Hwasa makes a remarkable debut in Brazil with a show in Korean and connecting with the public

These milestones match the singer's identity: Hwasa positions herself as a firm, trailblazing and even feminist pop star in the K-pop mold. The artist, who is a member of the girl group Mamamoo, consolidated her solo career by singing about self-esteem, empowerment and sexuality without the usual politeness of Korean idols.

You could see that right away. Hwasa has already entered with the song that bears her name, followed by the energetic “Chili”. With the microphone on, she made it clear that she is an “old-school” pop diva: she sings well, dances a lot, has stage presence and is a bit sensual.

Unlike most artists who usually visit Brazil, Hwasa doesn't speak English and doesn't even try very hard. Instead, he risked a “Wow” and “Te amo” in Portuguese and left most of it to be spoken in Korean, with an interpreter to translate.

(It is only at these times that we realize how rare it is for communication between an artist from one country and an audience from another, which is not mediated by English.)

Unlike Nexz, who played earlier, Hwasa did away with the instrumental bases and only the voice overs remained. Most of the songs were played by a good band, which included songs like “I Love My Body” and “Kidding”, complete with drum and guitar solos.

There was even a straw for Mamamoo fans – the girl group, one of the most influential in kpop, is on hiatus, but has been showing signs of returning soon. This Friday, it was represented in a medley that included “Décalcomanie”, “Egotistic” and “HIP”.

The audience didn't know how to sing much, but they responded to the screams, which served. Hwasa knew how to talk – she even knew she had a name in common with many Brazilian women.

"I heard that there are many Marias here. Maria!", he said when introducing “Maria”, a hit that bears his given name. The moment was very well received by Marias, Marias Eduardas, Marias Cecílias and others in the audience.

At the end of the show, Hwasa acted charming, pretended to end and sang a chorus of “I'm not going away” before the last track. And he said goodbye by jumping with the Brazilian flag, in front of an ecstatic audience. This is how you make a debut.