Bad Bunny’s First-Ever Performance in Asia Was a Hit-Filled Victory Lap

In front of less than 2,000 of the singer’s biggest fans plus a few dozen more VIPs — Blackpink’s Lisa could be seen turning up hard during “Dákiti,” and contemporary artist Takashi Murakami had his two hands in the air more often than they were by his side — Bad Bunny ran through hit after hit, delighting the crowd in Tipstar Dome Chiba, about an hour east from Tokyo’s Shibuya crossing.

All in all, Bad Bunny has 29 songs that have hit over a billion streams on Spotify, but it’s not all about the numbers for the star: “Muchos números, pero no son números. Sino personas con las que he conectado a través de todos estos años con mi música, entonces por eso estamos aquí con ustedes,” he told the crowd, underlining that all the streams he’s racked up symbolized connections he’s made with people through music.

On stage, Bad Bunny traded one pink ( La Casita, a house styled like a traditional Puerto Rican home that’s become a staple on his latest tour ) for another pink: two towering cherry blossom trees on either side of the main stage. As the lights dimmed and the opener “EoO” instrumental burst from the speakers, a party erupted on the venue’s floor that would continue well past Bad Bunny’s 90-minute set was up.

Much like the star, the crowd played the hits: countless pavas (a traditional woven straw hat), Puerto Rican flags draped over shoulders, and mini dance circles erupting from all corners of the arena.