When Feid started preparing for his second headlining trip around the United States, he wanted to make sure audiences felt and saw a difference between what was his first “Ferxxo U.S. Trip” and 2023’s “Ferxxo Nitro Jam Underground Tour.” That goal sent the Colombian artist and his creative team back to the drawing board — but not with the intention of a restructure, Feid says, but rather an enhancement.
On the night of April 27, Feid pulled out all the stops during his performance at Los Angeles’ YouTube Theatre, the fifth show of his freshly launched 29-city trek across the states. The large-scale production is his latest career upgrade, with all of the elements of the green-themed atmosphere enveloping audiences in the world of Feid.
Despite the fact his “U.S. Trip” wrapped not too long ago in November, Feid confidently asserts the tour “doesn’t at all compare” to what audiences are getting now.
“We changed everything,” he tells Variety. “The first tour [in the U.S.] that we did was so basic because I was trying to [emulate] a hip-hop vibe… With a bigger stage, we have screens, we have the monster truck, we have lasers and it’s all on a different level. We’ve expanded the entire experience.”
One interesting addition to the show is the video introduction that is projected onto a large white sheet, meant to build suspense about what’s hidden behind it. With Spanish subtitles, the booming voice of an animated green sludge is heard prompting: “Are you ready to perrear? Leave all your worries behind and brace yourselves as we take you directly underground — remember tonight you’ll glow like never before.”
“For me, it was important to change details for this tour specifically — while still maintaining the same essence,” he says. “We did the Ferxxo U.S. Trip with the same setlist that we did [for our] Latin American [dates] so I really wanted to change it up because I’ve released so much more music since then.”
While Feid’s concerts have always incorporated boyish props like dirtbikes and graffiti, the inclusion of massive revolving monster trucks — both inside and outside of the venue — is just one of the several crucial visual ingredients that are a staple of the show.
Everything about Feid’s set is intentional. Sporting his go-to outfit — neon green shorts, sneakers, a T-shirt and a white pair of shades — he opened his Los Angeles date with the twinkling notes of party starter “Chorrito Pa’ Las Animas,” one of the many viral tracks that have helped propel Feid to become a global representative of Colombia’s vibrant and storied music scene. The track appears prominently in his six-song December 2022 EP “Sixdo,” a collection that also features the feel-good “California,” whose beginning lines — “Baby, I feel like [I’m in] California because I smoke and they don’t tell me anything” — functioned as instructions for the room to instantaneously fill with thick clouds.
Ahead of his performance, Feid spoke to Variety about his career thus far and talked about life on the road as he gears up to share his next album.
You’ve just started this tour run. How are you feeling?
This has been like a dream for us. We had the chance to open for Karol G’s [Bichota] tour like two years [ago] and now we are doing our own tour… I’m feeling so grateful, so happy [to see] people wearing green clothes, wearing the Ferxxo glasses with the mustache and everything. I think it’s the most important thing for me to feel the crowd connect with me and my music. My album is ready so I’m at peace with myself — just singing for all of these people.
So the album’s done, and you’ve been dropping a couple of collabs in the past few weeks, but are you still recording while out on the road or making any adjustments?
Of course, I’m always traveling with my studio. I’m here with Wain, who is one of my producers, and we’re always trying to be creative. It’s like the gym. I got my mic here, my laptop and everything. I don’t have plans to do any specific song — but I’m sure something will come along during a bus ride or hotel session. But right now, I’m focused on the live performance aspect of what I’m doing.
Have you tested out some of the new releases on the road yet?
Towards the end of the show, we have this moment where we run a list of movie credits [in the background] and we [play] this new song which we made for Sprite as part of their new campaign with us called Sprite Limelight. We’re leaving hints and messages to people to let them know what’s coming.
Your shows and stages are only getting bigger. Is an arena run on your radar?
On the real, arenas for me are the most beautiful places to perform. In Latin America, we did this arena tour… in [places like] Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, but I’m looking forward to taking my music to the next level by reaching more people in arenas. I’m not sure yet about stadiums because that to me is… huge. I really want to connect with people when I’m singing and performing. I like that I can look at them and really enjoy the whole experience.