Julieta Venegas returned to Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional on Wednesday (June 18) after nearly a decade to pay tribute to her borderland roots with the tour named after her new album, Norteña. She did so accompanied by guest musicians and a performance focused on her new songs played to the rhythm of the accordion, along with some classics and even a small homage to the iconic Juan Gabriel.
Dressed in a pink attire, cowboy hat and boots, Venegas presented a conceptual show to the 10,000 attendees (according to figures from Ocesa) who packed the venue. The show combined elements of northern Mexican culture inspired by her hometown of Tijuana, photos of Baja California’s desert taken by her twin sister Yvonne Venegas, and a band featuring wind instruments.
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“Oh, how exciting! Mexico City, how wonderful to be here, what a wonderful night!” the artist exclaimed at the start of the show. “You don’t know how happy we are to reunite with you, to return to the Auditorio. It’s been so long since we’ve been here, and for you to fill it up tonight means so much.”
Among the night’s special guests were rising regional Mexican star Majo Aguilar, singer-songwriter Girl Ultra, singer-songwriter El David Aguilar (who also co-produced Norteña), Santiago Casillas, lead singer of Little Jesus, and Israel Ramírez of Belafonte Sensacional. One of the most special moments of the night came when Venegas paid tribute to the iconic Juan Gabriel, an undisputed legend of Mexican culture and one of her greatest inspirations, as she has stated on several occasions.
The show opened with “Tiempos Dorados,” the first single from Norteña, which also inspired her first book, Norteña: Memorias del Comienzo (published by Editorial Almadía). In the book, the singer-songwriter narrates her life on the U.S.-Mexico border and how it influenced her musical project, as well as her early days in music before the release of her debut album Aquí (1997).
The setlist included songs like “La Línea,” “Ese Camino,” “Caprichos del Azar” (performed alongside El David Aguilar), “Oleada,” “Algo Está Cambiando,” “Amigas” (featuring Girl Ultra) and “Leyendas de Tijuana,” the latter dedicated to her hometown. Later in the show, a keyboard-driven version of “Lento” delighted the audience, who also cheered for her hits “Eres Para Mí,” “Me Voy” and “Limón y Sal.”
Here are the five most unforgettable moments from Julieta Venegas’ return to the Auditorio Nacional, one of the most iconic venues in Latin America.