tour de france grandma sign

Spectator arrested for allegedly causing massive Tour de France crash

Three riders withdrew from the race, according to the organizers.

PARIS -- After a four-day search, a woman was arrested Wednesday as part of the investigation into a large crash at the Tour de France earlier last week, according to local prosecutors.

The 30-year-old suspect turned herself into police and expressed feelings "of shame, of fear, in the face of the consequences of her act," public prosecutor Camille Miansoni said Thursday. She is "distressed by the media coverage of what she calls 'her blunder,'" added Miansoni.

Prosecutors said police would take measures "proportionate to the seriousness of the facts and to the personality of the author."

The woman is accused of causing a large crash by holding a sign in front of cyclists in the opening stage of the competition on Saturday. She had allegedly left the scene before authorities arrived. Her cardboard sign read "allez opi-omi," meaning "go grandma-grandpa" in German.

After the crash, three riders withdrew from the race due to their injuries, according to the Tour's organizers, including German cyclist Jasha Sütterlin of Team DSM.

"Following the crash, he was taken to hospital for examinations which revealed no broken bones, but a severe contusion to his right wrist that will require further examinations back at home," Team DSM said in a statement about Sütterlin, who admitted he was "so disappointed."

Tony Martin, a member of top Tour contender Primoz Roglic's Jumbo Visma squad, hit the woman on the right side of the road, causing a domino effect for riders inside the peloton.

The first fall was followed by another, which injured four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome.

Riders briefly halted the race on Tuesday to protest against the danger caused by spectators who were too close to the road.

"Following the crashes during the third stage of the Tour de France, the riders have been discussing how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures in place and demand their concerns are taken seriously," the riders' union, the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés, said in a statement. "Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous."

MORE: French authorities investigate pile up crash at the Tour de France

The local chief of police Nicolas Duvinage on Thursday called for calm in a press conference, saying the suspect was trying to send a message on TV to her grandparents and that it is "wise not to carry out a media lynching."

Fearing a backlash, Tour de France organizers decided to drop their suit against the fan in question and withdrew their complaint "for the sake of appeasement ... in the face of the excitement on social media," said Tour director Pierre-Yves Thouault. "We don't want to look like we are flogging a dead horse. But we remind you of the safety rules."

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Fan with massive sign who caused Tour de France crash found, arrested

The fan who caused a massive pileup during the opening stage of the Tour de France was arrested on Wednesday, the Associated Press and local media reported.

On the annual event's first day, a fan standing just off the pavement of the road posed for a camera while holding a sign. She was not watching the race and a bike ridden by Tony Martin clipped the sign, sending the race into chaos in a domino effect of downed cyclists.

Fan who caused Tour de France chaos arrested

The fan was tracked down based on "solid" accounts and questioned this week, France's Bleu Finistere radio station reported. Investigators had spoken with dozens of people since the accident, per reports, after officials east of Brest put out a call for witnesses. The fan has not been publicly identified.

The fan got on a flight after the accident and was untraceable, local media reported over the weekend . Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, said that ASO, the organizer of the race, filed a complaint against the fan that day.

Deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault said the organization planned to sue "so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."

The fan held out a sign reading “Allez Opi-Omi.” It's a mix of French and German terms that roughly equate to "Go Grandpa-Grandma."

Tour de France continues

The Tour de France runs through July 18 and features 21 days of biking with two days of rest. It returns to its regularly scheduled calendar start after being pushed to August last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Cavendish won stage 4 with a down-to-the-wire finish on Tuesday.

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Woman with sign who caused massive Tour de France crash reportedly arrested

• ESPN News Services

The spectator who sent cyclist Tony Martin and, consequently, a large part of the Tour de France peloton crashing in the opening stage of the race has been arrested, according to multiple reports.

According to reports, the 30-year-old French woman had been taken into custody in Brittany, the northwest French region where the Tour de France, the world's biggest cycling event, held its first four stages.

She is accused of involuntarily causing injury and putting the life of others at risk. RTL is reporting that she is facing a fine of €1,500.

On Saturday, Martin was sent tumbling when he rode straight into a cardboard sign being held out by the woman, who was looking the other way at a television camera, creating chaos with 47 kilometers (29.2 miles) left in the stage.

A huge crash at #TDF2021 this morning was caused when a spectator held out a sign and struck a rider. Jasha Sütterlin was forced to withdraw from the race due to an injury sustained in the crash, according to @LeTour . pic.twitter.com/XCcEjHRAGp — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 26, 2021

The Tour has cautioned fans to "respect the safety of the riders'' and not to "risk everything for a photo or to get on television!''

Tour organizers said on Saturday that they planned to sue the woman.

"We are suing this woman who behaved so badly," Pierre-Yves Thouault, the Tour's deputy director, said, according to AFP. "We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."

Another huge pileup occurred in a nervy finale on narrow roads on Monday, leading the Tour de France riders to put their collective foot down at the beginning of the fourth stage on Tuesday -- literally -- bringing the race to a halt for about a minute in a silent protest for safer racing conditions after the crashes.

The brutal scenes prompted veteran sports director Marc Madiot from the Groupama FDJ team to lash out over the lack of safety on the road.

"Tonight, I don't want to see my son become a professional rider,'' Madiot said Monday at the finish in the town of Pontivy. "My wife does not want to see my son on a bike. It's been years that we are talking about [safety]; we need to find solutions. It's not bike racing anymore. One day there will be dead people.''

The last rider to die on the Tour was Fabio Casartelli, an Italian on the then-Motorola team of Lance Armstrong who crashed on the descent of the Portet d'Aspet pass in 1995.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tour de France fan who caused massive crash when riders hit cardboard sign arrested

Sport Tour de France fan who caused massive crash when riders hit cardboard sign arrested

A woman who caused a massive pile-up during the Tour de France's opening stage has been arrested after handing herself in to French police.

Key points:

• The woman faces a fine, but could also be subject to further legal action
• Two riders were forced to abandon cycling's biggest race after the crash
• Defending champion Tadej Pogačar took control with a blistering performance in the stage five time trial

With 47 kilometres left of the stage on Saturday, the spectator brandished a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders .

Footage showed her looking in the other direction, apparently at a camera, and not at the approaching peloton.

The woman, who was not publicly identified, was arrested by gendarmes in the Finistère region on Wednesday local time.

They tracked her down based on "solid" accounts from people questioned this week, local radio station France Bleu Finistère said, citing a source close to the probe.

Investigators had spoken to dozens of people since the incident , the station said.

The Reuters news agency said the woman had been arrested after handing herself into a police station.

Tour organisers had announced that they would start legal proceedings against the woman , who fled the crash scene.

Tour de France deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told the AFP news agency: "We are suing this woman who behaved so badly."

"We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this do not spoil the show for everyone."

She had leaned into the path of veteran rider Tony Martin, who fell off his bike and took dozens of others down .

German rider Jasha Sütterlin was unable to continue the stage, abandoning the race, while Marc Soler completed the stage but was later revealed to have suffered fractures in both arms, meaning he too was forced to abandon.

Eight other riders were seen by the race doctor, while many others suffered minor injuries.

The woman is likely to be fined 1,500 euros for endangering the riders, although several of those affected have hinted at taking further action.

Soler told Spanish daily newspaper La Vanguardia that he was thinking of suing the spectator.

"I don't know what to do, I'm thinking of taking the spectator to court, because that's an entire Tour thrown away and I feel a lot of anger," he said.

"It wasn't just a race incident, it was because of a spectator who obviously doesn't like cycling. All that preparation has gone into the bin."

Local police refused to comment on the reported arrest.

Fans gathering on the sides of roads and in villages as riders pass by is part of the tradition and charm of the Tour.

But the woman in question leaned into the path of cyclists with her sign that read "Allez Opi-Omi," a mix of French and German-language terms of endearment for grandparents: "Go Grandpa-Grandma."

Tadej Pogačar powers to time trial victory, cements race favouritism

In the day's racing, Slovenian defending champion Tadej Pogačar took control with a blistering performance in the stage five time trial.

Pogačar, who stunned compatriot Primož Roglič in the penultiumate time trial stage of last year's race, laid down a serious marker for his rivals with a blistering time on the 27.2km-long ride around Changé.

"Today was a really good day for me. I didn't do any mistakes," Pogačar said.

The 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates leader did not seize the yellow jersey, which remains on the shoulders of Mathieu van der Poel by a mere 8 seconds.

But he gained significant time over his main rivals, completing the technical course in 32 minutes at an average speed of 51kph.

"I would love to have the yellow jersey, but also on Mathieu it looks super nice, so it's fine," he said.

Pogačar was 44 seconds faster than Roglič, while 2018 champion Geraint Thomas dropped 1 minute, 18 seconds.

His Ineos Grenadiers teammate Richard Carapaz, a former Giro champion with big ambitions at the Tour this year, was 1:44 off the pace.

Their Australian teammate Richie Porte fared better, losing just 55 seconds, but as he lost significant time during the crash-marred Brittany stages earlier in the race, he still sits 3 minutes , 50 seconds off the pace overall.

The Tour is a race of attrition and remains wide open, with bigger tests to come in the mountain stages of the Alps and Pyrenees.

However, Pogačar proved last year — when he became the second-youngest winner in the race's history — that he can compete with the best climbers. 

In addition, he has a stronger team this year, and the Tour is less mountainous.

More importantly, another long time trial will be on the program on the eve of the finish on the Champs-Élysées. 

Roglič, who was Pogacar's main rival last year, said he was proud of his performance following his heavy crash two days earlier.

"It's hard, definitely. All the time trials are always very painful, let's say it like that," he said.

"But I just missed some power. I really squeezed totally everything out of myself."

Thomas was also recovering from a crash and said he did the best he could.

"Obviously, I didn't feel 100 per cent, but I don't want to bang on about that, I tried to do what I could and it wasn't enough really," he said.

"I woke up this morning and felt terrible, but once I got going and loosened up it was better. It's just one of those things that you have to crack on and deal with — just keep fighting I guess."

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Police searching for woman who caused massive tour de france pile-up.

Fan holding sign causes massive Tour de France crash

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Woman arrested after causing mass Tour de France crash with cardboard sign - report

A 30-year-old French woman is accused of involuntarily causing injury and putting the lives of others at risk.

Wednesday 30 June 2021 17:32, UK

The spectator who caused a massive pile-up at the Tour de France has been arrested, according to a report by Reuters.

A 30-year-old French woman is in custody after presenting herself at a police station in Landerneau, Brittany, a source close to the investigation told the news agency.

She is accused of involuntarily causing injury and putting the life of others at risk during the opening stage of this year's peloton .

On Saturday, German cyclist Tony Martin was sent tumbling when he rode straight into a cardboard sign being held out by a fan looking the other way at a television camera.

The sign said "Allez Opi-Omi" (Come on granddad-granny, in a mix of French and German).

The collision caused a domino effect, wiping out multiple riders around 47km (29 miles) from the end of the Brest-Landerneau stage.

Another German rider, Jasha Sutterlin, was the only cyclist who had to abandon the race but several people were hurt, including spectators.

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There was also a second crash about 7.5km (4.6 miles) from the finish which brought down several riders, including British cyclist Chris Froome, who went on to finish the race after medical treatment.

The stage was won by French world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

At the time a senior race official reportedly said organisers would be taking legal action against the woman.

"We are suing this woman who behaved so badly," tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told the AFP news agency.

"We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone," he added.

Stage three, won by Belgian Tim Merlier, also saw crashes and several riders criticised race organisers over the route.

It led Tour de France riders to put their collective foot down at the start of the stage four race on Tuesday.

They brought the race to a halt for around a minute in a silent protest for safer racing conditions. It was later won by Briton Mark Cavendish .

Tour organisers have warned fans to "respect the safety of the riders", adding: "Don't risk everything for a photo or to get on television."

Wednesday's fifth stage was a 27.2km individual time trial from Change to Laval. It was won by Slovenian Tadej Pogacar.

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Tour de France withdraws lawsuit against spectator who caused crash with sign

The fan still has not been publicly identified.

The Tour de France has withdrawn a lawsuit against the spectator that caused a massive crash during Stage 1 of this year's iconic race, according to Reuters . After being arrested on Wednesday, the 30-year old French woman was in custody at a police station in the Brittany region of France.

"We are withdrawing our complaint," Tour director Christian Prudhomme said in a statement. "This story has been blown out of proportion, but we wish to remind everyone of the safety rules on the race. If you come to the Tour, you hold your kid, you hold your pet and don't cross the road carelessly. And above all, you respect the riders -- they're the ones worthy of live TV."

The fan, whose identity has still not been released to the public, stuck out a sign that read "Allez Opi-Omi" (which is French and German for "Go Grandpa-Grandma") during the race and a rider crashed into the cardboard, causing mayhem.

The crash occurred in the opening stage of the Tour de France, as rider were trekking from Brest to Landerneau, and the fan that caused the crash appeared to not be looking at the course. The fan's sign hit veteran cyclist Tony Martin, who first fell, causing others to fall as well. Jasha Sutterlin of Germany had to forfeit following the crash.

Following the crash, the fan fled the scene. Shortly thereafter, the Tour launched legal proceedings against the fan.

Here's a look at the entire incident :

A huge crash at #TDF2021 this morning was caused when a spectator held out a sign and struck a rider. Jasha Sütterlin was forced to withdraw from the race due to an injury sustained in the crash, according to @LeTour . pic.twitter.com/XCcEjHRAGp — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 26, 2021

The incident was investigated by local authorities, and that investigation included questioning other fans who were at the event and witnessed what happened.

Authorities found the fan based on what they referred to as "solid" accounts from those who were questioned.

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Tour de France will sue the woman whose sign caused a massive stage one crash

It goes without saying that she'll never work as a car wash sign-twirler again either.

On Saturday, during the first stage of this year’s Tour de France, a woman moved out into the path of a whole lot of cyclists to show off her handmade sign to the TV cameras. Because she was so pumped to let everyone know she’d written “Allez Opi-Omi!” (basically, “let’s go, grandpa-grandma!”) on a piece of cardboard, this enthusiastic supporter didn’t notice that Germany’s Tony Martin was riding up behind her. The result, which is now leading to the woman being sued by Tour de France, looked like this :

After the huge crash that resulted from Martin’s fall left a number of cyclists and other spectators injured ( France24 reports that another German rider, Jasha Sütterlin, was forced to drop out of the race ), the sign-holder fled the scene. While local police are still trying to find her, Tour de France deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault announced that his organization is “suing this woman who behaved so badly.” They are singling her out “so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for everyone.” He added: “I want to stress that you come see the Tour, you don’t take selfies, you keep your kids close to you.”

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While it may be better for Tour de France to just put more barriers in place between fans and competitors to keep this kind of thing from happening so often , the riders involved are understandably pissed about the fan’s behavior.

Tony Martin, the enormous pile-up’s rider zero, posted on Instagram that he’s “fine after the bad crash yesterday.” But he also said he’d like spectators to stop doing shit like “[risking] everything for a selfie with a 50 km/h fast peloton” or “[thinking] it’s nice to show their naked butt” or get drunk and “push us sideways on the climbs.”

“Use your head or stay home!” he concludes. “We don’t want you here. You risk our life and our dreams for that we work so hard!”

We suppose, given the news, that the “you” Martin refers to not will not only have to answer for all of the above, but also wear a costume Groucho disguise for the rest of their lives if they want to avoid facing the legal wrath of the Tour de France, too.

[via The Washington Post ]

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Tour de France crash: ‘Woman arrested’ after bringing down peloton with cardboard sign

The women was posing for cameras with a sign apparently oblivious of the riders coming up behind her, and felled the majority of the field in a shocking incident, article bookmarked.

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A woman has been arrested after bringing down most of the Tour de France peloton with a cardboard sign, according to French news network RTL .

The woman was posing for cameras with a sign which read “Allez Opi Omi” – translated as a mix of French and German to mean ‘Go Grandma Grandpa’ – during Saturday’s stage one , apparently oblivious of the riders coming up behind her. German rider Tony Martin collided with the sign, which was hanging out into the road, setting off a domino affect which floored the majority of the field and caused many injuries, including one abandonment.

A spokesman for the Finistere police force called on the public to help find the culprit, saying: “The spectator who caused this accident left the scene before the arrival of the investigators. Everything is being done to try and find her. She was wearing glasses and dressed in blue jeans, a red and white striped sweater, and a waxed yellow jacket.”

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RTL say the spectator was taken into police custody after the “management of the Tour filed a complaint”.

German cyclist Jasha Sütterlin of Team DSM had to retire from the entire Tour due to his injuries.

The report further states that the responsible person could be fined up to €1,500, though this could be increased if further individual complaints were brought about by Sutterlin.

To find out what other people are saying and join the conversation scroll down for the comments section or click here for our most commented on articles 

The incident took place approximately 25 miles from the Stage 1 finish line, with many riders needing medical attention as a result of the crash.

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• Tour de France

A Tour de France fan went into hiding after wrecking the race with a sign

The hunt is on to find a fan, and things are bizarre.

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A Tour de France crash has sparked an international incident, prompting a hunt across borders for a woman who held up a sign and caused a massive pileup over the weekend.

GREAT TO SEE SPECTATORS BACK INVOLVED IN SPORTS EH pic.twitter.com/Kwxj8be2Qh — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 26, 2021

The incident itself is bizarre enough, but this story has taken so many twists and turns that it’s a modern sports version of a D.B. Cooper story. What happened? What does “Allez OPI OMI” mean? And what happens next?

An enthusiastic, sign-holding fan caused a massive wreck during Stage 1 of the Tour de France when she stood alongside the road holding a large cardboard sign, trying to get the attention of TV cameras. Turned away from the road, the fan didn’t notice the pack careening towards her. German cyclist Tony Martin struck the sign first, causing a chain reaction that caused a total of nine riders to fall.

The incident caused several severe injuries. One cyclist, Jasha Sütterlin, was ruled out of the remainder of the tour after suffering a large hematoma. Fans getting too close to the action has been a staple of the Tour for years, but organizers hadn’t seen anything like this before.

“It looked like a war zone,” one official told L’Equip when asked about the crash.

The hunt is on ...

Immediately following the crash a hunt began to find the fan. The Tour de France announced it planned to sue the fan for causing the accident, which resulted in lost revenue for the event. “We are suing this woman who behaved so badly,” Tour de France deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault, told Agence France-Presse .

The difficult part was finding a random fan, and leads were slim. Some believed there might be clues in her sign, “Allez OPI OMI,” a blend of French and German which translated to “Go grandpa grandma.” The speculation was the woman was a German national, and she may have fled the country after hearing about the tour’s plans to bring legal action.

That is now the prevailing theory, and the belief is that she left France on a flight bound for Germany .

What happens now?

There are no signs the tour is backing down from a prospective lawsuit, and the hunt is now on to find the fan in Germany. There’s no word whether German authorities are willing to assist with the hunt, though it’s a complicated issue considering several Germany athletes were hurt in the crash — which could lead to greater cooperation from authorities.

It’s still unknown who the fan is, but the response has been exceedingly harsh. Yes, it was an intensely stupid decision to step on the course and hold up a sign, but there’s no indication it was done maliciously. Fans getting too close to the race has been part of the DNA of the Tour de France for decades, so it seems this fan is being used to set an example for those in the future.

UPDATE: On Wednesday officials announced that the fan had been found and arrested in Landerneau, in northwestern France.

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Watch CBS News

Tour de France won't press charges against woman who caused crash

By Elaine Cobbe

July 2, 2021 / 7:31 AM EDT / CBS News

A cycling fan who caused a huge pileup on the opening day of the Tour de France on Saturday handed herself in to police in Brittany this week, but was to likely avoid prosecution as the Tour organizers decided not to press charges.

The woman leaned out into the road in front of the lead pack, holding up a homemade banner for the TV cameras and not looking out for the riders.

German competitor Tony Martin rode right into the banner and was knocked over. He fell sideways, toppling the rider beside him and setting off a domino effect that left most of the pack on the ground or at a standstill behind them.

At least 21 cyclists were injured, including four-time champion Chris Froome of Britain.

GREAT TO SEE SPECTATORS BACK INVOLVED IN SPORTS EH pic.twitter.com/Kwxj8be2Qh — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 26, 2021

Police did not name the woman, who was in custody on Wednesday. However, local media said she was a 30-year-old Frenchwoman. At first it was thought she was German because her homemade banner was a mix of French and German: "Allez opi omi" or "Go grandpa, grandma."

The woman fled the scene but police appealed to the public for information about her identity after the Tour organizers, ASO, said they would bring a lawsuit against her for involuntarily causing injury through reckless behavior — a charge that carries a $1,770 fine. 

On Thursday, however the ASO said it no longer wanted to press charges, in a bid to calm the situation, but they reminded fans to keep away from the riders.

Elaine Cobbe is a CBS News correspondent based in Paris. A veteran journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering international events, Cobbe reports for CBS News' television, radio and digital platforms.

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Oblivious Tour de France spectator holding a cardboard sign causes a gnarly crash that sends dozens of riders to the ground on the opening stage

• Two dramatic crashes sent dozens of riders to the ground at the Tour de France on Saturday.
• In one incident a roadside spectator holding a cardboard sign caused riders to crash en masse.
• Several riders were injured, some abandoned, and many lost time on the opening stage.

Two horrific crashes on the opening stage of the Tour de France brought down dozens of riders on Saturday.

The first half of the stage, which started in Brest, in the northwest part of France, was relatively quiet with a small breakaway up the road. But as the race heated up chaos ensued.

The first big crash happened with about 45 kilometers to go when a rider at the front of the main bunch — Tony Martin on the Jumbo-Visma team — hit a fan's cardboard sign sticking out into the road.

Related stories

The fan holding the sign appeared to be looking at the TV cameras — not at the coming riders. Martin went down hard, sending a chain reaction through the peloton.

Here you can see an overhead view of the first big crash:

—daniel (@cyclingreporter) June 26, 2021

Here's another look:

—NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 26, 2021

It wasn't immediately clear how badly the riders were injured as medical staff tended to the cyclists. Many of the athletes had cuts and bruises but continued riding, albeit with bloody arms and legs.

(The spectator's sign read "Allez Opi-Omi!" — a mix of French and German — or "Go Grandpa-Grandma!")

The crash immediately forced at least one rider, Jasha Sütterlin of Team DSM, to abandon the race. Others were expected to have to stop as well. As for Martin he looked beat up but continued.

But then not long after, with about 7.6 kilometers to go, there was another big crash, this one at higher speed:

—Sporza 🚴 (@sporza_koers) June 26, 2021

It wasn't immediately clear what happened in the second crash.

Many on social media criticized the fan with the sign, including pro riders:

—Jasper Stuyven (@Jasperstuyven) June 26, 2021

Many of the riders who crashed lost significant time.

The world champion, Julian Alaphilippe of the Deceuninck-Quick-Step team, went on to win the stage in Landerneau and take the leader's yellow jersey.

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Rauw Alejandro Pays Homage to New York at Gov Ball Headlining Set, Talks ‘New Single, New Era’ in Pre-Show Interview

"I got an album that's almost ready," the Puerto Rican superstar told Billboard ahead of his headlining debut at the genre-spanning festival.

By Isabela Raygoza

Isabela Raygoza

Associate Editor, Billboard Español

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It’s a new era for Rauw Alejandro . Fresh off the release of his first solo single since August, the disco-tinged “Touching the Sky,” and teased an upcoming album, the Puerto Rican artist has taken center stage across the international festival circuit.

Post Malone’s Headlining Set at Gov Ball: Not Much Country, But Tons of Hits

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His connection to the crowd was palpable: “I’ve always had a special connection to this city. My dad was born in Brooklyn. It’s a meeting point for many cultures,” he said to the audience. “Many of us left our country in search of opportunities and dreams. And I feel that here you can fulfill all the dreams that you want to do in life. In my case, a dream is being fulfilled by sharing it here with all of you, a dream that I am living today, thanks to all of you who have supported me since day one.”

Gov Ball, with its iconic New York-inspired elements like a tattooed Statue of Liberty and city memorabilia, saw Rauw honor NYC in his own unique way. A subway train replica served as his stage backdrop, setting the scene for a powerhouse dance performance that pulled from his admiration of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” and Chris Brown moves, assuring all of his superstar caliber. In a standout highlight, the performer got off the stage to sing among the tens of thousands of fest-goers.

It’s exciting to have you here in New York headlining at Gov Ball. How are you feeling about today’s performance?

I’m really excited. It’s my first time. It’s a big deal. In the last few years, there have been a lot of Latinos headlining U.S. festivals. We are here. 

Do you prepare differently to perform a headlining festival set in comparison to your own concerts or while on tour? How does the experience differ to you?

It’s different. In festivals, you share a stage with other artists, so you don’t have two or three hours to do a show. My shows are normally two and a half hours long, arena and stadium shows. But festivals, it’s like we’re united as artists. We’re sharing energy with the public. The festival starts midday until 10 p.m., so it’s like a quick teaser. Festivals are more fun, more energetic. I focus more on what people like. I just want to have a good time. My concert, I just go into my album concept, and then I try to tell a whole story about it, and promote your new album. With festivals, we use it more for promoting singles. It’s the taste before the tour. I remember my first festival, when I didn’t have an album yet six years ago. It was just promoting me as a new artist. Festivals are that opportunity. I’m headlining this festival, and I have a special surprise for the people here. My dad is from Brooklyn; I have a lot of family in New York, so there’s that special connection. And this weekend is the Puerto Rican Day parade. Puerto Rico is here.

2024 Governors Ball Festival: See The Best Photos

Dance is such a significant element of your performances. Can you share some insights into how you develop your choreography? Who are your choreographers? 

In my opinion, you are the best dancer, taking the genre’s performances to the next level .

I realized that this is where I want to be, so I started studying a little bit more. I try to get better and better with time, [incorporating] the salsa flavor. There’s been so many artists through past generations that have inspired me. I remember seeing Michael Jackson when I was a boy.

My dad has been a huge fan of Elvis Presley and James Brown. So it’s like you grew up with that style. Since I was young, all [dance] performers caught my attention. I was like, watching them [thinking], “Oh my God, I want to be like them.” I’m hyper. I cannot be on the stage [sitting still]. I need to move. 

You recently released “Touching the Sky,” your first solo single since August (“Hayami Hana”). 

Yes, new single, new era. I tried to divide my projects by eras and characters. It’s just a starting flavor. I got an album that’s almost ready. I try not to repeat albums, soundwise. In all my albums, you will always find reggaetón. Your essence will always be there. It’s different touch, perspective and musical colors. I did “Touching the Sky” a few months ago, and it feels like summer is coming. It’s that vibe. I don’t plan exactly what song is going to be [the first single]. It’s just how you feel at that moment. We’re going with a New York vibe. And I filmed in New York. It was really fun.

You channel an old dapper New York era. What were your influences?

I loved freestyle, too. On a different subject, Billboard reported in December that you left Eric Duars and that you have a new management. How has this change influenced your career direction?

I think everything is for the better. I always try to grow as an artist. I’ve been in this game for almost nine years now. I started in the music business by myself, officially in 2015. Then in 2017, I signed with them [Duars]. And now, 2024. It has been long time. You grow up, you learn. What we did together was great. Now it’s just a different vision, a different perspective. But that doesn’t have to be… it’s just business. I have a great team right now. I’m 31 years old, a grown ass man. I feel really happy at this moment of my life. I feel in control of my whole career. I know what I want to do. I have my notes. I learned. It’s just part of growing. 

Many of your oldest fans, including myself, first discovered your music on SoundCloud over five years ago. How do you think starting on such a platform influenced your music career?

SoundCloud was a huge tool for me when I started my career. I really support SoundCloud artists, and YouTube. Back in the day, it was just SoundCloud and YouTube before big platforms. I remember in the Island, everybody was down with SoundCloud, listening to this s— in SoundCloud. It was a small group. Myke Towers, Alvarito Díaz. Even Bad Bunny. All the artists back in the days, like in 2017.

Now you’re headlining so many festivals: a Coca-Cola Festival, you did Sueños [last month], you’re going to be a Baja Beach Fest headliner. That’s a big growth. 

I was seeing the old festival flyers the other day. My name was little, and now we’re headliners!

I think that’s part of life, growing and learning. We are here, and I’m just focused right now on the present and my future. All these [past] life experiences, I just use it for being a better person.

How was going to the Met Gala?

The Met Gala was fun. It was my first time. I felt like this kid in a new school. I was like, “What’s up? My name is Rauw. Hi, I’m Puerto Rican.” It was fun. We had the after parties and everything. I’ve been around fashion for the last few years. I think music and fashion always [go well] together.

Speaking of fashion, what are you wearing tonight on stage?

I work with my stylist. Shout out to Chloe and Chanel. We worked with them also for a few years. They are amazing. But you are going to see some classic Rauw, like an old salsa generation. It’s going to be really fun.

Any new tattoos?

I’m working on it. I haven’t had the time, but I want to tat my legs, my back, everything. The only thing I’m not going to do in my life, because [I promised] my grandma, was my face.

Last words? 

It’s a new Rauw, new era, new music. The album is something amazing. I always like to do my final touches in Puerto Rico. I think it’s just good luck. Puerto Rico has this magic touch that no other place has, in my opinion. The biggest artists in the Latin world, most of them are in the Island. It has something magical. If you guys want to find out, you need to go and have a visit to the Island.

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