OCTOBER 3, 2025 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | By Olivia Link
Kali Uchis’ shows are not a casual affair. This much was made clear by the outfits I witnessed walking into the venue for her Denver performance at the end of September: bridal veils, lacy white gloves, and many, many types of high heels. One of my friends sewed her own dress for the occasion, while I opted to crochet my top. Uchis herself was dressed to the nines, including a mid-show outfit change that did not disappoint.
Uchis’ setlist was an hour and a half long, encompassing songs from her 2025 album “Sincerely,” all the way through her first release “Por Vida” from 2015. Her second studio album, she told the crowd, was called “Sin Miedo,” and was her first project released almost entirely in Spanish. Uchis, born in Virginia to Colombian parents, lived in Colombia until the age of six, when they moved back to the U.S. At 17, Uchis was kicked out of her parents’ house for skipping class. Her first album was self-released while she worked bagging groceries at a supermarket. To commemorate this, she sang the first song of the album, “Sycamore Tree,” entirely a cappella.
Uchis’ music combines influences from doo-wop, R&B, and bedroom pop, as well as Latin American styles like cumbia and reggaetón. Her awards include a Grammy, an American Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and five Latin Grammy nominations.
Kali went all-out for her fourth headlining tour at Ball Arena in Denver, with unforgettable set changes and choreography. The visuals accompanying songs from her most recent album were reminiscent of a 1950s-era movie star glam, from the star’s iconic beauty mark to the sepia-toned projections of her face on the big screen.
First, the curtains opened on Uchis sitting on a swing with her dress flowing behind her as she was lowered to the stage. In another song, she sat in a giant floral teacup, and yet another saw her on a white motorcycle as scenery rushed by on the screens behind her.
Partway through the show, Uchis stepped offstage to allow a video to play, one where she narrated over a series of pictures and clips from her childhood and from the stories of other immigrants. Alternating between English and Spanish, she spoke about being educated in Colombia and her parents working multiple jobs while chasing the American Dream.
“We always have to educate others that Latinas are people who have achieved many things worldwide,” she said. “We are strong, we are hardworking, we are kind. We are much more than the established stereotypes.” Uchis described not feeling like she fully belongs in the U.S. or in Colombia, a theme explored throughout her music. “Immigrants built this country and made it what it is today. Without immigrants, there is no America,” she concluded.
As she moved on to performing her 2024 album, “Orquídeas,” Uchis changed her outfit and the scenery morphed into a Barbie-esque Dreamhouse, complete with pink-and-gold lettering spelling out her name. For “Igual Que Un Angel,” Kali donned feathered wings, then sat inside of a spinning rose as she sang “I Wish You Roses.” She encouraged people in the crowd to dance with one another and sing along.
Before delivering a stunning a cappella encore of songs requested by people in the crowd, Uchis said her goodbyes to the audience, whose cheers were deafening.
She waved goodbye as a large, pink door lowered down from the ceiling, which she walked through to the sound of some 20,000 fans chanting her name. That night, Kali Uchis proved, indisputably, that she really is la favorita de Dios.