Gyanma's "El Nene @ Baya" concert review
On Saturday evening, one of Puerto Rico’s most promising and prodigious rising stars put all his talents on full display for a concert that demonstrated just how much of the islands' best music is coming from its rich indie scene.
That star is Gyanma, the Bayamón native and Berklee alum who took the stage at his hometown’s Teatro Francisco Oller for an electrifying one-night only spectacular.
For the past near-decade he’s been a constant presence in Puerto Rico's indie corners of music, both for his gifts behind the mic and as a producer for himself and others.
His music isn’t easily definable, but that’s by design. Gyanma has taken deliberate care to not allow himself to be pinned down by genre labels; he can croon suave R&B, fire up club music, belt out pop ballads, flex trap bars, and make asses shake with perreo stylings. It’s his unfailing ability to excel at so many different and disparate vibes that has made him a fan and industry favorite.
His concert — titled “El Nene @ Baya” — kicked off with two opening acts: first up was CARLIÁN, a relatively fresh act who herself has been perking up ears the last year with singles that have gone viral. And with good reason, as tracks like “CARLI CLUB” and “BRUJERÍA” have the kind of incandescent energy of a rookie looking to prove themselves, and she certainly has. On stage she leaned into the randiness of her set list, riling up the crowd with catchy bops and creative choreography with two accompanying backup dancers. As far as up-and-comers go, CARLIÁN’s strong live presence, effortless charm, and dynamic songwriting skills make her the most suitable Gyanma proxy of the day and a perfect example of the current crop of phenoms.
The future was, ironically, followed by the past, as indie rap legend Jazz Bandana took the reins as the second opener. Jazz has been a “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”-level icon in Puerto Rico for over 15 years, and his influence is still being felt to this day. Gyanma has long acknowledged him as one of his Latin hip-hop heroes, and songs like “antes que la rola…” and “Oro Centro” undoubtedly owe much to Jazz’s sound. The crowd was clearly excited to hear him, as his notorious reclusiveness means any chance to see him live is special. He performed a bevy of his tracks, giving the night an even more special aura than it already carried. Each segue between acts was curated by Mussa, who spun the intermission soundtrack with flair.
With glimpses of both the old and new now shared, it was time for the night's headliner to make his appearance.
Opening with “Compartir,” off his inaugural Lado A/Lado B two-track single/EP series, el nene de Baya immediately hyped up his fans as the main show began. Backed by a full band, he continued with offerings from his debut album Cutie Pie :3, including favorites like “POCHACCO <3” and “dream (team)”.
The one-two punch of “no t he visto mucho con tu bby” and “Rompecorazones” paved the way for the first guest artist of the night, as self-proclaimed anti-popstar Melodie showed up to perform an acoustic take of “Cicatriz,” their recent mellow collab.
Hit tracks “Yo Lo Sé” and “par de rápido” — off Grax, Xo and Lado A/Lado B III respectively — bookended another invitee: Gyanma protégé LaDí, who has been quietly racking up a fanbase of her own, and regaled the crowd with “tú x tu lado” alongside her mentor.
The night’s energy was kicked into higher gear next as Gyanma began picking dancefloor hits from his catalog. CARLIÁN returned for a performance of “toy pa’ ti,” her and Gyanma’s reggaetón duet released just last week, while “Me Dañé” and “n sentimientoz” kept the sweat flowing.
One of the best career sidequests Gyanma has taken is a project he formed with his partner-in-crime (and old classmate!) Enyel C, an equally incredibly talented rapper-producer whose debut album Nuevo Caribe made Rolling Stone’s Best Latin Albums of 2025 list. They’ve been longtime collaborators, and three years ago they formed Duo Deleite, a two-man showcase where the versatile pair can unite their talents and produce bangers. The twosome have become favorites of the scene, and fans at the concert were highly anticipating their appearance.
Sure enough, Enyel bounded onto the stage, and the crowd made sure their love was felt. He and Gyanma bantered and sang, giving the audience what they wanted with tracks like “De Vogue,” “Millonari,” and “MTV” off their self-titled album. Already-excited fans were sent into an even dizzier rapture when PJ Sin Suela showed up. As the biggest invited guest of the night so far, he’s one of the most adored and respected artists of Puerto Rico’s rap scene, and has always been a champion of indie artists — recognizing their journey was once his, and giving back any opportunity he can.
After that exhilirating stretch of songs, Gyanma slowed down the proceedings. He brought out Johnny Henríquez, his father and an accomplished musician of his own, for an intimate and personal performance that spoke to the bond between the two and the gratitude Gyanma has towards his father for introducing him to music. Together with the addition of his father's fellow musical colleagues Eddie “Tongui” Torres and Roberto Matos they interpreted Silvio Rodríguez’s “Óleo de mujer con sombrero,” one of the Cuban folk singer’s most memorable songs. Their acoustic take was a welcome oasis in what had so far been a non-stop party (complimentary), and no doubt became a highlight for many in attendance.
As the concert hit its 3rd act, Gyanma still had some surprises in store. A performance of “KSA” led to another OG joining the stage, as Fofé — lead singer of legendary Puerto Rican rock band Circo — backed up Gyanma’s cover of the group's hit “Antes del Fin.”
A quick performance of “Integra 94” afterwards made it seem like the night was over, but Gyanma had one more treat up his sleeve.
As the all-too-familiar guitar and bass notes of “Problema” filled the air, the crowd went wild. There are few better examples of someone breaking out of Puerto Rico’s indie music scene than RaiNao, and her friendship with Gyanma has never wavered, even as she’s risen to the ranks of singing alongside the biggest artist in the world and performing internationally. She joined her longtime friend onstage, and the chemistry between the two was as palpable as it has ever been. “Problema” is destined to be a staple of Gyanma’s oeuvre, alongside another track that owes its popularity to RaiNao’s contribution: the eminently catchy “bajo candau” which was a featured song on her album CAPICÚ and made an appearance here as well.
With a closing performance of “Shibari,” the night was over and one of Bayamón’s favorite sons had completed his ambitious mission of giving fans a show to remember.
Over his career, Gyanma has excelled at making music that’s catchy and compelling in ways that aren’t entirely easy to define. A common refrain says that an artist should make art for themselves, and trust that fans will follow and recognize the quality. Not bowing to what’s trending, Gyanma has done exactly that, and created his own corner where he can produce what he wants and how he wants (9 songs this year alone with evidently no signs of slowing down) without compromise.
Saturday’s concert made it clear his music has the appeal and breadth to connect with listeners, and that he himself has the versatility, charisma, and dynamism necessary to bring them to life onstage and move the crowd.
As he enters the second half of the year, there’s no doubt Gyanma has much more left to share with us, and Saturday’s celebration of everything he’s given us so far leaves fans excited to hear what the next stage of his career will bring — and we’ll be there, as long as he continues being Gyanma, true and through.
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