Kali Uchis Speaks Out Against ICE at AAC: 'Without Immigrants, There Is No America'

Kali Uchis, born Karly-Marina Loaiza, was met with love and admiration from her fans during her recent visit to Dallas, the eleventh stop of her headlining The Sincerely, Tour, which kicked off on Aug. 14.

On Saturday, Aug. 30, the Colombian American artist performed before a nearly sold-out audience at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. Attendees were in unison when it came to fashion, showing up in a sea of pink and pastel tones, creating an atmosphere that felt just as carefully curated as the stage itself. Both men and women floated through the crowd in flowy lace, silk and sparkly dresses and outfits, accented with floral prints that matched the flower crowns and ribbons woven into their hair. The scene carried an almost otherworldly vibe, like stepping into a whimsical resort-style festival in a land of fairies.

To kick the night off, the group Thee Sacred Souls was the opener for the Grammy Award-winning headliner. The San Diego trio has been steadily winning over audiences with their retro-leaning yet fresh take on soul, blending smooth R&B grooves with Chicano and gospel influences. Since gaining notoriety with their single "Can I Call You Rose?" in 2020 and a critically acclaimed self-titled debut in 2022, they carried that energy into their Dallas set. They sang their well-known songs like "Can I Call You Rose?," "Easier Said Than Done" and "Will I See You Again," among others. The trio closed with a stirring performance of "Weak for Your Love" that had the crowd swaying along.
Following an estimated 20-minute intermission, fans immediately stood on their feet screaming and holding their phones in anticipation of Uchis' arrival on stage. A recording with captions in English and Spanish was played on the large screens on stage.

"There comes a moment in a woman's life where heaven begins to whisper. The natural world may see her as ordinary, but in the spiritual realm, she's being positioned for something extraordinary. God never blesses by accident. When he prepares to release something significant, something that will shift the atmosphere," the male voice said. "The woman he chooses will begin to feel the weight of divine preparation. First, she will find herself alone, not because she is unloved but because she is being set apart. Isolation is not rejection; it is refinement. God removes the noise so that she can hear the whisper."

Before the vintage white Hollywood stage curtains rose, smoke began to flood the stage. Once revealed, Uchis was seated in a swing, wearing a skin-toned dress adorned with pink and white flower petals, pearls and diamonds paired with white satin boots and silky shoelaces. A long, white veil with flowers draped down to the stage, she held a pink bedazzled microphone as she sang "Heaven is a Home..." from her new album, Sincerely,.
The Virginia native then snatched off her veil, hopped off the swing and said, "How you feeling, Dallas?" with a grin. Her fans screamed to the top of their lungs to set the mood for the night, one of lighthearted fun. Her background singers and dancers joined her onstage, dressed in coordinated looks that included white corsets and lace long sleeves, pink pants and lingerie corsets paired with white lace sleeves.

Uchis went on to sing more new music, such as "Sugar! Honey! Love!," "Lose My Cool," and "It's Just Us." The singer walked the stage like it was a runway, holding up a pink and silver bedazzled gun, and pretended to shoot it ahead of performing the songs "For: You" and "Silk Lingerie," with sensual and seductive moves. She then gave them a heads-up of what the night would entail.

"This is the Sincerely, Tour. We'll be doing pretty much my whole discography," the entertainer said before instructing the concertgoers to "have a good time and celebrate."

She finished performing the rest of the songs on Sincerely, and exited the stage. During this brief intermission, she addressed immigration in America, given the viral videos online of how ICE agents have been targeting immigrants.

"In my house, everyone worked two or three jobs to pursue the American Dream. I learned that in order to succeed, you have to fight and work hard," her voice expressed dually in English and Spanish as photos and footage of her family and others were displayed on screens. "I was raised to believe we have to work harder than everyone else, that we always have to educate others that Latinos are people who have achieved many things worldwide."

The video went on to question if the American Dream exists anymore before ending the moment by saying, "without immigrants, there is no America," to which the crowd shouted with pride in response.

Kali Uchis came on stage wearing a new wardrobe, consisting of a light pink corset dress adorned with jewels. She began this portion with her songs "Muñekita," "Labios Mordidos," "¿Cómo Así?" and "Me Pongo Loca," among others from her fourth studio album, Orquídeas, celebrating her Latin heritage.

The intro song, "Sycamore Trees," from her debut project, Por Vida, was next, which she sang a cappella with her background singers, harmonizing perfectly. She revisited tracks from her first release, sparking waves of nostalgia among longtime fans. Moving into songs from her 2018 album Isolation, "Teeth in My Neck," "Dead to Me" and "After the Storm" were some of the tracks she performed. From there, she transitioned into her Spanish-language era with Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), lighting up the stage with her chart-topping hit “telepatía” along with other fan favorites from the collection.
All night long, she moved like a force of nature, grooving across every inch of the stage and using props as she sang on a rose, lay on a velvet couch and perched atop a rising platform at different times throughout the show. Radiating sex appeal and confidence, the new mother gleamed under the spotlight, commanding the crowd’s attention with effortless charisma.

Uchis closed out her set with a dreamy performance of "Moonlight," leaving the crowd swaying in the glow of her final notes.