Alejandro Sanz, Grupo Frontera, Kany García & More Shine at Carín León’s First La Cura Fest

With his soft melodies and melancholic lyrics, the 25-year-old folk singer from Chihuahua took the stage and immediately connected with the audience. Ballads like “Abrazado a Ti” were sung along by his fans, joined by hundreds of others eager to discover this artist who has captured attention in the past couple of years.

“Hermosillo has always been one of the cities I love the most, where the people vibe with me the best,” an excited Kaarl said. His set, which lasted approximately an hour, included hits like “San Lucas,” “Colapso,” and “Vestido Blanco,” which has become an anthem in the rising career of the independent musician.

The country music band with more than a decade in the industry arrived at La Cura Fest with the intention of winning over an audience that is starting to familiarize itself with the genre, partly thanks to León, who, in addition to being a fan, has ventured into collaborations that are becoming increasingly familiar to his followers.

“How are you, friends? We are American artists who came to Mexico to play for you,” said vocalist Mark Wystrach shortly after beginning their setlist, which included songs like “Playboy,” “Mr. Lonely,” “Marlboro Man,” and “Drinking Problem.”

The audience erupted in applause when the musician recalled that he grew up on a ranch near Hermosillo. “The roots run in our blood. ¡Viva México cabrones!” he shouted to an euphoric crowd.

With the song “Soy Yo,” Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García kicked off her performance at the festival organized by her friend Carín León.

“I know that tonight and this festival are a dream come true in the heart of my dear friend Carín. What the heart of someone you care about dreams of also becomes our dreams and aspirations,” she said before continuing to perform hits like “Una Buena Vida,” “Fuera de Servicio,” and “Soy Yo.” Additionally, García expressed her gratitude and honor as the only woman on the lineup before performing the hit collaboration “Te Lo Agradezco” with the host.

The Spanish pop star wanted to connect with the audience in Sonora and wore a black hat, surprising not only with his ranchero look but also with the charm with which he spoke about the invitation to the event.

“When Carín called me, I thought it was for the Festival La Cruda (hangover) and La Cura (fun),” he joked shortly after starting his performance with “Desde Cuándo.” “I love you guys so much,” he added. “Thank you very much for being here tonight. Enjoy.”

Sanz’s repertoire included classics like “Cuando Nadie Me Ve,” “Amiga,” and “Corazón Partío.” He also invited Grupo Frontera on stage to perform live “Hoy No Me Siento Bien,” which they recorded together last year.

Carín León had not performed in his hometown for several years, and he made a grand return with a setlist of 40 songs. His show, which lasted more than three hours, featured many guest appearances, from Sanz, García and Grupo Frontera, to other festival participants like Matisse, Kakalo, Gabito Ballesteros, El Bolela, Bobby Pulido and Los Alegres de la Sierra, and Colombian star Silvestre Dangond. The surprise of the final night was Xavi, who was welcomed with cheers and applause as he performed “La Morrita” live for the first time — a collaboration released with León a couple of months ago.

“How amazing that this city is becoming the city we all want it to be. Long live music!” León shouted. And after performing hits such as “Tú,” “Según Quién,” “El Amor de mi Herida,” and “No Es por Acá,” he closed his event with an important announcement: “We’re going to take La Cura Fest to another continent. We’ll share more details later.”