Governors Ball 2016: Miguel

Although The Killers were the headliner for the day, it was Miguel’s performance that stole the show. He brought the erotic undertones that are now a staple of his music to the forefront of his set, channeling ardent sexuality in the physicality of his performance to win over his crowd despite the pouring rain that lasted throughout the night.

In a near striptease of a show, Miguel’s hip thrusts were the showrunner. His sensual dance moves and sultry crooning perfectly conveyed the undeniable sexiness of his music and lyrics—and it certainly didn’t hurt when he shed his colorful poncho and eventually ripped his shirt off to perform half-naked and wet. “Fuck the rain!” he exclaimed, before quickly retracting the statement: “Love the rain!” The audience had no choice but to do so, as it started pelting shortly after. Miguel didn’t leave us to suffer alone, however. Joining us under the downpour, he performed in solidarity with us, getting as soaked as his fans did.

But the rain did little to hinder the R&B singer’s set; rather, it no doubt enhanced it. Pumped by his audience’s refusal to shy away from the rain, Miguel came off stage and joined the crowd, attempting to crowd surf, though that was quickly put to an end when fans went wild and their excitement escalated to the brink of mayhem.

As he played the crowd-pleasers his fans love, Miguel seemed touched when people started singing along. With his passion infecting the crowd, audience members were swaying and grooving along just as hard as he was, and he surprised fans with a treat for their endearing energy. A cover of both Bob Marley’s “Stir it Up” and 2Pac’s “I Get Around,” as well as a mashup of “How Many Drinks?” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools,” were sprinkled throughout the set.