Reggaeton star J Balvin and singer-songwriter Kali Uchis headlined the opening day of the fifth anniversary Sueños Music Festival at Grant Park in Chicago on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
The two artists guided the crowd through distinct multi-lingual performances, bringing unique approaches to bridging language barriers for the diverse festival audience.
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Kali Uchis Opens with Dreamy Medley
Uchis opened her debut set with a dreamy medley of "Telepatía" and "Moonlight" while wearing an all-white, silver-studded leather outfit backed by dancers framing her with white feathers.
The artist, who was born in Virginia to Colombian parents, utilizes atmospheric pacing, lush lighting, and immersive moods to maintain emotional synchronization with crowds regardless of whether she sings in English or Spanish.
During her performance, she interacted warmly with the crowd, who surprised her by knowing the lyrics to her throwback tracks like "Speed," "Loner," and "Dead to Me."
"I really love being in Chicago," said Kali Uchis, blowing a kiss to the audience. "It's one of my favorite cities."
Following her performance, Uchis is scheduled to continue her live appearances with upcoming concert dates across the United States throughout June and August 2026.
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J Balvin Returns to Grant Park
J Balvin made his return to Grant Park later that evening, marking his third time performing at the venue after historically becoming the first Latino artist to headline Lollapalooza there in 2019.
The Colombian artist launched his headlining set with his 2020 single "Blanco" before performing major hits like "Con Altura," "Reggaeton," and "Amarillo" alongside dancers dressed in full denim.
The energy of the crowd built significantly when Balvin played his hit track "I Like It" and transitioned into older fan favorites like "Ay Vamos" and "La Canción."
"And to those who don't speak Spanish, thank you for coming," said J Balvin, addressing the festival attendees during a break in his set.
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Balvin dedicated the remainder of his performance to hardworking Latinos before closing the night's festivities with "Mi Gente," "Que Calor," and "In Da Ghetto" amid a fireworks display.
