A fireproof Raphael conquers Madrid again: “One more year!”

A tireless Raphael has once again conquered Madrid, a city that always surrenders to ‘El Divo de Linares’, who already visited the capital last June and who returned again this Sunday, this time to the Movistar Arena, as part of his ‘Raphaelísimo’ tour, a show that celebrates his more than six decades of career.

It has been a turbulent year 2025 for Raphael who, at the end of 2024, suffered a stroke after which he was diagnosed with brain lymphoma that forced him to retire from the stage for six months. But, after that pause, the singer returned stronger than ever and on June 15 he announced this new tour, which began at the Roman Theater in Mérida.

This December 7, at 82 years old, Raphael stepped on stage accompanied by his 10 musicians, at 8:30 p.m., punctual and dressed in his black suit as usual, bringing the audience to their feet, fans of all generations since, contrary to what one might imagine, many young people occupied the stands, as well as some families with small children.

Many of those attending this traditional Christmas event have seen Raphael on several occasions and this Sunday they enjoyed the beginning of the concert with the ballad ‘La Noche’, which was followed by ‘I’m still being that one’ – with a wink to the audience, exclaiming: “The usual Raphael!” – and ‘I close my eyes’.

They couldn’t miss songs like ‘Say what they say’ or ‘My big night’, all of them received amidst applause and unlimited joy that has turned the pavilion into a great party. However, the audience also interpreted the lyrics of the songs between the lines, like when the star of the night sang ‘If you weren’t here’ or ‘What does anyone know’, surrendered to a living legend of the musical scene.

With a voice that seems like no time passes, Raphael has also sung songs from his latest album, ‘Yesterday Still’, a tribute to the French chanson and figures such as Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour, with songs like ‘La vida en rosa’ that has dyed the stage the same color or the tango ‘Malena’.

Other great ballads such as ‘Since that day’, ‘My love’, ‘I am nothing without Laura’, ‘Let no one know my suffering’, ‘En carne viva’ or ‘Amame’ have made the audience vibrate, before giving way to ‘Thanks to life’ – applauded with immense emotion – or ‘Estar enamor’, chanted and danced in unison.

The songs followed one after another and this is how the turn of the legendary ‘Tamborilero’, another great classic of these Christmas dates, came before the concert faced its final stretch, while on the stage screens images and posters of Raphael’s first performances, back in the 60s, prologue to ‘I am that one’, when he exclaimed: “One more year, gentlemen!”, amidst more applause.

MORE APPOINTMENTS FOR 2026

‘Escándalo’ and ‘Como yo te amo’ put the finishing touch to almost two hours of concert that, initially, was going to be repeated this Monday, December 8. However, this double event was postponed and it will not be until December 19, 2026, in the same venue, when Raphael meets his audience again in Madrid.

After the summer, the singer had to cancel, due to some illnesses due to a flu process, some of his concerts, which have been moved to 2026, when he is also scheduled to make the leap to America, with dates in the United States and Mexico between April and May.

Despite his health problems, this year has also been marked by great recognitions such as the fact that just over a month ago he was named Person of the Year 2025 by the Latin Recording Academy, which thus recognized the man from Jaén for being “an ambassador of Latin music worldwide”, with a gala in Las Vegas during Latin Grammy Week.

As his fans assured tonight, “this man is worthy of study”, while they crowded at the exit to say goodbye to their idol, some with flowers and all with the hope of being able to enjoy many more shows by an eternal figure of song.