(Kia Center, Orlando FL) Despite some horrendous weather just before the show, Orlando fans came out in droves to support their very own international music superstar, Jay Wheeler, as he opened up his heart to the City Beautiful.
I’d like to preface this with the contradictory fact that I don’t fully understand Spanish. I can piece together select phrases here and there, but by no means am I fluent yet; however, because Jay Wheeler’s heart bleeds beautifully through his music, he breaks any language barriers so that one can feel his strong emotions as their own. When he sings in love, your heart would swells also, and when he is heartbroken, you, too, will have your be shattered within.
Having had the English translation online alongside the Spanish lyrics while I attending the concert, it only confirmed what I could already tell from his performance on stage: how vulnerable and exposed he was in his music. Wheeler broke the male stereotypes of the masculine man with no emotions by opening up about love, heartbreak, and all kinds of different life experiences in between. Wheeler even prefaced one of his break-up songs explaining that the next song was “about his ex, but it was nothing personal”, bringing out a hearty laugh from his audience, including smiles from his own wife who would later join him on stage for several duets.
Zhamira Zambrano, a Venezuelan singer, Instagram model, and wife of Jay Wheeler, was met with a loving roar from the crowd every time she set foot on stage. However, the most excited cheering did not come from the mere duets between Zhamira and Jay and their shared kiss, but when Jay leaned down to kiss Zhamira’s pregnant belly. Whether it was due to this new fatherhood or an example of the kind and considerate person Jay Wheeler simply was in general, Wheeler honored three other pregnant women attending his concert by providing them front row seats. Then, on the jumbotron, he held friendly conversations individually with each of them about how they were doing, before then presenting the three lucky women with gift bags. Jay Wheeler’s close interactions with his fans did not end there, as he also allowed for one of the young girls from the front to join him on stage, kindly chatting and posing for photos for the girl’s ecstatic mom down below.
These interactions were in the later half of his show, of which the performance was broken into three main setlists. Each setlist was distinct in the mood of the songs featured as well as in the physical set displayed in the background. It felt like a story was being told. The first third consisted of more upbeat and “chill” songs set in the scene of what seemed to be a house party, with girls dancing on the set’s balcony and guys hanging out in the fake garage. Then, at the end of this set, a police car arrived crashing the party, blaring its siren and flashing its blue and red lights. This was when Jay Wheeler transitioned from his happier songs to his sadder songs, as the second set took place in 'jail' and his music focused more on heartbreak. His transitions between each were smooth and seamless, conversationally explaining at the end of the second set that they had been sad for too long, so it was time to have some more joy now to sing with emotions in the middle of happy and sad. The third set began with the screens displaying a big, white background that I believe was open to interpretation for where the story took place next, such as if he had been released from prison or this was what his prison cell looked like. But regardless of the set, throughout Jay Wheeler’s entire performance overall, it was inspiring how much genuine pride Wheeler had for his home, Puerto Rico. If the Puerto Rican flag waving proudly across the fake house in the first set was not enough of a sign, Wheeler would ask the crowd where his fellow Puerto Ricans were, and he was then greeted with a roar of applause. He called for the Dominicans in the crowd, the Columbians, and a fair deal of other nationalities before lastly asking who was from Orlando. This concert at Kia Center was even more special for both Wheeler and his fans because this is the city where Wheeler currently lived, and will soon be welcoming his expectant child very soon.
Audiences of all ages and all kinds of backgrounds could enjoy Jay Wheeler’s melodic vocals and resonate with his music about life topics. In the audience in front of me was a couple dancing to Wheeler’s songs in love; to my left was a family with the siblings hugging each other as they belted each song word for word, and to my right was a group of tweenage girls who never missed a beat singing along with Wheeler. There were several occasions when Jay would stop singing so that the audience would sing for him, and this was just another testament as to how well-known and beloved his songs truly were by all.
Despite his close ties and affection toward Puerto Rico, his popularity and his music are rapidly transcending across all boundary lines. Even without fully understanding the Spanish language, I appreciated and respected the universal language of love and heartache from his music. The hometown hero made his fellow Orlando supporters very proud on this spectacular night!
-- Brianna Guinigundo
I’d like to preface this with the contradictory fact that I don’t fully understand Spanish. I can piece together select phrases here and there, but by no means am I fluent yet; however, because Jay Wheeler’s heart bleeds beautifully through his music, he breaks any language barriers so that one can feel his strong emotions as their own. When he sings in love, your heart would swells also, and when he is heartbroken, you, too, will have your be shattered within.
Having had the English translation online alongside the Spanish lyrics while I attending the concert, it only confirmed what I could already tell from his performance on stage: how vulnerable and exposed he was in his music. Wheeler broke the male stereotypes of the masculine man with no emotions by opening up about love, heartbreak, and all kinds of different life experiences in between. Wheeler even prefaced one of his break-up songs explaining that the next song was “about his ex, but it was nothing personal”, bringing out a hearty laugh from his audience, including smiles from his own wife who would later join him on stage for several duets.
Zhamira Zambrano, a Venezuelan singer, Instagram model, and wife of Jay Wheeler, was met with a loving roar from the crowd every time she set foot on stage. However, the most excited cheering did not come from the mere duets between Zhamira and Jay and their shared kiss, but when Jay leaned down to kiss Zhamira’s pregnant belly. Whether it was due to this new fatherhood or an example of the kind and considerate person Jay Wheeler simply was in general, Wheeler honored three other pregnant women attending his concert by providing them front row seats. Then, on the jumbotron, he held friendly conversations individually with each of them about how they were doing, before then presenting the three lucky women with gift bags. Jay Wheeler’s close interactions with his fans did not end there, as he also allowed for one of the young girls from the front to join him on stage, kindly chatting and posing for photos for the girl’s ecstatic mom down below.
These interactions were in the later half of his show, of which the performance was broken into three main setlists. Each setlist was distinct in the mood of the songs featured as well as in the physical set displayed in the background. It felt like a story was being told. The first third consisted of more upbeat and “chill” songs set in the scene of what seemed to be a house party, with girls dancing on the set’s balcony and guys hanging out in the fake garage. Then, at the end of this set, a police car arrived crashing the party, blaring its siren and flashing its blue and red lights. This was when Jay Wheeler transitioned from his happier songs to his sadder songs, as the second set took place in 'jail' and his music focused more on heartbreak. His transitions between each were smooth and seamless, conversationally explaining at the end of the second set that they had been sad for too long, so it was time to have some more joy now to sing with emotions in the middle of happy and sad. The third set began with the screens displaying a big, white background that I believe was open to interpretation for where the story took place next, such as if he had been released from prison or this was what his prison cell looked like. But regardless of the set, throughout Jay Wheeler’s entire performance overall, it was inspiring how much genuine pride Wheeler had for his home, Puerto Rico. If the Puerto Rican flag waving proudly across the fake house in the first set was not enough of a sign, Wheeler would ask the crowd where his fellow Puerto Ricans were, and he was then greeted with a roar of applause. He called for the Dominicans in the crowd, the Columbians, and a fair deal of other nationalities before lastly asking who was from Orlando. This concert at Kia Center was even more special for both Wheeler and his fans because this is the city where Wheeler currently lived, and will soon be welcoming his expectant child very soon.
Audiences of all ages and all kinds of backgrounds could enjoy Jay Wheeler’s melodic vocals and resonate with his music about life topics. In the audience in front of me was a couple dancing to Wheeler’s songs in love; to my left was a family with the siblings hugging each other as they belted each song word for word, and to my right was a group of tweenage girls who never missed a beat singing along with Wheeler. There were several occasions when Jay would stop singing so that the audience would sing for him, and this was just another testament as to how well-known and beloved his songs truly were by all.
Despite his close ties and affection toward Puerto Rico, his popularity and his music are rapidly transcending across all boundary lines. Even without fully understanding the Spanish language, I appreciated and respected the universal language of love and heartache from his music. The hometown hero made his fellow Orlando supporters very proud on this spectacular night!
-- Brianna Guinigundo
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