MARRIAGE PROPOSALS, HITS & GUESTS: MANUEL CARRASCO MAKES HISTORY AT BERNABéU IN MADRID

In an emotional evening, Manuel Carrasco left his mark on Spanish music history by becoming the first national artist to fill the renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. With more than 60,000 fans in attendance, the Andalusian singer closed his Corazón y Flecha tour with a flourish on Saturday (June 29).

"Good evening, Madrid! They ask what the secret is. There is no secret or talisman. The only secret and the greatest treasure is you who have come to join me tonight," Carrasco said as he welcomed his fans. "It's so beautiful it doesn't seem real, it doesn't seem true. I'm filling the Bernabéu without Real Madrid playing. Let's live the moment!"

Carrasco rose to fame in 2002 competing in reality show Operación Triunfo. Since then, he has built a successful career with nine studio albums and numerous milestones. In 2022, he set a record by gathering more than 74,000 people at La Cartuja in Seville, the largest audience at a concert by a solo Spanish artist. Now, he has repeated the feat by filling the Santiago Bernabéu.

The concert on Saturday, which lasted two and a half hours, was a celebration of his career and was full of surprises and guests. The first was Niña Pastori, with whom he performed "Ayer noche" and "Amor de San Juan." Shortly after, Luis Fonsi appeared on stage to sing "Coquito" and "Échame la culpa" with Carrasco, and Camilo also joined him, singing "Salitre" and "Vida de rico."

Later in the evening, Malú took the stage to sing "Que nadie," followed by an emotional performance of "Libélula," dedicated to the memory of the Spanish influencer and activist Elena Huelva. However, the highlight of the night came with Juanes, who performed "Ya no" and "A Dios le pido," unleashing a frenzy.

In a particularly memorable moment, Carrasco also performed a song written especially for the occasion, waving an LGBT flag and advocating for the end of the war and the suffering of Palestinian children. And during his performance of "Volviste," five couples got engaged as Carrasco mingled with the audience. They were selected from a total of 954 marriage proposals received by the show's producers.

The night culminated with "Hasta por la mañana," closing a tour that began more than a year ago in Miami and took Carrasco throughout Spain, playing for over 300,000 fans.

"The last arrow", as theshow was titled, not only celebrated the success Carrasco's album Corazón y Flecha (Heart and Arrow) but also consolidated Carrasco as an icon of contemporary Spanish music. Carrasco ended the concert as he had begun each of the shows on this tour: launching an arrow, but this time, surrounded by his children.

"Now, it's time to say goodbye, lower the curtain to make way for new horizons. I hope we meet again on the road or in the stars. Thank you, Madrid. I love you very much. Thank you so much for tonight," he said, before disappearing behind the stage.