Dueno del Cielo , the phrase in Spanish meaning “Owner of the Sky” and name of HUMBE’s latest album and tour. In the context of his album, it acts as a message of emotional vulnerability, self-discovery, and healing, feelings that were shown and felt through elaborate lighting, set design, and performance at his latest concert in Dallas. Humbe performed at the Toyota Pavilion for his 8th stop in his USA tour.
The opener of the show, Arath Herce, entered the stage with only a guitar, his voice, and a harmonica. His presence was kind and gentle, as was his music, with tracks like Resistire and Musas en Mi. His songs fit right under the folk genre with a soulful classic feel and a strong, deep voice to portray it. The collaboration between him and Humbe on this tour felt intentional with the shared themes in their art.
Not getting the memo that the dress code for the night was blue, for his new album’s aesthetic, I walked in very underdressed. The hues of blues in simple and extravagant outfits in the crowd of both older and younger generations were beautiful to see. The set truly began before Humbe entered the stage, but with the crowd sitting up out of their chairs, cheering him on stage. When the lights dimmed, everyone was signaled to get ready for the show to begin.
Standing so close to the stage, inches away from the speakers, I felt my teeth vibrate to the sound. The show started with the song Astros from his 2024 album, ARMAGEDON, accompanied by background dancers and a stylish puffer jacket; an enticing start to the night.
The set design for the performance changed throughout the night, but stood out the most, next to his performance. The theme of blue was present in the lighting and background visuals and progressed with each song. A 2-tiered platform at the center of the stage is where Humbe primarily performed, with additional props and sets being put on and off the stage. Things like fake clouds attached to the bottom of his end of the mic stand, inflatable decorative clouds, blue laser beams that resembled ocean waves, and a simple wooden chair, which was used for a surprise lap dance (yes, that happened, and I was right in fro
nt of them when it happened. I was in shock). It was also used during my favorite sequence for the night, involving the artist sitting next to a human-shaped grass fern with flowers that grow around it. Marking one of the most sentimental representations of grief and artistic props I’ve ever seen at a concert. Everything on stage felt intentional and brought the performance to life.
For high school, Sruja, Humbe was a staple artist who got me through the highs and lows. I was mainly excited to see old tracks such as “Te Lo Prometo” from his 2023 album ESENCIA and “Amor de Cine” from his 2021 album AURORA. The set list consisted of songs from those two albums, including his latest, Dueno Del Cielo. A lengthy setlist of songs of different genres, from R&B and pop to almost operatic songs, together showed the range that he could perform.
TW: Opinion: DANCE AT CONCERTS MORE!
I swear I could count on my fingers how many people in my section, at least, who were dancing or remotely moving. Then it occurred to me he could be singing about his depression, and I would’ve been swaying to it. Either way, there were plenty of opportunities to dance and to cry; safe to say I did both. For someone who doesn’t remember a lick of Spanish after high school, I was at a loss for what the meaning behind the songs was, of course, but the emotion his voice evokes said much more.
A highlight for me was the song Bandera, which I wasn’t too familiar with, but the performance of this song had me in awe. His lively, energetic performance connected him to the audience, and his presence overall transitioned from confident and sensual into friendly and welcoming through his conversations with the audience and childlike giggles in between songs. Throughout the show, the music shifted from a space-like feel with star visuals, an ode to his album ARMOGEON, to an ethereal nature of ESCANCIA with visuals of the sky and flowers.
Finally being able to witness him in concert made high school and college Sruja very happy. The night ended on a high note with his most popular single, Fantasmas, a ballad about memory, loss, and nostalgia, along with two songs off of his latest album, Morfina and Ashwagandha, leaving the crowd with a bittersweet ending and a lot to think about on the drive home.
