouse. Which of your songs is like that?
“I always do that, even in my albums. There are songs I include because, independent of whether they fit or not, they are the lobsters in my steakhouse. In my shows, there’s several song s that are cathartic. Obviously, the show overall is meant to serve the audience, and give them what they want. But in this one, I added a couple of lobsters. There’s one moment that has a message that needs to be there. And the other is a super fun song called ‘Cansada de estar cansada (Tired of Being Tired).’ It’s a really fun rock ‘n’ roll I wrote several years ago, but is still relevant today.”
Tell me about your first Coliseo?
“It was the ‘Apasionada’ show in 2005 and I was so nervous because it was my first time there. Coliseo is very personal to me because I was part of a group of people who lobbied for its construction. At the time, Puerto Rico didn’t have a venue like that, and I lobbied hard with businessmen and other people to have it built. It was definitely a historic moment, as a woman, as a Puerto Rican artist. Selling out that venue three consecutive nights is something I don’t take for granted.”
Concierto de Ednita Nazario “Apasionada” En El Coliseo De Puerto Rico .
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Memorable moments?
“When the bed comes down from the ceiling during ‘Quiero que me hagas el amor.’ That’s an iconic moment. So much so that we have a memorabilia exhibit at the entrance of this show, and the original bed is there. Another moment was when Ricky Martin showed up as a surprise guest. Or the first time I invited reggaetón artist, which wasn’t done at the time. I brought Héctor el Father and Ivy Queen in an amazing duet. Also, the time I had Luis Angel, the father of my daughter, and she also came onstage. He wrote some of my most iconic songs, and sang them with me. Those are unforgettable moments.”
Worst moment?
“There was a show where I had to fly over the audience while sitting on a swing. And for some reason, the swing started to spin around. It got tangled high above and formed a sort of braid. So I was spinning around like a crazy person over people’s heads, and I wasn’t tied to anything. I was terrified. But I think the adrenaline helped me and I just kept on singing.”
After so many shows, what will be different this time?
“We’re doing a kind of recap of iconic moments of those past 19 shows. And we’ve chosen specific songs from each of those shows, although obviously, I’ll include new material. The concept of ‘La Reina’ comes from having been called ‘The Queen of El Choli.’ But i gave it a twist, because I think we carry our kingdoms within. All human beings are monarchs of their own castles, and that castle is what you carry inside: Your mind and your spirit. And we can all reign over our own lives while we’re here. So, it will be like a reunion of monarchs where we all are kings and Queens. We built a central runway that takes me to the middle of the audience so I can see them up close. And obviously, the songs are those that have really resonated with them. And, yes, we’ll have special surprises.”
How will you celebrate?
“After the first show, I’ll go to sleep. After the second one, we have an after party with the team and my daughter will also be there. She flew in this week. I also told everyone on staff to bring their moms, because we’ll be working Mother’s Day. It will be a special night.”
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