The Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Wisin surprised his followers with an emotional confession: after performing in Hialeah, Florida, he revealed on Instagram that taking his music to Cuba has been one of his lifelong dreams.
"I have wanted to go to Cuba to give a concert my whole life. Yesterday in Hialeah, I felt the Cuban love and it was incredible. Thank you to the thousands of Latinos who sang from start to finish and danced with me; respect and love to all of you," wrote the artist known as "El Sobreviviente," under the hashtag that carries his nickname.
The concert took place last Friday at Milander Park in Hialeah, as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States. The setting couldn't have been more symbolic: Hialeah is the city with the highest concentration of Cubans in the country, with over 171,000 residents of Cuban origin, representing 72.6% of its population.
The post garnered over 10,000 likes and 471 comments in just a few hours, and the thread quickly became a space of collective excitement for the Cuban community.
The most popular comment captured the feelings of many: "When Cuba is free, all Cubans will love coming to see you in a concert there." Another highly praised comment was: "All the flow is in Hialeah, thank you so much for everything."
From the island and the diaspora, Cubans flooded the publication with messages of affection and nostalgia. Many recalled that the music of Wisin—along with that of Wisin & Yandel, Daddy Yankee, and Don Omar—provided the soundtrack of their youth, listened to via the weekly package or on old televisions, due to the impossibility of attending live concerts.
"You have no idea what you mean to Cuba. Your music has lived with us; every classic, every chant of yours is history here," wrote a follower. Another shared: "I have dreamed all my life of going to a concert by Los Extraterrestres. I remember once I watched a Viña del Mar performance from 2019 on TV, and it was the concert I longed for so much. I experienced it like a little kid."
The hope for a free Cuba was the common thread in dozens of responses. "How we dream in Cuba of going to see you in concert. Those of us who were able to leave are blessed to be able to go and fulfill that dream, but many cannot," wrote a follower. From the island itself, someone left this message: "It will be a great pleasure to welcome the master and star of urban music to Cuba, who has inspired so many."
Wisin's connection to Cuba has a history: in 2016, he shared the stage with Jacob Forever at the Miccosukee Resort in Miami, and in February of this year, he won the Premio Lo Nuestro alongside Marc Anthony for a song written by the Cuban composer Lenier Mesa.
"All Cubans love you. When Cuba is free, have a concert in the Civic Plaza," a fan asked, summarizing the shared dream of an entire generation.
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