Pitbull’s UK popularity has captivated him; he told the BBC that seeing thousands of fans dressed as him, singing along to his songs, fills him with “very, very happy” feelings.
The recent trend of attending Pitbull concerts dressed as the star—sporting sunglasses, a suit, and a bald cap—has been amplified by social media.
“Every time I’m at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you’re ready to have the time of your lives—it feels deeper than just music,” he shared.
Following a highly successful initial run, the rapper and singer has returned to the UK for another series of tour dates.
Armando Christian Perez, 44, has achieved remarkable success, selling over 25 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide.
The widespread fan costume trend is a recent phenomenon, coinciding with his most recent tours, which he considers “an honor”.
“It’s the ultimate trophy to see the hard work reflected in the audience. Having been in the game for 25 years, seeing every demographic participate is priceless,” he added.
Pitbull, whose parents hail from Cuba, launched his career in the Latin hip hop scene, drawing inspiration from his Miami upbringing.
His crossover into pop music in the early 2010s brought significant chart success and collaborations with global icons such as Christina Aguilera, Usher, and Shakira.
The rise of streaming has significantly boosted Spanish music’s reach beyond its native-speaking countries, a factor Pitbull has strategically leveraged. Spanish music’s global success is a testament to this shift.
“I’m something of an anomaly in the music business,” he observes.
“The Latin world found me too English, while the English world saw me as too Latin. Successfully bridging that gap, especially since around 2010, feels amazing.”
A portion of Pitbull’s setlist is dedicated to his favorite Spanish songs and his own Spanish-language hits.
“I now get to merge both worlds, showcasing music’s power regardless of language,” he emphasizes.
Pitbull describes the impact of fans telling him, “I learned Spanish because of your music,” as a “really powerful thing”.
Speaking to fans before his London O2 Arena show, many cited nostalgia as a key reason for attending, highlighting Pitbull’s role in the soundtracks of their lives—school trips, university nights, etc.
“My music provides an escape, a release; it’s like therapy,” Pitbull reflects.
His tour’s setlist was designed for maximum energy, with songs like “Timber” and “Fireball” generating enthusiastic responses from the sea of bald caps.
The high-energy show featured numerous outfit changes and DJ sets, maintaining a relentless pace.
The overall atmosphere was fun and lighthearted, transporting the audience back to the early 2010s.
Pitbull states he doesn’t focus on trends or what’s “cool,” prioritizing audience enjoyment above all else.
His characteristic one-liners were plentiful, including gems like, “This is for everyone going through tough times; been there, done that, but every day above ground is a great day,” and, “Life isn’t a waste of time, and time isn’t a waste of life. So let’s stop wasting time and have the time of our lives.”
Pitbull explains, “You don’t know what someone’s going through, so I try to craft phrases—like we Cubans grew up doing—one-liners to help in any situation.”
He’s applied this same philosophy to his English lyrics, resulting in the memorable pop anthems fans sang along to throughout the night.
The son of Fatboy Slim and Zoe Ball is walking from Dover to Pilton – the Glastonbury Festival site.
More than 75 artists were planned for the four-day Ramroot Festival near Grantham in July.
About 30,000 people will descend on Bath’s Royal Crescent over two nights for the sold-out shows.
The mixing desk, microphone and tape machines will form part of a Black Sabbath exhibition
Seven year old Myles will get to open the festival with his poem.