The NFL season officially kicked off with its first game at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, where the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Los Angeles Chargers. But what really caught our attention—strictly on the music side—was the halftime performance.
Forget the on-field action (we’ll leave that to the sports analysts), the spotlight was all on Karol G. La Bichota hit the stage in a bold Tropicoqueta look: a two-piece outfit featuring a brown-and-gold ruffled miniskirt and a sparkling top adorned with two pineapples. It was a playful nod to Brazil’s Carnival, instantly transforming the stadium into a mini ‘Sambadrome’.
Backed by a full dance crew, the Medellín star delivered a five-minute mini-concert. Shorter than the usual 15 minutes of a Super Bowl halftime, but no less impactful. In that time, she powered through five songs, seamlessly woven into a medley complete with a dance break.
Bichota’s Show
Carolina opened her set on a platform decked out with flowers and lush greenery at the edges, kicking things off with ‘Bandida Entrenada’. As expected, she greeted the local crowd in Portuguese before rolling into ‘Latina Foreva’. Also, ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,’ and ‘Un Gatito Me Llamó’.
“Hey, Brazil! Arriba mi gente Latina,” she shouted as the sky lit up with nonstop fireworks. Blending her signature Tropicoqueta style with the spirit of American football, she shimmied her hips and waved golden pom-poms like a halftime cheerleader. The show wrapped with ‘Papasito,’ one of her newest English-language singles.
With salsa, reggaetón, and Rio de Janeiro funk all packed into a few minutes, Karol distilled her current musical era into a lightning-fast performance—cementing her status as a true multilingual queen.
Beyond the Music
And while many were hoping to spot Taylor Swift in the stands, the author of The Life of a Showgirl was absent from the season opener for Travis Kelce and his Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil.
It’s worth noting that since 2022, the NFL has been working to expand its reach beyond U.S. borders, giving teams the chance to build global brands. Alongside the regular season in the States, several games are now scheduled in other countries. In 2025, matchups will take place in Brazil, Ireland (Dublin), Australia (Melbourne), Spain (Madrid), and more.
As for Karol G, her next performance will be far from the NFL’s glitz. On September 13, she’ll take the stage at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, performing before Pope Leo XIV as part of the Grace for the World event.
Original article in Spanish by Ana Escobar Rivas for LOS40 Spain.
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