Tears and laughter, singing and celebration, sadness and joy, was what Ana Gabriel gave in her concert and gave a twist to her songs, to the emotional nature of her lyrics, to the passion of her interpretation.

In the first of her five dates at the National Auditorium, with the Un Deseo Más tour, the singer-songwriter reaffirmed that even though she no longer plays on the radio, is no longer a queen on social media, or is not the center of controversy, she has a base of unconditional fans that continues to elevate her.

“Good evening, wow! And the years go by and go by and once again at the National Auditorium, although I know that many of you went to the Arena (Mexico City) last year.

“But I miss you in the Auditorium, it’s having you a little closer, even though you are all the way there, I feel you here, very close to my heart, that’s why I welcome you, for allowing me to come here once again, with you and have a party,” she said at the beginning of the concert that lasted about two hours.

María Guadalupe Araujo Yong, originally from Guamúchil, from Sinaloa, from the north, used a traditional orchestra, with eight musicians and two backing singers, to review the history of her pop ballad repertoire, and which had arrangements very close to her original recordings, such as “Ni Un Roce”, “Y Aquí Estoy” and “Destino”.

For the fragment of “Cosas del Amor”, which he made a classic with Vikki Carr, he invited Fabiola, his backing vocalist, to be his backup. And to sing “Tu No te Imaginas” he was accompanied by Emmanuel and Miguel, his guitarists.

Throughout the show she shared anecdotes about her life, such as her beginnings in Guadalajara, the land where she was born as a performer, and when she became a star with her big hit “Ay Amor”, which made her a star at the now defunct OTI Festival. She was grateful that at 68 years old, on September 15th she will celebrate her 50-year career.

“Life has taken me down dark paths and paths of light, and I have crossed both,” he shared shortly before the halfway point of the concert, which was sold out, according to the organizers.

He joked about the tradition he had at one time, of throwing sweaty towels and that his team told him not to do it because they considered it unhygienic. He also said that he regretted that drinks could not be taken during the heartbreaks because alcohol was not allowed inside the colossus. They clarified that now you can drink.

“The time has come for the songs that hurt, the ones that make you cry, the ones that are dedicated, the ones that are sung loudly, and I am going to say that it is impossible for you not to sing these songs,” she warned when she invited the mariachi to accompany her.

The most thunderous choruses of the audience arrived, and they encouraged her with “I Smell of Loneliness,” “My Talisman,” “Hechizo,” “How to Forget” and “I Don’t Understand,” among many others. The sublime moment came with “Hasta que Te Conocí,” by Juan Gabriel. And it resounded with the Mariachi Nuestro México.

She returned to her obligatory repertoire, such as “Quien Como Tu” and “Luna” and among the audience were the die-hard fans who sang with more passion than her, or those who went to keep someone company and fell asleep.

For the end, he was expected to sing “Simplemente Amigos,” and curiously he omitted some of the most emblematic songs of his eighties and nineties brilliance, such as “Pecado Original,” “Hice Bien Quererte” and “Soledad.”

And a curious detail that happened almost at the end was that Ana Gabriel thanked everyone who worked around the concert: those at the food and unofficial merchandise stands, security and ushers, photographers and designers, businessmen and promoters.