The Ivete Sangalo Experience

My wife Cristina and Ivete Sangalo

I’ve never been a fan of Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo. But my wife is. Has always been. And that was enough reason for me to escort her to Sangalo’s first US Tour concert at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. But wait a second. Last I checked, the AAA had capacity for over 15,000 people. I know Sangalo can attract that kind of audience tenfold anywhere in Brazil. But can she do the same in the US? The answer was no. But clearly the number of people on the floor doesn’t interefere with her ability to put on a show.

Ivete is fun and knows how to entertain. She is simple, natural and has the intelligence and the skill to make fun even of things that don’t go exactly as planned, such as a spotlight operator that never shut the light off the entire concert. “I don’t know what else to do, he doesn’t understand English and he doesn’t understand Portuguese”, she said on the microphone after being chased all night long by the powerful beam. Only performers that achieved the statue of Sangalo – who will take the stage at the Madison Square Garden in September – can afford to be this genuine. And fun. Her voice – and stamina – did impress me. Even while dancing frenetically from one side of the stage to another, running like crazy in the middle of her 17-member entourage, her voice did not give in. After the concert, I had the feeling my mission was complete. I was able to provide my wife with a fun evening. She danced all the time and fulfilled her desire to see Sangalo live in concert. I had fun too, and grew a lot of respect for Sangalo and her band. That doesn’t mean I became a fan.

Almost 7,000 people danced the night away at the
American Airlines Arena to the beats of Ivete Sangalo

A short walk separates the American Airlines Arena from the Intercontinental Hotel, where we decided to spend the night. It turns out that Ivete Sangalo and her entire staff picked the same hotel. And being a good sport and a good husband, I sucumbed to my wife’s desire to meet Ivete Sangalo. “And I want to take a photo with her”, my wife said. Then I cringed. And yet we hung out at the lobby until midnight when the singer finally showed up. While I was setting up my cell phone’s camera, my wife whispered at Ivete’s ears: “my husband is thinking I’m crazy for asking to take a picture with you”. Sangalo whispered back at my wife’s ears: “don’t mind him, these crazy things we do in life are the absolute best”. She gave my elated, teary wife a hug and a kiss and walked away. And that’s when I became her fan.

Eduardo Schneider
Editor-in-Chief
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